Danielle Jones
Boondall,QLD
Summary
Dynamic and compassionate Child Development Specialist with a proven track record of building exceptional rapport and serving as a trusted key worker for families navigating the NDIS system. Recognised as an advanced practitioner within The Benevolent Society, embodying core values of optimism, integrity, respect, collaboration, and effectiveness. Adept at partnering with families and early childhood services to gather comprehensive information, develop tailored NDIS plans, and promote meaningful change. Known for providing unwavering support to families with complex needs, fostering positive engagement, and shifting negative perceptions of the NDIS.
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
Work History
Child Development Specialist
The Benevolent Society
05.2021 - Current
- Support children (aged 0-9 years) and families with complex needs, providing specialised support and guidance throughout their NDIS journey.
- Act as a supportive key worker for families who have encountered negative experiences with the NDIS, effectively shifting their perspectives and fostering positive engagement.
- Recognised as an advanced practitioner within the team after just one year, demonstrating exceptional skills and dedication.
- Embody and uphold the core values of The Benevolent Society: optimism, integrity, respect, collaboration, and effectiveness.
- Partner with families and early childhood services to gather comprehensive information on children's development and support needs.
- Facilitate the development, understanding, and implementation of NDIS plans, ensuring alignment with families' goals and aspirations.
- Conduct virtual, phone, and face-to-face meetings with families to assess children's development and current support systems.
- Work in a hybrid model, completing reassessment and initial meetings, as well as completing pathway determination meetings to determine the appropriate pathway for a child, and supporting the family with the access, early supports or mainstream and community pathway.
- Collaborate closely with families to establish meaningful goals, emphasizing participation and engagement in natural environments to drive positive change.
- Provide guidance and support to team members, sharing expertise and insights on complex cases and best practices.
- Contribute to creating a dynamic and supportive team environment, fostering growth and learning among colleagues.
- Cultivate exceptional rapport with families, serving as their trusted key worker upon request for extended periods.
- Establish strong and enduring relationships with families, built on trust, empathy, and effective communication.
- Act as a consistent and reliable source of support for families, providing continuity and stability throughout their NDIS journey.
- Demonstrated leadership abilities by stepping into the role of team leader on multiple occasions, overseeing team operations and providing guidance and support to colleagues. Periods in this position lasted up to four months, during which time effectively managed team workflows, delegated tasks, and provided support to a team of nine staff.
Prepatory Teacher
West End State School
01.2020 - 12.2020
- Plan and implement coherent, well sequenced teaching and learning programs that engage students and promote learning.
- Identify students with additional needs or who are at risk, and working closely with guidance officers and the behaviour and inclusion team to provide individualised support for these children.
- Use effective verbal and nonverbal communication strategies to support student understanding, engagement, and achievement.
- Manage challenging behaviour.
- Adhered to the cross curriculum priorities of the Australian Curriculum, and worked with a mentor to incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures into daily practice.
- Adhere to assessment and reporting policies and practices.
- Prepare timely and meaningful feedback and reports and notifications to students and parents.
- Participate in moderation activities to support consistent and comparable judgements of student development.
- Work closely with the head of curriculum to refine maths assessments to ensure they align with the achievement standards of the Australian Curriculum.
- Work closely with the learning enhancement team to create purposeful individualised learning plans for students with additional learning needs.
- Engaged regularly with a pedagogical coach for professional development.
- An active member of the Beginning Teacher and Writing Professional Learning Communities.
- Engaged with a coach on a weekly basis for one term to become an expert in implementing age-appropriate pedagogies (AAP) across all curriculum areas.
Part Time, 1:1 Inclusion Support Worker
Little Saints Early Learning And Care
05.2019 - 01.2020
- Working closely with the child’s family, Occupational Therapists and behaviour specialists to collaboratively set goals and provide support.
- Assist in the assessment and identification of children with additional needs, fostering self-help strategies to encourage independence and self-reliance in the classroom.
- Make a daily contribution to individual learning and/or behavioural plans: setting and reviewing targets, overseeing implementation, and recording progress.
- Assist with the development of appropriate strategies for managing behaviour, monitoring behaviour, providing agreed rewards and sanctions, responding to incidents of challenging behaviour and recording outcomes.
- Present daily learning activities for individual children to enhance their access to the curriculum.
Full Time Early Childhood Kindy Teacher and Team Leader
Little Saints Early Learning and Care
09.2018 - 05.2019
- Working closely with children and families to build strong, trusting relationships.
- Designing and implementing units of work and weekly programs which cater to the individual needs of the children.
- Using a holistic teaching approach which addresses the development of literacy and numeracy skills, social and emotional skills.
- Providing a safe, supportive, inclusive and stimulating educational environment.
- Assessing students progress in regards to the developmental milestones and monitoring this closely.
- Familiar with important Early Childhood frameworks such as the Early Years Learning Framework and the Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guidelines.
- Integrating the important components of the Abecedarian Approach within my daily practice.
- Developing programs for, and running, Forest School once a week where the children became familiar with the land of the Yugambah people and respectfully explored cultural traditions by engaging with natural resources.
- Working closely with the families of children with additional needs and any other stakeholders including Occupational Therapists and Psychologists, as well as writing and implementing individual behaviours support plans incorporating input from all stakeholders.
Education
Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) - Education
University of Tasmania
Hobart, TAS12.2017
Skills
- Teamwork
- Professionalism
- Lead by example
- Integrity
- Good communication skills
- Excellent organisational skills
- Reliable & innovative
- Conducting interviews
Additional Information
- Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood)
- First Aid Certificate
- Current Working with Vulnerable People Check
- NDIS Worker Screening Check
- Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) Practitioner
Timeline
Child Development Specialist
The Benevolent Society
05.2021 - Current
Prepatory Teacher
West End State School
01.2020 - 12.2020
Part Time, 1:1 Inclusion Support Worker
Little Saints Early Learning And Care
05.2019 - 01.2020
Full Time Early Childhood Kindy Teacher and Team Leader
Little Saints Early Learning and Care
09.2018 - 05.2019
Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) - Education
University of Tasmania
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