Current Opportunities

Position Summary:

The Mental Health Social Worker I will deliver child/youth and family centered service to children and youth with complex special needs (including FASD and/or suspected FASD) and their families by leading the development of a strengths-based support plan for clients serviced in the program.

Qualifications:

RESPONSIBILITES:

·         The MH SW I will provide direct services to children, youth and families, including consultation and system navigation support, as required.

·         The MH SW I will work with the family, service providers and educators to build capacity for supporting the child/youth and identify strategies to meet the specific needs of the child/youth and family based on the best available evidence (including FASD supports). 

·         The MH SW I will be knowledgeable about FASD and complex special needs and will complement the current efforts of service providers within the community to provide direct intervention support, collaboration and system navigation across multiple sectors, such as health, education, youth justice, community and social services, post-secondary, and employment and training. 

·         The MH SW I will connect children and youth with FASD, their families and service providers to interventions and supports including those developed through other components of the MCCSS FASD Strategy.

·         To attend community case conferences as required.

·         To participate in regularly scheduled supervision and seek out supervision and consultation as needed to provide effective services to assigned children/youth and families.

·         Responsible for the completion of relevant reports in accordance with established standards (e.g., progress notes, assessment reports, etc.)

·         To promote constructive relationships amongst service providers and children, adolescents and families

·         Attendance at scheduled Departmental and Service/Program meetings.

·         Participates in staff in-service training and consultation with other staff.

·         Act as the family’s primary contact, and facilitates communication amongst family and community team members.

·         The MH SW I will facilitate a community meeting with the child/youth and their family to create/develop coordinated service plan as appropriate. This includes providers from children’s services, education, and health sectors across the Windsor-Essex catchment area.

·         Liaise with community partners to ensure the coordinated service plan of care is being followed as needed.

·         Support youth and families with transition planning as needed.

SKILLS & ABILITIES:

·         Experience working with children/youth with complex special needs.

·         Knowledge of child development.

·         Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

·         Commitment to strength-based principles of child, youth, and family centeredness.

·         Experience working within the child and youth service system.

·         Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with diverse stakeholders.

·         Ability to work independently and contribute to a team.

·         Ability to maintain strong professional boundaries.

·         Strong organizational, verbal, written and reporting skills

·         Must have a demonstrated ability to make critical decisions quickly

Education and/or Certification:

·         B.S.W. with clinical skills in the areas of children/youth and families and minimum three years’ work OR equivalent experience with vulnerable or at-risk populations including special needs

·         Current Certification of Registration issued through the Ontario College of Social Workers & Social Service Workers

·         Minimum of 3 years’ experience working in a social work capacity with preference given to children’s mental health and/or understanding of developmental complex special needs

·         Good clinical skills in area of assessment and crisis intervention

·         High level of judgment, independence and initiative