Kinship Support Worker

**Kinship Support Worker**

**Competition #1568**

The Family Centre has a strong reputation for providing quality services basing our work on research and evidence based practices. We pride ourselves on providing leading edge training and strong, reflective supervision. Our intention is to create a healthy organization that is intelligent in its response to community issues and intentional about our respectful treatment of each other. We have a strong focus on Trauma Informed Care for the communities we support, as well as our staff teams. The Family Centre strives to hire a diverse team of employees, reflecting the diverse communities we support.

**Mission**:
The Family Centre exists to support families and children to help them flourish and to help people engage with one another in order to promote healthy, safe, and economically viable communities.

**Vision**:
Healthy families in healthy communities.

**The Role**:
The Family Centre is currently hiring energetic individuals interested in working with children and families as a part of Kinship Support Services. At the heart of The Family Centre’s philosophy is the belief that children fare best in the care of their family. The Kinship Care Support Worker is responsible for providing high quality support and guidance for families caring for children/youth in Kinship placements. Kinship Caregivers face unique emotional and challenges in caring for children/youth, the Kinship Support Worker provides support to caregivers as they process and adjust to the family system changes they are experiencing. The Kinship Support Worker provides ongoing assessment in terms of the needs of the family. The desired outcome for the program is to provide safe, stable, long term placements (when required) and relationships for children/youth in care. The Kinship Support Worker assists Kinship caregivers with understanding, navigating and meeting the requirements and standards of being a care provider for the province. As a member of a larger Service Team, this entails ongoing collaboration with internal and external professional partners.

**Qualifications**:
Ø A Degree in the human service field with knowledge, experience and competence in working with children and families

Ø Knowledge and understanding of the unique relationship dynamics created in kinship care arrangements

Ø Excellent knowledge of trauma and attachment

Ø Experience working with families from diverse cultures

Ø ASIST Suicide Intervention Training and First Aid-Level C CPR, required within 3 months of start date

Ø Police Information Check and Vulnerable Sectors Check completed within the last 6 months, applied for prior to position start date

Ø Child Welfare Intervention Record Check completed within the last 6 months, applied for prior to position start date

Ø Valid class 5 driver’s license, reliable vehicle for daily use and liability insurance, as well as a 5 year driver abstract

**Attributes**:
Ø Strong interpersonal skills to help establish good working relationships with clients

Ø Ability to establish clear boundaries and be sensitive to the individual needs of each family

Ø Ability to work in a team environment

Ø Ability to problem solve with a non-confrontational approach

Ø Reliable and flexible availability

**Key Responsibilities**:
Ø Initiate and support the process of becoming a kinship caregiver. This includes following a specific timeline to complete kinship documentation

Ø Support caregivers to follow through with the SAFE Home Study Report process

Ø Support the relationship between birth parents and kinship caregivers

Ø Provide education to kinship caregivers regarding caring for children with trauma based behaviours

Ø Ongoing assessment and planning for safety and well-being of child(ren) and kinship caregivers

Ø Support lifelong connection planning for child(ren) in care

**What to Expect**:
Ø Training - comprehensive onboarding/orientation process which includes service specific training, and agency wide core training.

Ø Feedback - a strong supervision model that provides regular formal and informal opportunities for feedback

Ø Performance coaching - formal and informal coaching regarding the development of personal and professional growth and development

**Compensation**:
The Family Centre is committed to employee wellbeing and development. The comprehensive compensation package offered to employees reflects those values and is competitive within the marketplace.
- $47,682 to $62,031 annually
- Manulife Health Benefit Plan
- Wellness Program
- 3 weeks’ vacation
- RRSP matching
- Ongoing paid training
- Parking and Mileage compensation

**Staff Quote**:
“Having the opportunity to work with children and families in a unique capacity where you can witness the strength of familiar connections, is truly something special. The work may be challenging at times but building positive relationships with children and caregivers, to support them to