School Social Worker - Temporary/Term Opportunities - 2026/2027

York Region District School Board; Newmarket; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The York Region District School Board is seeking a qualified School Social Worker to support students’ social, emotional and mental well-being and to perform attendance counselling duties in line with the Education Act.

This ongoing posting covers temporary/term opportunities across the school year, with travel between sites required. A Bachelor or Master of Social Work with OCSWSSW registration is required, and experience in educational settings is an asset.

Qualifications

• The Bachelor of Social Work or Master of Social Work degree with registration in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Work is required.
• Training in clinical interviewing and evidence-informed interventions with children and youth is required.
• Experience with CBT, Motivational Interviewing, DBT or similar modalities for children and youth is required.
• Minimum of three years working with children and youth.
• Experience adapting treatment to be culturally relevant and identity affirming.

Responsibilities

• Provide individual and group interventions to students with social, emotional, or mental health challenges.
• Carry out attendance counsellor duties in accordance with the Education Act.
• Collaborate with school staff and community partners on student well-being.
• Support threat assessment protocols in collaboration with administration and police services.
• Maintain up-to-date records in line with College standards and Board requirements.

Skills

Clinical interviewing

Culturally relevant practice

Team collaboration

Written communication

Education

MSW/BSW with OCSWSSW registration

Job description

Work Location

Regional Student Services (Education Centre - Newmarket, Centre for Leadership and Learning, 300 Harry Walker Parkway South, Newmarket, ON L3Y 8E2)

Work Schedule

35 hours/week (full-time hours)

Please Note

Travel from site to site will be required.

Important

Internal YRDSB staff must apply to internal job postings posted through the BWW.

Thank you for your interest in a School Social Worker position with the York Region District School Board. This application is for temporary/term opportunities that may arise throughout the school year.

This posting may be reactivated at any time throughout the 2026/2027 school year, as hiring is determined by system needs.

This is an ongoing job posting. Due to the volume of interest, we are unable to provide individual updates - candidates will only be contacted if a vacancy becomes available.

Interested candidates are required to complete the following on-line application to the attention of: The Recruitment Team. This position is responsible for supporting and improving the social and emotional well being of students as well as by carrying out the duties of the attendance counsellor in accordance with The Education Act and other provincial acts and regulations.

Temporary Positions

This is a position that is available for a period in excess of 30 consecutive working days to replace a permanent employee who is absent on an approved leave of absence (e.g. pregnancy, parental, educational or medical leave).

Term Positions

This is a position that is available for a period in excess of 30 consecutive working days due to additional funding.

Position Summary

The School Social Worker is a regulated and supervised member of the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Services Workers. The Social Worker will provide individual and group interventions to YRDSB students who are struggling with social, emotional, or mental health challenges that are impacting their ability to function in school. Additionally, School Social Workers act in the capacity of providing attendance counsellor duties and intervention in accordance with the Education Act.

Major Responsibilities

• To provide clinical consultation, assessment, and brief counselling related to student mental health and well-being, while working collaboratively with parent/guardian(s), school staff and community partners
• Identifying and supporting with the various ways that oppression may be operating and impacting a student’s life and school engagement
• To provide crisis consultation and intervention for student mental health and well-being concerns
• To work in collaboration with school Administration, staff and Police Services in clinically assessing and responding to Threat Assessment protocols in schools
• To provide Traumatic Events Support (TES) to students, staff and school communities
• To provide resource navigation to mental health and/or community agencies for students and/or their families
• To work in collaboration with agencies e.g. child protection, healthcare, children’s mental health, etc. in supporting the mental health and well-being of YRDSB students.
• To support compulsory school attendance
• To maintain up to date records involving direct and indirect service to students in compliance with the standards outlined by the College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers
• To contribute to the professional learning/psychoeducation of Board staff, students, and/or families
• Engage in professional learning development activities as requested by Supervisor and/or the Board that is aligned with system initiatives and/or consistent with the duties of the role
• To carry out other duties as may be assigned by the Chief of Social Work and Attendance Services, the Assistant Coordinator of Social Work and Attendance Services, and/or the Superintendent of Student Services

Education, Experience, And Qualifications

• Bachelor of Social Work or Master of Social Work degree with registration in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Work, is required
• Training in clinical interviewing and evidence-informed interventions with children and youth is required
• Experience providing various treatment modalities (CBT, Motivational Interviewing, DBT strategies, etc.,) to children and youth is required
• A minimum of three years of experience working with children and youth
• Experience adapting treatment modalities to be culturally relevant and identity affirming is required
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively with other professionals is required
• Strong verbal and written communication skills are required
• Experience working in educational settings is an asset
• Experience leading in-service training or making public presentations is an asset

Additional Information

• In the application process, you will be prompted to provide at least three (3) professional, supervisory references (including full name, position title, work location/organization, and email address) in the job posting screening section of the online application. We do not contact references prior to interview.
• The York Region District School Board spans a wide geographical area. School Social Worker positions are located throughout the York Region District School Board. For your information, a list of is provided.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Statement

The York Region District School Board (YRDSB) believes in giving each and every applicant an equal opportunity to succeed on their own merit and we strive to hire staff that reflect and support the diverse perspectives, experiences and needs of students and communities. We remain committed to upholding the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion in our living, learning and work environments. We know that diversity underpins excellence, and that we all share responsibility for creating an equitable, diverse and inclusive Board-community.

Therefore, in pursuit of the Board’s values, we seek members who will work respectfully and constructively with differences and across the organizational hierarchy in actualizing the Board’s priorities, goals and principles outlined in the . Candidates who have strong racial literacy practices and a commitment to dismantling anti-racism, anti-oppression, and creating identity-affirming spaces, in order to intentionally disrupt racist and hateful acts.

We Actively Encourage Applications From Members Of Groups With Historical And/or Current Barriers To Sovereignty, Equity, Including, But Not Limited To

• First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, and all other Indigenous peoples;
• African, Black and Black Caribbean peoples (in alignment with Anti-Black Racism Strategy);
• South Asian, East Asian, Southeast Asian, Middle East/West Asian, Latino/Hispanic (in alignment with YRDSB Workforce Census to address disproportionalities identified).
• members of groups that commonly experience discrimination due to race, ancestry, colour, religion and/or spiritual beliefs, or place of origin;
• persons with visible and/or invisible (physical and/or mental) disabilities;
• persons who identify as women; and
• persons of marginalized sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions.

At YRDSB, we recognize that many of these identities intersect and therefore, equity, diversity and inclusion can be complex. We value and respect the contributions that each person brings to enriching the Board and are committed to ensuring full and equal participation for all in the communities that we serve.

Accessibility and Accommodation Statement

We also recognize the duty to accommodate and foster a culture of inclusion. Consistent with the principles of dignity, individualization and inclusion, we will make any appropriate accommodation based on any of the protected grounds in the Human Rights Code to support candidate participation in the hiring process. When contacted, candidates will be provided with an overview of the various elements of the hiring process, such as skills assessments, written practicum, presentation, interview, etc. If an accommodation is required, requests can be made in advance of any stage of the recruitment process. All information received relating to a candidate’s required accommodation will be addressed confidentially by the Recruitment and Retention Team. Please make this request to or a member of the Recruitment Team. If this position is a school based LTO/Contract Teaching position, please email the Principal directly to request the accommodation to be made at the school in collaboration with Human Resource Services, Disability Management Team.

Important Note for YRDSB Employees

If you have a current accommodation in place through Disability Management, please inform your Disability Management Case Manager ( ) to ensure that your accommodation needs can be met in the new role that you are pursuing. If invited to participate in the hiring process, and you are unable to perform the essential/bona fide requirements (e.g. physical, cognitive requirements), please notify the Recruitment Team by emailing to review next steps (in the email please reference the job title you are applying to).

Important Information For CUPE 1734 Members

LA.11.7 Those twelve (12) month employees filling vacancies as a result of their applying to a job posting are to remain twelve (12) months at their position. Ten (10) month employees are to remain in their position until the end of the school year. This requirement can be waived with permission from the Superintendent responsible for Human Resource Services. This does not prevent employees from applying for a position or from applying for a promotion during the twelve (12) month period.

CUPE 1734 applicants will be considered to have the required educational qualifications based on the job description for the CUPE 1734 classification they currently hold on a permanent basis, in accordance with the terms of the CUPE 1734 Collective Agreement. Permanent CUPE 1734 applicants will be considered first in the selection process.

As a , an d in accordance with the Education Act, anyone seeking employment or wanting to volunteer must provide a satisfactory police record check. A Police Vulnerable Sector Check (PVSC) must be completed by the police services in the jurisdiction in which you reside, this is based on your home address (only accepted by police services within Canada); must be satisfactory to the YRDSB and completed within six (6) months prior to the scheduled start date. It is the candidates responsibility to provide the results to the Board upon instruction.

We will accept satisfactory PVSC’s that name any other school board and other employers (daycare centers, OCT, and employers that would require a police check for vulnerable persons) in Ontario and obtained within the last six (6) months.

Online applications are collected centrally at the Education Centre - Aurora and are monitored by Human Resource Services. All applications will be screened based on the required education, experience and qualifications as noted in the posting and job description and as reflected in the application. Only those candidates meeting these criteria will be eligible to participate in the selection process and only qualified candidates will be contacted.

The personnel file of all internal applicants will be reviewed as part of the selection process.