“What we do together…our H.E.A.R.T is our difference.”

Do you have a genuine passion in promoting the values of Indigenous culture working with and for Indigenous children, youth, and families (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit) while respecting their cultural diversity?

If so, consider joining our Xyólheméylh work family. We are a fully delegated Indigenous Child & Family Service Agency providing programs and services to Indigenous children, youth, and families on and off reserve within Stó:lō Territory in the Fraser Valley between Yale First Nation and Surrey BC.

Our programs and services are created and delivered with the support of our Elders Advisory Council with special attention on strengthening culture and identity, while honoring the strength of families.

• W****e strive to work in a holistic way to keep families together and reintegrate children back with their families and extended families.

• O****ur service delivery is done with an open heart and an open mind focusing on the best interest of the family while keeping children at the center.

• W****e work to ensure children are connected to their family, and community while striving to ensure their inherent rights to heritage and identity are upheld in all we do.

Permanency Social Worker

18- Month Term Position – Global

Base Office: Chilliwack

Guardianship 0-12 yrs. Old Team

Salary – $69,762.65 - $89,270.82 per annum. (35 hrs. per week)

EDO (Earned Day Off) Available: Monday Week 2

POSITION SUMMARY:

Please Note: The length of this term may be dependent upon the return of the incumbent.

Reporting to the Team Lead, the Permanency Planning Social Worker (PPSW) acts as a legal Guardian to all children and youth in care of the Director. PPSWs provide culturally appropriate and holistic services to protect and support children in care within the parameters provided by the BC Child, Family and Community Services Act, the Adoptions Act, the Aboriginal Operational and Practice Standards and Indicators (AOPSI), Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPP Act), Adoption Practice Standards and guidelines, Child Welfare Policies 3 and 4, Permanency Practice Framework and Aboriginal Policy and Practice Framework (APPF). This is done by building trusting relationships and working in collaboration with the children in care, the family/caregivers, Aboriginal Communities, identified elders, and support workers. The views of children, families and communities are sought, valued, respected and considered in all aspects of service planning, service delivery and service evaluation. They also work within the four dimensions of permanency.

Xyólheméylh is proud to have an Elders Advisory Council to ensure that culture is embedded throughout the agency ensuring the goals, missions and values are upheld in a good way.Lets'emót – to be of one heart and one mind.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

• General

• Acts as a legal guardian to children and youth in care of the Director, and ensures that they are aware of their rights;

• Develops stable, safe and long-term placements for children in care;

• Identifies and nurtures supportive relationships which will reach into adulthood;

• In collaboration with the community and support workers, connects the child to her/his aboriginal roots and community;

• Provides an opportunity for children in care to develop the skills and resources necessary to succeed as an adult;

• Works with Foster Parents and with Resource Social Worker to ensure a life book that contains pictorial and written records of the life of children in care such that the child has an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging and continuity;

• Seeks professional guidance and approval of the Team Lead according to AOPSI/CFCSA standards and more often if required by the Team Leader.

• Work within the four dimensions of permanency planning:

• Relational: establishes long-lasting connections with biological family members, the community, and others who the youth can turn to in their adult life.

• Cultural: ensures the child is connected to their culture, heritage, etc.

• Physical: creates a plan for a safe, stable, healthy, and long-lasting living arrangement.

• Legal: ensures all legal arrangements are made.

• Care Plan

• Develops, monitors, evaluates and revises a written comprehensive care plan which provides structure for the child and their caregivers to manage issues related to the intellectual, physical, emotional and spiritual development of the child. Ensures it is sufficiently detailed and flexible to allow the child as many safe choices as their age and level of development will allow.

• Monitors the child’s transitions into adulthood and the acceptance of adult responsibilities;

• Works in collaboration with the children and youth in care, caregivers, community and support services, to assume primary responsibility for the development and maintenance of the child’s cultural and community connections in an effort to give the child a sense of pride and understanding of their Aboriginal heritage.

• Support and Liaison

• Meets with the child every 30 days to monitor and evaluate the child’s sense of safety;

• Advocates and encourages the child to advocate on her/his behalf when appropriate;

• Encourages the child to accept age appropriate responsibility for decision-making with respect to their life planning;

• Supports the caregiver to allow the child to take risks within limits to ensure the child’s ongoing safety and development.

• Monitoring and Evaluation

• Ensures that service expectations and goals are appropriate to the child’s age and level of development and realistic within the time frames available;

• Regularly meets, reviews and revises service expectations and goals;

• Coordinates with caregivers all transfers, visits, and out of home overnight activities;

• Provides ongoing feedback to the caregivers, and others providing support to the child, regarding the quality and expectations of service;

• Where feasible and within the limitations of budgets, meets any extraordinary expenses necessary to develop the talents and innate abilities of children in care.

• Investigation of Abuse in an Approved Child Care Resource

• Supports the child through the protocol investigation process should an allegation of abuse be received.

• Community Liaison

• Builds familiarity with all agencies and resources in the region;

• Develops and maintains a positive, participatory approach to their community liaison role and appropriately addresses issues that may impact on agency and professional cooperation;

• Ensure appropriate services are present in the community for their children and youth;

• Undertakes liaison responsibilities as occasionally assigned by the Team Lead;

• Develops plans for youth consistent with community culture and tradition.

• Permanency Planning

• Prepares children, family and adoptive family for adoption by engaging them in open dialogue about how adoption will impact them and their adoptive family;

• Prepares documentation related to adoption/section 54.1 planning, including the proposal for permanency plan, placement and visitation schedules, exception and exemption reports, court documentation, birth, family and social history reports, life books, proposal packages, cultural safety agreements, family and cultural connections plans, and if required, the separation of siblings document;

• Attends to the emotional needs of the child related to separation and loss;

• Provides culturally safe services and supports to Aboriginal children and adoptive families in all areas of adoption duties;

• Collaboratively works with and assists MCFD to prepare children for adoption and permanency;

• Rescindments: Prepare all the court documentation related to rescindment plan, such as reports and court documentation;

• Ensures the child’s community is involved in the permanency planning process;

• Actively participates in the Connections meetings facilitated by the FCCW.

• Administration

• Demonstrates security awareness consistent with agency policy when dealing with confidential documents, office safety and personal safety;

• Demonstrates proficiency in case management and organizational skills to ensure complete and accurate records are kept on all files according to policy, the timely return of telephone messages, and reliability and predictability in terms of relationship with clients and the community;

• Completes monthly reports in a timely manner to meet both statistical and case management responsibilities, including reviewing, transferring and closing activities.

• Teamwork

• Develops and maintains a positive and participatory approach to teamwork;

• Promptly addresses issues that have an impact on cooperation, support, moral and service delivery;

• Establishes respectful and effective working relationships with staff, work units and other agencies;

• Seeks knowledge and information when there may be uncertain of policy, practice, or procedures.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED:

• A Bachelor’s Degree or higher in Social Work, or a Bachelor’s Degree or higher in Child and Youth Care;
• Must be delegated or eligible for delegation in the province of BC;
• A Masters of Educational Counselling, with completion of a practicum in family and child welfare; or a Masters of Clinical Psychology, with completion of a practicum in family and child welfare.
• NOTE: If your degree was obtained outside of Canada, you need to confirm it has been assessed for equivalency through the International Credential Evaluation Services (ICES). You must request a comprehensive report and the MCFD supplemental report to be considered for this competition.
• Two years’ experience working with and planning for permanency with children and youth in care.
• Must have valid B.C. Driver’s Licence without restrictions.
• Criminal Records check required.

Skills & Abilities:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to write concise reports for various audiences and facilitate meetings.
• Ability to understand and respond effectively to people from a diverse background;
• Ability to form trusting, respectful and effective relationships with children, Aboriginal communities, caregivers, parents, and other FVACFSS employees;
• Strong investigation skills, including conducting investigations, completing assessments, developing work plans, implementing plans and evaluating intervention success.
• Must possess strong problem solving and dispute resolution skills to mitigate challenges which may occasionally involve exposure to unpleasant dealings with angry, abusive, or abused clients, exposure to hazards from frequently working around volatile parents and/or children in crisis;
• Maintain an attitude of caring, respect and optimism for their clients;
• Maintain a clear differentiation between the professional and personal self, including values and beliefs;
• Computer skills for Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook;
• Valid BC Driver’s License; reliable transportation with adequate vehicle insurance;
• May be required to work flexible hours, as well as may be required to travel in all (reasonable) weather conditions.

CONFIDENTIALITY:

FVACFSS employees are expected to be familiar with and must comply with the expectations of confidentiality as outlined in the Agency’s Human Resources Policy Manual and other policies and operational manuals, AOPSI and the

B.C. Child, Family and Community Services Act.

LEARN MORE:

You can learn more about us at www.fvacfss.ca.

This position required Union Membership

We are pleased to offer employer paid Extended Health benefits and enjoy participating in our attractive pension program with the Public Service Pension Plan.

• Preference may be given to Indigenous candidates as per Section 41 of the Human Rights Code

This position is open to internal & external candidates at this time.

Applications will be accepted until 4:30pm PST on

Thursday October 2, 2025

Current employees of Xyólheméylh must apply for this position using the Internal Job Posting portal in ADP**, with Xyólheméylh login credentials.**

COVID-19 Precautions

The health and safety or our employees, their families, and the communities that we serve is of utmost importance to us. We will follow BC Ministry of Health Guidelines and Orders.

Because the health of our employees and candidates is a top priority, we may be conducting our hiring process virtually. We will provide candidates selected for interviews with all the required instructions.