Child Support Workers (CSW) – Careers

Position Description

Child Support Workers (CSWs) are an integral part of an interdisciplinary team that works to improve the physical, emotional, intellectual, and social development of vulnerable children.

CSWs provide individualized therapeutic support to children with exceptionalities, trauma, developmental delays, and complex behavioural needs.

CSWs are responsible for providing a safe and structured living environment, supervising the client’s daily activities, implementing therapeutic programming, and promoting positive social and emotional development. CSWs provide support to children on a one-to-one basis, or in a team environment, and in home, school, and community settings. CSWs help to create and execute guided activities for children, that work towards the child’s specific goals and focus on the child’s growth and development. CSWs also help to manage a child’s challenging behaviour, such as verbal and physical aggression. CSWs work to support the home as a whole. CSWs develop relationships with children, their families, their communities and other interdisciplinary team members. CSWs help children reach their full potential. CSWs are expected to share a common set of values that includes a commitment to the delivery of quality care while maintaining the rights of the children and families.

Please note that Child Support Workers may also be referred to as a Therapeutic Support Workers, Support Workers, Child and Youth Counsellors (CYC), Family Support Workers, or Child and Youth Workers (CYW).

Work Environment

CSWs provide support to children in a one-on-one, two-to-one, or group setting. CSWs will typically work in a variety of different settings, including the client’s home (residence), community, school, and family-visit settings. Some activities and programming will take place outdoors. CSWs must have access to a reliable personal vehicle and must be willing and capable of travelling to and from various locations. CSW’s must have access to appropriate dress to support various activities and environments (i.e. swim-wear, outer-wear). CSWs may be exposed to potentially hazardous environments, including driving conditions and potentially volatile situations during natal family visits. CSWs can expect to work a flexible schedule that may require working overtime or working past their scheduled shift end time during emergency and crisis situations. CSWs should expect atypical workdays including awake or asleep overnight shifts, or on-call support.

Scope and Reporting

The scope of the position, and to whom the position reports to:

CSWs report directly to their designated Supervisor, who is in charge of their management, supervision, and scheduling. CSWs will correspond and collaborate on the care of children and with other interdisciplinary therapeutic team members. CSWs are responsible for responding to requests for progress updates from the Client Case Manager, Program Supervisor, or other members of the Management Team.

Duties and Responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities are the specific tasks, objectives, and the key accountabilities that employees are expected to complete as a function of their job position.

• Provide a respectful, safe, and culturally relevant environment that respects each child as an individual
• Provide care and supervision to children with an array of special needs and challenging behaviours while maintaining a safe and therapeutic environment
• Assist children with their daily routines and activities, including homework, chores, and hygiene routines
• Safely transport and support children to and from their appointments, community activities, and school whenever necessary
• Facilitate the implementation and completion of the child’s specific plan of care goals
• Plan, participate and coordinate therapeutic recreational and social programming for children, including cultural activities, outdoor recreation, and social activities
• Help plan and implement activities and opportunities to address the particular issues that the child is facing, including: building self-esteem and confidence, prosocial behaviour, navigating family conflict, self-regulation, education, and life skills
• Ensure all forms, reports, and necessary documentation (including Daily Logs, Case Notes, and Incident Reports) are accurate and submitted within established timelines as identified in the Policy Manual and/or CSW Employee Handbook
• Therapeutic crisis intervention competency — this includes being familiar with and able to implement a variety of treatment strategies, de-escalation and behavioural support techniques
• Conduct effective debriefs and support children after a crisis or incident
• Review and understand the child’s individual safety plans, Plan of Care (POC), and behavioural plans
• Assist with the administration and medication reminders, in accordance with the established protocol, which includes being knowledgeable of the specific side effects, administration procedure, and procedure if a dose is missed
• Advocate on behalf of the child and provide the child with avenues to express themselves, raise concerns, and discuss their aspirations
• Work in an interdisciplinary team environment and communicate with other members of the therapeutic team
• Participate in staff meetings, client case conferences, and plan of care meetings
• Participate in supervisions, training, and developmental growth activities

• Ensure the implementation of safety and well-being practices. This includes being knowledgeable of universal care precaution practices, emergency systems and procedures in dealing with crisis situations, communicable diseases, and duty to report
• Ensure confidentiality, and show respect, patience and empathy towards clients and peers
• Participate in housekeeping duties including routine cleaning and meal preparation
• Participate in on-call shifts; staff are to be immediately available via telecommunication (text or call) to report for on-duty work during on-call hours.
• Participate in the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS) licensing process, as required
• Ensure adherence to the policies and procedures set forth in the Policy Manual and/or in the CSW Employee Handbook, and adherence to the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017 (CYFSA 2017) and all of the regulations thereunder

Additional Responsibilities

CSWs are also responsible for the specific tasks, objectives, responsibilities, and the key accountabilities associated with the following role-assignments:

• Designated Staff in Charge (‘Shift Head’)
• On-Call CSW
• Asleep Overnight Staff 
• Awake Overnight Staff

Qualifications and Skills

• Child and Youth Worker Diploma, diploma in the Social Services field, or an equivalent diploma or degree is preferred
• Prior work experience in the delivery of social service programming targeting children and families and/or experience working with children who have complex needs
• Must have an understanding of the various issues that impact the First Nations, Inuit, and Metis population and the ability to engage with children and families in a culturally sensitive manner
• Knowledge and understanding of the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017 (CYFSA 2017) and other relevant legislation
• Proficiency in crisis intervention, conflict resolution, and debriefing
• Possesses the following personal attributes: strong interpersonal skills, initiative, flexibility, dependability, excellent time-management, empathy, and well-developed communication skills
• Exceptional ability to work as a team player
• Proficiency in writing reports and documents
• Possesses general computer skills, including competency in word processing (including Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF), Google Workspace (including Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar) and virtual meeting platforms, such as Microsoft Teams

Employment Requirements

• Clear Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening
• Child Welfare Record Check
• Standard First Aid/CPR Level C certificate
• Non-Violent Crisis Intervention certification
• Medical Examination Report
• A class ‘G’ Ontario Driver’s License and access to a reliable personal vehicle
• Ontario’s 3-Year Driver’s Abstract (Uncertified)
• WHMIS and AODA certification
• Access to a laptop computer is preferred
• Full COVID-19 vaccination or a valid medical exemption

NOTE – This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. The employee may perform other related duties as required to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.