Subsidiary 6 – Social services

The work in this stream is primarily working with children and youth in both secure and open residential care centres. For the most part, this work is performed within a multi-disciplinary team, and is focused on ensuring the treatment or care plan developed by the team for each child/youth is followed. Work in this stream is often focused on hands-on, direct services and support in a treatment milieu. This stream also includes the supervision of the front-line function, as well as facilitating reintegration into homes and communities. The goal is to maintain or re-establish the family unit.

• Benchmark listing – Child and Youth Care
• Minimum Recruitment Standards – Child and Youth Care

Within the social services framework, this stream encompasses professional work applying a combination of behavioural theories, social services systems and/or program know-how to deliver services for the wellbeing of vulnerable children, youth, adults, and families. Acting within legislative parameters, the work includes intake, assessment, facilitation for planning and/or access to services, consultation, case management, mediation, monitoring, and licensing. The work is primarily focused on direct client service delivery, working with external partners, and/or leading front line staff in ensuring consistent application of policy, standards and practice through, but not limited to:

• protecting children and youth from harmful situations and ensuring their well-being through prevention and intervention services, supports and resources (for example, intervention, guardianship, kinship and foster care, adoption)
• preparing families with children to access the court system, including facilitating and mediating family disputes (for example, divorce, separation, child custody and access)
• supporting individuals with disabilities, and working with families to plan and access services and community resources for independent living
• licensing child care centres (for example, daycare, family day home, out-of-school care programs)
• authority and responsibility to make decisions on behalf of persons who are unable to represent themselves

The goal is to enhance self-reliance, social functioning and overall well-being of individuals within the family and community.

• Benchmark listing – Human Services
• Minimum Recruitment Standards – Human Services

The work in this stream is focused on working with children and youth in care, typically in child and youth care centres. This is specialized work, applying psychological knowledge and theories to a variety of situations. Often the work is performed in multi-disciplinary teams to develop and implement care or treatment or behaviour support plans. Positions assess the level of risk individual clients pose to themselves, to others in the centre, and to the public. The goal of the work is to support the work in the specific program or centre, and is often focused on assessment, risk reduction, and on crisis intervention.

• Benchmark listing – Psychology
• Minimum Recruitment Standards – Psychology

This work provides licensed practical nursing services within a defined scope of practice to carry out patient care focusing on promotion of wellness, maintenance of health and prevention of illness. The work typically includes monitoring physical and mental health conditions, recording patients' progress, taking vital signs, communicating health findings in collaboration with the physician and other regulated health care professionals, and administering treatment and medications in accordance with the physician's and other regulated health care professionals' orders.

• Benchmark listing – Licensed Practical Nurse
• Minimum Recruitment Standards – Licensed Practical Nurse

The work is primarily involved in the area of health services. The work involves applying specific clinical knowledge, such as nursing, to maintain or improve quality of life, investigating sudden deaths, or improving the delivery of health services and programs for Albertans. Work in this stream involves delivery of medical or paramedical interventions for individuals in residential, transitional and step-down facilities; conducting medical examiner investigations; or developing health policy requiring the application of theory and applied knowledge, and consulting with stakeholders in the health system.

• Benchmark listing – Medical and Health
• Minimum Recruitment Standards – Medical and Health

The primary focus of the work is to assist medical professionals with the provision of medicinal para-dental supports in dentistry and pharmacy to individuals with disabilities. The work typically involves: assessment, observation, recording, and preparing for dental procedures.

• Benchmark listing – Medical Support
• Minimum Recruitment Standards – Medical Support

This professional-level work is primarily involved in assisting individuals with developmental disabilities to enhance their quality of life or improving rehabilitative programs through consultation. Work in this stream involves developing and leading the implementation of specialized rehabilitative plans, such as individual support plans through meaningful activities and therapeutic interventions in a variety of daily living situations. The Rehabilitative Specialists (Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Speech Language Pathologists) consult with other professionals in the rehabilitative field.

• Benchmark listing – Rehabilitation
• Minimum Recruitment Standards – Rehabilitation