Position Type:
Early Childhood
Date Posted:
1/26/2022
Location:
Delaware Department of Education
Closing Date:
02/08/2022
District:
Delaware Department of Education
Position Title: Child Care Licensing Specialist
Reports To: Child Care Licensing Supervisor
Location: Wilmington, DE
Description of Position: The Delaware Department of Education, Office of Child Care Licensing is seeking a Child Care Licensing Specialist to license and monitor regional licensed child care facilities that provide services to children in out-of-home child care to protect the health, safety, and well-being of these children. The individual functions under the general supervision of a Licensing Supervisor.
Major Responsibilities:
- Evaluates facilities and programs for compliance with child care licensure requirements based on evaluation of applications and related paperwork, on-site observation, and review of records
- Conducts on-site visits for applicants, annual renewal of licensure, enforcement actions, and complaints of regulation non-compliance; makes recommendations for continued licensure or enforcement actions
- Provides information, orientation, training, and guidance to prospective applicants and licensees in such areas as compliance with DELACARE Regulations and best practices in the following programs: early care and education and school-age centers, family and large family child care homes, residential child care facilities and day treatment programs, youth camps, and child placing agencies
- Prepares documentation of non-compliance and participates in decisions to take adverse action against licensees for regulatory non-compliance and actively participates in appeal hearings by providing testimony and proof of non-compliance
- Investigates complaints, develops appropriate corrective action plans, and ensures the corrective action was completed
- Assists in the development of child care licensing regulations and policy
- Ensures licensed child care facilities comply with fire, health, and safety inspections of other regulatory agencies
- Participates in appropriate community advisory committees to promote best practices in early childhood or school-age care, regulation interpretation, and department programs and projects
- Performs other duties as assigned by the Supervisor or Director
Essential Qualifications:
Education: Bachelor’s Degree or higher from an accredited college or university. Preferred concentration in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Elementary Education, or General Studies with an early childhood education concentration, or a directly related field.
Experience:
- Providing child care at a licensed facility, preferred but not required
- Facilitating best practice in early care and education and school-age child care program design and implementation
- Interpreting laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies, and procedures
- Interviewing using structured or unstructured interview techniques to obtain facts, explore issues, and identify courses of action, preferred but not required
- Delivering technical assistance to diverse early learning programs and practitioners.
Skills:
- Knowledge of best practices in early care and education and school-age child care settings
- Ability to understand DELACARE Regulations and ensure compliance with those regulations at licensed child care facilities
- Ability to develop and disseminate materials and technical assistance to support compliance with DELACARE Regulations
- Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills with minimal correction needed in narrative report writing
- Results-oriented professional with superior time management skills and demonstrated ability to self-motivate and work independently.
- Adjusts schedules, tasks, and priorities as necessary
- Ensures information is complete and accurate and performs tasks in a thorough and careful manner
- Comfort with situational analysis and problem-solving including providing technical assistance to applicants and licensees to attain regulation compliance and improve programming
- Encourages teamwork and resolves concerns by creating a supportive and collaborative team spirit.
- Superior ability with MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and database use
- Ability to travel throughout the region to inspect child care facilities
Salary:
Salary will be computed in accordance with the education, experience, and training of the individual selected and in accordance with salary schedules for employees of the Department of Education. Direct deposit of payroll checks is a condition of state employment, and employees are paid on a lag pay schedule with the first payment made after approximately one month of employment.
Notes:
A criminal background check is required. The successful candidate must demonstrate during the interview process an understanding of diversity, educational equity and multicultural education. This job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position. The selected candidate should expect to perform any other related activities needed to deliver the position’s key duties and responsibilities and follow any other instructions as defined by his/her supervisor.
The Delaware Department of Education is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its employment practices or educational programs, services or activities based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, veteran’s status or any other legally protected category. Inquiries should be directed to the Human Resource Office, 401 Federal Street, Suite 2, Dover, DE 19901. Phone: 302-735-4030.
As a condition of employment, all employees must certify that they are fully COVID-19 vaccinated by September 30, 2021; or be required to test for COVID-19 on a weekly basis starting on September 30, 2021; or request an exemption from the COVID-19 vaccination(s) due to health or sincerely held religious beliefs or practices by September 30, 2021. If hired after September 23, 2021, these certifications or requests must be completed during their initial week of employment. This will be in effect until further notice.