Child & Youth Service Worker

Dnaagdawenmag Binnoojiiyag Child & Family Services; Rama; On-site; CAD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work hours

Healthy work-life balance

Job summary

Dnaagdawenmag Binnoojiiyag Child & Family Services is seeking a Child & Youth Service Worker in Rama, ON. This full-time position involves ensuring the well-being and stability of children in care through comprehensive assessments and collaborative planning with families and community resources.

Qualified candidates should have a Bachelor of Social Work or related degree and experience in child welfare. The role requires strong communication skills and a commitment to culturally sensitive practices.

Qualifications

• Minimum three (3) years relevant experience working with children and families.
• Experience in Child Welfare or Indigenous Child Well-Being is considered an asset.
• Knowledge of Indigenous culture and values.

Responsibilities

• Accountable for service provision to children in care.
• Conduct assessments of the child's strengths and needs.
• Coordinate planning and review meetings.

Skills

Strong interpersonal skills

Ability to form effective relationships

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor of Social Work Degree or related field

Job description

Position

Child & Youth Service Worker
Employment Type: 2 Full-Time Permanent Vacancies
Location: Rama First Nation, ON (1) & Barrie, ON (1)
Closing Date: June 11, 2026

Position Summary

The Child & Youth Service Worker is responsible for ensuring the provision of quality service to children in the care of Dnaagdawenmag Binnoojiiyag Child and Family Services. The worker will ensure all Legislative, Ministry, and Dnaagdawenmag Binnoojiiyag policies, procedures, and regulations relative to the child’s care are met. The Worker will formulate plans of care guided by the goals of permanence and stability and implement strategies to satisfy treatment objectives. This position works closely with Alternative Care and Customary Care parents, other care providers, other Dnaagdawenmag Binnoojiiyag staff, community service agencies, and community professionals to ensure the needs of children in care are met.

Responsibilities

• Directly accountable for the provision of service to children and youth in our Agency’s care in accordance with the Child, Youth, and Family Services Act, Ministry standards and guidelines, and our Agency’s policies and procedures.
• Conduct ongoing, wholistic assessments of the child’s strengths, needs, identity, and well-being and collaborate with the child, family, community, and service team to develop and implement Plans of Care.
• Use advocacy strategies on behalf of family members to ensure the child(ren) and youth maintain culturally connected, and receive access to services within the community, including completing cultural referrals to our Cultural Resource Advisors and Elder/Knowledge Keepers, connecting children and youth to community resources and cultural events, utilizing Ontario Child Benefit Equivalent funds, supporting the development of their cultural bundle, and integrating the 7 Grandfather Teachings into Plans of Care.
• Coordinate planning and review meetings, ensuring the Plan of Care is a living document that continues to reflect the child’s evolving needs, strengths, and connections to family, community, and culture.
• Work collaboratively with other members of the service team to ensure alternative care plans prioritize family-based and culturally appropriate placements, within the child’s community whenever possible, while maintaining the child’s safety, well‑being, and sense of belonging.
• Build collaborative relationships with community collaterals.
• Development of stability plans that prioritize reunification, kinship care, customary care, or other culturally grounded permanency options that support lifelong connections and belonging.
• Monitor the well‑being and caregiving practices within placements, maintaining regular contact with children and caregivers, bringing forward any concerns related to the safety, care or protection of the child to the Supervisor.
• Support youth transitioning out of care as they move toward independence and adulthood, ensuring they have access to live skills, cultural teachings, community supports, and resources to support their long‑term well‑being.
• Attend CYFSA and/or Young Offenders Act court to provide relevant information, documentation, or evidence as required to support decisions that promote the child and youth’s best interest and ensure they receive appropriate support and coordination of services.

Administrative

• Complete all necessary recordings and documentation in accordance with our agency policies and ministry standards and enter accurate information into the Child Protection Information Network (CPIN).
• Write plans of care, complete action and assessment records.

Other Duties

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience Requirements

• Bachelor of Social Work Degree OR a Bachelor’s Degree in a Human Services related field, and a minimum of three (3) years relevant experience working with children and families.
• Consideration may be given to candidates that have extensive experience in Child Welfare or Indigenous Child Well-Being, in a similar position, and are willing to obtain any required additional qualifications.
• Experience working within Child Welfare and/or Indigenous Child-Wellbeing setting would be considered an asset.

Knowledge Requirements

• A strong working knowledge of all pertinent child welfare legislation and Ministry Standards and Guidelines.
• Knowledge of and a high level of clinical skill with respect to child development, family dynamics, child abuse, and neglect.
• Develop and maintain knowledge of relevant legislation, laws, regulations, agency policies and procedures, and practice standards that guide child and family well‑being services, and apply this knowledge in a manner that supports quality service for children, youth and families.
• Knowledge of Indigenous culture and values including awareness of the First Nation, Inuit, and Métis Communities we service.
• A solid understanding of and sensitivity to the experiences of First Nations and Indigenous peoples in Canada, and the impact of the legacy of Residential Schools and the Sixties Scoop upon them is essential.

Ability Requirements

• Strong interpersonal and interviewing skills and a demonstrated ability to form effective working relationships with families and Dnaagdawenmag Binnoojiiyag staff.
• Work within an office environment and conduct the work associated with this position.
• Communicate effectively with our children, youth, families, communities, and staff.
• Work cooperatively with other staff and management.
• Relate effectively to community members.
• Ability to carry out all duties in a manner that reflects Indigenous values, teachings, and ways of knowing, supporting children and families in maintaining connections to culture, community, language, and identity.

Mandatory Requirements

• Must be willing to work flexible hours including weekends, evenings and holidays as required.
• Provide an acceptable Canadian Police Information Centre Check (CPIC) and Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS).
• Able to provide a safe vehicle for use on the job, an acceptable Driver’s Abstract, evidence of a valid Ontario Driver’s License and of Personal Liability & Property Damage insurance coverage for at least $2,000,000.00.

Working Conditions

• A working location with a hybrid work from home option is available, subject to initial and ongoing eligibility.
• Travel within the catchment area will be required.
• At our Agency, we actively encourage a healthy work life balance and aim to ensure working hours do not exceed 35 hours per week and/or do not need to be conducted during evenings and weekends. We recognize however, that needs may need to be met outside of these hours from time to time. We have a flexible work policy where we aim to maintain an 8‑hour daily schedule (inclusive of a 1 hr lunch) whenever possible. There may be occasions where your scheduled start and end time will vary outside of 8:30am‑4:30pm or that you will need to work extra hours.