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Child development specialist skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Sheryl Covitt,

Melissa Boas

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical child development specialist skills. We ranked the top skills for child development specialists based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 14.6% of child development specialist resumes contained child development as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a child development specialist needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 child development specialist skills for your resume and career

1. Child Development

Here's how child development specialists use child development:

Developed curriculum, implemented curriculum and evaluated curriculum for an infant/toddler classroom as the Child Development Specialist/Infant-toddler Head Teacher.
Provided clinical consultation to Marriage Family Therapist Intern's regarding child development issues as they relate to parent/child dynamics.

3. Mental Health

Mental health is the state of wellbeing in which an individual can cope with the regular stresses and tensions of life, and can work productively without having any emotional or psychological breakdown. Mental health is essential for a person of any age and helps them make the right decisions in their life.

Here's how child development specialists use mental health:

Conducted development assessments and observed and screened for mental health and behavior management issues.
Collaborated with other mental health professionals to create treatment plans and development objectives.

4. Direct Care

Direct care is the act of identifying people with special needs and offering the necessary care for them.

Here's how child development specialists use direct care:

Direct care staff position providing acute residential care to children age 6-12 that otherwise would be placed in a psychiatric hospital.
Direct Care worker: provided crisis intervention, facilitated group sessions, taught behavioral skills, life skills and counseled.

5. Childhood

Childhood is the state or period of being a child. It's the period for children to develop and learn.

Here's how child development specialists use childhood:

Educated and prepared provider staff development training in early childhood.
Coordinated workshops related to parenting and childhood development.

6. Kids

Here's how child development specialists use kids:

Recruited a tutoring service to donate their time to tutor kids in need
Assist kids and families in the transitioning process

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7. Behavioral Issues

Behavioral issues are the tendencies of individuals displaying unpleasant behavior as a result of sickness or addiction.

Here's how child development specialists use behavioral issues:

Addressed academic/behavioral issues as Student Teacher Assistant Team Leader (six- member multidisciplinary team).
Provided individual and group therapy to adolescents with emotional and behavioral issues.

8. Direct Supervision

Direct supervision is a term used to indicate that a person is supervising a certain task or a certain person while being physically present or in close proximity. It refers to the presence of a person and the availability of their supervision in something if it is needed.

Here's how child development specialists use direct supervision:

Provided direct supervision to special education master level interns.
Provide direct supervision to children, ages 5-17 in a supportive youth development environment at a residential treatment center.

9. Developmental Disabilities

Here's how child development specialists use developmental disabilities:

Acquired direct instruction experience working with students with developmental disabilities implementing the principles of Applied Behavioral Analysis
Implemented programs to meet behavioral goals for students with developmental disabilities in a residential school.

10. Autism

Here's how child development specialists use autism:

Educated children with autism via a diverse academic curriculum.
Observed evaluations for Autism and other developmental disorders.

11. Residential Treatment Facility

Here's how child development specialists use residential treatment facility:

Led 3 staff in modeling and mentoring appropriate infant care for children aged 0-24 months in the residential treatment facility.
Worked with children of a wide range of backgrounds in a residential treatment facility.

12. Compassion

Here's how child development specialists use compassion:

Work with a verity of patients showing respect and compassion and dignity for them all.
Provided kindness and compassion to the deceased and their families.

13. CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR is a medical procedure that involves chest compression to help a patient breathe. This artificial ventilation helps in keeping the brain function in place and regulates blood throughout the body. CPR is a lifesaving procedure that is used in emergencies.

Here's how child development specialists use cpr:

Certified in Pediatric CPR and attend classes for continuing education in childcare knowledge and skills.
Certified in CPR and First- Aid.

14. Early Intervention

Here's how child development specialists use early intervention:

Provided developmental services to children identified as needing early intervention.
Evaluated children for eligibility for early intervention services.

15. Community Resources

Community resources are a set of resources that are used in the day to day life of people which improves their lifestyle in some way. People, sites or houses, and population assistance can come under the services offered by community resources.

Here's how child development specialists use community resources:

Evaluate family progress and initiate interventions, corrective action referrals, and provide appropriate community resources.
Consulted and coordinated care with other health professionals and/or referred families to other community resources.

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What skills help Child Development Specialists find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on child development specialist resumes?

Sheryl Covitt

Adjunct Faculty in the School of Education, Loyola University Chicago

I make sure that the resumes candidates share with me are clearly and concisely written and make a positive impression quickly, as this is the first document an interviewer will read. The description of each of their school-based experiences should include action words that describe what they did and with whom. Using key words such as progress monitoring, cultural/racial diversity, differentiation, working with families, relationship building, use of technology (this is a big one!), and collaboration will (hopefully) encourage the interviewer to explore that further with the candidate during the interview. I also let them know that resumes should include skills and accomplishments that are relevant to schools' needs. This requires them to do his/her research about the school district prior to submitting a resume to that school and before going in for the interview.

What child development specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Melissa Boas

Director of Professional School Counseling, Assistant Professor, Lancaster Bible College

I believe the most important skill to enhance if taking a gap year is self-awareness. Understanding oneself and why and how self-awareness directly relates to future career decision making is instrumental in ensuring the right decisions are made. Self-awareness is extremely beneficial in all areas of life not just in choosing a career pathway.

What type of skills will young child development specialists need?

Dr. Thomas Dearden Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Sociology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Indeed, the way we work is changing. The skills that young graduates will need are diverse. Transferable skills and soft skills will certainly be marketable. These include traditional crafts such as communication, but I also think the world expects more empathy from its employees. Young graduates with an understanding of racism, sexism, and environmental responsibility will become increasingly important.

What hard/technical skills are most important for child development specialists?

Kacie Blalock Ph.D.

Associate Professor; Director, Master of Counseling, Louisiana State University at Shreveport

It is important that counselors are able to effectively take notes and summarize progress, interpret assessments, memorize and recall information, and keep clear yet concise records.

Do you want to know more?

List of child development specialist skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a child development specialist resume and required skills for a child development specialist to have include:

Child Development
Social Work
Mental Health
Direct Care
Childhood
Kids
Behavioral Issues
Direct Supervision
Developmental Disabilities
Autism
Residential Treatment Facility
Compassion
CPR
Early Intervention
Community Resources
Professional Development

Developmental Delays
Child Abuse
Assessment Tools
IFSP
Technical Assistance
Therapeutic Crisis Intervention
Behavior Management
Physical Development
Community Agencies
Parent Education
Children Birth
Group Therapy
Family Service Plan
DCF
Creative Curriculum
Language

ABA
Emotional Support
Parent Involvement
Domestic Violence
Crisis Situations
Social Development
ASQ
Developmental Screenings
Incident Reports
CDA
IEP
Early Childhood Development
Therapeutic Environment
Behavior Analysis
Applied Behavior Analysis

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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