Case Manager, West Region

**Job description**

**Case Manager, West Region (Greater Toronto Area)**

**Who we are**:
It is the mission of Tungasuvvingat Inuit (TI) to broadly provide Inuit-specific programs that contribute to the health and wellbeing of Inuit and to encourage and support similar programs for Inuit across the country. With over 30 years of highly successful experience in crafting the design, development, and delivery of a wide range of effective, client-centered services, TI continues to deliver quality programs and services that directly benefit our growing urban Inuit population.

**What we are looking for**:
Reporting to the Manager of Kamatsiarniq Services, the Case Manager is responsible for providing ongoing support, advocacy, case planning, system navigation and service coordination for Inuit families who are at risk of being involved with, or already involved with the child welfare system in order to prevent children from being taken into the care of children’s aid societies. The Case Manager helps clients identify their needs and goals and assists them in creating plans and accessing services to meet their needs, which may include advocating on their behalf, helping with paperwork and accompanying them to meetings with societies and other agencies as necessary. The Case Manager also provides coaching, crisis intervention, conflict mediation and emotional support for clients throughout their involvement with the child welfare system.

The Case Manager will collaborate with Kamatsiarniq Cultural Advisor to provide cultural resource and support for Inuit children and youth who are in care, leaving care or adopted into non-Inuit families, and provides direct cultural services and opportunities to help develop strong and positive cultural identities and foster a sense of community belonging.

The position is based in South-Western Ontario, there will be remote working as well provide in-person support to families, when possible, as well as telephone and virtual support to families across the province.

South-Western Ontario refers to the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services West Region service delivery area, which includes City of Brantford, County of Bruce, Municipality of Chatham-Kent, County of Grey, City of Hamilton, County of Huron, County of Lambton, City of London, Regional Municipality of Niagara, County of Norfolk, County of Oxford, City of St. Thomas, City of Stratford, City of Windsor.

**What you will be doing**:
**Case Management**
- Manage referrals to TI regarding child welfare involvement in South-Western Ontario.
- Develop and maintain rapport, trust and ethical relationships with clients.
- Provide dedicated one-to-one support for Inuit children and youth living in foster homes, group homes and non-Inuit adoptive placements, including advocacy and cultural supports.
- Conduct comprehensive assessments of family/children’s needs; develop collaborative strengths based and goal-focused safety/care plans; facilitate coordination, communication, and collaboration with service providers; monitor and evaluate progress towards goals and regularly adjust plans to meet the evolving circumstances of the family/child/youth.
- Facilitate safe and effective connections to services, resources and supports
- Help children and youth to register for the NIHB program and enroll as Land Claim Beneficiaries (if applicable)
- Provide emotional support, coaching, crisis intervention and conflict resolution to clients as needed.
- Respond appropriately and in a timely manner to crisis situations; carry out crisis stabilization, service delivery, and client contact in a timely and professional manner.
- Provide objective information to parents/children/youth about processes (e.g. child protection procedures, legal system processes) and options to support them in making informed decisions.
- Participate in case planning and other CAS-related case conferencing
- Advocate for families, children and youth and assist them in exercising their rights and overcoming barriers in order to ensure they receive the programs and services they need.
- Accompany parents/children/youth to meetings and appointments as needed to provide support and advocacy.
- Facilitate supportive networks of family and community members who will help children and youth develop/maintain a strong sense of cultural identity.

**Interagency Consultation and Collaboration**:

- Provide case consultations with children’s aid societies, placement agencies, foster carers, group homes and other service providers to ensure agency interactions and interventions are done in a culturally sensitive and appropriate way.
- Establish and maintain formal and informal networks to support the provision of services to clients and promote TI and TI’s programs.
- Contribute to Cultural Safety/Connection Plans for children and youth in foster care, group homes and adoptive placements.
- Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with other programs