If you enjoy working with children and want to contribute to the development of the next generation, a career as a child development specialist may be right for you. This vital job may entail teaching children and their parents how to deal with the difficulties that come with developmental delays. Furthermore, child development specialists collaborate with other child-care providers and educators to provide children with life-enhancing supplemental support and skills to aid in their learning.
You’ll need a general interest in the field and an education that will allow you to work effectively with children on a daily basis to become a child development specialist. Child development can be a difficult field to work in, and managing the responsibilities of this job requires a lot of patience and understanding. You’ll also need a strong educational foundation, which should include courses in early childhood psychology, education, development, and special needs training.
A two-year associate’s degree in child development may be appropriate depending on your level of involvement as a child development specialist. This will allow you to not only find entry-level work in child care or teaching assistance, but also to advance your career as a child development specialist supporting the needs of special needs children much faster than if you tried to work your way up over several years.
While you are pursuing your education to become a child development specialist, you should consider working as a preschool aide or as a teaching assistant in a local school. This will provide you with the necessary experience working with various types of children so that you can determine whether or not this is the right career for you. You’ll also be able to gather references and resources that will help you later on when you start looking for a job as a child development specialist.
To work as a child development specialist, you’ll need at least three to five years of experience working in a facility that caters to children’s developmental needs. In addition to a regular job, you might want to consider volunteering for a local organization that helps children with special needs or who are developmentally delayed. Working for a social services organization that serves children and parents in this area is another option.