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The Waterloo Region is a municipality of 450,000 people and is situated 100 km west of Toronto, Ontario and is one of the most prosperous areas of Canada offering many exciting opportunities in the fields of education, culture and recreation.

Family and Children's Services is Waterloo Region's child welfare organization. We operate from numerous locations throughout the region, providing services to help children and improve family life.

Our (575+) employees include social workers, residential child care staff and a wide variety of support and administrative personnel, all of whom contribute to improving the quality of life for the children and families of our community.

We recognize that a career in child welfare is demanding, requiring extraordinary dedication, care and compassion. However, the rewards can be tremendous. Knowing that you have enhanced the quality of life for so many children and families is just one area of satisfaction.

Family and Children's Services of the Waterloo Region is committed to an environment supportive of diversity.

Diversity refers to the many different characteristics of the people who live, work and are served in Waterloo Region. Diversity includes in its meaning differences such as our colour, the country we came from or the culture we belong to, our religion, our sexual orientation, our marital status, our age or disability.

The Values Statement which guides the work and operations of the agency includes the following paragraphs which form the basis of our commitment to embrace diversity

• every individual is a person to be valued
  
• all people, regardless of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, same-sex partnership status, family status, disability, or record of offences should receive a respectful and inclusive response from everyone
  
• the promotion of inclusiveness and equality in the agency is a duty of all employees, board members, foster parents, placement students, and volunteers
  
• loving and nurturing caregivers include opposite and same sex couples, extended family members, and single adults.

The following outlines are qualifications for our various frontline staff:

INTAKE or ONGOING SERVICE WORKERS:
Master of Social Work preferred; Bachelor of Social Work Degree. Our social workers do investigations into allegations that children are in need of protection and deal with long term family service as well they provide investigative and case management services to families and children; assuming complete case management responsibility for protection caseload; assess family and individual functioning including risk to children; providing therapeutic intervention to clients; protective services to clients; as well as administrative responsibilities including preparing reports, correspondence and documents for internal and external use.

SALARY RANGE: $48,039.94 - $63,217.28 per annum.

FOSTER CARE WORKER AND CHILDREN'S SERVICE WORKER:
BSW or MSW preferred, with consideration given to degree in the social sciences with experience. These workers counsel and support children in care and provide support to foster families.

SALARY RANGE: $42,371.63 - $55,758.18 per annum.

RESIDENTIAL DIRECT CARE WORKERS:
Child and Youth Diploma and/or degree in the social sciences with experience within a residential setting preferred.

SALARY RANGE:
$38,070.15 - $48,170.88 per annum for full time positions.
$18.30 - $23.15 per hour for part time positions.

INTAKE or ONGOING SERVICE SUPERVISORS:
To provide direct child protection supervision to a unit of five protection staff; ensure the ongoing professional development of unit staff, promoting a positive internal working environment within the unit and the agency as a whole for fostering a positive relationship between the agency and the community.

SALARY RANGE: $60,811.26 - $77,368.91 per annum.

SUPERVISOR QUALIFICATIONS:
MSW/BSW or related degree and/or experience; demonstrated ability for creative and innovative thinking, familiarity with provincial child welfare legislation preferably Ontario's, knowledge and experience of court procedure, demonstrated strengths and skills in collaboration within organizations and in the community, demonstrated experience in team building, working knowledge of computerized information systems. Proven supervision skills are required for the supervisor positions along with a minimum of three years experience in child welfare.

You may be required to provide any or all of the following as a condition of employment:

• An acceptable internal Agency Record Check
• Criminal Reference Check – request completed personally at your local Police Station; cost reimbursed to a maximum of $25
• The use of an automobile
• A Valid full "G" Ontario Driver's Licence and vehicle are required
• Driver's abstract - obtained from local license bureau
• Proof that public liability and property damage insurance, in the amount of $1,000,000, is on your vehicle
• Notification to your insurer should mention the possibility of transporting children in the care of the Agency, and may be a requirement of your position
• Medical Note from your physician stating that you are medically fit for employment and free of communicable diseases; cost reimbursed to $25 maximum
• Copy of up-to-date immunization card
• Tuberculin Disease Screening (TB test)
• A current Standard First Aid/CPR certificate is required
• PMAB (Preventative Management of Aggressive Behavior Training) Certificate

We have proudly worked together with OPSEU for years enhancing the working conditions and benefits provided to all of our staff. The employee benefit packages are superior and most are provided at no cost to employees. We pride ourselves on being one of the best child welfare agencies in the Province of Ontario. We offer very competitive wages, security; flexible work schedules; credit for recent related child welfare experience; advancement possibilities and enhanced training for ongoing professional development.

The Agency is dedicated to providing permanent full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package to meet the ongoing needs of each staff member.

The following is a partial list of available benefits:

Vacation:
After the first year of service Social Work and Management staff receive 22 days vacation; Excluded, Office and Clerical and Residential staff receive 17 days vacation.

Sick Leave:
Staff are granted 1 ½ days sick leave per month for temporary illness (up to a maximum of 120 days) subject to the presentation of medical documentation acceptable to the Agency. As well, each employee may use up to five (5) days from their sick bank per calendar year to care for an immediate family member.

Group Health Insurance and Dental Benefits:

• Extended Health
• Paramedical Services
• Dental Benefits
• Life Insurance
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
• Out-of-Province Travel Insurance
• Cell Phone Reimbursement

Relocation expenses are only payable if the candidate is successful in getting the job. Expenses for travel to and from the interview(s) are not reimbursable.

Relocation Expenses:
If an employee elects to commute because of personal choice in housing, the Agency would not be responsible for any moving costs after more than six (6) months form the effective date of becoming a permanent employee.

Transfer and Storage of Employee's Possessions:
The Agency will pay an employee up to $1000.00 for relocation costs including a moving van plus in-transit storage.

Traveling Expenses:
The mileage and or expense for the initial trip by the employee to the Region to review new surroundings, house-hunting etc. are eligible to be claimed as part of the available $1000.00 eligible expenses.