Provide social work services to children and families within the Rheumatology and Gastroenterology services, focusing on chronic illness coping and psychosocial support. Responsibilities include individual and family interventions, resource coordination, and participating in center-wide intake and on-call rotations.
Requirements summary
Requires a Master's Degree in Social Work, licensure with the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers, and at least two years of experience as an MSW. Candidates must have clinical experience in individual and family therapy and a current BLS certification.
June 2026 (Applications are accepted until 23:59 Atlantic Time)
IWK Health is a respected academic health sciences centre located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, providing tertiary and primary care for two million children, youth, adults, and families each year across the Atlantic region.
We have a team of approximately 4000 employees, physicians, volunteers, and learners at sites across Nova Scotia.
People build careers with IWK Health with our focus on training and mentorship opportunities.
We recognize each other’s talent and celebrate our successes.
We collaborate in modern facilities or virtually from home, align our work to our values, and enjoy access to enhanced benefits and wellness programs.
We are proud to support our patients, families, and communities and are grateful for the generous donor support we receive.
Promoting an anti-racist environment and calling out discrimination as we work and provide care is important to us. We are located in Mi’kma’ki, the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq people. Working in Mi’kma’ki and providing care to those across Atlantic Canada is a shared privilege with the original inhabitants who have lived here for many thousands of years prior to colonization. There are 13 First Nation communities across Nova Scotia, and more than 50 historic African Nova Scotian communities that also have a long, deep, and complex history dating back over 400 years. We have the highest percentage of people with disabilities in the country. Nova Scotia has the highest proportion of transgender and non-binary people of any other province or territory in the country. We are active in our work to eliminate discrimination, but we have more work to do to build that trust, acknowledge our biases, and reduce the barriers our diverse communities face. We want IWK Health to be a safe and supportive space of equity and belonging in the care we provide and the employment we offer. We welcome all interested persons who self-identify as Indigenous, Black/African Nova Scotians, Persons of Colour, Immigrants/Newcomers, Persons with Disabilities, and 2SLGBTQIA+ to apply to support our goal for our workforce to be representative of the patients, families, and communities that we care for at all job levels.The Opportunity Reporting to the Manager, Children’s Ambulatory Medical Care, the Social Worker practices as a member of a multidisciplinary team to provide social work services to children and their families being seen by the Rheumatology and Gastroenterology services. Within these services, emphasis will be on patient and family contact through the ambulatory component of the service; however, some inpatient contact will also be required. The social worker will have a major role in counselling patients and families coping with a chronic illness and working with the teams on programs to support families of children and youth with rheumatologic and gastroenterological medical conditions. The Social Worker provides predominantly individual and family intervention on a direct, consultative, or monitoring basis as indicated; demonstrates knowledge of interdisciplinary services and refers clients/families to appropriate services; liaises with external agencies to locate and arrange resources; and participates in program development and evaluation of both teams. The Social Worker provides services within a family-centred environment in accordance with the mission and vision of the IWK Health Centre. The role of the Gastroenterology/Rheumatology Social Worker also includes being on a rotation schedule to provide intake services for the Children’s Health Program and on-call responsibilities for the centre-wide Social Work service. The Gastroenterology/Rheumatology Social Worker will also provide back-up coverage for other IWK Social Workers when required. Duties include: counselling, consultation, psychosocial support, advocacy, trauma /crisis support, and resource counselling as needed.Hours of Work 7.5-hour days, Monday to Friday. Flexibility is required.Your Qualifications
Benefits
Enhanced Benefits
Wellness Programs
Training and Mentorship Opportunities
Master's Degree in Social Work required
Licensed or eligible for licensure, with the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers required
Minimum two (2) years of experience as a Master's prepared Social Worker required.
Clinical experience in individual and family therapy required; pediatric experience is preferred
Current successful completion of a Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada Basic Life Support Level (BLS) Program within the last 12 months, or successful completion of a BLS Renewal Challenge Certificate, is required.
Experience working with families in critical care situations is an asset
Demonstrated knowledge of the Child and Family Services Act is required
Demonstrated knowledge and ability to access health care and community resources required
Ability to develop and maintain internal and external partnerships
Demonstrated organizational, time management, interpersonal, and communication (verbal & written) skills required
Demonstrated ability to work independently, yet working within a multidisciplinary team environment is required
Demonstrated commitment to family-centred care and to continuing team and personal professional development required
Experience in supporting individuals/families living with chronic disease an asset
Experience with Meditech, GroupWise, and other computer software is an asset
Experience in Motivational interviewing is an asset
Competencies in other languages an assetThank you for your interest in IWK Health. Please note that we only contact applicants selected for interview/testing. If we invite you to participate in an assessment process (such as an interview or testing), you have the right to request accommodation. Please discuss your needs when invited to the assessment process. This is a Healthcare bargaining unit position. Preference is given to bargaining unit employees for unionized positions. Successful applicants changing unions, bargaining units, or employment status are advised to seek clarification regarding their seniority, benefits, and vacation entitlement and/or usage, prior to accepting the position. An offer of employment is conditional upon the completion and satisfactory results of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials. If you are an employee of IWK Health, please apply through the internal careers page to ensure you are flagged as an internal applicant.
Market context
Behavioral health roles in Nova Scotia
Behavioral-health positions in Nova Scotia often reflect steady demand in child and adolescent services, especially where trauma-informed care and specialized assessment skills are needed. These roles are competitive because employers typically look for a Ph.D. or PsyD in Clinical Psychology, registration with the Nova Scotia Board of Examiners in Psychology, and direct clinical experience with younger patients. Review the AI-summarized requirements and benefits here to save time, then confirm your registration status and prepare examples of trauma-informed work before applying.
