Home Study Practitioner (Independent Contractor)

Are you looking for a career that can make a difference in the lives of people in need? Put your passion for working with families within our community towards a rewarding opportunity with Catholic Social Services as a Home Study Practitioner. 

We are looking to enter into a contractual agreement with Home Study Practitioners in order to grow our dynamic and talented team! This position does not have a set schedule. Contractors must be available to work weekdays, weekends, and evenings. 

Program Overview:

The Independent Home Study Practitioner (IHSP) is responsible for writing Structured Analysis Family Evaluation (SAFE) home studies for Children, Family and Community Service. This is an Independent Sub-Contractor role in which the individual would not be directly employed with the Agency but would sub-contract his/her services.

This position involves writing assessments for individuals wishing to become kinship caregivers, foster parents, private guardians or adoptive parents.  The IHSP is familiar with family dynamics, trauma, child development, therapeutic issues, has the ability to formulate an assessment and is able to write a comprehensive report. The IHSP has strong assessment skills, connects with a diverse population with ease, has solid writing skills and has a strong capacity for conflict resolution. This position requires close attention to detail and superior time management skills. 

Primary job duties may include but are not limited to:

• Reviewing files
• Establishing rapport with applicants quickly
• Interviewing adults and children
• Interviewing caseworkers and support workers
• Completing reference checks
• Engaging in consultations with the supervisor
• Note taking
• Writing the SAFE home study and editing it
• Participating in appeals if necessary

Education and Qualifications:

• Social Work Degree or equivalent; equivalencies need to be approved by the funder
• 3 years of experience working in the human services sector
• Registered as an RSW (Registered Social Worker) or with a professional body
• SAFE training an asset

The ideal candidate will have an organized and compassionate approach to the work, strong independent/team work skills, a commitment to developing positive supporting relationships, and experience supporting families. Other qualifications include:

• Assesses families thoroughly
• Works well under pressure and meets set deadlines
• Competent working with Microsoft Office
• Strong knowledge of best practice, procedures and policy within the Agency
• Effective communication with professionals and clients
• Strong presentation, written, and verbal skills
• Maintain and preserve confidentiality due to sensitive personal information
• Capable of interviewing, sometimes with frequent interruptions
• Ability to talk in depth about sensitive issues with clients
• Work independently with minimal supervision
• Highly organized and attention to detail

What We Offer:

• This position receives a flat fee for all contracted work
• Travel expenses will be covered as per the contract
• Work within a highly collaborative, team-oriented organization, where your ideas are heard, and you can see your impact daily.
• Growth Opportunities: Apply and grow your skills within a dynamic, innovative and expanding Agency that is taking a leadership role in our industry.

About Catholic Social Services:

CSS is an established Agency that is guided by faith to care for and bring hope to people in need with humility, compassion and respect. With more than 50 years of service delivery, Catholic Social Services is one of the largest multi-function social services agencies in Canada, with more than 1900 staff, and hundreds of volunteers delivering 130+ programs throughout Central Alberta and Edmonton.

We welcome and celebrate the diversity of our employees and volunteers who choose to work with our Agency in support of our mission, values, and principles. We employ and serve people of all faiths, or no faith, while respecting all backgrounds and experiences.

Our values are at the core of everything we do:

• Humility: We acknowledge with gratitude our human abilities and limitations. We demonstrate humility by doing the best that we can with the resources that we have.
• Compassion: We respond to people in need with love. We demonstrate our compassion by caring for people without judgment and without condition.
• Respect: We demonstrate our respect by being personally present, open and attentive to those we care for and by honouring their dignity and freedom.

 We thank all applicants. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

We embrace diversity and offer equal opportunities to all qualified applicants regardless of origin, culture, ethnicity, age, ability, gender identity, and people of faith or no faith.