Role Responsibilities

Children and Family Services in the North Region of Alberta is currently recruiting to two practice specialist positions. The Practice Specialist seeks to inspire wholistic practices and influence systemic change at a regional level. 

Responsibilities of this role are but not limited to the following:

• Focus on developing strategies and leading implementation and continuous improvement of practice following the approach of the province.
• Provides mentoring and training to regional staff through a wholistic practice framework, this position hopes to influence the skills, knowledge, and cultural understanding of regional staff, thereby creating wholistic outcomes designed to improve service delivery 
• Meets regularly with supervisors, managers, other specialists focusing on child intervention services, and may serve as a representative on a variety of committees and initiatives. 
• Assist with complex cases by application of practice and hands on mentoring
• Act as a knowledge broker and conduit for practice information transfer.
• Lead the region and initiatives and practice influences such as strength-based approach, Sign of Safety and Intentional Search and Exploration. Using your creative mindset to meld together practices and tools of practice that would work best in situations.
• Acts as a regional program consultant to regional staff in the areas of legislation, policy, casework, and issues specific to the Child and Youth Family Enhancement Act at all levels of intervention. 
• Work collaboratively with quality assurance to understand trends, identify gaps and to implement strategies to resolve issues and identify successes.
• Draws upon personal knowledge and experience, supporting a collaborative model of service delivery related to people, communication, and information sharing. 

We are looking for passionate individuals who have a drive and enthusiasm for advancing child intervention practice with children, families and communities. Your passion and the following skills will assist you in your success in this role:

• Your strong focus on coaching and mentoring 
• Your practice is rooted in the Child Intervention Practice Framework, Casework Practice Model, Signs of Safety Approach, trauma informed practice lens as well as specialized knowledge, experience and relationships of and with Indigenous peoples/communities to ensure that services delivered are in accordance with accepted practices, standards and legislative requirements. 
• Your ability to develop and deliver formal and informal training and teaching sessions to support staff in their work with children and families. 

Role Details

This competition will be used to fill practice specialist roles in both Child Intervention and in our Indigenous Practice Supports unit. Please indicate in the pre-screen question your position of interest.

Practice Specialist (Indigenous focus), is connected to and assists in informing provincial directions and knowledge in regulations, standards, policies, and casework practice in an effort to support the child and family through expert knowledge in life-long connections with Elders, culture, history, family and/or community of origin, thereby promoting the development of a positive identity and wholistic outcomes for children and families. For more information on this role please reach out to walter.brertton@gov.ab.ca 

Practice Specialist (Child Intervention) is focused on practice implementation and skill enhancement at a regional level delivering and informing provincial direction and knowledge in Child Intervention Casework practice initiatives such as Signs of Safety, Intentional Search and Exploration and Child Intervention Practice Framework. For more information on this role please reach out to lisa.goodman@gov.ab.ca

These positions provide a broad range of services and supports within North Region of Alberta, shifting the worldview to include an appreciation of cultural knowledge and traditions, (the way we think, learn, interact, connect with, and understand the world), understanding the diversity of Indigenous and other cultures, heightened awareness of personal biases and stereotypes, thereby eliminating bias from programs and services and honouring the dignity of all Indigenous peoples. 

Please click on this link to view the job description for this position.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

This link will assist you with understanding competencies:
https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf

In addition to the APS Competencies the follow practice competencies are essential for success in this role:

• CI Practitioner Competencies: Performing the Child Intervention Practitioner competencies with consistency at an advanced level of proficiency, according to the Child Intervention Practice Framework Principles, in order to provide practice supervision to CI staff.  
• Mindfulness and Self-reflection: Being intentionally aware, focused and present in the moment; continuously assessing, without reaction and judgment, one’s emotions and actions to guide one’s thinking and behavior.  
• Outcome Oriented: Maintaining a working knowledge of the CIPF Principles, CI outcomes and priorities. Demonstrates the ability to lead with a focus on CI outcomes and ensure the work of one’s team is in alignment with these outcomes. Demonstrates commitment to the CI outcomes and priorities by role modeling responsibility for decisions and accountability for results.
• Engaging Others: Building a foundation of trust and respect to engage staff and inspire, empower, support, coach and mentor. Building relationships individually and as a team to create a positive working environment and to achieve the best possible CI outcome.   
• Leading Continuous Improvement: Demonstrate ability to seek out opportunities for innovation and creatively problem solve. Support staff through implementing organizational initiatives. Operate with a high degree of flexibility and adaptability to implement learnings and achieving outcomes for children and families.
• Enabling others Growth and Development: Guiding others to strengthen their professional ability and CI practice and fostering a climate of learning and self-reflection.
• Communication: Engaging in and fostering active listening, creating an atmosphere of respect and positive problem solving. Ensuring one’s verbal and non-verbal communication is congruent.  Demonstrating an awareness of the impact of one’s communication in both oral and written form.

Qualifications

Bachelor of Social Work and 2 years related experience or an equivalency as described below.

Equivalencies:

• Master of Social Work and 1-year related experience.  
• A related university degree with four years of related experience; or 
• A related diploma plus five years of related experience; or 
• A related certificate and 6 years related experience.  

Required Experience: 

• Knowledge and experience using Signs of Safety philosophy and practice.
• Knowledge of community resources is essential.  
• Advance computer experience working with Microsoft office is required.  
• Demonstrated knowledge of all legislated and policy requirements related to Indigenous peoples.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Child, Youth, and Family Enhancement Act, Signs of Safety
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong critical thinking skills
• Knowledge and experience working with Indigenous communities.  
• Understanding of child intervention issues and trends for the purpose of analysis. 

Assets 

• Preference will be given to those candidates who possess 2 years of related experience in child intervention front line case management or equivalency
• Project management experience 
• Facilitation and negotiation experience
• Experience with Intake Workflow is an asset. 
• Experience with Safety Assessment Workflow is an asset.
• Current or previous supervisory experience – cover off experience accepted.  
• Training, coaching and mentoring adults

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification. 

Refer to https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-minimum-recruitment-standards.

Notes

There are currently 2 permanent positions:

• Practice Specialist – Indigenous Practice Supports
• Practice Specialist – Child Intervention 

Hours of work are Monday to Friday, 36.25 hours per week (full-time).   

There may be a requirement to work beyond the scheduled workday along with weekends and on-call responsibilities. 

Application Requirements: 

• Occasional travel will be required therefore, final candidates for this position will be asked to provide a current 5-year commercial driver’s abstract if it is not already on file. Employees may also be required to use their own vehicle when government fleet vehicles are not available. Appropriate insurance is required. 
• Complete all pre-screening questions.
• As per the Health Professions Act, successful applicants must: be registered with the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) to be eligible for this position, if:   
  • They have a degree in social work from any university in North America that is accredited by the Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE) or the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE); or They have graduated from an approved social work diploma program in Alberta; 
  • They have, within the last five years, been a registered, certified or licensed social worker in another province or with a member of the Association of Social Work Boards.  

Pre-employments: 

• Final candidates will be required to undergo academic checks and a security screening.
• Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in.

Other Information: 

• Relocation expenses may be provided 

What the GoA has to offer to prospective employees: 

• Working for the Alberta Public Service - https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx
• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) - https://www.pspp.ca
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information - https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits
• Professional learning and development - https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance
• Leadership and mentorship programs
• Northern Allowance for eligible locations.