- Intake workers determine risk of the family, situations at hand, and of the home environment.
- Intake workers specialize in engagement skills, emotional intelligence, conflict resolution and cultural protocols. They face adversity no matter what choices they make. Intake & Assessment must remain unbiased and make decisions based on detailed assessments of interviews and fact-based reports. Workers carry the responsibility for what was previously termed “a child protection worker” their practices are very different. We now follow the Wabaseemoong Code in all aspects. The difference is not only how they practice and assess situations, but it also involves confidentiality and privacy.
- During the assessment, Intake workers Initiate and complete interviews with community members on child welfare matters. They also complete interviews with external agencies to compile information to complete assessments.
- Intake workers include extended family members, grandparents, and other relevant people in the assessment and determination. Their ways of completing an assessment are first and foremost respectful of the traditional roles and responsibilities within Wabaseemoong family systems.
- Intake workers gather information from collateral sources including the family; and their information gathering must include family strengths, as well as needs or challenges. They will not just look for issues or focus on verifying risks within a family system; instead, their focus is on what could help this family, and what the family will need to overcome some of their challenges that resulted in a referral to the Intake & Assessment Unit.
Intake workers can refer to any other WCWA’s programs including Prevention & Family Preservation, Traditional Healing and Cultural Unit, Youth in Transition, or Kina’wenimowsowin (Customary Care).