Cottage Parent(s) - Crossnore, NC

Cottage Parent (Avery Campus)

Crossnore Communities for Children is looking for individuals and couples with huge hearts to join us as Cottage Parents in our Crossnore, NC location. We are looking for dedicated, well-organized people who enjoy caring for children.

As the heart of the home we provide for our children, Cottage Parents play a key role in our philosophy of care. Cottage Parents use a professional, team-oriented, trauma-informed love and logic approach to support our children. Each cottage is home to up to 9 children, with two teams of Cottage Parents serving alternate shifts of 7 days on/7 days off.

A Day in the Life
As a Cottage Parent, you will manage children and cottages, and will be part of a team regarding each child in the cottage. You will help establish and maintain a steady daily routine for the children that you are responsible for, including: waking up, breakfast, transportation to school or appointments, daily chores and daily leisure activities and exercise, study time, personal hygiene, and bedtime. You will keep medical files and related reports for children, and also manage and account for all the money for groceries and special activities. You will prepare and provide the food for those you are responsible for, and ensure inspection-ready upkeep of the cottage facility and vehicle, with safety as your top priority. You will participate in regular, ongoing training, and you will model and teach daily living skills to children in care.

Hiring Range: $34,000 to $40,000 annually

Pre-Hire Requirements 

Must successfully complete extensive background checks, interviews, and pre-hire drug screen

Crossnore Communities for Children is requiring new hires (excluding those with an approved medical or religious exemption) to be vaccinated for COVID 19 as a condition of employment to help ensure the safety of all employees, youth and families served.

Must be willing to take care of the Cottage dog.

Benefits

• Defined Contribution Benefits Plan including options for:
  • Health/Dental/Vision Insurance
  • Life, Short-Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability plans
  • Critical Illness and Accident coverage options
  • Flexible Spending Plan
• 401k with employer match (up to 6%)
• Ongoing Training
• Housing/Meals included while on shift

About Us:

For more than 100 years, Crossnore Communities for Children (formerly Crossnore School & Children's Home) has provided a Christian sanctuary of hope and healing for children and families in North Carolina. Our holistic model of care allows us to meet and nurture each child right where they are, regardless of background, experiences, or differences. Crossnore is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote employees regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status. We have a clear vision to provide a workplace where a diverse group of talented individuals come to do their best work. We offer a comprehensive set of benefits to support the health and financial well-being of all employees, including paid time off, flexible work schedules where allowable, 401(k), medical, dental, and vision insurance, and more.

Full Job Description

JOB TITLE: Cottage Parent
 
REPORTS TO: Residential Supervisor 
 
SUMMARY: Cottage Parent’s (CP’s) manage cottage and residents residing within the cottage.  CP’s provide a safe and supportive environment conducive to growth in physical, social, educational, vocational, emotional, cultural, recreational, and spiritual development.

STATUS: Full Time, Salaried - Live in 7 days on and 7 days off (including holidays).
 
PAY SCALE: Hiring Range $34,000 to $40,000 annually

QUALIFICATIONS
Education/Experience

High School diploma or equivalent required, Bachelor's degree in human services or related field preferred.

Residential child care experience preferred.

Knowledge of child development and/or prior experience working with at-risk populations preferred.

An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

Skills/Competencies

Demonstrated passion for serving youth and families.

Knowledge of age appropriate independent living skills strongly preferred. 

Demonstrated ability to operate well in crisis situations and knowledge of cultural issues that can affect care.

Commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity and antiracism in working with clients.  Must be flexible and willing to work with youth of all ages, races, nationalities, sexual orientations, gender identities, disabilities, and backgrounds.

Demonstrated ability to exercise discretion and independent judgment.  

Ability to work well with others on diverse teams and allow flexibility (including work days and schedules). 

Good interpersonal, communication and organizational skills

Demonstrated proficiency with computers and email preferred.

Ability to laugh, be creative and have willingness to make and learn from mistakes.

Displays enthusiasm and confidence in taking on tasks and challenges.

Valid Driver’s License, and must be willing to drive a van and travel to various job related locations 

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Cultivate a nurturing environment through the use of the Sanctuary Model that supports client and staff development on every level spiritually, socially, educationally, and emotionally.

Be aware of and willing to work with children and families of all ages, races, nationalities, sexual orientations, gender identities, disabilities, and backgrounds and to foster diversity and inclusion in the workplace and designated program area. 

Use the Sanctuary Model and its toolkit to continue to provide guidance towards the responsiveness and respect of diversity, multiculturalism, and inclusion across all programs and settings.

Be committed to using Sanctuary principles when interacting and communicating with others, in team building, giving and receiving feedback, showing initiative, working independently, and in using good judgment, problem solving and decision making.

Embrace technology by being willing and able to check and respond to emails/messages, prepare documentation and attend meetings via video conferencing.

Promote a safe, secure environment in all areas of responsibility.

Comply with all standards of accreditation and licensing agencies and adhere to all organizational policies, procedures and program guidelines. 

Use Crossnore Communities for Children resources efficiently and conservatively, including time, facilities, vehicles, equipment, supplies and funds.

Assume responsibility for personal and professional development through appropriate use of regular supervision (individual or group), participating in meetings, maintaining continuing education requirements, licensure and certifications and attendance at classes, workshops, etc. to improve professional skills.

Maintain professional conduct and image to actively promote the mission, value and purpose of Crossnore Communities for Children.

Ensure the provision of quality services through participation in Crossnore Communities for Children Performance Quality Improvement (PQI).

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES/DUTIES

Parenting

Provide the basic needs of food, clothing, nurturing and housing for all cottage residents;

Follow daily routine to include: wake up, breakfast, chores (to include walking and caring for the Cottage Dog, if applicable), study opportunities, leisure/physical activities, personal hygiene and bedtime;

Teach and complete daily living skills, including but not limited to laundry, potty training, changing diapers, bathing young residents, styling hair, etc.;

Prepare family style cottage meals;

Provide necessary medical care by administers medications to children and appropriately documenting the process in the resident’s medical records; 

Manage cottage budget;

Maintain inspection-ready cottage cleanliness and upkeep of cottage facility and vehicle;

Maintain contact with teachers at the children’s school and monitor academic and behavior performance in school;

Provide opportunities for problem-solving and conflict resolution in individual and group experiences;

Encourage participation in recreation and other campus activities;

Provide appropriate supervision at all times; 

Take responsibility for planning additional cottage activities; 

Utilize adopted parenting model and The Sanctuary Model and their respective tools to create a supportive, nurturing environment conducive to residents’ spiritual, social, educational, and emotional development;

Technical/Clinical

Demonstrate leadership skills that foster a positive, growth-enhancing, therapeutic environment that promotes the development of healthy, age appropriate traits in residents, self, and team members.

Participate in assessing and addressing residents’ and families’ spiritual, emotional, educational, cultural, recreational, physical, and independent living needs that are determined in each resident’s individualized Plan of Care.

Provide structure, routine, rules and consequences that meet the needs of each resident. Allow healthy time for privacy and individual pursuits based on each unique individual and provide opportunities for growth which take into consideration each residents’ ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

Demonstrate the ability to instruct and supervise each child in personal care, hygiene, and grooming appropriate for the age, sex, race and developmental capacity of the child.

Demonstrate adherence to confidentiality standards and resident rights standards.

Establish a therapeutic environment by brainstorming, utilizing and evaluating therapeutic interventions used with individual children and groups to manage crisis situations, maintain safety and provide opportunities for residents’ growth and development. 

Consistently implement the requirements of the program to ensure that residents follow program rules/structure, attend, and actively participate in planned activities. 

Documentation

Complete all required documentation within the required timeframes, utilizing professional language.  Ensure that reports clearly reflect facts and are based on each resident individually. Documentation can include, but may not be limited to incident reports, general information, cottage budget, medication administration records, food records, fire drills, etc. 

Decision-Making

Demonstrate positive decision-making skills when working with residents, team members and developing strategies to meet each residents’ Plan of Care goals. 

Show ability to work independently while being receptive of taking direction and feedback from supervisors and team members. 

Always provide to residents in care appropriate eye sight supervision that meets the program’s staff to resident ratio requirement. 

Show good judgment related to work performance and ethical behavior by providing respectful and therapeutic responses to residents and families under stress, resolving conflicts and crisis in a non-violent manner. 

Exercise social responsibility when asked to assist with coverage in assigned cottage or another cottage on campus to promote a healthy environment and consistency. 

 
Analytical / Interpersonal

Identify effective ways to work with specific individuals, families and groups.

Use information from assessment tools that provide services based on the resident and families strengths, preferences and needs.

Utilize effective communication and interpersonal skills to partner, all team members, residents, families and other providers who work with residents to promote positive growth and change.  

 Other Responsibilities 

Participate in regular performance evaluations and attend training opportunities to enhance professional growth by completing at least 24 hours of continuing education each year, provided by the agency.

Other responsibilities may become necessary in the course of working routines and therefore be required.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS   Medium
Position involves lifting no more than 50 pounds at a time (from time to time may need to lift children heavier than this) with frequent lifting or carrying of objects weighing up to 20 pounds. Frequent walking, standing, and sitting. Frequent reaching and/or grasping using hands and/or arms. Frequent use of hands requiring dexterity in using the telephone, computer keyboard, or other objects. Visual ability including distance, peripheral and depth perception. Ability to drive and hear. Ability to spend long periods of time standing, bending, stooping, and walking around the facility while supervising and/or participating in the activities and assisting in the movement of the residents. Accompany residents on field trips requiring the physical stamina to walk a minimum of a mile (often times more). Ability to climb stairs. Job requires physical stamina; agility required to manage young, active residents. 

 DAYS/HOURS OF POSITION and WORK CONDITIONS:  
7 days on / 7 days off (live on site while on shift).  Housing, meals, and supplies provided while on shift.  Work may involve travel to locations that range from human services agencies, clinics, hospitals, offices, and locations for field trips.  May involve contact with clients and/or family members who may be hostile, resistant, and violent. 

 The above list is not all-inclusive.  Other responsibilities may become necessary in the course of working routines and therefore be required.