About the Role: Responsibilities, Skills, and Requirements
Introduction
Are you someone who finds real joy in guiding and supporting young minds through life’s ups and downs? Our family in Abu Dhabi is on the lookout for a caring and insightful female Social Worker/Shadow Teacher to join us immediately. You’ll be making a meaningful impact, working closely with our middle school-aged son to help him thrive both academically and emotionally. If you’re eager to put your empathy and expertise to work in a close-knit, supportive setting—and you already call Abu Dhabi home—this could be the opportunity you’ve been looking for.
About the Family
We’re a warm, welcoming family who truly values openness, communication, and a sense of humor in our day-to-day life. Our household blends structure with flexibility; no two days are ever quite the same, but mutual respect and understanding keep things running smoothly. We believe in nurturing not just learning and independence, but also self-confidence—so you can expect to feel like a valued teammate, not just a hired hand. Our son is bright, curious, and responds best to encouragement and patience. If you appreciate collaborative problem-solving and celebrating small wins together, you’ll feel right at home here.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Provide hands-on, compassionate support for our son throughout the school day and select after-school activities.
- Collaborate closely with teachers and educational staff, acting as a discreet but proactive advocate in both academics and social settings.
- Employ behavior intervention strategies based on your RBT training or similar behavioral expertise, adapting approaches as needed to help our son succeed.
- Offer gentle guidance to help navigate peer interactions, self-regulation, and classroom transitions.
- Communicate with our family regularly, sharing progress updates and thoughtful observations—your insights are valued and essential.
- Adapt resources or lesson materials when necessary, ensuring that learning remains accessible, positive, and personalized.
What You’ll Bring
Must-Haves
- Currently residing in Abu Dhabi with your own visa and work eligibility.
- Female candidate (requirement set by family circumstances).
- Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) certification or closely related qualification.
- Minimum 2 years’ direct, hands-on experience working with children in a school or family setting, ideally as a shadow teacher/social worker.
- Strong communication skills, empathy, and the ability to connect with middle school-aged children.
- Reliable, self-motivated, and comfortable adapting to a dynamic home environment.
Nice-to-Haves
- Background in special education, psychology, or counseling.
- Experience supporting neurodiverse children or those with learning differences.
- Basic knowledge of Arabic is a plus, but not required.
Not sure you tick every box? We’d still love to hear from you.
Why You’ll Love Working Here
- Competitive compensation, reflective of your experience and the commitment you bring.
- Positive, respectful working environment—expect to be treated as a true collaborator and valued member of the family.
- Opportunity to make a direct, lasting difference in a child’s life, with regular feedback and gratitude.
- Stable, long-term role—6 days a week—with clear expectations and open lines of communication.
- Flexibility to shape the approach and contribute your professional perspective as an equal partner.
You’ll be doing genuinely meaningful work where every day counts. If you’re ready for a role that goes beyond the ordinary, we look forward to connecting with you.
Common Interview Questions and Tips
To help you prepare and feel confident, here are some questions you might encounter during the interview process for this role.
- Can you walk us through how you would discreetly support a middle school student in a classroom setting without interrupting the class flow?
- How do you apply your RBT or behavioral intervention training when a child is struggling with self-regulation or classroom transitions?
- Describe a time you adapted lesson materials or activities to better suit the needs of a child you were supporting. What was your process?
- What strategies do you find most effective for helping a child build social skills and navigate peer interactions, especially in group settings?
- How would you handle collaborating with teachers and school staff to advocate for a student’s needs, while maintaining open communication with the family?
- Tell us about your experience working directly with neurodiverse children or those with learning differences—what approaches have worked best in your experience?
- Imagine the child you’re supporting has a challenging day at school and is reluctant to share what happened. How would you encourage him to open up while respecting his boundaries?
- Our family values open communication and humor, even during stressful moments. Can you share an example of how you bring positivity and patience to your interactions with both children and adults?
- Describe a situation where you had to adapt quickly to a change in routine or unexpected challenge at work. How did you handle it, and what was the outcome?
- In a role where you’re closely connected to a family, how do you maintain both professional boundaries and a sense of genuine partnership?
- What’s your approach to celebrating progress and small wins with a child who may face regular challenges, academically or socially?
- How do you ensure that your observations and feedback about a child’s progress are both honest and supportive when communicating with parents?
- If you’re presented with a cultural or language barrier you haven’t encountered before, how would you adapt your approach to make everyone feel included?
- What excites you most about working in a family-centered, adaptive environment rather than a traditional classroom setting?