MAKE A DIFFERENCE - CHILD & YOUTH COUNSELLOR AT VANIER CHILDREN’S MENTAL WELLNESS.

Vanier Children’s Mental Wellness is a trusted leader in mental health care for children and youth across Southwestern Ontario. For over 60 years, we’ve been a vital support for young people facing emotional and behavioural challenges, providing compassionate, evidence-based care that helps them grow, heal, and thrive. As a registered charity and not-for-profit organization funded by the Ontario government, Vanier is driven by a bold mission: We deliver culturally responsive, accessible mental health services to children, youth, and families while providing system leadership and advocating to improve care in our community.
In 2014, Vanier was appointed by the Ontario Government as the Lead Agency for Child and Youth Mental Health System Management in London-Middlesex. In this role, we lead community-wide planning to build a stronger, more responsive mental health system. We are also proud to be accredited by CARF Canada, a recognition of our commitment to the highest standards of quality and continuous improvement in mental health care. When you join Vanier, you become part of a passionate team that is changing lives and shaping a brighter future, one child at a time.

POSITION SUMMARY:

As a key member of Vanier’s multidisciplinary team, the Live-In Child & Youth Counsellor plays a vital role in creating a safe, supportive, and therapeutic home environment for children in our Live-In program. This is more than just a job, it’s a chance to make a real difference every single day!
In this dynamic hands-on role, you’ll serve as a trusted caregiver and advocate, building meaningful relationships with children and helping guide their emotional and developmental growth. You’ll take the lead on a primary care caseload, working closely with colleagues from various disciplines to deliver personalized, trauma-informed support that helps each child thrive. If you’re passionate about child and youth mental health and ready to be part of a team that transforms lives, we’d love to hear from you.

EDUCATION/TRAINING/ABILITIES/EXPERIENCE:

• College diploma or university degree in child and youth work; social service work.
• Demonstrated experience as a primary worker to include case conference facilitation, clinical report writing, coordination of multidisciplinary team and working with families/guardian.
• Demonstrated experience working within a Live-In team.
• Good understanding of the treatment needs of high-risk children with multiple needs.
• Demonstrated crisis management skills.
• Must have Standard Red Cross First Aid/ CPR “C”, and Safe Management certification.
• Good understanding of trauma and impact on children; cognitive behaviour approach with children and youth; resiliency, solution focused/brief approaches, and Circle of Security.
• Experience in providing individual, group and parent counselling.
• Proven ability to communicate and demonstrate competent child management skills.
• Valid “G’ Driver’s License

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:

• Circle of Security Training
• Trauma Training
• Fluent in a language other than English or French (includes ASL)
• Bilingual in French (written and verbal)

• Completes all primary worker responsibilities from intake to discharge.
• Provides daily care and treatment for clients within a Live-In treatment program.
• Creates a safe and therapeutic environment for the children within the program.
• Implements specific treatment interventions as recommended in the child’s individual treatment program.
• Administers medication and First Aid, provides medical attention as required.
• Provides group counselling in the areas of social skills development, anger management, sex education, violence prevention and other issues pertinent to the needs of the children and their parents.
• Manages acting-out behaviour.
• De-escalates crises.
• Facilitates debriefing with clients following crisis/physical intervention.