Practice Development Consultant

**Position: Practice Development Consultant**

**Status**:Regular Full-time**

**Department**:Child Safety Program***

**Location**:2020 Yukon Street**

**Classification**:Delegated Programs, Social Program Officer Grid 28**

**Salary**:$3,279.63 to $3,742.27 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 $ 85,563.25 to $97,633.20 annually PLUS a comprehensive benefits package
- Take on a challenging role that provides membership in the Public Service Pension Plan

The objective of the Child Safety Program is to ensure the safety and well-being of children and to work towards the preservation of families. The Child Protection Program provides a continuum of services, from preventive programs which support and maintain families, to services that ensure permanency for children in care.

**JOB SUMMARY**:
Reporting to the Child Safety Practice Manager, the Practice Development Consultant is responsible for providing case consultation, training, research, analysis and mentoring to support child safety practice and to assist in ensuring child safety social workers have the required knowledge, skills and supports to deliver the highest quality of child safety services. The Practice Development Consultant is responsible for Protocol Investigations and Rescindment Assessments. This position also serves the Child Safety Program responding to the concerns/needs of the Child Safety Social Workers and supervisors and the needs of multi-disciplinary teams. Organizes case meetings/conferencing and conducts practice audits as required.

The Practice Development Consultant is responsible for:

- Provides clinical consultation to child safety workers, supervisors and managers dealing with serious, complex and contentious child abuse and neglect cases.
- Reviews referred cases and provides an opinion as to the seriousness of risk, the assessment, the coordination of services and the risk reduction service plan.
- Provides guidance and reviews cases for referral to BC Children’s Hospital for specialized medical assessment.
- Provides individual and group training to VACFSS staff and community partners in the child safety areas related to best practice, legislation, policy and standards as well as risk assessment, child abuse and neglect.
- Provides input and assistance to the Child Safety Program ensuring the delivery of services are provided within the framework of Restorative Practice with the ultimate goal of “keeping our children safe” along with related legislation including the Federal Act, “An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families.
- Conducts protocol investigations as well as Rescindment Assessments.
- Conducts research on an ongoing basis on a variety of topics relating to child safety and the welfare of children in general.
- Initiates, coordinates and facilitates complex case meetings/conferences for the Child Safety Program.
- Conducts practice audits for the Child Safety Program as required or as scheduled.
- Assists the Team Leaders in coordinating the transfer of youth at risk to the Adolescent Services Unit (ASU). Sits on high-risk youth community tables and other tables (DV; CPSU; RICHER, etc.).
- Provides consultation and coordination function in the inter-provincial transfer of children in care.
- Serves as the liaison between VACFSS and BC Children’s Hospital. Screens cases for referral to BC Children’s Hospital for specialized medical assessment.
- Ensures compliance to standards, policy and legislation and makes recommendations regarding case planning and improving quality of services to children, youth and families consistent with VACFSS restorative practice and best interest of Indigenous children.
- Performs miscellaneous tasks involving Child Safety activities under the direction of the Child Safety Practice Manager and within limitations of the job classification.

A complete position profile will be made available upon request as well as at the time of the interview.

**QUALIFICATIONS**:
**Education**
- Master of Social Work or Masters Degree in a related human services field.
- C6 Child Safety Delegation Required.

**Experience**:

- A minimum of 5 years of fully delegated experience working with Indigenous clients and communities in a delegated Child Welfare setting.
- Experie