Placement Coordinator

November 19, 2024
- Job Posting #1121
- HP #1121

**Placement Coordinator**

**12 Month Contract**

The York Region Children’s Aid Society (YRCAS) is a non-profit community organization legally mandated to protect children and youth from abuse and neglect. As a leader within the child welfare sector, we partner with parents, caregivers, and community to provide a safe environment for children and youth, through equitable, culturally aligned services.

Comprised of interdisciplinary teams of diverse professionals who push boundaries in support of family centered care, we engage with children and families for a stronger, healthier community within the York Region.

YRCAS is fully committed to a culture of belonging and an inclusive environment that encourages every team member to lead within their role, generate innovative ideas that reinforce our mission and goal to create a healthy workplace and community where children youth and families thrive.

To support us on our journey, YRCAS is looking for a Placement Coordinator to support our Resources Team for our Child, Youth & Family Wellbeing department.

**Why Work for Us?**
- Hybrid working model (working virtual and in person)
- Casual dress code
- Employer paid Health & Dental Benefit
- One day off every five (5) weeks during Winter months
- Shortened Summer hours
- OMERS Pension, with employer and employee sharing premiums equally
- Mileage Reimbursement
- Enhanced Wellness Initiatives Virtual Fitness Classes

**SUMMARY OF DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES**

To search for appropriate and available placements for children and youth who require out-of-home care. To manage, coordinate, and evaluate the Society’s internal foster care and emergency placement resources, and external use of outside paid resources (OPRs), in order to assist the Society in providing a high standard of care for children and youth. As a member of the Foster Care and Placement team, Placement Coordinators interpret the Society’s policies and procedures and ensure Ministry standards are maintained while providing consultation and resource support to staff.

**NATURE OF POSITION**:
**General**
- Participates as an active member of the Foster Care and Placement Team, attends and provides input at Team meetings and provides coverage during vacation periods

**Clinical**
- Responds to requests from society staff for admission or replacement of children and youth. Prioritizes degree of urgency for placement and reviews all placement options
- Collects and reviews pertinent family and child’s social background information and information about possible placements in order to match needs of child to available resources. Reviews information about OPR placements available in CPIN and provided by the OPR. Makes recommendations regarding supports required to sustain the placement
- Reviews placement options with society staff prior to admission and placement
- Presents clinical information on the child to prospective foster parents and/or representatives of OPR resources
- Conducts site visits when a new OPR is being considered or has been utilized for a child/youth
- Identifies placement issues and participates in program development.
- Liaises with OPRs to support good working relationships between the OPR and the Society, to work towards resolution of issues that arise and to improve current practices and procedures
- To have a good working knowledge of the Society’s contract with OPRs and be able to answer questions from Society staff or OPRs regarding the contents of the contract
- Responsible to address quality of care concerns when they are raised regarding OPRs
- Completes organizational reviews and assessments about the strengths and weaknesses of OPRs
- Makes recommendations about the Society’s use of specific OPRs
- Participates in service planning meetings
- Liaises with counterparts at other CAS agencies to request or offer placement suggestions when needed, or to inquire about quality of care when considering placing in an OPR for the first time or after an extended period of non-use

**Administrative**
- Maintains a system for tracking placement vacancies with the internal foster care system
- Prepares an invoice list of ‘on call’ foster homes and forwards to accounting for payment
- Maintains a system that identifies all requests for placement or placements and prioritizes requests and tracks placements
- Prepares referral documentation for OPR placements and negotiates terms and conditions of OPR placements
- Compiles monthly statistic reports regarding the number of searches completed and placements secured
- Provides an on-call list of available beds for the after-hours program
- Completes documentation to support the selection of a given placement for each child or youth for whom a placement is arranged

**QUALIFICATIONS**

**Education and Experience**
- Bachelor of Social Work Degree from a university of recognized standing combined with a minimum of two years’ ex