Family Support Worker

children s aid society the district thunder bay; Marathon; On-site; CAD 52,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

The Children’s Aid Society of the District of Thunder Bay is seeking a Family Support Worker to assist in the Marathon District Office. The role focuses on scheduling and facilitating supervised access while contributing to therapeutic plans for children, youth and families served by the agency.

Applicants should hold a Child and Youth Worker Diploma or equivalent experience, with a commitment to diversity and strong skills in communication, documentation and collaboration with families,

Qualifications

• Child and Youth Worker Diploma or equivalent combination of education or experience.
• Consideration for other academic qualifications with related work experience.
• Commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Strong knowledge of child development and trauma-related impacts.
• Understanding of risk factors in child maltreatment.
• Ability to engage and build trusting relationships with families.
• Creative, flexible and collaborative with children, youth and caregivers.
• Excellent written communication and documentation skills.
• Time management and ability to work under pressure.
• Reliable vehicle and valid G driver’s license.
• Current Criminal Records Check (Vulnerable Sector) required.

Responsibilities

• Schedule and facilitate supervised access for children and youth.
• Support Child Protection Workers and contribute to therapeutic plans.
• Provide broad social services support to families, children, and youth.
• Document information clearly, concisely and accurately.
• Engage with caregivers and community collaterals.
• Collaborate with agency staff on placement decisions and case planning.

Skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Time management

Adaptability

Education

Child and Youth Worker Diploma

Equivalent education/experience

Tools

Driver’s license

Job description

Full-time

The Family Support Worker provides support to the Child Protection Workers in the Marathon District Office in their work, with the primary focus being scheduling and facilitating supervised access. Provides a wide range of social service support functions that are instrumental in contributing to therapeutic plans and programs for individuals, families, children, and youth receiving services from the Marathon District Office. This assistance to families and/or children and youth involved with the Agency is supportive, educative, and empowering. This work is ideal for individuals interested in rural social work, a changing and challenging work environment, and who enjoy working from a collaborative, strength-based perspective. Excellent training and professional development opportunities and a supportive work environment are provided, in addition to a generous salary, pension and benefits package.

Position Requirements:

• Child and Youth Worker Diploma or equivalent combination of education or experience.
• Candidates with other academic qualifications and related work experience, plus demonstrated ability, will be considered.
• Contribute to a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion with a commitment to the elimination of disparity and disproportionality in service outcomes.
• Thorough knowledge of the stages, processes, and milestones of normal physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development of children from birth through adolescence, and ability to differentiate normal development from developmental delays precipitated by trauma, maltreatment, family violence and other environmental factors.
• Demonstrated understanding of the major risk factors related to child maltreatment (e.g., domestic violence, substance abuse, mental health illnesses).
• Demonstrated understanding of the dynamics of attachment of children to their parents, extended family members and to significant others.
• Demonstrated ability to engage and develop a trusting relationship with parents, children and youth receiving child welfare services.
• Demonstrated ability to be creative, flexible and to work collaboratively with children and their caregivers, Agency case workers, and community collaterals.
• Demonstrated understanding of the importance of strengthening and maintaining connections between a child and those with whom the child has experienced a meaningful and beneficial relationship while a child is in placement.
• Demonstrated effective written communication skills; able to document information in a clear, concise, and accurate manner.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Effective organization and planning skills to prioritize tasks.
• Demonstrated understanding of the types of permanency on the permanency continuum and the appropriateness for different children and families, and the importance of concurrent planning, through collaborative case planning and placement decisions.
• Strong observation skills related to parent- child interactions in a family home environment, or during an office or community access visit. Able to assess immediate risk concerns to self and/or child during these interactions, and to respond in an appropriate and safe manner.
• Demonstrated ability to think critically and evaluate key parenting behaviour using all relevant information, to present a balanced assessment of parenting strengths (safety/protective factors) and challenges (risk/danger factors).
• Possess knowledge of, and experience in, the provision of parenting intervention strategies via feedback, coaching and collaborative goal setting with family members, consistent with a strengths-based approach.
• Strong time management skills and ability to work effectively under pressure.
• Proven ability to work as an integral member of a team.
• Reliable vehicle, safe driving record and valid G Driver’s Licence.
• Upon offer of employment, submission of a Current Criminal Records Check (Vulnerable Sector), deemed satisfactory to the employer.

APPLICATION INFORMATION – Applications Received to 4:30 PM on August 27th, 2026.

Please submit a cover letter and resume on-line at www.thunderbaycas.ca “Career Opportunities”. Individuals may also submit an application directly to: Human Resources, The Children’s Aid Society of the District of Thunder Bay, 1110 Jade Court, Thunder Bay, ON P7B 6M7.

The Society is committed to supporting and advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in our organization and the society in which we serve. As such, we are expressly interested in receiving inquiries and applications from individuals who identify themselves as Indigenous, racialized, or equity seeking in order to better reflect the demographic profile of Thunder Bay and District.

TBCAS is committed to a candidate selection process and work environment that is inclusive and barrier free. In order to ensure candidates are assessed in a fair and equitable manner, accommodations will be provided to prospective employees in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code.

We thank all applicants; however only those considered for an interview will be contacted.