Early Intervention Worker

OVERALL DESCRIPTION:

The Early Intervention Worker is responsible for conducting short-term & focused planning services for families to address issue(s) that could place children/youth at risk of harm or family breakdown. The Early Intervention worker develops, implements, and evaluates support with the family to reduce the level of risk, enabling children to remain with their family and community.

GUIDING PRINCIPALS:

• Wabaseemoong Customary Care Code, Service Delivery Model and Manuals.
• The wellbeing of the community, children and families are interrelated and thus supports the need to network, work collaboratively, and commit to promote healthy balanced lifestyles in the four areas of life: Spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical.
• Employees are encouraged to conduct themselves according to the Seven Teachings: Wisdom, Love, Respect, Bravery, Honesty, Humility, and Truth.
• Early Intervention Workers must empower families to create meaningful healthy relationships within their familial units (both contemporary and traditional) – ensuring that all children grow up safe and surrounded with a positive sense of family, heritage, and cultural identity.
• Develop partnerships and protocols internally and externally to support all Wabaseemoong children, youth, and families.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides relevant, and competent service to all Wabaseemoong children, youth, and their families (on/off reserve) who either request or are determined to require WCWA services within Early Intervention.
• Ensure program services are delivered with excellence and conform to Wabaseemoong Child Welfare Authority's Customary Care Code, Manuals and Service Delivery Model, policies, procedures, guidelines, and protocols.
• Conducts assessments of family functioning by process of gathering information to identify child, youth, and family strengths, risk influences, and well-being utilizing tools created for Wabaseemoong families.
• Develops and maintains positive relationships with children, youth and families served.
• Develops a short-term and focused support plan with the families served, implementing plans, collect data and chart on progress.
• Conducts an analysis of risk influences and prioritizes the risk issues to be addressed in a focused support plan.
  
• Supports by providing hands-on, in-home assistance and education in a variety of areas, as well as assisting families in identifying the appropriate help in meeting their needs, referrals, and coordinating external services.
• Provide support to children, youth, and parents by assisting the individuals in establishing a support system within their community, relatives, friends and/or Elders.
• Support using culturally competent practice skills to educate, assist, support and advocate for families in various areas including mental health, substance abuse, employment, housing, rehabilitations, childcare, medical care, financial support, violence prevention, etc. while empowering families to become their own best advocates.
• Provides narrative and statistical summary reports.
• Ensures documentation of types of services provided are adequately recorded and maintained.
  
• Ensure accurate and timely completion of all required documentation, reporting and statistical information within timelines set out by WCWA.

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Post-Secondary Diploma with a minimum one-year experience in related field or a comparable human service program. However, others with a combination of skills, education and experience may be considered.
2. Knowledge of, or willingness to learn, the administrative structure and operations of Wabaseemoong Child Welfare Authority (WCWA), including the Customary Care Code, Manuals and Service Delivery Model, policies, procedures, guidelines, and protocols.
3. Knowledge of the philosophy of service development/delivery, Wabaseemoong Independent Nations and family structure, local customs, and traditions.
4. Demonstrated ability to prepare comprehensive narrative and statistical reports regarding service delivery and procedures.
5. Ability to establish and maintain purposeful relationships with clients, colleagues, other relevant organizations, and management.
6. Commitment to helping Anishinaabe children and their families by providing services in ways that respect Anishinaabe cultural and spiritual practices.
7. Commitment to providing services in the Anishinaabe context of extended family and community involvement.
8. Excellent planning, organization, problem-solving, and interpersonal.
9. Ability to work within a multi-disciplinary Child Welfare team.
10. Working knowledge of conflict resolution techniques.
11. Ability to maintain confidentiality.
12. Ability to follow direction, as well as work independently as needed.
13. Ability to flex daily work hours as needed.
14. Must possess a valid Ontario G Driver's License and be willing to travel.
15. Must provide a clear Vulnerable Sector Check and Driver's Abstract; and
16. Ability to speak Ojibway is preferred and a definite asset.