JOB POSTING # 26-11 CHILD AND YOUTH WORKER – 1.0 FTE
Live in Treatment- Day Treatment Program
About Keystone:
Keystone Child, Youth & Family Services is a dynamic, not-for-profit organization and the designated Lead Agency for Children’s Mental Health in Grey and Bruce Counties. Since 1974, we have been dedicated to supporting children, youth, and families by delivering compassionate, responsive mental health services.
At Keystone, we provide a full continuum of services, including counseling, prevention and well-being programs, short-term live-in treatment, crisis stabilization, youth justice services, and special needs programming. Our focus on coordinated access ensures that every child and youth aged 0-17 receives tailored, multi-disciplinary care to meet their unique needs.
1. General Accountability
- Provide relationship-based, trauma-informed mental health treatment and therapeutic support to children and youth participating in the Day Treatment program.
- Contribute a professional Child and Youth Care perspective to individualized treatment, safety planning, daily programming, progress monitoring and transition planning.
- Support educational participation and classroom functioning in partnership with designated education personnel.
2. Therapeutic Support and Direct Service
- Build safe, respectful and developmentally appropriate therapeutic relationships with children and youth.
- Provide active supervision, positive engagement, emotional support, coaching and therapeutic intervention within the Day Treatment milieu.
- Implement individualized treatment goals, behaviour support strategies, safety plans and crisis-management plans developed by the interdisciplinary team.
- Support emotional regulation, coping, communication, relationship, problem-solving, self-advocacy and independent-living skills.
- Plan and facilitate individual, small-group, recreational, life-skills and evidence-informed therapeutic activities within the CYW scope of practice.
3. Day Treatment and Educational Participation
- Collaborate with teachers, education assistants, school-board personnel and Keystone clinicians to maintain a safe, inclusive and therapeutic learning environment.
- Support children and youth to engage in classroom routines, access educational programming and work toward agreed educational and treatment goals.
- Provide in-the-moment regulation, behaviour support and therapeutic intervention during classroom and program activities.
- Collect and communicate relevant observations and data regarding attendance, engagement, behaviour, regulation, strengths, needs and progress.
- Support implementation of agreed classroom strategies, behaviour plans, accommodation and communication approaches.
- Participate in admission, school-reintegration and transition planning across Day Treatment, home, community and school settings.
4. Treatment, Safety and Crisis Response
- Participate in treatment planning, plan-of-care reviews, case conferences, risk reviews and transition meetings.
- Identify and respond to escalating behaviour, mental health concerns and safety risks using approved prevention, co-regulation, de-escalation and crisis-intervention approaches.
- Implement emergency and crisis procedures, seek additional assistance when required and participate in post-incident debriefing and follow-up.
- Contribute to individualized safety, behaviour and crisis plans.
- Administer and document medication when assigned, trained and authorized, in accordance with agency policy and program procedures.
- Meet all duty-to-report, privacy, documentation, health and safety and incident-reporting requirements.
5. Family, School and Community Collaboration
- Engage parents, caregivers and families as partners in treatment, consistent with the plan of care, consent and privacy requirements.
- Collaborate with schools, child welfare, healthcare and other service providers to promote coordinated care and continuity across settings.
- Participate in community- or school-based visits, outreach and transition supports as assigned.
6. Documentation and Program Operations
- Maintain timely, objective, accurate and confidential clinical records, daily notes, progress updates, incident reports, behaviour and outcome data, statistics and transition documentation.
- Participate in team meetings, case reviews, supervision, reflective practice, training and professional development.
- Contribute to program planning, evaluation, accreditation and quality improvement.
- Support daily operations, outings, transportation and special activities as assigned.
- Perform other related duties consistent with the purpose and level of the CYW (DIP) classification.
Working Conditions and Safety Requirements
This position involves supporting children and youth experiencing significant mental health, emotional and behavioural challenges. The employee may encounter unpredictable behaviour, escalating situations, verbal aggression or circumstances requiring an immediate safety response. The employee must be able to recognize and respond to risk, follow individualized safety and crisis plans, use approved prevention and de-escalation strategies, seek assistance appropriately, and participate in emergency responses within the limits of their training and assigned responsibilities.
- Keystone provides required training, policies, procedures, supervision and team-based safety supports. Employees are expected to report hazards, incidents and safety concerns promptly and to participate in the development and implementation of appropriate safety measures.
- The position may require participation in approved crisis-intervention procedures when necessary to protect safety, in accordance with training, agency policy and applicable accommodation obligations
Minimum Qualifications
- Diploma in Child and Youth Care or Social Service Worker from a recognized post-secondary institution, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to Keystone.
- Experience supporting children or youth with significant mental health, emotional, behavioural, developmental or social needs; experience in day treatment, school, live-in treatment, clinical or therapeutic milieu is preferred.
- Experience collaborating with families, educators and interdisciplinary service providers is an asset.
- Current Standard First Aid and CPR certification.
- Current certification in Keystone-approved crisis prevention and intervention training, or willingness and ability to obtain and maintain certification.
- Satisfactory Broad Record Check in accordance with agency and licensing requirements.
- Valid Ontario driver’s license, reliable transportation and automobile insurance with at least $2 million liability coverage, where client transportation or community travel is required.
- Ability to work the schedule established for the program and attend occasional meetings, training, transition activities or programming outside regular classroom hours.
Skills
- Strong ethical standards and professional boundaries aligned with Keystone’s values.
- Knowledge of child and adolescent development, mental health, trauma, attachment, family systems and culturally responsive practice.
- Demonstrated skills in co-regulation, behavioural support, crisis prevention, de-escalation and group facilitation.
- Strong observation, critical thinking and professional judgment, including recognition of changes in risk or functioning.
- Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills, including objective clinical documentation.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with children, youth, families, education personnel and an interdisciplinary team.
- Strong organization, dependability, adaptability and proficiency with electronic clinical records and standard workplace technology.
Reports To: Supervisor, Intensive Treatment Program (or designate)
Pay: $28.42-$34.14 per hour
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Company pension
- Disability insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
Application question(s):
- Are you legally authorized to work in Canada without requiring current or future sponsorship?
- Do you currently hold a diploma in Child and Youth Care or Social Service Worker from a recognized post-secondary institution, or hold equivalent equivalent education?
- Do you have experience supporting children or youth with significant mental health, emotional, behavioural, developmental or social needs within day treatment, school and/ or live-in treatment settings?
Work Location: In person
