Department Overview: | We are a family of four. One parent is a social work professor and the other is an engineer and professor of practice at UW-Madison. Our twins turn 7 in November and are starting 1st grade. Our home is full of sensory equipment (swings, trampoline, crash pads, cozy corners, backyard, water play) with a fenced in backyard and is located near multiple parks.
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Position Summary/Job Duties: | We are University professors with twin 7-year-olds who are energetic, sweet, and fun. They are also autistic, mostly nonspeaking (have communication devices and use pictures, signs, words), sensory-seeking, and have high support needs (but are not physically disabled or medically fragile). They are loving first grade this year! We are seeking respite/childcare providers to give them the one-to-one support that helps them thrive. They love spending time with people, learning new things, being outside in the backyard, and playing in our basement sensory gym or nearby playgrounds/parks. We also have a big trampoline! They also like outings to places like Play N Wisconsin (where we have a membership) or swimming.
You may be spending time with one of them while a parent or other respite provider is with the other child, help accompany on outings with the two of them, spend time one-on-one while the other child is with a respite provider, help ensure one or both kids can go to in-home or outside-the-home therapies (occupational therapy, speech therapy, swimming, music. etc.)
It is NOT a requirement that you transport kids at any time (though it would be a huge plus for us if that were possible). We are about a 10 minute walk from the D bus line (which I take to and from campus most of the time myself). We also have ample parking in our driveway and on the street.
Option to continue work over the summer or work additional hours on days that school is closed for a holiday or teacher work day, etc. We have had respite providers who are in school for education (especially special education), social work, communication disorders, pre-OT/OT, counseling, and other related areas but that is not necessary. We have typically retained providers over a year or longer, but we are also open to a position for just the semester too.
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Qualifications: | Experience or interest in working with neurodivergent, autistic, high support needs, sensory seeking, speech delayed/nonspeaking kids or kids using alternative communication
High energy or willingness to be physically active (walks, pushing on swings, being outside, etc.)
Priortizes safety with an interest in fostering learning, communication, and joy
Nonsmoker
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