Family Roots Worker

Company Overview

Secwepemc Child and Family Services Agency (SCFSA) is a progressive and culturally focused agency supporting family safety that endeavors to provide outstanding practice to First Nations families residing in the communities of the seven‐member bands; Adams Lake, Bonaparte, Neskonlith, Skeetchestn, Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc, Simpcw, and Whispering Pines/Clinton and who reside in Kamloops.

Striving to provide exceptional family healing services through prevention-based practice, SCFSA incorporates a Signs of Safety® framework as an innovative, strengths-based, and safety-organized approach to child protection casework.

Job Summary

The Roots Worker will work alongside our Family Preservation teams and Communities, to identify and explore all possible family and community connections for all children/youth in care. The Roots Worker will focus on building relationships with family and community to support Secwépemc Child and Family Services’ (SCFSA) commitment to ensuring that the children and youth we serve have a strong connection and sense of belonging to their family, culture and community. The Roots Worker will gather the circle, bringing the child/youth’s care team, family and community together to facilitate planning that is grounded in culture and focused on permanency that will see that child/youth leave foster care to reside in Kinship care.

Qualifications

Education and Experience:

• Diploma in Human Services or other relevant course, or a Degree in the social sciences.

• C-4 Delegation or eligibility to become for delegated an asset (may be required to attend delegation training)

• Experience working in a fast-paced child welfare setting.

• Experience with First Nations families, youth and children.

• Skills and experience in direct family support work.

• Combination of education, professional experience, and lived experience will also be considered.

Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to assess strengths and weaknesses of family dynamics.

• Interviewing skills for both children and adults.

• Proven ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and to use integrated case management.

• Conflict resolution skills including mediation, problem solving, negotiation and advocacy.

• Proficiency in the use of computer programs for word processing, databases, spreadsheets, email and the internet, to the intermediate level (capable of using a large number of functions and feel confident using the program).

• Communication, both oral and written, including the ability to develop and present education and information documents for non-social work audiences.

• Intervention, crisis management skills, grief counselling and suicide intervention.

• Knowledge of all areas of child development, traditional Aboriginal family processes, the origin and effects of child abuse and neglect in the Aboriginal community.

• Recognizes and respects all cultural diversity and has an understanding of Aboriginal culture.

• Organizational and time management (to maintain multiple kinship care files).

Working Conditions:

• Travel to multiple locations will be required;

• Potential for violence in the workplace;

• Hours of work are nonstandard and connected to services and community needs;

• Receives regular supervision with direction and checks of the work performed.

Conditions of Employment:

• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Criminal Record Check.

• Must be able to obtain and maintain a valid BC Driver’s License, class 5 with no restrictions.

• Must provide a vehicle in good operating condition and appropriate vehicle insurance to meet program requirements

• We offer time off at Christmas, team days, cultural training, elder support, and a great team to belong to!

Directly Supervises:

• None

Job Types: Full-time, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 12 months

Pay: From $38.20 per hour

Expected hours: 35 per week

Benefits:

• On-site parking
• Paid time off

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Kamloops, BC: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Application question(s):

• Do you have a Diploma in Human Services or other relevant course, or a Degree in the social sciences?
• Do you have experience working in a fast-paced child welfare setting?
• Do you have skills and experience in direct family support work?
• Do you have experience with First Nations families, youth and children?
• Do you identify as First Nations/Indigenous?

Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 2025-06-19