Child Well Being Worker - Jobs in Wikwemikong, Ontario, P0P 0A4

Job Description

Kina Gbezhgomi Child and Family Services (KGCFS) proclaims that we are an Anishinabek Agency servicing Anishinabek people to ensure services are delivered by honouring the Anishinabek way of life. KGCFS is derived from the overall cultural context of the Anishinabe people. Other conventional child welfare services or approaches may be used and added to supplement the Anishinabe cultural core of the agency. KGCFS believes that child welfare services outside the Anishinabe cultural core are secondary to the primary Anishinabe cultural core and that child welfare services that are responsive to the cultural circumstances of the Anishinabe client population take priority. KGCFS will be culturally grounded in its Anishinabe foundation, beliefs and practices and will be culturally responsive in its delivery of service while striving to educate, retain and protect traditional Anishinabe practices.OVERVIEWUnder the direction of the Service Supervisor, the mandated Worker is responsible for providing the protection of children by performing duties as outlined in the responsibilities set out below, in accordance with provisions of the Child, Youth, and Family Services Act, First Nation Standards, Ministry Regulations, Standards and Policy Directives.JOB DESCRIPTION:The Child Well Being Worker will be responsible for agency-mandated activities as assigned. As per the duties outlined, the Child Well Being Worker may be assigned to perform work within any of the categories as listed Phone Screener, After Hours, Intake, Family Services, and Child in Care.DUTIESamp; RESPONSIBILITIES:All Functions (Phone Screener, After Hours, Intake, Family Services, and Child-In-Care):

• Work collaboratively with all agency staff, biological parent(s) and caregiver(s), extended family and the member First Nations as required within your respective position of service.
• Create an anti-oppressive work environment while modeling respect, professionalism and act as a positive role model with integrity.
• Will complete a Historical Awareness / Self-Assessments and develop an Individual Wholistic Wellness Plan including a Competency Based Assessment Tools to develop a Cultural Training Plan and passport with intent to monitor wellness and enhance and measure cultural congruencies.
• Will actively participate in agency-sponsored cultural training, staff development and educational opportunities, cultural activities, events and ceremonies with intent to enhance cultural congruencies.
• Receive designation as an authorized child protection worker.
• Work collaboratively with First Nations’ service partners and service collaterals, ex. schools, foster parents, medical professionals, and police on child needs and issues.
• Respond to inquiries from the public, individuals in receipt of services, alternate caregivers, and community professionals.
• Provide information about the role and mandate of the agency, various service functions and other community resources.
• Liaise with other community professionals on behalf of individuals in receipt of services.
• Review all relevant files, including cross-reference files.
• Consult with the First Nation or designated Band Representative as outlined in agency policy and the Child, Youth and Family Services Act.
• Prepare court affidavits and consult with Agency legal counsel. When necessary, prepare and present evidence, attend court, and/or appear as a witness in Agency protection applications.
• Respond in matters requiring advocacy, support, and counselling services to assist and intervene with families in crisis situations when children require immediate attention.
• Work collaboratively with all Agency staff, biological and foster parents, extended family, and the member First Nations.
• Abide by the requirements of all policy and procedural manuals.
• Participate in regular and consistent clinical supervision with his/her supervisor on all case-related matters.
• Take part constructively as a team member in staff meetings, seminars and training sessions required by the Service Supervisor.
• Relate positively and collaborate effectively with the personnel of other agencies and community resources.
• Complete all case documentation within specific timeframes according to agency policies, Ontario Child Protection Standards and the Ontario Child Protection Tools Manual and enters required data into agency database.
• Attend and participate in regularly scheduled case conferences to ensure case management standards are met and appropriate decisions are made if required.
• Play a part in staff meetings, training programs, workshops and conferences as required.
• Keep informed of Chief and Council directives, provincial legislation, agency policies, procedures, and protocols.
• Ensure the ongoing completion and submission of monthly statistical reports and mileage claims.
• Write clear, concise, factual, case management notes and reports within prescribed deadlines.

Phone Screener Responsibilities:

• Receive incoming referrals for allegations of a child in need of protection from community members, collateral agencies, professionals, and anonymous callers.
• Obtain and screen incoming calls transferred by the Receptionist.
• Process incoming referrals and determine the eligibility and disposition of such referrals in consultation with the Service Supervisor and when appropriate, develop investigation plans.
• Inform families about agency and community support services that may benefit them in achieving their goals and assist them with the referral process, including a community link service.
• Receive, document, and investigate referrals regarding concerns about child maltreatment.
  • Gather detailed information from the referral source.
  • Conduct internal and provincial records checks and review family history, including cross-reference files.
  • Code information using Ministry guidelines.
  • Determine disposition and response time.
  • Accept referrals and conduct investigations in keeping with Ministry standards, agency policies, and relevant community and Band protocols.
• Maintain a caseload of community link files.
• Receive, document, and maintain file disclosure requests.
• Prepare summary reports, ensuring that all privileged and/or confidential material is omitted.
• Coordinate the release of file disclosure as per the Interagency protocol as required.
• Prepares case documentation for case transfer to ongoing family services or to close the case.

After Hours Responsibilities:

• Receive and screen all incoming calls within the one hour of the initial response time and determine the eligibility, appropriateness and disposition of such referrals as required.
• Address immediate safety needs of children and complete the initial stages of a child protection investigation if directed to by the After-Hours Supervisor.
• Determine when children require admission to care and, when necessary, apprehend children to ensure their immediate safety.
• Assess the needs of children in care and ensure a temporary/emergency placement when required to ensure the immediate need(s) of the children are met.
• Provide after-hours support to the agency’s foster parents and families.
• Relate positively, collaborate effectively, and prepare clientele for involvement with external agencies and services.
• Ensure the ongoing and timely completion of after-hours activity reports and mileage claims.
• Provide transportation of children and/or families when required.
• May be required to fulfil regular daytime Child Well-Being Worker duties when required by the Services Supervisor and/or Services.

Intake Responsibilities:

• Receive incoming referrals for allegations of a child in need of protection from community members, collateral agencies, professionals, and anonymous callers.
• Take and screen incoming calls transferred by the Receptionist.
• Process incoming referrals and determine the eligibility and disposition of such referrals in consultation with the Intake/After Hours Supervisor and when appropriate, develop investigation plans.
• Inform families about agency and community support services that may benefit them in achieving their goals and assist them with the referral process, including a community link service.
• Conduct child protection investigations in compliance with agency policy, Ontario Child Protection Standards and member First Nations’ community models including assessment of immediate safety needs of the children, developing safety plans, risk assessment, interviewing collaterals and deciding on verification of the child protection allegation.
• Determine when children require admission to the Agency’s care to ensure their immediate safety and assist in coordination of Customary Care Agreements.
• Prepare case documentation for case transfer to ongoing family services or to close the case.
• Respond in matters requiring advocacy, support, and counselling services to assist and intervene with families in crisis situations when children require immediate attention.
• Work collaboratively with all agency staff, biological and foster parents, extended family and the member First Nation during the investigative process and admissions to care of any children.
• Attend and participate in regularly scheduled case conferences to ensure case management standards are met and appropriate decisions are made.

Family Service Responsibilities:

• Ensure ongoing management of cases in accordance with agency policy, First Nation standards and Ministry Child Protection Standards.
  • Conduct child protection investigations including assessing immediate safety needs of children, developing safety plans, and making verification decisions in collaboration with member First Nations and Agency Supervisor.
  • Determine when children require admission to the Agency’s care to ensure their immediate safety and assist in coordination of Customary Care Agreements.
  • Develop and maintain effective and therapeutic casework relationships with clients with the objective of reducing risk of harm to children.
  • Create a family-based service plan to reduce risk to children and address identified child protection concerns based on mandatory assessments contained in the Ontario Child Protection Tools Manual.
  • Provide emergency services to the family within the scope of agency policies.
  • Monitor and evaluate progress with the family towards establishing goals.
  • Assess and make decisions related to family reunification plans for a child in care and implement such plans where appropriate.
  • Coordinate services and responsibilities of other service providers working with the family.
  • Provide consultation to other service providers as requested.
  • Advise clients of availability of further services; and,
  • Make referrals to other agencies as appropriate with the objective of reducing risk of harm to children.
• Utilize strategies and community-based family-centered conferencing to work on a voluntary basis with families with court being utilized as a last resort.
• Prepare documents for court when required:
  • Ensure accuracy, completion, and proper filing of documents.
  • Ensure legislative requirements and timelines for serving notice are met.
• Prepare clients for court.
  • Explain expected purpose, intention, and possible outcome of each court appearance.
  • Ensure client is aware of the right to access legal counsel; and,
  • Describe the court process to the child(ren) required to attend court.
• Prepare and present evidence for Family Court when required.
• Provide service to each child admitted to the care of the Agency:
  • Explain to the child why they are in care and involves the child in ongoing planning wherever possible.
  • Complete admission to care documentation and child background information forms for placement purposes.
  • Respond to a child’s holistic needs and recognizes the child’s need for the support of extended family and First Nation community.
  • Maintain the involvement of the natural parent and extended family where possible.
  • Supervise access visits between children in care and parents/caregivers as required.
  • Ensure natural parents receive assistance in addressing family healing so a child can be returned home whenever possible.
  • Complete a comprehensive family social history and genogram with the family and First Nation for the child.
  • Participate in the development of a concurrent permanency plan for a child in care with all parties including the worker responsible for the child, the family, and First Nation service partners.
• Assist in preparing the child in care for independence:
  • Ensure life skills are learned through appropriate placement and support of placement.
  • Maintain current and comprehensive social history of the family on the case file and provide relevant information to child.
• Provide After-Hours Services frontline coverage as required.

Child in Care Responsibilities:

• Assess physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social needs of each child in the Agency’s care for whom the worker is responsible and establishing a trust relationship to support and facilitate the child’s growth and development while in care.
• Develop and implement appropriate short- and long-term plans of care for the child based on the results of the holistic needs assessment.
• Complete the Action and Assessment Record (AAR) prior to the child having been in the Agency’s care for one year.
• Involve the child, the family, and the First Nation service collaterals in the development of the child’s plan of care.
• Engage alternative care parents, placement resource staff, and other professional support service providers as appropriate in the development of the child’s plan of care.
• Conduct an ongoing assessment of the child’s needs while in care and revising the plan of care for the child as required.
• Provide counselling to the child and initiating and coordinating support linkages for the child with internal and external resources including schools, cultural supports, and community-based supports.
• Act as a support to the child during the conducting of any child protection investigation.
• Coordinate service requirements and advocate on behalf of the child to ensure the receipt of appropriate and timely services; lead and participate in consultations and case conferences with service providers to discuss plans and service needs of the child.
• Facilitate ongoing contact with the child and his/her natural family to ensure that the child’s ties to the family are maintained and strengthened while the child is in care.
• Provide counselling and support to the child and the family during access visits.
• Offer support to the child and intervening on his/her behalf in crisis situations; facilitating the resolution of the crisis and developing plans in consultation with the child and service providers to reduce the likelihood of the crisis being repeated.
• Prepare child for independence by ensuring life skills are learned through appropriate placement and support of placement.
• Appear as a witness in Child Welfare, Criminal and Youth Justice Courts to give evidence and to act as a support and advocate for the child.
• Liaise with the foster care team in placement or replacement decisions to ensure effective consideration of the child’s specific needs.
• Ensure the Service Supervisor is consulted and updated at appropriate points as required.
• Compile and complete case file documents for return of the child home, transfer of the child, or in preparation for an alternate placement.
• Provide information and advisory services to clients and members of the community regarding the provisions and requirements of the Child, Youth, and Family Services Act.

QUALIFICATIONS:Education:

• Must possess an accredited college diploma in a related field of study.
• Preference is a Bachelor of Social Work Honors Degree or one in a related field of study.

Experience:

• At least two (2) years of work experience in the delivery of direct, frontline, social service programming within an Anishinabe Child and Family Well-Being Services is preferred or proven experience in working with Anishinabek people.
• An individual of Anishinaabe ancestry is preferred with genuine understanding and lived experiences of Anishinaabe worldviews, traditions, customs and practices.
• Your active participation in the Anishinaabe community especially with building knowledge of the teachings from the medicine wheel will be of significant consideration.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE,amp; ABILITIES:

• The ability to speak the Anishinaabe language is a definite asset and/or willingness for continual learning. Preference will be given to applicants who can speak or write Ojibway, provided they have skills, ability and qualifications to do the job.
• Ability to interpret and apply a wide range of Social Work practices and principles and Native based methods designed to help families achieve a healthier lifestyle.
• Ability to read, understand and apply the agency’s policy and procedures manuals.
• Excellent communication skills. Written skills for the completion of documents, reports, and case notes. Oral skills for communication on a one-to-one basis with clients.
• Honour all children and youth who may be in transition equally and strive to provide the required supports for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and 2-spirited individuals to achieve healthy self-esteem and life enrichment.

Conditions of Employment:

• Provide a clear Police Records Check and/or Vulnerable Sector Screening Check (As determined by the police department).
• Possess a valid standard First Aid/CPR certificate or be willing to obtain one.
• Have a class ‘G’ Ontario Driver’s License, an acceptable Drivers Abstract, access to a reliable vehicle and be able to travel. A requirement of $1M Liability Insurance is required if you transport clients.
• May be exposed to potentially hazardous environments this may include driving conditions and volatile situations.
• Willing to carry an agency cell phone, IT equipment, and drive agency vehicle as needed.
• Can sit/stand for extended period in front of computer.
• While performing the duties of this job, the position will typically be within an office setting both on and off site from assigned office location.
• Work a standard work week of 35 hours per week, however, the ability to work flexible hours may be required.