The Office of the Children's Lawyer (OCL) is responsible for conducting clinical investigations and the preparation of reports for consideration by the courts in identifying and protecting the best interests of children regarding parenting time and decision-making, and education of children involved in legal proceedings. For more information about the work of the OCL, please visit the
Office of the Children's Lawyer page on Ontario.ca.
We are seeking Regional Clinical Supervisors to coordinate and supervise clinical investigation services and develop and implement service delivery priorities, while ensuring that investigations meet professional social work standards and legal requirements. Information about the services provided by clinicians can be found on the
Clinician services and clinical reports page on Ontario.ca.
The Ontario Public Service is one of the largest employers in the province with a wide range of exciting career opportunities. We believe in the core values of trust, fairness, diversity, excellence, creativity, collaboration, efficiency and responsiveness.
About the job
• Supervise a caseload of Fee-for-Service agents who are members of the OCL Clinical Panel (panel agents) and provide services on behalf of the OCL including conducting investigations, preparation of reports for the court, and assisting lawyers who are providing legal representation to children
• Provide clinical oversight and direction for panel agents throughout the investigation and report preparation process
• Develop and conduct professional development sessions for panel agents to ensure the effective transfer of knowledge and best practices within assigned regions
• Conduct regular performance reviews of panel agents
• Participate in developing policies and procedures in all aspects of case management and investigation
• Handle inquiries and complaints from parties, counsel and ministry staff and review and prepare responses to disputes.
• Conduct occasional Children's Lawyer Reports and Voice of the Child Reports
• Assist OCL lawyers in providing consultation and advice regarding psychosocial aspects of cases, assisting in assembling information and evaluating data, interpreting child's needs, and providing clinical input at meetings and in court
• Conduct stakeholder consultations to identify regional needs, service gaps and pressures related to OCL services
What you bring to the team
Mandatory requirements
• You have a Master's degree in Social Work and registration in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers
(NOTE: your registration number will be verified at the screening stage and only those
currently registered in good standing will be considered for the position)
Supervisory and Training Skills
• You have supervisory expertise to provide clinical supervision, evaluation, and consultation to panel agents
• You have clinical skills to intervene in complex custody and access disputes and can work within a legal context
• You have effective training skills to develop and present professional development sessions to panel agents and training programs to community partner organizations
Technical Knowledge
• You have knowledge of theories, practices and techniques of social work in order to supervise and provide clinical oversight to panel agents while ensuring quality of investigations and court documents related to custody, access, child support, and education of children involved in legal proceedings
• You are aware of current clinical research, case law, psychosocial theories, and other related issues (i.e. intimate partner violence, mental health, alienation, abuse and substance abuse, etc.) to oversee sensitive and complex clinical investigations
• You can interpret and apply strategies, directions, standards, and legislation related to the legal representation of children involved in legal proceedings (i.e. Family Law Act, Divorce Act, Children's Law Reform Act, Child Youth and Family Services Act, Courts of Justice Act)
Problem-Solving, Research, and Analytical Skills
• You are able to intervene in contentious cases and identify appropriate course of action to resolve conflicts concerning panel agents, OCL clients, partners, and lawyers
• You are able to monitor a large regional caseload and coordinate activities from multiple sources while meeting strict deadlines
• You can obtain, assess, and provide opinions and clinical investigative reports
Relationship Management and Communication Skills
• You can represent the OCL with regional stakeholders while maintaining on-going dialogue and promoting the integration of OCL programs with regional priorities and programs
• You have excellent written communication skills to prepare reports, policies, procedures, issues notes, and briefing notes
Don't meet every qualification?
If you are excited about this position and meet most, but not all, of the listed qualifications, please still consider applying. We recognize that no one person might have every qualification in this job ad, and you just might be the right candidate!
How we support diversity, inclusion and accessibility
We are building an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We encourage everyone interested in working with us to apply, including people with disabilities, Indigenous, Black and racialized individuals, as well as people from all ethnicities, cultures, sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.
Our hiring process is accessible, consistent with Ontario's
Human Rights Code and the
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. We are working to prevent and remove barriers in our hiring processes and can offer
accommodation to address specific needs related to Code-protected grounds such as disability, family status and religion. For more information about accommodation during the hiring process please
contact us.Learn more about the work the OPS is doing to create an inclusive, anti-racist, accessible and diverse workplace:
What we offer
The Ontario Public Service is one of Ontario's largest employers. Employees work for a wide range of ministries, with offices in more than 70 cities across the province.
We offer:
• A career that can grow across ministries and job functions
• • learning and developmental opportunities, including education and mentorship programsmany employee networks offering • Support for and education about underrepresented groups
• Tailored work arrangements, including opportunities like flex hours, self-funded leave and more
Our comprehensive compensation and benefits package includes:
• A defined-benefit lifetime pension plan (guaranteed, ongoing inflation-protected income after retirement)
• Group health, dental, life and disability benefits
• A range of vacation and leave options
• An Employee and Family Assistance Program, which provides confidential counseling services