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Behavior Support Specialist
Job Location:
Job Location:
Salisbury, DE - USA
Yearly Salary:
USD 45000 - 50000
Yearly Salary:
Posted:
29 September 2026 (18 hours ago)
Posted:
Application Deadline:
27 December 2026
Application Deadline:
Vacancies:
1 Vacancy
Vacancies:
Job Summary
Supervisor:Health &Education and Disability Supervisors
Department:Head Start& Early Head StartProgram
Classification:Full Time
Monday-Friday8 am 4 pm8:30 am 4:30 pm or9 am 5 pm
Position Qualifications:
- Bachelorsdegreeor higherinbehavior science/studies social workspecial educationorBachelorsdegree in a related field with courseworkin social work and behavioral health.
- Minimum of two years of direct experience in abehavioral supportsetting providing preventionand interventionservicesto children(0-5 years old).
JobDescription:
- Thebehavior support specialist (BSS)isresponsible forproviding early childhoodmental health (MH)support to Head Start staff children and families.
- Thebehavior support specialistwillprovidea broad range of services including early childhoodMHobservations and supportin classrooms; training andmodeling forstaff; screening assessment and referral services; and providing familytraining.
- Theposition requires you tocollect datamaintainrecords and support compliance in allfacetsof Head Start Program Performance Standards and state regulations.
Duties and Tasks:
General Consultation andBehavior Support:
- Collaborate with staff to explore child development information related to social and emotional developmentmental health and wellness.
- Implement positive strategies to support childrens well-being and prevent and address challenging behavior
- Provide guidance to staff on selecting implementing and interpreting social and emotional screening and assessment tools and findings.
- Answer questions about developmentallyappropriate activitiesfor children and effective ways to work with and support young children including children with disabilities.
Programmatic Consultation:
- Participate inmonthlyreflective supervision and consultationmeetingswith the mental health consultant.
- Participate in monthly reflective supervision with Health and Education Supervisors.
- Participate in the development and implementation of the mental health program and policy.
Staff &Family Training:
- In partnership with the mental health consultant support coordinate and provide staff trainings related to social and emotional andwellnessat least three times per year
- Coordinate andfacilitatetrainingfor familiesduringparent meetings.
Individualized Child Observations:
- Conduct observations and assessments of individual children as assigned or referredforobservation.
- Participate in teammeetingswith families to consult on child and family needs and create or follow upon plans to support these needs in conjunction with center staff.
- Individual Child Screening Assessment and Referral
- Review standardized developmental behavioral and social and emotional screens and assessments for individual children as assigned or referred forobservation.
- Provide child and familyreferralsand follow-up to community services.
Knowledgeand Skills:
- Demonstrate understanding of infant and early childhood mentaland behavioralhealth(0-5 years old).
- Demonstrate understanding of differences in mentaland behavioralhealth services and concepts across cultures.
- Demonstrate knowledge of child mentalandbehavioral health services system.
- Experience formulating and writingfunctionalassessments andbehavior support plans.
- Experience with evidence-based practices and curricula to promote early childhood mentalandbehavioralhealth desirable ( Parenting).
- Knowledge of Head Start programs is desirable.
- Build andmaintainstrong collaborative relationships withstaffand families.
- Partner withmental healthproviders as a member of a team.
- Lead andfacilitateprovider training and family education groups.
- Conduct standardized screens and assessments.
- Use results of screenings and assessments to guide work with families set goals and develop individualized plans.
- Referstaffand families toappropriate communityservices.
- Communicate effectively with groups both verbally and inwritingincluding case notes and collaborations.
- Organize tasks and manage time effectively.
Other Requirements:
- Mustadhere to the Standards of Conduct.
- Maintain the confidentiality of children and families asset forth inSHORE UP! Start policies.
- Ability to manage physically active children ages0to5.
- Adhere to federal state and local child abuse and neglect reportingrequirements.
- Attend trainings as assigned.
- Ability to occasionallylift upto 50 pounds.
- Must have valid drivers license and proof of insurance or must have acceptable alternative transportation.
- Maintain first aid and CPR certification.
- Maintain compliance withbackground checks.
- Other duties as assigned.
Job Benefits:
- Paid Leave (personal vacation sick funeral 13 paid holidays).
- Health Insurance (medical dental vision prescription plan).
- Short-term Disability.
- Life & Supplemental Insurance.
- Liability Insurance.
- Workmans Compensation.
- Maryland State Retirement and Pension System.
- 403(b) Option.
- Employee Assistance Program.
- Direct Deposit.
- Payroll Deduction.
Employment application: Experience:
IC
