Child Protection Worker

The Ministry of Social Services invests in positive outcomes for people in areas of income support, child and family services, support for persons with disabilities and affordable housing. We work with citizens as they build better lives for themselves through economic independence, strong families, and strong community organizations.

The Opportunity

We are looking for dynamic individuals who are devoted to helping others and improving the lives and well-being of children and families to join our team as Child Protection Worker in our Estevan office. In this role, you will provide a range of services designed to provide protective, preventative and support services to children and their families using The Family Centered Case Management Model of practice.

In this position, you will:

• Be responsible for investigating allegations of neglect, physical or sexual abuse, assessing family functioning determining risk factors to the children's safety, implementing intervention plans and providing support services to the family, as required;
• When necessary, initiate Family Court proceedings and work through this process with the family;
• In cases where the children are admitted to the care of the Ministry, manage their needs including placement in foster and alternate resources, assessment and treatment planning to ensure that individual health, social psychological and educational needs are met in preparation to return home;
• Necessitate and plan for children placed in care on a long-term basis. This process often includes working in cooperation with First Nation Child and Family Service agencies;
• Develop and maintain open and honest work relationships, encouraging teamwork with clients, foster families, biological families, collateral agencies, and other members of the unit or community; and
• Screen, identify and prioritize referrals for service, develop intervention plans, consult with other professionals as necessary, and complete documentation in accordance with professional standards of practice.

The Ideal Candidate

As our successful candidate, you will:

• Have a sincere commitment to invest in relationships and community, practicing from a place of connection;
• Demonstrate well-developed risk assessment, judgment and decision-making skills by implementing stringent protocols and processes for the transfer of files and information to Child Protection or other Child and Family service workers and supervisors;
• Have knowledge of multicultural beliefs and values, with a particular emphasis on First Nations and Métis;
• Have knowledge of poverty, systemic and socio-economic issues and how they impact on people; and
• Advocate on behalf of clients to ensure access to services and resources; remove barriers to independence and promote client well-being.

To qualify for this position, you will possess a Bachelor of Social Work or Bachelor of Indigenous Social Work degree from an accredited university, as approved by the SASW/CASW or CASWE. The successful candidate will be required to travel, work flexible hours in the evening and on weekends, and transport children (and parents) in service delivery.

If you have a passion for ensuring the safety and well-being of children and want to join a collaborative, dedicated team of professionals focused on strengthening our communities and cultures, these opportunities are for you!

What we offer:

• Dynamic, challenging work;
• A competitive salary;
• Comprehensive benefits package including pension;
• Vacation, earned days off (EDOs) and other types of leave;
• Inclusive work environments; and
• Advancement opportunities