About Kids Included:Kids Included (formerly GRIT) has been providing inclusive early childhood services since 1982. Kids Included is a dynamic organization whose mission is to enhance the meaningful inclusion and participation of all children in everyday activities.
About Inclusive Child Care (ICC):Our Inclusive Child Care (ICC) program provides resources and supports to licensed early learning and child care programs across Alberta to successfully include children who have extra support needs. Inclusive Child Care provides short-term intensive support (six months) for licensed ELCC programs such as centre based child cares, family day homes, preschools, and out of school care within Edmonton and its surrounding areas as well as the western portion of the North Central region of Alberta.
About Access Support and Participation (ASaP): Through ASaP, we partner with licensed child care programs across Alberta. This includes both center-based care and family day homes. Once enrolled, teams engage in professional learning, coaching and leadership development to create high-quality, inclusive environments for all children. ASaP is a long-term learning partnership between Kids Included and licensed childcare programs that lasts up to two years, with continuing support for alumni after that.
About the Position: The Early Learning Inclusion Navigator provides system navigation support to children, families, and Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) programs to promote equitable access to inclusive early learning environments and appropriate services. This community-based role fosters collaboration among families, educators, and community partners, and strengthens adult capacity to support the participation and success of children with diverse needs.
The successful candidate will support families in identifying and accessing inclusive early learning and child care options, while assisting them in navigating community services such as Family Supports for Children with Disabilities (FSCD), Alberta Health Services (AHS), and Family Resource Networks (FRN). This role provides families with information, resources, and guidance to support informed decision-making, and facilitates connections between families, early learning and child care programs, and appropriate supports.
Working collaboratively with families, educators, and service providers, the individual will help develop coordinated support plans and build strong partnerships with community agencies. Responsibilities also include collecting, maintaining, and sharing up-to-date information about community resources and access pathways, participating in community networking and cross-sector collaboration through conferences and meetings, and providing regular updates to internal teams regarding community trends and available supports.
In addition, the role contributes to organizational effectiveness by coordinating navigation support across Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) programs within Inclusive Child Care (ICC) and Access Supports and Participation (ASaP) frameworks. The candidate will represent organizational values and priorities in all professional interactions, support policy and procedure development as requested, contribute to ongoing service improvements, and maintain accurate and timely documentation of services provided.
Job Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Early Childhood Development, Education or related field. Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered.
- Minimum five (5) years’ experience working with the early learning and child care sector (ELCC) while supporting families.
- Demonstrated leadership experience within early learning and child care settings with in-depth knowledge of child development, trauma-informed care, early childhood best practices, and inclusive practices that support the participation of children with diverse needs.
- Strong understanding of the Alberta Early Learning and Child Care system, including community services, assessment pathways, and supports.
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with families, educators, and community partners using a family-centered, strengths-based approach.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build respectful, effective relationships across diverse stakeholders.
- Ability to support problem-solving, coordinate services, and guide families and programs in accessing appropriate supports and resources.
- Proficiency in digital documentation systems to record service activities and communication with families, programs, and community partners.
- Ability to use technology to deliver both in-person and virtual services and support.
- Satisfactory Police Information Check with Vulnerable Sector and Children’s Intervention Check.
- Ability to with travel to early learning programs and family or community meeting locations.
- Second language proficiency (French) is an asset.
Compensation: Kids included offers a comprehensive compensation package that includes Group Benefits, up to 6% Group RSP matching, Telus Health Employee Assistance Program, and three weeks of paid vacation to start. The hourly rate for this position ranges from $39.58-$51.19, based on experience and education. The role is 35.00 hours per week.
Physical, Emotional and Psychological Demands include:
This role requires strong emotional resilience, empathy, and interpersonal skills to support families facing complex challenges while managing sensitive conversations and diverse stakeholder needs. The ability to stay calm, adaptable, and solution-focused in a fast-paced, sometimes unpredictable environment is essential, along with maintaining focus for documentation and coordination tasks. Physical demands include regular travel to community sites, attending meetings, and alternating between in-person and virtual work, which may involve extended periods of sitting, driving, and computer use.
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism (EDIAR) Commitment:
Kids Included is committed to becoming an equitable, inclusive, anti-racist, and decolonized organization at the individual, organization, and systems level. We are intentionally working to create safe and brave spaces that acknowledge, honour, and respect the lived experience of every person and community. Kids Included is committed to embedding EDIAR work in all that we do. We strive to be authentic and genuine, and committed to action; creating an organization that more accurately reflects the communities we serve and responds more effectively to diverse needs. We strongly encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, including Indigenous peoples, Black and racialized individuals, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ2S+ communities, and those with diverse lived experiences. Accommodations are available throughout the application process upon request.
Pay: $39.58-$51.19 per hour
Application question(s):
- Do you have strong understanding of the Alberta Early Learning and Child Care system, including community services, assessment pathways, and support?
Education:
- Bachelor's Degree (required)
Experience:
- working within early learning and child care sector: 5 years (required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Edmonton, AB T5L 4N8
