The Social Worker provides psychosocial assessments and therapeutic interventions for children and youth in the Mental Health Acute Care Service. They work within an interdisciplinary team to deliver evidence-based individual, family, and group psychotherapy.
$46.69-$57.74
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.
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. MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES 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
Candidates must hold a degree in Social Work and be members of the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. Expertise in children and youth mental health, along with the ability to conduct comprehensive psychosocial assessments, is essential.
Market context
In Ontario, behavioral-health roles are typically driven by ongoing need in community, outpatient, and support settings serving people with mental health or substance use challenges. These positions can be competitive because employers often look for experience with diverse populations plus a high school diploma or GED, with a bachelor’s in social work or a related field preferred. Review the AI-summarized requirements and benefits here to save time, then tailor your application to show relevant client-facing experience and readiness to work with varied needs.
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