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First Nations Child and Family Services Worker Diploma

Program Description

This two-year program prepares students for a career as a First Nations Child and Family Services Worker, with a special focus on providing services to children and families living in First Nations communities or looking for a First Nations agency. The training, which is both family-centered and culturally appropriate, uses the student’s own strengths and life experiences as a foundation. The program format includes lectures, small group learning exercises, case studies and class discussions utilizing assigned texts and videos. Interpersonal communication skills and understanding of group dynamics are stressed. Students also receive instruction in the legislative context of the Child and Family Services Act, as they learn to put theory into practice in real world settings.

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Students will experience:

  • Post-Secondary Programs

  • On-site visits to agencies and facilities

  • Instruction on self-care to deal with job related stress

  • Instruction on self-care to deal with job related stress

  • An opportunity to complete supervised fieldwork

 

Courses

  • Capacity Building in First Nation Communities

  • Case Management and Documentation

  • Case Planning, Intervention and Evaluation

  • Child Development

  • Child Protection

  • Child Welfare, Children, Families and Poverty

  • Continuum of Alternative Care

  • Counseling Principles

  • Developing Parenting Skills

  • Differential Response, Support and Protection

  • Enhanced Reading and Writing Skills Development

  • Ethics Legal and Value Issues

  • Family Violence

  • Grieving, Separation and Loss from a First Nation Perspective

  • Group Dynamics

  • Individual and Community Wellness and Spirituality

  • Intake, Safety Issues and Risk Management Assessment

  • Interpersonal Communication Skills

  • Intervention with Single Parents and Special Needs Children

  • Mental Health Challenges in First Nation Communities

  • Multi-disciplinary Approach to Managing Child Abuse and Neglect Cases

  • Overview of the Child and Family Services System

  • Perspectives on First Nation Families

  • Seminar on Culturally Sensitive Practices in First Nation Communities

  • Stress, Burnout and Self Care in the Workplace

  • Supervision and Team Building in Rural/Remote First Nation Agencies

  • The First Nation Agency and the Community

  • Understanding Addictions

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Admission Requirements 

  •  Grade 12 or equivalent standing, or Mature student with a combination of education and work experience

  • Completion of a Criminal Record Check, Prior Contact Check, and Child Abuse Registry Check

  • Previous experience in a helping field

  • A resume

  • Written assessment

  • Two letters of recommendation

  • Possible face-to-face interview

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