Social Worker, Ambulatory Care – Temporary Full Time (1.0) (until October 2027)

Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 97,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

CHEO in Ottawa seeks a Social Worker to provide psychosocial assessments and intervention to support patients and families facing trauma, illness, or complex diagnoses. The role spans Emergency, Neonatal, PICU and inpatient units, with evening and weekend availability and a strong emphasis on counseling and liaison with community services.

You will advocate for patients and families, join an interprofessional team, and contribute to treatment planning for psychological, social and emotional

Qualifications

• Registration with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers is required.
• Experience providing psychosocial support to patients and families.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends in an interprofessional setting.

Responsibilities

• Provide crisis assessments and interventions to patients and families.
• Offer consultation to hospital physicians and staff on social work matters.
• Coordinate resources with community agencies and services.
• Liaise with partners such as Child Welfare Authorities and police.
• Collaborate with an interdisciplinary care team on treatment planning.

Skills

Crisis intervention

Counselling

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Communication skills

Education

Registered with Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers

Job description

Compensation Pay Range: $46.69-$57.74

In order to be qualified for this position, you must be currently registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers.

Ottawa is built on un-ceded Algonquin Anishinaabe territory. The peoples of the Algonquin Anishinabek Nation have lived on this territory for millennia and we honour them and this land. Their culture and presence have nurtured and continue to nurture this land. CHEO also honours all First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples and their valuable past and present contributions to this land.

CHEO is one of the few stand-alone, global leaders in pediatric health and is home to more than 6,500 staff, clinicians, scientists and researchers, as well as volunteers – all of whom work together to help children and youth achieve their best lives. Within its own walls and through partnerships with community providers, CHEO has transformed from a 20th century acute care hospital into a 21st century integrated child and youth health system. Ranked in the top 1% of Canadian hospitals for the digitization of its clinical infrastructure, CHEO combines excellence in clinical care, research, and education to advance seamless care that’s provided where, when, and how it is needed. CHEO’s Research Institute is dedicated to world‑class clinical, translational, and basic science research covering a wide range of children’s health concerns. CHEO has been named Canada’s best health‑care employer by Forbes in 2024, 2025 and 2026 and is ranked second among Canadian hospitals on its list of Canada’s Best Employers for multiple consecutive years. For the 14th consecutive year in a row, the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers has recognized CHEO as a top employer in the National Capital Region. Every year CHEO helps more than 500,000 children and youth from Eastern Ontario, western Quebec, Nunavut and Northern Ontario.

Position Summary

Consistent with the inter professional setting and the mission, vision and strategic directions of CHEO, the Social Worker provides psychosocial assessments and intervention to assist patients and families in regard to trauma, acute illness, new or complex diagnoses, end of life and other complex biopsychosocial situations. In the Emergency, Neonatal, Pediatric Intensive Care units and inpatient units, the social worker will be part of a team assigned to support these units and will be required to have availability evenings and weekends. Social work services are provided to patients and families to address social and emotional stressors resulting from the interaction of physical, social, cultural, and psychological outcomes associated with health issues and treatment. The Social Worker will provide counseling related to diagnosis and adjustment to illness, crisis intervention, liaison with community‑based agencies and services. The Social Worker will advocate on behalf of patients and families with regards to community services and resources. The Social Worker will be a member of the CHEO Discipline of Social Work.

Main Responsibilities

• Provides crisis assessments and interventions to patients and their families.
• Offer consultation to hospital physicians and staff on various issues such as child maltreatment, conflict, and mental health.
• Coordinate emergency resources in regards to transportation, accommodations and meals.
• Liaises with community partners, including Child Welfare Authorities, Police and other hospitals.
• Works collaboratively with other professionals.
• Participate in interdisciplinary team rounds providing knowledge and expertise in the treatment planning of the psychological, social and emotional needs of children and youth.

All OPSEU members shall be granted an interview upon passing the pre‑screening. Pre‑screening might include testing.

Effective March 29, 2021, CHEO will conduct a more comprehensive pre‑screening and evaluation process. This process may include more varied and multidimensional testing such as a written test, practical exam, or other assessment. All candidates who meet the essential and preferred qualifications may be tested.

Bilingualism (French/English) will be validated by a language proficiency assessment conducted by a third party provider. Candidates will be required to meet the minimum linguistic profile prior to the date of hire.

Should you require accommodation during any phase in the recruitment process, please contact Human Resources at [e-mail]. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential and will be handled in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

CHEO values diversity and is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier‑free work environment, starting with the hiring process and welcome interest from all qualified applicants.

We thank all those who apply, however, only those to be interviewed will be contacted.

CHEO is much more than a hospital. Our commitment to outstanding care and continued development impacts every part of a child and youth's health and well‑being. We play a crucial role in building a healthy future for our community. Working at CHEO means a rewarding career. A career at CHEO provides a: competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package unique culture that fosters dedication, communication, respect and teamwork place where your opinions will be respected, contributions valued and your initiatives rewarded family‑friendly environment that supports you and your own family, as well as the children, youth and families we serve chance to grow — personally and professionally — through our comprehensive orientation program and on-the‑job learning support for continued education and learning potential for a relocation reimbursement benefit truly unique work environment.

We are redefining what it means to be a hospital. Exceptional and integrated care is what families, children and youth deserve. We are committed to partnering with them and the community to provide this care — where, when and how it’s needed. CHEO continues to be selected by local, national and international competitions showcasing employers who lead their sector in offering exceptional workplaces for their employees. For the eleventh time, CHEO has been recognized as one of the National Capital Region’s Top Employers. We are among a select group of organizations at the forefront of their respective industries who offer exceptional places to work. We were given this honour based on our outstanding: workplace atmosphere benefits employee communications training and skills development community involvement.