Child Protection Worker

Hours of Work : 33.75 hours a week

Compensation : Competitive Compensation Package including 4 weeks' vacation, OMERS pension, benefits and salary.

Starting Rate : $40.25 / hour

Start Date : September 2024

The Child Protection Worker provides advocacy, assessment, case management, educational, supervisory and administrative services to the families and children on their case load on a differential basis in order to reduce the factors which contribute to the protection risk to the child.

Main Duties and Responsibilities :

Support to Families, Children and Youth :

• Provide child protection services to children, youth and families in their homes and community, consistent with the overall direction provided by the Supervisor, the requirements of the Child, Youth and Family Services Act and its regulations, Ministerial requirements and Society policies and procedures.
• Develop and deliver competent clinical treatment service to assigned families in order to reduce the factors contributing to the child protection risk.
• Ensure effective co-ordination of their duties, and effective communication with managerial staff, peers, clients and relevant community organizations.
• Ensure professional quality relationships with agency staff, clients, and community organizations.
• Collaborates with all other services within the agency and community collaterals to ensure the best possible service to the family.
• Assess and intervene with families to mitigate situations of protection issues, including child neglect or abuse in family’s homes and in the community.
• Initiate and participate in child protection court proceedings.
• Prepares all court work related to the assigned caseload. This includes preparation and presentation of evidence, consultation with legal counsel, recommendation regarding disposition and interpretation to parents and child.
• Participate in the process of matching foster parents to children.
• Arrange and carry out foster placement when required.
• Identify and report the needs of their families to the supervisor, to ensure protection services will be identified and addressed.
• Identify their individual professional developmental needs to the Supervisor, in order that their performance can be maximized.
• Maintain professional competence and promote professional development through reference to professional literature and by participation in professional development programs in the Department, the Society and the professional community.
• Actively uphold the principles identified in the Society's Code of Ethics.

Other Related Activities :

• Voluntarily supervises, from time-to-time, University social work students on field placement.
• Strives to meet or exceed all accountabilities and achieve continuous quality improvement in all activities.
• Actively uphold the principles identified in the Society's Code of Ethics.
• Ensures own expenditures adhere to FACS policies and procedures.
• Participates in mandatory learning / education to maintain and update skills and knowledge as required.
• Works in compliance with the provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act of Ontario and the regulations.
• Child Protection Workers are assigned to Investigation, Ongoing, Family Service / Kinship, Child Care, Resources & Adoption sectors within the Child Welfare Agency.

Qualifications :

• Bachelor of Arts in Humanities.
• Experience working with families in crisis.
• Valid Ontario G Driver’s License, access to a reliable motor vehicle with minimum occupancy of 4 5 passengers and appropriate liability insurance required.
• A Child Protection Worker is deemed Authorized upon successful completion of the Child Welfare Authorization Process effective January 2017.

General Skills and Attributes :

• Personal integrity and responsibility and a commitment to the goals of Child Welfare and FACS Niagara.
• The ability to work effectively with children, youth, families, individuals and groups.
• The ability to safely drive and transport children, youth and families when required.
• Skills in assessment and case planning and the ability to provide on-going therapeutic intervention.
• The ability to make differential use of various treatment modalities.
• Highly developed skills in goal directed casework.
• The ability to write clear, concise reports and to meet deadlines and other administrative requirements.
• The ability to prepare cases for court and to present evidence when necessary.
• The ability to be decisive in a crisis and under pressure.
• The ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues and work cooperatively in a team setting.
• The ability to assess the appropriateness of community resources and interpret the Agency role and responsibility in conjunction with other members of the Child Protection team.
• Computer literacy as well as proficiency in MS Office.

About FACS Niagara :

A lot has changed in our community and our world since the founding of Family and Children’s Services Niagara in 1898, but our organization’s commitment to safe kids and strong families holds true.

Through an extensive portfolio of programming, including child protection, fostering and adoption, counselling, and childcare, FACS Niagara protects our community’s children, strengthens its families, and helps youth and adults achieve their full potential.

In the Ministry of Community, Children and Social Services 2021 Annual Review, FACS Niagara was recognized for :

100% compliance related to children and youth placed in extended society care for 24 consecutive months

100% compliance related to all Indigenous service requirements

About Family and Children's Services Niagara :

A lot has changed in our community and our world since the founding of Family and Children’s Services Niagara in 1898, but our organization’s commitment to safe kids and strong families holds true.

Through an extensive portfolio of programming, including child protection, fostering and adoption, counselling, and childcare, FACS Niagara protects our community’s children, strengthens its families, and helps youth and adults achieve their full potential.

In the Ministry of Community, Children and Social Services 2021 Annual Review, FACS Niagara was recognized for : 100% compliance related to children and youth placed in extended society care for 24 consecutive months100% compliance related to all Indigenous service requirements