Family Court Counsellor

Role Responsibilities

Are you a dedicated, hardworking, and caring individual looking to make a difference in the lives of Alberta families? Alberta Justice has an opportunity waiting for you!

As a Family Court Counsellor, you will have the opportunity to work both independently and collaboratively with colleagues in the same location and across the province, ensuring seamless service delivery to Albertans. Your strong working relationships with Court Operations, Judiciary, and the legal community will be crucial in delivering exceptional services to clients and supporting the operations of the Alberta Court of Justice and/or King’s Bench Family Court.

At the direction of Management and the Assessment Services Supervisor, you will complete data collection and participate in program development initiatives to ensure services are provided in a user-friendly, cost-effective manner.

Operating within a team structure, you will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following:

Screening, Assessment, and Referral

• Provide triage and intake services including safety screening, needs assessment, referrals as necessary, and limited assistance completing and filing Family Law Act court documents.
• Demonstrate dispute resolution skills to assist clients in resolving their disputes.
• Identify and outline options available for the client to decide on a course of action.
• Deliver ongoing assessments, information, support, guidance, and assistance to clients prior to, during and following court.

Case Management

• Negotiate and facilitate terms of consent with parties in attendance at court, for the court’s review and endorsements.

In-Court Support

• Facilitate court appearances on legislated and specified Family Law Act applications, assisting parties towards resolution, educational resources, interventions and /or transferring parties to alternate court services.
• Assist families with their various concerns in the fast-paced environment of the Resolution Services office and the Provincial Family docket court, Court of King’s Bench Family Docket Court, and Court of King’s Regular Chambers.
• Respond to actions, directions and requests from the judiciary that fall within the scope of the role.

Consultation and Public Relations

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with external stakeholders (i.e., Lawyers, Legal Aid, Community Legal centers, women’s shelters, native counselling services and police services) to ensure information sharing and optimal client services.

Administration

• Complete timely and accurate entries on the Resolutions Services provincial database relating to client services and court activity in accordance with policy/procedure.
  
  

As the ideal candidate, you will bring:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong Assessment skills.
• Attention to details relating to file and legal documentation.
• Exceptional interpersonal, interviewing, assessment, negotiation, dispute resolution and decision-making abilities.
• The ability to work independently, under pressure, and assist clients in highly emotional circumstances is essential.
• A strong ability to work independently and work well as a team member with internal and external stakeholders.
• Knowledge and awareness of changing processes, legislation, social trends, best practices and new research in family, law matters; utilizing this knowledge to maximize effectiveness of responsibilities to inform, educate and assess.

The Job Description is provided for further details on 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.

• Systems Thinking - You are aware of the branch's priorities and goals, striving to create a culture of service excellence that positively impacts the branch's ability to meet those goals.
• Creative Problem Solving - You challenge the status quo and embrace a creative and innovative approach to finding solutions that ensure the most effective and efficient delivery of service.
• Agility – You anticipate, assess, and readily adapt to changing priorities, while maintaining resilience in times of uncertainty and effectively working in a changing environment.
• Building Collaborative Environments – You lead and contribute to the conditions that promote information sharing, teamwork, and creative thinking to create outcomes that support the goals of the branch.
• Drive for Results - You have an ability to create an environment that inspires and motivates others to maintain focus on achieving positive results for the branch.

Qualifications

Required: A Bachelor of Social Work Degree with some related experience in areas such as conducting client interviews and assessments.

 The following equivalencies will be considered:

• Master of Social Work (no experience required), OR
• Related University Degree (e.g., Dispute Resolution, Sociology, Psychology, Law, etc.) and 2 years related experience, OR
• Related Diploma and 3 years related experience, OR Related Certificate and 4 years related experience.
  
  

As per the Health Professions Act, successful applicants must be registered with the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) 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, OR
• 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.
• Please be prepared to provide your registration details if/when they are requested. For more information, please visit: http://www.acsw.ab.ca/
  
  

All applicants must submit a cover letter. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered. In your cover letter, please provide a brief overview (approximately 300 to 400 words) describing how your qualifications and experience make you a strong candidate for this position. Cover letters will be assessed for grammar, spelling, and punctuation as part of the screening process.

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

Notes

Position Information:

• This is for one full-time, temporary position until June 30, 2028
• Work Location: Calgary Courts Centre
• Hours of Work: Monday to Friday, 8:15AM-4:30PM, 36.25 hours a week

Final candidates will be required to undergo a criminal records check (CRC).

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.

Links and information on what we have to offer:

• Working for the Alberta Public Service.
• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP).  
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information.
• Professional learning and development.
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool.
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.