FAMILY SERVICES WORKER

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The Family Services Worker is a full-time permanent program position. The Family Services Worker is responsible for conducting assessment and planning services for open protection cases where children have been removed from their home. The Family Services Worker develops, implements and evaluates a Plan of Service with the family to reduce the level of risk enabling children to return to their family and community.

RESPONSIBILTY

The Family Services Worker reports to the Resource Manager.

DUTIES

1. Program Delivery

• Provides relevant, competent service to all member First Nation children and their families who either request or are determined to require Agency services from the point the case is transferred to on-going protection to case closure;

• Delivers assessment and planning services with excellence and ensures service delivery conforms to provincial legislation, regulations and standards as well as the Agencys philosophy, policies, procedures, guidelines and protocols;

• Provides the highest quality of service to every family and ensures planning for the child and family takes into consideration the best interests of the child and family;

• Conducts assessments of family functioning by process of gathering information to identify family strengths, risk influences and the childs need for protection;

• Conducts an analysis of risk influences and prioritizes the risk issues to be addressed in the Plan of Service;

• In consultation with the Resource Manager, develops and implements strategies for reducing risk of future harm and the childs need for protection;
• Ensures participation of the family, community and child, where appropriate in the development of the Plan for Service;

• Ensures the Plan of Service is goal-oriented with specific actions outlined to achieve each goal;

• Identifies short term and long-term solutions and strategies;

• Identifies the planned level of contact with the child and family;

• Assigns responsibility for each goal identified in the plan to persons involved in the plan, establishes appropriate time frames for completion and dates for review;

• Provides on-going support, guidance and advise to family members in achieving goals set out in the plan;

• Conducts on-going case reviews to determine continued eligibility by completing regular assessments and measuring outcomes achieved from the Plan of Service;

• Makes recommendations to the Resource Manager to reclassify, close or keep case open for service depending on level of risk;

• Provides crisis intervention and counselling services to family members;

• Encourages and/or refers family members to participate in traditional or contemporary healing practises;

• Works collaboratively with internal and external resources and advocates on behalf of the family for required services;

• Makes referrals to other service providers as needed in order to meet the needs of the family;

• Attends case conferences to share information and confer with planning and coordination of services for the family with all parties involved with the family;

• Seeks direction from Resource Manager throughout the entire assessment and planning process;

• Consults with and obtains Resource Manager approval for all case decisions;

• Arranges and schedules family visits as appropriate;

• Prepares case documentation and recordings to include but not limited to risk assessments, case notes and case dispositions;

• Completes required case documentation and recordings within timelines set out by provincial standards;

• Assists the Legal Services Coordinator with court documentation such as Protection Applications and Status Reviews; and

• Be knowledgeable of and work with community agencies and referral sources who will be in position to assist clients in meeting immediate and long-term goals.

• Provides back-up supervisory duties as assigned by the Resource Manager.

1. Program Support

2.1 Serves as a resource to the Resource Manager;

2.2 Participates willing and constructively in the supervision process with the Resource Manger;

2.3 Participates actively in team meetings by sharing ideas and concerns, providing input and proposing changes that would improve service provision to the families;

2.4 Attends and participates as a team member in staff meetings, seminars and training sessions;

2.5 Reviews policies to identify changes that would improve the quality of service, and will ensure the provision of culturally appropriate services, and forwards recommendations to the Resource Manager; and

2.6 Participates in special projects as assigned by the Resource Manager.

1. Professional Development

3.1 Participates in in-service training and seminars, workshops and courses as available;

1. Community Liaison

• Promotes the Agencys philosophy, goals and objectives;

• Establishes and maintains a collaborative relationship with the First Nation communities to ensure optimum service delivery to children and families;

• Establishes and maintains purposeful relationships with community service providers and tribal agencies;

• Works with children and families to promote reunification, supports caregivers in family visits, helps prepare child for return home, helps to prevent child from returning to care

• Presents and explains assessment and planning services for families to community members and First Nation staff as directed by the Resource Manager; and

• Acts in a professionally appropriate manner both when working and not working, and is a positive role model for clients and First Nation communities;

• Works with prevention to find alternate care arrangements with family for children to prevent or move child from care quickly

1. Other Duties

• Provides On-Call duties as part of a rotating schedule; and

5.2 Performs other related duties as assigned by the Resource Manager.

QUALIFICATIONS

1. Bachelor of Social Work Degree with experience in services for children and their families or a comparable human service program. However, a combination of skills, education and experience may be considered;

1. Thorough knowledge of the Child and Family Services Act and Regulations, particularly in the application of Part X relating to Customary Care of the First Nations;

1. Expert knowledge of the Child Protection Standards in Ontario including case recording and documentation requirements;

1. Expert knowledge of Customary Care and the philosophy of service development and delivery, the communities and family structure, as well as local First Nation customs and traditions;

1. Working knowledge of the administrative structure and operations of Kitapinoonjiiminaanik Family Services including the service delivery model, policies, procedures, guidelines and protocols;

1. Strong commitment to helping Anishinabe children and their families by providing services in ways that respect Anishinabe cultural and spiritual practises;

1. Commitment to providing services in the Anishinabe context of extended family and community involvement;

1. Knowledge of traditional and contemporary healing practises;

1. Experience working with Elders, Healers and Clinicians;

1. Ability to take direction and work within the policies, procedures, and guidelines and well as the mission, philosophy, and core values of the Agency;

1. Excellent assessment and analytical skills with proven ability to determine level of risk and/or risk of future harm;

1. Excellent planning skills with proven ability to set, implement and monitor goals and objectives;

1. Ability to prepare comprehensive detailed case recordings, reports and case notes within specified timelines;

1. Experience working with a computerized database;

1. Excellent communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills;

1. Excellent decision-making, problem-solving and skills;

1. Ability to maintain confidentiality;

1. Possession of First Aid and CPR certificates an asset;

1. Ability to flex daily work hours as determined by the Resource Manager;

1. Must possess a valid Ontario Drivers Licence and be willing to travel;

1. Must provide a clear Vulnerable Sector Check and Drivers Abstract; and

1. Ability to speak Ojibway is preferred and a definite asset.