Family Preservation Worker

Government of Northwest Territories; K’ásho Got’iné; On-site; CAD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority is seeking a Family Preservation Worker to build trusting relationships with families involved in Child and Family Services and provide targeted supports. You will educate parents on child development and positive parenting, and deliver psycho-educational workshops to families while advocating for access to community resources.

You will apply culturally appropriate parenting approaches and work in a cross-cultural environment to

Qualifications

• A Diploma in Social Work, Child Development, Youth Care or Early Childhood Education; and one (1) year of related experience.
• Ability to establish and maintain relationships with individuals, families and communities.
• Knowledge of Child and Family Services Act, Adoptions Act and their regulations, standards, and guidelines.
• Ability to work in a cross cultural environment.
• Knowledge of northern culture and environment.

Responsibilities

• Establish trusting relationships with families involved in CFS and provide supports.
• Educate parents on child development and positive parenting strategies.
• Deliver psycho-educational workshops to families.
• Advocate for parents and help access community resources.
• Provide culturally appropriate parenting approaches.

Skills

Child development

CFS knowledge

Cultural sensitivity

Group facilitation

Communication skills

Education

Diploma in Social Work

Child Development

Youth Care

Early Childhood Education

Job description

Department: Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority

This job opening is limited to residents living within 50 kilometresof Fort Good Hope.

Department Information

The Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority (NTHSSA) offers challenging and exciting careers in health and social services delivery and administration in Canada’s North. The Territorial Authority has service locations in communities across the territory and a staff of more than 1,600 serving over 43,000 residents of the NWT and 5,900 residents of the Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut. Challenging work, welcoming communities, and expanded opportunities are some of the benefits offered to employees of the NTHSSA.

Job Information

The Family Preservation Worker is responsible for establishing trusting relationships with families involved in Child and Family Services (CFS), while providing appropriate supports and services. The incumbent will spend approximately forty percent of the day providing services to families in emotionally distressing situations which can distort communication, requiring the incumbent to be highly sensitive and accurate in their communication, balancing the need for intense listening and observation. Services include providing an assortment of direct supports in order to address a variety of client and family problems; educating parents about child development, positive parenting strategies and overall family functioning; providing a variety of psycho-educational workshops to families working with CFS; supporting parents in using culturally appropriate approaches to parenting; advocacy for parents/families; and assisting parents and families in accessing relevant community resources. The incumbent is often required to provide support to families who may be in conflict with a Social Worker. This can create conflictual relationships with co-workers which may require mediation and interpersonal skills to manage.

For Indigenous residents of the NWT, who represent over 50% of the population, these shifts are particularly significant because despite some improvements over time, there remain significant disparities in their overall health status in comparison to non-indigenous residents. Health disparities are largely attributed to inequalities in the social determinants of health, which for Indigenous residents include the legacies of colonization and systemic racism. With specific reference to CFS, Indigenous families and their children are disproportionately overrepresented in the system. Most of the children who are involved with CFS are Indigenous, a fact that can be attributed both to the historical legacies and systemic racism as mentioned above, but also to the lack within the CFS System of culturally safe and accessible family supports. These factors have also impacted the way health and social services are delivered and accessed by Indigenous peoples in the NWT, contributing to additional complexities in Indigenous health disparities. When Indigenous peoples feel culturally safe interacting with staff and the HSS system they are more likely to access care when needed, leading to improved health outcomes.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Knowledge of a variety of issues and approaches, including but not limited to: child development, high risk youth, parenting stresses, effective positive parenting strategies, positive behavioural reinforcement, non-violent parenting strategies, family dynamics, addictions and domestic violence issues, and CFS systems and procedures.
Knowledge of Child and Family Services Act, Adoptions Act and their regulations, standards, and guidelines.
Ability to establish and maintain relationships with individuals, families and communities.
Knowledge and sensitivity regarding the geographical and cultural needs of the community, and ability to understand how community and culture impact the delivery of health and social care.
Knowledge and/or the ability to acquire knowledge of traditional parenting practices.
Ability to assess the cultural needs of families working with Child and Family Services, and to develop and implement an individualized case plan, as well as a variety of programs to address these needs.
Ability to acquire knowledge of northern culture and the environment in which NTHSSA operates.
Knowledge of a variety of basic counselling skills and supportive approaches to be utilized with the client and family.
Ability to understand systemic influences and ability to use these to inform an approach to appropriate family interventions.
Ability to work in a cross cultural environment.
Ability to conduct group work, community groups, and facilitation of psycho-educational groups.

Typically, the above qualifications would be attained by:
A Diploma in Social Work, Child Development, Youth Care or Early Childhood Education; and one (1) year of related experience.

GNWT Inquiries

Inquiries Only:
Sahtu HR Client Service Centre
Department of Finance
Government of the Northwest Territories
2 MCKENZIEDRIVE
BOX360
NORMAN WELLSNT X0E 0V0
Tel [phone]
Fax [phone]
[e-mail]

Note: If you do not receive electronic notification confirming receipt of your application, please follow up via telephone.