Social Worker, Mental Health Services – Temporary Full-Time (1.0) (until December2026)

Compensation Pay Range

$46.69-$57.74

Job Description

Please Note: If you are a current CHEO employee with access to Workday, please apply to this posting via the Workday application as an internal applicant using the Jobs Hub. To successfully apply for this position, please submit your application by 11:59 pm the day before the advertised closing date in the posting to ensure your application is received. Ottawa is built on un-ceded Algonquin Anishinaabe territory. The peoples of the Algonquin Anishinabek Nation have lived on this territory for millennia and we honour them and this land. Their culture and presence have nurtured and continue to nurture this land. CHEO also honours all First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples and their valuable past and present contributions to this land. CHEO is one of the few stand-alone, global leaders in pediatric health and is home to more than 6,500 staff, clinicians, scientists and researchers, as well as volunteers – all of whom work together to help children and youth achieve their best lives. Within its own walls and through partnerships with community providers, CHEO has transformed from a 20th century acute care hospital into a 21st century integrated child and youth health system. Ranked in the top 1% of Canadian hospitals for the digitization of its clinical infrastructure, CHEO combines excellence in clinical care, research, and education to advance seamless care that’s provided where, when, and how it is needed. CHEO’s Research Institute is dedicated to world-class clinical, translational, and basic science research covering a wide range of children’s health concerns. CHEO has been named Canada’s best health-care employer by Forbes in 2024, 2025 and 2026 and is ranked second among Canadian hospitals on its list of Canada’s Best Employers for multiple consecutive years. For the 14th consecutive year in a row, the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers has recognized CHEO as a top employer in the National Capital Region. Every year CHEO helps more than 500,000 children and youth from Eastern Ontario, western Quebec, Nunavut and Northern Ontario. POSITION SUMMARY Consistent with the interprofessional setting and the mission, vision and strategic directions of CHEO, the Social Worker provides psychosocial assessments and therapeutic intervention to children and youth who present with mental health challenges in our Mental Health Acute Care Service. The Service provides short-term crisis stabilization, assessment and diagnostic clarification to children and youth who are experiencing significant mental health issues through an interdisciplinary team approach. The Social Worker will work with individuals and families providing evidence based individual, family and group psychotherapy and interventions. PRIMARY DUTIES Conducts comprehensive (psycho-social and family) assessments by methods such as interviewing the family, obtaining relevant information, gathering social data regarding the child/youth and family and formulation of assessment and plan of intervention, in accordance with professional practice standards and clinical policies. Provides counseling and support to families by offering brief individual and family counseling, crisis intervention and conflict resolution related to treatment decisions, child welfare, mental health, and comorbid conditions. Provides therapeutic interventions using various modalities including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Trauma-Informed approaches. Provides family therapy and group-based interventions. Engages in training and the delivery of education to Social Work students and health care professionals. Provides time-limited care post-discharge focused on safety and brief therapeutic interventions as appropriate. Advocates on behalf of families with respect to services and supports and coordination of community resources. Maintains current knowledge on social work evidence based practice by such methods as reviewing literature, consulting with clinical and community experts in the field, evaluating clinical practices and participating in professional development activities in order to improve care through new practices. Performs administrative tasks such as maintaining clinical documentation, progress notes, workload statistics and updating health records in accordance with established standards. Participates in interdisciplinary team meetings. Liaises with various community partners, including the School Boards, child welfare organizations and community mental health providers. Participates in and supports clinical research activities with the inter-professional team members. Participates in committees within the discipline of Social Work Carries other responsibilities as assigned. QUALIFICATIONS Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC) (Essential) M.S.W. graduate from an accredited university program in Social Work (Preferred) B.S.W. graduate will be considered if other qualifications met (Essential) Membership in the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers and broad knowledge of Social Work theory, practice and regulations established by the College (Essential) Experience within children/youth mental health or pediatric healthcare setting (Essential) Demonstrated expertise and knowledge about children and youth presenting with acute and complex mental health issues (Essential) Demonstrated ability to integrate the following approaches into practice: Strength-Based Perspective, Family System’s Theory, Crisis Intervention, Brief Solution-Focused Therapy & Grief & Bereavement (Preferred) Knowledge of community resources (Essential) Well-developed counseling skills in individual, family and group therapy (Essential) Demonstrated ability to conduct and document a comprehensive psychosocial assessment (Essential) Demonstrated ability to plan, organize and prioritize work (Essential) Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and effectively within an inter-professional environment with members of the health care team, clients and their families and external agencies (Essential) Knowledge of community resources (Preferred) Cultural competencies in order to work efficiently in cross-cultural situations (Essential) Bilingual (French and English) (Preferred) *Timeline may be extended or shortened based on operational needs. *Please note you will be represented by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU). Please note that this position will be based out of Ottawa. Please note that location may be subject to change at any time at the discretion of the employer. All OPSEU members shall be granted an interview upon passing the pre-screening. Pre-screening might include testing. Effective March 29, 2021, CHEO will conduct a more comprehensive pre-screening and evaluation process. This process may include more varied and multidimensional testing such as a written test, practical exam, or other assessment. All candidates who meet the essential and preferred qualifications may be tested. Bilingualism (French/English) will be validated by a language proficiency assessment conducted by a third party provider. Candidates will be required to meet the minimum linguistic profile prior to the date of hire. Should you require accommodation during any phase in the recruitment process, please contact Human Resources at TalentAcquisition@cheo.on.ca. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential and will be handled in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. Please note you will be represented by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU). CHEO values diversity and is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the hiring process and welcome interest from all qualified applicants. Should you require accommodation during any phase in the recruitment process, please contact Human Resources at TalentAcquisition@cheo.on.ca. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential and will be handled in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. We thank all those who apply, however, only those to be interviewed will be contacted. CHEO is much more than a hospital. Our commitment to outstanding care and continued development impacts every part of a child and youth's health and well-being. We play a crucial role in building a healthy future for our community. Working at CHEO means a rewarding career. A career at CHEO provides a: competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package unique culture that fosters dedication, communication, respect and teamwork place where your opinions will be respected, contributions valued and your initiatives rewarded family-friendly environment that supports you and your own family, as well as the children, youth and families we serve chance to grow — personally and professionally — through our comprehensive orientation program and on-the-job learning support for continued education and learning potential for a relocation reimbursement benefit truly unique work environment We are redefining what it means to be a hospital. Exceptional and integrated care is what families, children and youth deserve. We are committed to partnering with them and the community to provide this care — where, when and how it’s needed. CHEO continues to be selected by local, national and international competitions showcasing employers who lead their sector in offering exceptional workplaces for their employees. For the eleventh time, CHEO has been recognized as one of the National Capital Region’s Top Employers. We are among a select group of organizations at the forefront of their respective industries who offer exceptional places to work. We were given this honour based on our outstanding: workplace atmosphere benefits employee communications training and skills development community involvement