HOME VISITATION – HOME VISITOR
CALGARY WEST HUB
The Children’s Cottage Society is a charitable agency established in Calgary in 1986. The Society’s mission is to build strong children and safe nurturing families through prevention programs and support services, and we believe that resilient children blossom in healthy families. We believe in a healthy and diverse workplace, and we are looking for a compassionate and skilled Family Support Specialist to join our Team.
JOB PURPOSE
A Home Visitor works using a strength-based framework and evidence-based practice. The Calgary West Home Visitation program is available for families that live within Calgary Urban West communities as determined by Children’s Services. Our program provides support prenatally through to 6 years old. The home visitor supports parents to develop and enhance positive parenting skills, support healthy child development, and connect to community supports. All services are typically provided in the family’s home. Services are voluntary and adaptable to meet the needs of families. The intensity and length of service vary based on vulnerabilities, risk factors, and needs of caregivers. The program is designed to support a nurturing and safe environment for children, support the parent/child relationship, and provide rich child development information as well as connecting families to community resources and other formal supports as required.
All Home Visitor’s may be asked to work outside of their prescribed area, within other neighboring communities and/or communities outside of Calgary area when the need arises by management.
HOURS/LOCATION
This position is Full Time (36 hours per week). Hours are Monday to Friday and typically within the standard working hours; however, the ability to work flexible hours to meet the needs of a family is required. Our primary location is at our Child & Family Centre 1804 Home Road NW
SALARY: The salary for this role is $54,000/yr
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Minimum Diploma in Human Services Field.
- Minimum 3 years of experience working with vulnerable families with complex needs
- Experience working with infants, young children, and their parents
- Knowledgeable in healthy child development.
- Knowledgeable about community resources.
- Experience helping families experiencing stressful situations
- Valid driver’s license and use of personal vehicle.
- Standard First Aid Certificate with CPR level C
- Current Police Security and Child Intervention Record checks with satisfactory results
- Brain Story Certification Course (online training)
- Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
- Experience using Efforts to Outcomes or similar client data bases.
- Proficient computer skills required.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills required.
- Ability to flex hours from time to time.
SKILLS:
- Demonstrates a willingness and comfort level in working with diverse caregivers and families and those from a wide variety of cultures.
- A willingness and comfort level working with formal and informal interpreters to help improve communication and understanding between the family and the Home Visitor.
- Able to work from a strength based approach to support families.
- Have a thorough understanding of positive parenting practices and child development
- Knowledge of, and belief in a non-violent approach to disciplining children.
- Knowledge of parent-child interactions, child development and the dynamics of child abuse.
- Demonstrate skills in supporting families, reducing family stress, and teaching positive parent-child interaction skills both 1:1 and in group settings.
- Knowledge of family dynamics, child development, stressors in parenting, alcohol and substance abuse, and family violence.
- Ability to work as part of team and independently.
- Skill in crisis intervention, teaching, listening, and basic problem solving
- Ability to model and teach appropriate behaviours such as communication, conflict resolution, positive parenting, problem-solving, and self-advocacy
- Knowledge of Calgary and area resources and how to access them.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Home Visitation
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- Contact a referred family within 48 hours to arrange an initial visit.
- Establish and maintain a transparent and trusting relationship with families that have risk factors and may be facing multiple challenges
- Provide regular contact through weekly home visits of about 60-90 minutes in duration.
- Use self-assessments, screening tools and observation to identify alongside the parent and family strengths and challenges and implement effective strategies to empower the parent and child relationship, family functioning and resiliency.
- Knowledge of alcohol and substance abuse and family violence and their effect on families. Practices intervention strategies as appropriate.
- Support and encourage parental resiliency through a coaching model and by promoting access to services or making referrals as appropriate. Acts as a liaison between families and other community agencies.
- Work with all members of the family adults and children applying knowledge of parent-child interactions, child development, and positive parenting to promote healthy family relationships.
- Use the ASQ and ASQ-SE developmental screening tools with parents and make developmental support plans, recommendations to services, provides strategies to further support child development and implement recommendations using the Infant Mental Health Hand in Hand model.
- Facilitate 1:1 and group discussions regarding the Nurturing Parenting Curriculum when providing support and interventions to families.
- Communicate concerns regarding safety and wellbeing to parents and supervisor
- Utilize Goal Planning to conduct family assessments, develop unique family directed goals and support the family to achieve their goals.
- Maintain strong knowledge and understanding of community resources and use these appropriately to connect a family and build self-advocacy and resiliency in a family.
- Appropriately establish boundaries and sets limits in relationships with families.
- Meet with supervisor on a regular basis for reflective supervisions, regular direct observation of in home visits, and regularly reviewing of files in order to meet accreditation and provincial home visitation guidelines.
- Attend team meetings, case consults and trainings in a timely manner as well as actively participating.
Documentation
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- Complete all admission, discharge paperwork following guidelines of evidence based practice.
- Accurately complete paperwork with parents in home visits.
- Accurately input data into NewOrg database daily
- Complete a nominal role and other month end documentation at the end of each month for submission to Family Resource Network.
- Liaise with Supervisor and Family Resource Network as required for accuracy and corrections of data when needed.
- Completes daily case notes that document home visits observations and activities in a complete, concise manner
- Adhere to program accreditation and provincial guidelines
- Other Duties as Required
- Actively participate in program staff meetings and Agency events on an ongoing basis.
- Home Visitation is a reflective practice and as such a home visitor is expected to work and be supported by a supervisor within that style.
- Participate in other duties as required by the Calgary West Home Visitation Program, Program Manager, Director of Programs or CEO.
- This position is a hybrid community-based role. Staff are required to attend team meetings, and agency events on site and in person when requested.
PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS
- A Criminal Record Check, which includes a vulnerable sector search, is required prior to employment.
- A Child Intervention Record Check is required upon commencement of employment.
- Proof of Educational requirements.
WHAT WE OFFER
In addition to having the opportunity to work for an energetic, progressive, and community focused organization and with a workforce of diverse, committed individuals, we offer the following benefits:
- Hybrid work environment
- Comprehensive Health, Dental & Vision benefits.
- Pension Contribution Program.
- An annual Health Spending Account.
- Prioritizing wellness in the workplace and a psychologically safe work environment
We appreciate the interest of all applicants; however, we will only contact those applicants selected for an interview. Please quote Competition #HV2025 when submitting your resume and cover letter.
Please submit your cover letter and resume to by e-mail to: careers@childrenscottage.ab.ca
For more information about our organization, please go to www.childrenscottage.ab.ca
