Social Worker, Child

**Position: Social Worker, Child & Family Development - Sheway**

**Status**:1 Year Term, Full-time**

**Department**:Child Safety**

**Location**:533 E Hastings St, Vancouver, BC V6A 1P9**

**Classification**:Delegated Programs, Social Program Officer (Grid 21-24) + 1 Temporary Market **Adjustment (TMA)**

**Salary**:$2,673.92 - $3,421.65 bi-weekly**

At VACFSS, we ensure that the rights, safety, well-being and spirit of Indigenous children and families are upheld, honored and protected. We strive to eliminate oppression, discrimination and marginalization within our community. We acknowledge and honor the inherent wisdom, capacity and resourcefulness of our community in designing programs and services to care for our own children and families. Accordingly, we are dedicated to planning, developing, and implementing creative and innovative Indigenous programs and services in collaboration with members of our community and other agencies.
- Engage in restorative child welfare practice with Vancouver's Indigenous community
- Receive a competitive salary of $ 69,760.70 to $89,268.45 annually PLUS a comprehensive benefits package
- Take on a challenging role that provides membership in the Public Service Pension Plan

The Sheway Program is a multi-disciplinary team jointly sponsored by VACFSS, MCFD, Vancouver Native Health Society, Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, and the YWCA Crabtree Corner. The Program is a preventative, early intervention outreach program for high-risk pregnant women and women with infants under eighteen months who are dealing with drug and alcohol issues in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver. The program emphasizes supporting mothers when needed in making early contact to child protection, health and education information, support and guidance, and facilitated access to resources. The aim of the program is to meet the goals of VACFSS family plans and prevention improving the health of pregnant and post-natal women, to reduce risk behaviors.

The Child and Family Development Social Worker is responsible for supporting new mothers including the safety and well-being of children through least intrusive, trauma-informed, and restorative child welfare and support practices. The Social Worker will work in partnership with the child’s family, extended family, community, Band or Nation to: (1) Gathering the child’s Circle; (2) Listen, assess and find solutions; (3) Create security, belonging and well-being; and (4) Keep the Circle strong. This position works in partnership with the MCFD Sheway Social worker and between the two positions support approximately 250 parents and their families.

The work is guided by the values of belonging, respect, strengths-based practice, integrity, and humility. It is conducted in accordance with practice standards, legislation, and VACFSS’s philosophy of service delivery, in pursuit of a balanced and harmonious Indigenous community. The Social Worker liaises and collaborates with community-based perinatal and substances use organizations, health care agencies and providers to support women and their families in wrap-around care for improved health outcomes. Duties include:

- Attend various meetings with the: Child Safety team, mediation, clients, family, service providers and members of the multidisciplinary team for identification and management of client mental health issues, concerns regarding services and coordination, emergent issues and discussion of on-going follow-up care to ensure a coordinated approach to treatment and a reengagement in care where possible.
- Acts as a client advocate to protect and promote client’s right to autonomy, respect, privacy, dignity, and access to information.
- Collaborates, consults, and provides expertise to colleagues, physicians, hospitals, counsellors, Delegated Aboriginal Agencies, MCFD and other community services for continuity of care, treatment concerns, specialized services, and community resource coordination for participants at risk.
- Supports client access to services such as medical appointments, hospitals, attending court, housing services and social programs by methods such as providing information, contacting relevant programs/services and accompanying clients to appointments.
- Managing parent/child access visits at Sheway.
- Safety planning for children as well as supporting the planning at FIR, Sanctuary and Crabtree.
- Promotes development of life-skills in clients by providing them with information/referrals and practical assistance to meet their basic needs and encourages client empowerment and capacity to exercise choice and actively participate in decisions affecting their own health and healthcare.
- Prepares and maintains appropriate client records in accordance with established standards.
- Maintain and updates current knowledge base in perinatal substance use and community services by participating in continuing education, and/or community initiatives.

**Knowledge Skills and Abi