Social Worker (Masters), Neonatal Care Team

Position Summary

Reporting to the Manager of the Neonatal Care Team, the Social Worker practices as a member of an interprofessional team to provide social work services and family-centred care with women and their families in the Women’s & Newborn Health Program (primarily NICU). The Social Worker will have a major role in counselling patients and families who may be experiencing stressors associated with hospitalization, pregnancy, the postpartum period, pre-term birth, adjustment to parenting, perinatal and newborn loss. The primary role of the successful applicant will be to provide individual and family counselling. The Social Worker will also provide brief check-in interventions, with screening and assessment as required. The Social Worker will have knowledge and skills in the areas of infant mental health (attachment), family dynamics, mental health and addictions, psychosocial assessment, crisis intervention, trauma support and interprofessional collaboration. The successful applicant will have experience in trauma-responsive, culturally safe care and grief/loss work. The Social Worker will be responsible to liaise with a range of health and government services with an emphasis on building collaborative partnerships, facilitating resource acquisition, and advocating for appropriate resources to meet the client’s needs. The Social Worker will have responsibilities in supervising clinical MSW student placements, teaching, program development, program evaluation, and research as needed. The Social Worker serves as a resource to other neonatal team members on a direct and/or consultative basis as needed. The Social Worker is also responsible to do intake duties for the Women’s & Newborn Health Program and work collaboratively with other social workers within the program.

Hours of Work

Monday to Friday (Flexibility in work hours can be considered). Some variations in working times will be required as needed. The Social Worker is required to participate in the rotational weekend and holiday stand by schedule.

Qualifications

• Masters Degree in Social Work required.
• Current license, or eligible for licensure, with the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers (NSCSW) required.
• Minimum of two (2) years clinical experience as a Masters prepared Social Worker required.
• Knowledge of infant/child development, obstetric milestones, life transitions, mental health & addictions and women’s health required.
• Advanced Psychotherapy skills (including brief therapies).
• Knowledge of the Child and Family Services Act required.
• Working knowledge of the DSM-5 considered an asset.
• Experience in conducting brief individual and family therapy preferred.
• Experience in clinical case management and advocacy.
• Demonstrated understanding of the social, structural, emotional, psychological, and cultural determinants/factors that affect well-being.
• Demonstrated ability to use an anti-oppressive framework in practice.
• Demonstrated ability to reach a joint formulation with the client and family.
• Demonstrated excellent time management, critical thinking, organization, decision making, and problem-solving skills required.
• Demonstrated exceptional interpersonal, presentation and communication (verbal and written) skills required.
• Demonstrated comfort and skill in working collaboratively with internal and external partnerships required.
• Demonstrated ability to work autonomously as well as part of an interprofessional team required.
• Experience in Meditech, MS Outlook, and MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) preferred.
• Competencies in other languages an asset; French preferred.

** Where there are no qualified applicants, consideration may be given to applicants without two years of post-Masters experience. **