Psychologist (Early Childhood)

Organization: Sharjah Education Academy (SEA)

Key Focus Area: Sharjah Government Nurseries (SGN)

About Sharjah Government Nurseries (SGN)

Sharjah Government Nurseries (SGN), operating under Sharjah Education Academy (SEA), provides exceptional early childhood education and care for children aged 0–4 years across the Emirate of Sharjah. SGN is committed to fostering a professional community built on care, collaboration, and excellence. We empower our educators and specialists through continuous development and evidence-based practices, ensuring every role contributes to shaping confident, curious, and compassionate young learners.

Position: Psychologist (Early Childhood)

Role Purpose

Role

The Psychologist supports the psychological, behavioral, and socio-emotional development of children aged 0–4 across SGN nurseries. This role provides expert assessments, early intervention, consultation, and guidance for three key groups:

• Children – assessment, emotional/behavioral support, intervention
• Teachers – training, behavioral guidance, classroom strategies
• Parents – counselling (positive parenting support) and developmental guidance.
  
  

The Psychologist ensures that every child’s developmental needs are understood and supported through evidence-based early childhood psychology practices.

Key Responsibilities

Direct Support For Children (Primary Role)

• Conduct psychological, developmental, and behavioral assessments for children aged 0–4.
• Identify developmental delays, behavioral concerns, emotional regulation issues, and social-emotional challenges.
• Develop individualized psychological support plans and implement early intervention strategies.
• Deliver one-on-one or small-group sessions to support emotional, behavioral, and social development.
• Monitor and document developmental progress using validated early childhood assessment tools.
  
  

Support and Capacity Building for Teachers

• Train nursery educators on early childhood development, behavior guidance, emotional regulation, and early warning signs.
• Provide in-class coaching and modelling effective, child-centered behavioral strategies.
• Assist teachers in addressing challenging behaviors through proactive and positive approaches.
• Support the creation of emotionally supportive, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate classroom environments.
  
  

Guidance, Counselling & Engagement for Parents

• Provide counselling and developmental guidance to families to support their child’s growth.
• Conduct workshops on positive parenting, emotional well-being, early childhood development, and behavior support at home.
• Communicate sensitively and professionally with families regarding assessments, interventions, and progress.
• Strengthen home–nursery partnerships for consistent child support.
  
  

Safeguarding & Child Protection

• Identify concerns related to a child’s well-being and follow SGN safeguarding protocols.
• Provide guidance on trauma-informed and child-safe practices.
• Participate in case reviews and child-protection processes in line with UAE regulatory frameworks.
  
  

Program Development & Multidisciplinary Collaboration

• Collaborate with speech specialists, learning difficulty specialists, inclusion professionals, and external medical/therapeutic agencies.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of SGN’s early intervention and inclusive education programs.
• Participate in multidisciplinary case meetings and provide expert recommendations.
  
  

Documentation, Reporting & Data Governance

• Maintain accurate psychological records, case notes, and developmental data.
• Prepare progress reports, summaries, and recommendations for internal use and family communication.
• Ensure all documentation follows confidentiality, ethics, and UAE safeguarding standards.
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree in psychology, Clinical Psychology, Child Psychology, Developmental Psychology, or a closely related field - (Preference will be given to candidates holding a PhD.)
• Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience working with young children in clinical, educational, or early intervention environments.
• Strong expertise in early childhood socio-emotional and behavioral development.
• Bilingual proficiency in Arabic and English is mandatory, given the nature of family engagement, communication requirements, and the cultural context.
  
  

Additional Preferred Certifications / Credentials

• UAE-recognized licenses or certifications (CDA - Community Development Authority (Dubai), MOE - Ministry of Education approval, DHA - Dubai Health Authority /DOH - Department of Health Abu Dhabi (speech therapy license) – or any other UAE-recognized licensing or regulatory authority relevant to early childhood therapy, education, or clinical practice. (e.g. Ministry of Health)
• Experience working in nursery/early childhood or GCC educational settings.
• Knowledge of UAE safeguarding and inclusion policies.
  
  

Key Competencies

• Advanced assessment and diagnostic skills for early childhood.
• Strong knowledge of socio-emotional development, behavior management, and early childhood psychology.
• Excellent communication and counselling skills with both adults and children.
• Ability to support teachers through modelling, coaching, and practical strategies.
• High ethical standards, empathy, confidentiality, and cultural sensitivity.
• Ability to work collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams.
  
  

Why This Role Matters?

The psychologist plays a foundational role in supporting children’s emotional well-being, supporting teachers through practical guidance, and empowering parents to build healthy home–nursery connections. The role includes providing professional guidance, psychological therapy, and counselling to children, teachers, and parents, ensuring an integrated and holistic system of care and support. This position directly contributes to SGN’s mission to create safe, supportive, and developmentally enriching environments for Sharjah’s youngest learners.

Why Join?

• Be part of a leading government early childhood system.
• Contribute to meaningful, high impact work that shapes children’s foundational learning.
• Access continuous professional development and career growth.
• Join a supportive, value-driven, and purpose-based professional community.
• Sharjah Education Academy (SEA) offers an attractive salary package and excellent benefits.
  
  

Application Process

Interested candidates are kindly requested to submit the following in PDF only:

• Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Please submit these documents to [email protected]
  
  

For more information: please visit:

• www.sea.ac.ae
• https://sn.ac.ae/en/