Social Worker (Masters), Provincial Preschool Autism Services

Company : IWK Health
Req ID:
#
Department/Program:
Provincial Clinical Intake,
Children's Health Program 
Location: Halifax   
Type of Employment:
Permanent 
Hourly FT (
100% FTE) 
x
1 position(s)
 Start Date:
ASAP
Union Status: 
NSGEU Hlthcare,
Healthcare Bargaining Unit
Compensation: $
37.3118 - $
50.7666 
/hour
Closing Date: February 21, 2024 (Applications are accepted until 23:59 Atlantic Time)
 
IWK Health is a respected academic health sciences centre, providing tertiary and primary care for two million children, youth, adults and families each year across the Atlantic region. We have a team of approximately 4000 employees, physicians, volunteers and learners at sites across Nova Scotia. People build careers with IWK Health with our focus on training and mentorship opportunities. We recognize each other’s talent and celebrate our successes. We collaborate in modern facilities or virtually from home, align our work to our values, and enjoy access to enhanced benefits and wellness programs. We are proud to support our patients, families and communities and are grateful for the generous donor support we receive.
 
Promoting an anti-racist environment, and calling out discrimination as we work and provide care, is important to us. We are located in Mi’kma’ki, the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq people. Working in Mi’kma’ki and providing care to those across Atlantic Canada is a shared privilege with the original inhabitants who have lived here for many thousands of years prior to colonization. There are 13 First Nation communities across Nova Scotia, and more than 50 historic African Nova Scotian communities who also have a long, deep, and complex history dating back over 400 years. We have the highest percentage of people with disabilities in the country. Nova Scotia has the highest proportions of transgender and non-binary people than any other province or territory in the country. We are active in our work to eliminate discrimination, but have more work to do to build that trust, acknowledge our biases and reduce the barriers our diverse communities face. We want IWK Health to be a safe and supportive space of equity and belonging in the care we provide and the employment we offer. We welcome all interested persons who self-identify as Indigenous, Black/African Nova Scotians, Persons of Colour, Immigrants/Newcomers, Persons with Disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ to support our goal for our workforce to be representative of the patients, families, and communities that we care for at all job levels.
The Opportunity
Provincial Preschool Autism Service
The Provincial Preschool Autism Service (PPAS) is a partnership between IWK Health (IWK), Nova Scotia Health (NSH), Hearing and Speech Nova Scotia (HSNS) and Autism Nova Scotia (Autism NS). Based upon an extensive review and engagement, Autism Services in Nova Scotia are in the process of transitioning to a needs-based model responsive to the individual needs of children and their families.  It will provide person and family-centred services to preschoolers across Nova Scotia who are suspected of or have a diagnosis of autism. The new and enhanced services will include a greater number and range of interventions and supports available for children and families. Examples include: autism clinical intake and care coordination, family and health professional education, diagnostic assessments, QuickStart NS parent coaching toddler program, a 12-month intensive intervention for children with the greatest social communication and behaviour needs, autism interventions by interprofessional teams, and transition to school. The intent is to create an efficient, sustainable, and integrated continuum of health services for preschool age children with autism where services and supports are matched to the needs of children and their families.
 
Reporting to the Manager, Provincial Preschool Autism Services, the Social Worker works as a member of the autism provincial intake and care coordination team to provide services to children and their families across Nova Scotia. The Social Worker works in collaboration with a team of Preschool Autism resource coordinators and with clinical teams across the province to support children and families to build their capacity to identify and engage in accomplishing their goals; provide services and navigation within the health care setting as well as in the community; provide psychosocial and family system assessments; provide care coordination and case management support to families; supports families in navigating and accessing services; and provides information and referrals to other team members and services. The Social Worker also builds professional relationships with collaborating agencies and community partners; participates in committees and initiatives to support and evaluate the services offered to individuals, participates in quality improvement activities, and encourages an integrated, needs-based equitable model of care and support. 
The position is provincial in scope: the Social Worker will support families in all zones and will have responsibility to have broad understanding of clinical and community-based services and supports across the province (all health zones) to support navigation to local resources and care coordination functions. Principles of equity, diversity, inclusivity, anti-racism, and reconciliation will be required to be embedded within the work of the Social Worker to ensure all families have equitable access to culturally safe and inclusive services. The incumbent must have strong communication and relationship building skills to build relationships with families, clinical teams, and partners.
 
Hours of Work
75 hours bi-weekly
Capacity to work flexible hours, allowing extra travel time and overnight stay.
Capacity to work flexible hours to accommodate service needs (evenings, weekends)
Your Qualifications
-Master’s degree in Social Work required.
-Current license/registration or eligible for licensure/registration, to practice in the Province of Nova Scotia required.
-Minimum two (2) years clinical experience as a Master’s prepared Social Worker required. Clinical pediatric experience preferred.
-Clinical experience (including knowledge of best practice) in assessment and treatment of children with developmental disabilities and their families, including an understanding of child development and the impact of Autism, the development of behavioral, communication and social skills required.
-Clinical experience in individual, family and group therapy required; pediatric experience is preferred
-Demonstrated knowledge of the Child and Family Services Act required.
-Knowledge of IWK, Nova Scotia Health, Autism Nova Scotia, Hearing and Speech Nova Scotia, NSECDIS, Education and Early Childhood Development, and community resources, along with skills in navigating systems preferred.
-Demonstrated Social Determinants of Health based practices.
-Demonstrated knowledge and ability to access healthcare and community resources required.
-Ability to maintain professional relationships with the team, collaborating agencies and community partners.
-Ability to work in collaborative and consultative manner as part of an interprofessional team. 
-Demonstrated organizational, time management and communication (verbal and written) required.
-Demonstrated ability to work in an interprofessional team and independently required.
-Demonstrated understanding and commitment to Family Centred Care required.
-Demonstrated knowledge of person in environment practice required.
-Demonstrated ability to triage care and problem-solve in a fast-paced environment, and manage stressful situations required.
-Experience in case management and community development preferred.
-Experience in crisis intervention and trauma debriefing preferred.
-Experience in motivational interviewing, solution focused therapy and brief single session therapy preferred.
-Competencies in other languages an asset; French preferred.
-Current successful completion of a Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada Basic Life Support Level (BLS) Program within the last 12 months or successful completion of a BLS Renewal Challenge Certificate required.
-Valid minimal Class 5 driver’s license and access to reliable transportation required.
-Competencies in other languages an asset. 
Thank you for your interest in IWK Health.
Please note that we only contact applicants selected for interview/testing. If we invite you to participate in an assessment process (such as an interview or testing) you have the right to request accommodation. Please discuss your needs when invited to the assessment process.
This is a Healthcare 
bargaining  unit position. Preference is given to bargaining unit employees for unionized positions. Successful applicants changing unions, bargaining units or employment status, are advised to seek clarification regarding their seniority, benefits, and vacation entitlement and/or usage, prior to accepting the position.
An  offer of employment is conditional upon the completion and satisfactory results of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials. Additionally, as per Nova Scotia’s COVID-19 Vaccine mandate, any offer of employment will be conditional upon submitting proof of full vaccination status. Medical exceptions or any other kind of requested exception based upon the Health Centre’s obligations pursuant to the Nova Scotia Human Rights Code will be considered on a case-by-case basis
 
I
f you are an employee of IWK Health, please apply through the internal careers page to ensure you are flagged as an internal applicant.