York Region Children’s Aid Society
Year 1 Practicum
January to May 2025
Name of Practicum Site, Unit or Program:
York Region Children’s Aid Society
Location: Family Services Placement
Main Office: 16915 Leslie Street (Kennedy Place) Newmarket, ON L3Y 9A1
Richmond Hill Office: 120 East Beaver Creek Road, Suite 301, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 4V1
Vaughan Office: 3901 Highway 7 West, Suite 202 Woodbridge, ON L4L 8L5
Description of the practicum site and student activities:
York Region Children’s Aid Society (CAS) is a child welfare agency with a mandate to protect children and assist families to ensure children are safe and risk free from abuse and neglect. The agency provides direct intervention, including assessment, support services and other relevant services for a culturally diverse client population in York Region.
Family Services Placement
The York Region Children’s Aid Society (YRCAS) is a non-profit community organization legally mandated to protect children and youth from abuse and neglect. As a leader within the child welfare sector, we partner with parents, caregivers, and community to provide a safe environment for children and youth, through equitable, culturally aligned services.
Comprised of interdisciplinary teams of diverse professionals who push boundaries in support of family centered care, we engage with children and families for a stronger, healthier community within the York Region.
YRCAS is fully committed to a culture of belonging and an inclusive environment that encourages every team member to lead within their role, generate innovative ideas that reinforce our mission and goal to create a healthy workplace and community where children youth and families thrive.
To support us on our journey, YRCAS is looking for a Family Services Placement Student to support our Child, Youth and Family Wellbeing Department.
Why Complete Your Student Placement With Us?
- Hybrid working model (working virtual and in person).
- Casual dress code.
- Mileage Reimbursement.
- Enhanced Wellness Initiatives and Virtual Fitness Classes.
- The support of a dedicated student mentor and committed team to enhance your learning and provide opportunities for knowledge and skill development within and beyond the placement student role, potentially including but not limited to: departmental shadowing opportunities, internal and external learning and development opportunities, opportunities to participate in Agency committees, projects and events, and more!
SUMMARY OF DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Reporting to the Child Youth and Family Wellbeing Student Mentor, the Family Services Student will work within the area of Family Services, and may be asked to perform any of the following responsibilities with the direct support of their Student Mentor:
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Assist with screening calls, determining appropriate responses, and providing information, consultation, assessment and crisis intervention to sources of referral, and liaise closely with other service providers in the community to ensure optimum delivery of services.
- Utilize anti-oppressive, critical thinking and solution focused involvements to assist the student mentor in carrying out interventions with families using the least disruptive course of action required to ensure child/youth safety.
- Work with your student mentor to ensure immediate safety of children through the development of a Safety Plan that involves engagement and collaboration with family, community, and community organizations.
- Support your student mentor with carrying out investigations and assessments related to cases of alleged physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse involving children, including assisting in making determinations regarding risk, verification, and recommendations.
- Participate in joint investigations with police and other governing bodies and agencies, as appropriate to ensure the safety of children.
- Participate in the development of plans for risk reduction and intervention, based on Comprehensive Assessments and Plans of Service as outlined in the Risk Assessment Model.
- Assist in determining when children require admission to the care of the Society and, where necessary, provide support to your student mentor in removing children to ensure their immediate safety as a last resort.
- Assess and help to make decisions related to reunification plans and implement such plans where appropriate.
- Develop and maintain effective and therapeutic casework relationships with service recipients with the objective of supporting and promoting their ability to reduce risk of harm to children.
- Provide referrals to appropriate internal and external resources in order to provide quality service to Society service recipients, with the objective of reducing risk of harm to children.
- Assist with the development and preparation of admission documentation and initial plans of care for children who have been admitted into the Society’s care.
- Work with your student mentor to assess requests for financial assistance for clients and support the arrangement of such assistance if deemed justified and necessary.
- Participate in the supervision of therapeutic access visits between children and caregivers as required.
- Ensure both internal and external record checks are completed via “Search Request” through the CPIN Support Team.
- Collaborate with your student mentor to determine intervention of Family Court involvement, and help to prepare accurate legal documentation, provide testimony in Unified Family Court and Criminal Court, assist in preparing clients for court and enforcing court orders in order to protect children.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
- Have awareness and competency in identifying and addressing bias, discrimination, and racism to disrupt systemic barriers that families, children, and youth are experiencing.
- Strong ability to connect, collaborate and engage with individuals to ensure optimal service delivery to children, youth and families.
- Excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Curious, creative and innovative thinker.
Practicum Requirements:
(Click on all the boxes that apply.)
☐ Immunizations per PHA Guidelines
☐ N95 Respirator/Mask Fitting
☐ Covid Vaccinations
☐ Influenza Vaccination (Flu shot)
☒ Police Reference/Vulnerable Sector Check
☒ Driver’s License
☒ Use of Own Car
☐ Travel by public transportation between home visits, or satellite offices, or community meetings, etc.
☒ Comfort working with the population being served
☐ Comprehensive report writing and documentation
☐ Lived experience/Current member of the community being served
☐ Evening attendance
☐ Weekend attendance
☐ Changing shift attendance
☐ Language (specify in field below)
Other requirements:
A satisfactory vulnerable sector check, a class “G” driver’s license with daily access to an insured vehicle, and proof of COVID-19 vaccination (2 doses required), as per YRCAS’ Mandatory COVID-19 policy.
York Region Children’s Aid Society works in a hybrid virtual and on-site working environment.
Does your practicum require any previous experience?
(If yes, please specify.)
Is this practicum in-person, remote or hybrid?
hybrid
Will this practicum involve direct work or a mix of direct and indirect?
direct
Number of practicums offered: 1
Application deadline: October 2, 2024
Do you require a resume? Or resume and cover letter?
Resume only
Accessibility Considerations:
- Will the student have access to a private space for notes or computer use? Yes
- Are there breaks between clients/patients/meetings? Yes
- Is the practicum considered fast-paced? Fast
- Is there a high noise level in the practicum? Medium
- Is the site wheelchair accessible? Yes
- What are the physical demands of the practicum? Sitting, standing, walking, driving.
If you are interested in this practicum, please send a resume to human.resources@yorkcas.org no later than 11:59PM October 2nd, 2024. Please quote job posting #2024-STU-9 Family Services Student. Please email miri.ben.dat@utoronto.ca to indicate that you have applied.