Residential Support Worker

**Reporting to**:_Residence Manager_

**About us**

St. Mary’s Home (SMH) is a not-for-profit charitable organization providing specialized residential and community support services to marginalized young pregnant women (ages 12-25), young parents and their children. The approach is holistic, grounded in a strong commitment to strengthen and build upon the personal resilience of each individual.

**Position Summary**:

- Welcome and orient new resident/participant to the residence
- Complete intake and admission paperwork
- Review and update all participant casefiles, appointments, weekly goals
- Complete Housing Application submissions
- Responsible to ensure participant engagement in Parenting Readiness and Parenting Programs
- Collaborate with case-manager to ensure Parenting Service Plans are completed Support and monitor participants in achieving all goals within the Parenting Service Plan
- Support participants to develop a Birth Plan a month prior to due date
- Develop frequent formal and informal programs for participants to engage in at the residence: e.g. personal care, maintenance, independent living, baby care, cooking skills, games, crafts etc.
- Primarily work as parent support on the “floor” during assigned shifts
- Support participants in integrating the Parenting Readiness and Parenting Program daily
- Actively promote positive parent-infant interactions; including parent-infant play and attachment
- Provide breast-feeding support to participants
- Support participants to develop a routine for themselves and their infant/s s well as positive residential dynamics
- Support and assist participants with applying/practicing basic baby care skills that promote their babies’ health, safety, and development
- Respond to parent conflicts and provides conflict resolution as needed
- Make referrals to case-manager, SMH centre support staff and/or other community agencies
- Assist with meal preparations as required
- Responsible for the immediate safety of the participants, babies, staff and building: conduct building checks, report anomalies and potential safety concerns as per protocol
- Responsible to ensure that the residence and bedrooms always meet Fire, Health, and Safety Standards
- Responsible for completing full disinfecting and cleaning rotation as per schedule or as needs require
- Always implement SMH on-call procedure guidelines, and communicate with SMH On-Call as directed in policy and alert the necessary authorities in the event of a health, safety, or security issues at the residence
- Dispense medication as per policy and procedures of SMH as required
- Responsible for the completion of all admission and discharge parent documentation
- Complete shift tasks, shift changes and case review as required
- Responsible for bed linen laundry, overseeing linens, sorting donations and gifts
- Participate in all agency meetings and agency training opportunities when required
- Support and contribute to positive staff team function
- Support integrative approach to parent services between the Residence and Young Parent Outreach Centre and with external agency service partners and community agencies
- Additional duties as assigned by SMH as required

**ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS**

Required Knowledge and Skills:

- Understanding of
- Needs of pregnant and parenting youth, barriers and risk factors that impact on life
choices, e.g. violence, abuse, addictions, self-harm
- Pregnancy, and parenting especially care of infants
- Community services and resources available to support and address needs identified
by participants
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to work independently and as a member of a team
- Teaching and modeling appropriate behavior, communication, and life skills
- Working as part of a team to ensure consistent supports and services to young women and their babies
- Experience working within a residential 24/7 operation is an asset
- Certificate and applied knowledge of Crisis Prevention Intervention would be an asset
- Knowledge of Infant Mental Health and Attachment is a strong asset

Personal Suitability:

- Compassion, enthusiasm, and the ability to take initiative
- Self-motivation, dependability, and flexibility
- Sensitive to the needs of participants who come from diverse backgrounds

**Experience**:

- Child and Youth Work Diploma or Social Service Worker Diploma or equivalent work experience
- 2 years of progressive experience working with at risk youth, mental health, family violence, trauma and infant mental health
- Experience working in a Residential Setting is an asset

**Job Types**:

- Part-time
- Full-time
- Relief

**Benefits**:

- Casual dress
- On-site parking
- Paid time off
- Fulltime positions include extended benefit package

Language Requirement:

- English required
- French is a strong asset

Schedule:

- Various shifts and schedules available which include:

- 4, 8, or 12-hour shifts
- Day shifts
- Weekends and/or overni