Caregiver Practitioner

Role Responsibilities

If you are interested in joining the Caregiver teams in Wetaskiwin or Red Deer, now is the time! Come join an energetic and enthusiastic team for a challenging professional opportunity! So if you are motivated by working in a fast-paced work environment with an outstanding team of professionals, apply today! 

As a Caregiver Practitioner, you will assess, support and reassess kinship/foster care caregivers for children in the care of the Director. This role is responsible for: 

• Assessing kin and significant relationships for children/youth
• Approving/Licensing caregivers for fostering.
• Orientation and training of caregivers 
• Supporting the placement of the child with the caregiver (including development of the Support Plan) 
• Administering Caregiver files 
• Completing the ongoing evaluation and support, re-assessments and supporting the caregiver when concerns arise for approved caregiver homes
• Quality of Care Assessments as required 
• Providing access to a dispute resolution process 

You will provide timely, meaningful and effective support to caregivers and be committed to relationship building with them alongside community partners and indigenous communities. 

In addition, Practitioners carrying Kinship files will be required to complete the Home Study Report known as the ASKC (Assessment and Support for Kinship Caregivers) for newly opened kinship care homes. This will require an ability to engage in relationship building, address sensitive issues, past traumas and apply critical thinking skills to analyze the information to determine the capacity of caregiver(s) to provide quality care and supervision to the children placed. Conducting interviews, performing assessment activities, collecting and reviewing supporting documentation is required to develop the ASKC, which also involves a thorough mitigation of any concerns (if applicable). Assessment ability and writing skills are essential to this role. 

For approved caregiver homes, ongoing monitoring, annual evaluation and support is provided. This requires a creative and energetic attitude in order to actively serve and support caregivers. You will have an ability to assess capacity of caregivers, be strength-based, responsively monitor, provide advocacy, mediation, develop networks and connection to resources to build capacity. You will work closely/collaborate with Child Intervention Practitioners to help the caregivers understand the child’s case plan. This also includes working with involved family members and networks to address possible resistance/fears; unclear expectations between each party in terms of plans and departmental policies and entitlements of Caregivers. 

The successful candidate must have the ability to assess risk and family functioning, the interest and ability to work closely with community partners, well-developed organization and time management skills as well as excellent written documentation and verbal communication skills.

Role Responsibilities .....cont'd..

To better understand the policies and related practice supports related to this role, please review the Placement Resources section of the CFS Enhancement Policy Manual. https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/a1b2b48a-855b-42e4-9416-ab08ba22337b/resource/5e784398-8b98-46f1-8a69-f0265d4b72b8/download/cfs-enhancement-act-policy-manual-2025-09-05.pdf 

The Ministry of Children and Family Services has several caregiver initiatives aimed at enhancing recruitment and retention and support for caregivers.  To learn more about this please see the attached action plan. https://www.alberta.ca/foster-and-kinship-care 

https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/kinship-and-foster-caregiver-roundtable-action-plan.pdf 

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.

This link will assist you with understanding competencies:
https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf.

• Creative Problem Solving: Ability to gather information from varied sources, analyze and interpret information to formulate reports and make decisions related to case planning.
• 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 judgement skills.
• Building 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.
• Developing Networks: Ability to interact positively, build relationships and work effectively with others.
• Develop Self and Others: Ability to invest in the development of long-term capability of yourself and others

Qualifications

Minimum Recruitment Standard:

• Bachelor of Social Work with 1 year of related experience.

Equivalency: 

• Master of Social Work (no experience required); or
• Related university degree (BA Child Studies/Child & Youth Care, BA 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, Bachelor of Indigenous Studies) and 2 years related experience; or
• Related diploma (Addictions/Counselling, Child and Youth Care, Human Services, Criminal Justice) and 3 years related experience; or
• Related certificate and 4 years related experience.

Assets:

• 1 year of related experience as a child intervention services worker. 
• Preference will be given to candidates who are Delegated 
• Knowledge of community resources and Indigenous culture is essential. 
• Experience working with Microsoft office is required.
• Conducting assessments, case management and planning in a child intervention setting. 
• Knowledge working with Indigenous cultures. 
• Experience in delivering foster care, kinship care, permanency support, and family preservation or intervention services would be an asset. 
• Working knowledge of the Child, Youth, and Family Enhancement. 
• 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. After hours/on call will be required.

Location:
There are currently 2 permanent positions available, 1 based in Wetaskiwin and 1 based in Red Deer. This competition may be used to fill other Caregiver Practitioner vacancies in the region (other sites include Camrose, Lloydminster, Wainright, Olds, Stettler, Drumheller, Rocky Mountain House or Drayton Valley)

If you are interested in applying for other locations listed, please indicate this in your cover letter.

Role Requirements: 

• 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 possess a Bachelor, Diploma or Masters in Social Work. For more information, visit http://www.acsw.ab.ca/. 
• Travel will be required in this role; therefore, final candidates for this position will be asked to provide a current 5-year commercial driver’s abstract. Candidates may also be required to use their own vehicle when government fleet vehicles are not available. Appropriate insurance is required. 
• Successful candidate will require a clear Intervention Record Check (IRC) + Criminal Record and Vulnerable Sector Check (CRC VS) to be considered for the role. 
• An academic check will be completed. 
• Please be advised that your current supervisor and manager will be contacted as references. 
• 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.

Application Requirements: 

• In your resume, please include dates (including months and years) associated with all education and work experience. As well, please indicate whether your work experience is casual, part-time or full-time. For example, January 2006 – June 2009: Assistant (Part-Time) 
• Complete all pre-screening questions. 
• Please include your current supervisor and manager as a part of your references

Other Information:

• We thank all applicants for their interest. All applications will be reviewed to determine which candidates' qualifications most closely match the advertised requirements. 
• Relocation expenses may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

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.
• Leadership and mentorship programs