Lead Child and Youth Worker - Full Time

Job Description

Job Title: Lead Child and Youth Worker

Organization: Willow Harbour Children’s Residence

Location: St Agatha, Ontario (on-site at children’s residence and office)

Employment Type: Full Time, Permanent

Compensation: $65,000 - $75,000 per year, commensurate with experience and qualifications

Shifts: Days (7:00am - 3:00pm) and Afternoons (3:00pm - 11:00pm) with flexibility to support nights (11:00pm - 7:00am), weekends, and holidays as needed for coverage, crises, and supervision

The Lead Child and Youth Worker is the frontline supervisor for the residential team, providing leadership, coaching, and advanced direct care to children and youth in the home. Reporting to the Clinical Director, the Lead oversees daytoday shift operations, mentors Child and Youth Workers, supports complex situations and crises, and helps ensure that care is delivered in alignment with plans of care, policies, and licensing requirements.

• Provide leadership on shift, acting as the primary contact for staff regarding routines, care plans, and behaviour support strategies.

• Model highquality, traumainformed, relationshipbased care with children and youth.

• Support the Clinical Director in implementing and monitoring individual plans of care and behaviour support plans.

• Coach and mentor Child and Youth Workers, including informal feedback and support with documentation, boundaries, and crisis response.

• Assist with scheduling, shift coverage, and coordination of daily activities and appointments.

• Lead or support crisis prevention and intervention, including use of a ministryapproved physical intervention program when required for safety.

• Review documentation (logs, incident reports, medication records where applicable) for completeness and quality; follow up on issues as directed.

• Participate in case conferences, team meetings, and debriefings and provide input into program improvement.

• Contribute to orientation and ongoing training of new frontline staff.

• Ensure compliance with agency policies, licensing standards, and health and safety requirements.

• Diploma or degree in Child and Youth Care, Social Service Work, Social Work, Psychology, or a closely related field.

• Significant experience working with children and youth in residential or similar high-intensity care environments.

• Previous leadership, senior, or mentorship experience in a child and youth care setting is strongly preferred.

• Advanced knowledge of child and adolescent development, trauma-informed practice, behaviour management, and crisis intervention.

• Strong documentation, organization, and communication skills.

• Ability to lead by example, provide constructive feedback, and support a positive team culture.

•  Valid First Aid & CPR Level C (or willingness to update before start).

• Successful completion of a valid Broad Sector Check.

• Successful completion of a Child Welfare Check.

• Completed crisis intervention / behaviour management and ministryapproved physical intervention training (or willingness to complete upon hire).

• Ability to work primarily day and afternoon shifts, with flexibility to support nights, weekends, and holidays as operational needs require.

Willow Harbour Children’s Residence does not use artificial intelligence or automated decisionmaking tools in our hiring process; all applications are reviewed and hiring decisions are made by human staff.