Early Childhood Specialist II

Job Purpose

The Early Childhood Specialist (ECS) II provides direct services for Early Childhood (EC) initiatives which supports families with young Native Hawaiian children aged 0‑5. The ECS II is responsible for providing comprehensive, individualized and group family support services to families with young Native Hawaiian children aged 0‑5. This position provides clinical services to support families in strengthening parent‑child attachments, improving emotional well‑being, healing from trauma, and fostering cultural connections.

The Early Childhood Specialist II will also work with the program team to develop, implement and evaluate innovative and impactful programming for our families. This position provides island‑wide support, including the delivery of programs and services across multiple sites.

• Applies a strengths‑based, trauma‑informed approach to conduct comprehensive assessments of families, utilizing the Pua Lili‘u assessment tools and other screens. Co‑develops written Hoʻomohala service plans with frequent updates, focusing on strengthening parent‑child attachments, healing trauma, and providing social‑emotional support to help children meet developmental milestones and for families to achieve stability and independence.
• Provides in‑depth clinical counseling to assist individuals and families with addressing a variety of complex concerns.
• Co‑facilitates programs to support and enhance parent‑child relationships, social‑emotional learning, parent independence, healing from trauma and increase cultural knowledge. Plans other events or activities as assigned.
• Provides clinical interventions, such as Child‑Parent Psychotherapy (CPP), to parents and children.
• Supports parents through mākua coaching during supervised visits, focusing on skill‑building and nurturing safe, healthy connections with their children.
• Collaborate with other EC teammates to meet the various needs of families including eligibility screening, referral, assessment, internvention and evaluation of family needs.
• Assesses family situations to determine the ability of the family to provide a safe, nurturing home for the children and develops plans with the family to strengthen or remediate the situation.
• Provides services in both residential and community‑based settings across multiple sites.
• Makes referrals to needed community services to address family needs and support Hoʻomohala service plan goals.
• Encourages family participation, aims to keep them in the program, and ensures program safety.
• Performs written and electronic recordkeeping functions as required for LT’s internal database on a timely basis.
• Works in tandem with LT teammates to integrate services across the agency.
• Performs crisis prevention as needed.
• Actively participates in agency and program staff meetings, as well as professional group seminars or conferences to enhance professional knowledge and job skills.

• Participates in program planning, budget development, revision, and evaluation.
• Participates in continuing education and training opportunities for professional development.
• Contributes to the Trust’s success by accepting new assignments, helping team members, learning new skills, and striving to improves team and organization results.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

• Master's degree in social work, early childhood, marriage and family therapy, or other related field required.
• 2 years post‑Master’s experience in casework, group work or community level experience required.
• 2 years of professional experience working in the social work field with parents and young children required.
• Curently holds or working towards clinical licensure required; a willingness to complete clinical trainings such as Child‑Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) or other modalities required.
• Preferred candidates will have experience working with families facing complex challenges, including but not limited to system involvement (child welfare, homelessness, criminal justice), mental health, domestic violence, and substance use.
• Preferred candidates will be able to work independently with minimal guidance while delivering high‑quality services…