Court Coordinator

Role Responsibilities

The role of the Court Coordinator is to provide Family Court services within Central Region, by presenting the Region’s child intervention cases in Central docket courts, ensuring accepted practices are observed that are within the guidelines prescribed by Ministerial policy and procedures and provincial legislation. This would include regular consultation with child intervention practitioners. 
 
The client groups most impacted by the activities of the court coordinator are Child Intervention Practitioners, Child Intervention Supervisors, managers and clients involved with Children and Family Services. Areas of responsibility will include supporting Children and Family Services applications in the specified Provincial Courts in the Central Region.
 
The Court Coordinator works independently with a high level of autonomy. You must be self-motivated and self-directed; and have specialized knowledge of legal aspects of Child Intervention work. The work in this functional group focuses on the requirement to review/monitor and evaluate work/information to ensure adherence to policy, procedures and law and to present this information to courts and Judges. As well, it is the Court Coordinators responsibility to provide consultation and advice on specific cases and in general to support regional staff, including the provision of feedback and evaluation in relation to staff performance as it relates to court related processes.

Some responsibilities include:

• Prepare the intervention cases for presentation in Provincial Family Court by gathering the appropriate documentation and information
• Consult with child intervention practitioners and supervisors to review the evidence and legal documentation 
• Review all legal documentation for accuracy and compliance. Identify all errors and create and maintain systems to have documentation returned for corrections to child intervention practitioners and supervisors. Provide oral and written feedback regarding court-related performance of Child Intervention Practitioners to Supervisors and Managers, as well as create strategies to improve staff performance and court related issues. 
• Introduce and present the Director’s applications in Docket Court, including the presentation of evidence by way of affidavit and direct examination of witness. Defend the Director against legal arguments in Court and represent the Director’s legal requests in the absence of assigned counsel.
• Review Home Assessment Reports (HAR) in support of Private Guardianship Applications (as part of a committee or individually) and ensure all necessary supporting documents are provided. 
• Liaise and consult with Court Administration, Judges, Family Law Lawyers, Court Clerks and Ministry staff in related to court related matters. 
• Provide advice and interpretation of court procedures, policies and practices to Child Intervention Practitioners, Supervisors, Managers and other ministry staff. 
• Create and present orientation/training on an ongoing basis to regional intervention staff and create, develop and maintain written procedures related to court practice for regional intervention staff. 
• Develop and maintain a close working relationship with local agents, as well as FASCL, serve as a liaison between the regional intervention staff and lawyers.  Court Coordinators would be the main contact for agents. 

Please click on this link to view the job description for 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.

To be successful in this role, you will bring the following competencies:

• Agility: Ability to prioritize competing workload pressures in an effective manner and contribute to the organizational goals. 
• Drive for Results: Demonstrates ability to gather, integrate and interpret complex information. Sets and accomplishes goals and priorities in order to deliver outcomes consistent with departmental objectives and directives. Excellent analytical, assessment and critical judgment skills. 
• Develop Self and Others: Ability to invest in the development of long-term capability of yourself and others.
• Build Collaborative Environments: Ability to work cooperatively and collaboratively with a variety of teams within the workplace, community and other Government ministries/agencies to meet client and ministry goals and objectives.
• Develop Networks: Ability to interact positively, build relationships and work effectively with others
• Creative Problem Solving: Ability to gather information from varied sources, analyze and interpret information to formulate reports and make decisions related to case planning.

Qualifications

Education:

• A Bachelor of Social Work or Social Work Diploma and 2 years of related experience; or
• A related degree and 4 years of related experience or a related diploma and 5 years of related experience.
• Related education can include: Bachelor of Child Studies/Child & Youth Care, Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Health Sciences, Bachelor of Human Services, BA/BSc Psychology, BA Sociology, Bachelor of Community Rehab, BSc Family Studies/Human Ecology, BA Early Child Development, Law Degree, Addictions/Counseling Diploma, Child and Youth Care Diploma, and Criminal Justice Diploma.

The following equivalencies maybe considered;

• Master of Social Work and 1 year related experience; or
• Related certificate and 6 years related experience.

Note:
Equivalency for professional roles related to Child Intervention: Directly related degree or diploma, successful completion of in-service or comparable training and 2 years of directly related experience.

Assets:

• Child Intervention court experience.
• Preference will be given to those candidates who are Delegated.
• Sound understanding of child intervention legislation, policy, practice and workflow. 
• Knowledge and ability to draw upon an Act Respecting First Nation, Metis and Inuit children, youth, and families and how it relates to intervention practice.
• Experience managing a caseload with minimal supervision.

Preference will be given to those candidates who have completed the Foundations, and Relationship and Culture pathways in the Ministry’s ICUF.  Recognizing that there will be exceptional situations, managers and supervisors who have not completed the training, will be given 12 months from their respective effective dates or from their hiring date thereafter to initiate/complete training. Application for equivalencies based on previous training will be assessed individually. 

The ideal candidates will have a strong working knowledge of the Child, Youth, and Family Enhancement Act and other related legislations (e.g. PSECA), as well as possess excellent verbal and written communication skills and strong critical thinking skills.

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification. 
Refer to https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-minimum-recruitment-standards

Notes

Hours of Work:
Monday to Friday, 36.25 hours per week (full-time).
(Working after-hours or outside of regular business hours may be required).

Location:
Red Deer, AB

Application Requirements:

• A cover letter outlining how your education and experience relates directly to this role is required.
• In your resume, please include dates (including months and years) associated with all education and work experience. Please indicate whether your work experience is casual, part-time, or full-time. For example: January 15, 2006 – June 25, 2009: Assistant (PT three 8 hour shifts/week).
• Complete all pre-screening questions.
• If you have completed your ICUF Training, please provide the proof of completion as an attachment to your career profile
   

Please be advised your current supervisor and manager will be contacted as references.

Successful Candidate for this position will undergo an academic check, intervention record check and provide suitable security screening.

Role Requirements:

• You carry a valid Class 5 Driver’s License and access to a reliable vehicle.
• As per the Health Professions Act, successful applicants must be registered with the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) to be eligible for this position, 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;
  • 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 at the time of interview. For more information, please visit http://www.acsw.ab.ca/

Travel:

• Travel will be required in the role in Alberta and out of province if the need arises. Final candidates for this position will be asked to provide a current 5-year commercial driver’s abstract if it is not already on file.
• Employee may also be required to use their own vehicles when government fleet vehicles are not available. Appropriate insurance is required.

Other Information:

• Relocation expenses may be provided on a case-by-case basis.

Notes (cont....)

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 the GoA have to offer to prospective employees.

• Working for the Alberta Public Service - https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx
• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) - https://www.pspp.ca
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information - https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits
• Professional learning and development - https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance
• Opportunity to participate in flexible work arrangements such as working from home up to two days per week and modified work schedule agreement
• Leadership and mentorship programs