Professional Experience:
Group Home Houseparent
Renaissance Ltd., 1972 - 1975
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Provided 24 hour direct care to 8 male and female adolescents Developed and delivered treatment plans Provided education and support to parents Liaised with professionals and parents Completed intake, progress and discharge reports Met all administrative and licensing requirements Provided counselling to residents with special needs and emotional disabilities Served as a nurturing role model to encourage goal attainment |
Therapeutic Foster Parent
Community Homes Ltd., 1976 to 1999
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Provided direct care for emotionally-disturbed children Developed treatment plans and delivered therapeutic programming Liaised and advocated with professionals Used creative writing and other artistic means to enable clients to express themselves |
Adolescent Group Home Resource Coordinator
Community Homes Ltd., Chatham Kent 1984 to 1992
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Developed and monitored the delivery of individual treatment plans Provided staff training and support Conducted group and individual therapy sessions Managed office requirements: books, budget and reports Performed advocacy and liaison work with many agencies and community partners Compiled and maintained a comprehensive directory of resources |
Programs Coordinator
Community Homes Ltd., Chatham Kent 1992 to 2006
Developed and delivered Ministry-funded programs for at risk children and families
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Managed all aspects of program set-up and delivery Created proposals for funding and presented to various Ministries Wrote policies and operations manuals Developed the administrative and computer systems Implemented outcome measurements Screened, hired, trained, and supervised staff and therapeutic foster parents Managed budgets Served as permanent on-call 24/7 Established resource options for clients and professionals Conducted assessments and gave recommendations Implemented problem resolutions Provided direct assistance and programming Liaised with community partners and made presentations to the public Lead Parent Workshops geared towards improving parenting skills Completed all mandated paperwork associated with services in a timely fashion Responded to Serious Occurrences and other crises Participated in ongoing program evaluations and yearly reviews |
Program Coordinator - Program Specifics:
1. Family Custody Services I developed and delivered a successful and viable alternative to custody for youth in the Chatham Kent; Sarnia Lambton; Windsor Essex tri-county areas. This program was funded by the Ministry of Community and Social Services.
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Opened and supervised licensed specialized foster homes for young offenders Developed and monitored treatment plans to reduce recidivism Provided direct individual and group therapy Collaborated with Ministry officials, courts, police and probation officers Ensured that the program met all custody requirements under the law Conducted home inspections, home visits, and interventions as required Conducted plan of care meetings and completed all reports |
2. Family Alternatives I developed the first therapeutic foster care system in Chatham Kent at the request of the Ministry of Community and Social Services. This program limited out-of-county and institutional placements for children and youth.
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Opened and supervised licensed specialized foster homes Developed treatment strategies and supervised implementation of plans Conducted intake assessments, progress and discharge meetings. Delivered direct individual therapy and group treatment sessions |
3. Community Support Services I initiated this Ministry-funded program to provide direct one-to-one community-based support to children, youth and families.
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Developed a roster of well-trained support staff Assessed needs of clients and assigned staff for one to one support Developed and reviewed individual treatment plans Supervised and monitored the delivery of programming on a 24/7 basis Attended community-based meetings with families and professionals. Established group treatment programs and coordinated special projects Advocated for and assisted families to access needed treatment options Provided counselling for children and youth most at risk |
4. Intervention Program Originally, I developed this Ministry-funded crisis response program for adolescents admitted to the Adolescent Unit at Public General Hospital in Chatham Kent. Later the program was relocated to the community and provided 24/7 crisis response to all children, youth and families of Chatham Kent.
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Provided initial and discharge assessments for high-risk, high-need clients Collaborated with community partners to ensure needed services were provided Developed individual and group programming based on risk/needs Performed crisis intervention and delivered therapy for youth who are at risk of self-harm or suicide Provided support and education for parents of acting-out children |
5. Youth Alternatives Program I delivered this young offender program to meet the requirements for court-ordered community service orders and alternative measures.
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Assisted with intake meetings with clients and parents Ensured all legal documentation was completed Arranged opportunities and specifics for clients to meet sanctions Established placement agency options Maintained collaborative relationships with community partners Participated in Ministry directives with police and judiciary |
6. Community Alternatives Program I delivered the program that provided adults with placement options for court-ordered community service orders.
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Assisted with intake meetings with adults in conflict with the law Ensured documentation and legal requirements were met Liaised with placement agencies to resolve any difficulties encountered Helped clients meet sanctioning requirements Provided counselling to clients that were identified as needing assistance |
7. Family Respite I designed and delivered a respite program that blended a foster care system and a community based support system for at-risk families with children ages 0 to 6. This program was Ministry funded.
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Developed a respite foster care system that could specifically meet the emotional, and developmental needs of children Delivered flexible schedules of guidance and support in the families homes Collaborated with other service providers to ensure all needs were met Provided additional therapy sessions for parents and troubled children. |
8. Play Therapy I delivered play therapy for children and youth who participated in the above programs.
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Conducted intake assessments Developed treatment plans Provided individual, group and family therapy Provided progress reports Collaborated with identified members of the community treatment team. Provided play therapy training to staff and therapeutic foster parents |
9. Attendance Centre I established the Chatham Kent centre as a viable alternative to custody for young persons in conflict with the legal system.
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Designed programming to meet new directives for youth in the legal system Provided a structured curriculum that promoted the safety of the community and reduced risk of reoffending behaviour Provided opportunities for clients to learn and practice pro-social and life skills. Promoted a collaborative inter-agency approach to the delivery of services. |
Play Therapist
Jan McQuiggan Play Therapy
2002 to present
I established a private practice to deliver play therapy and counselling to children, adolescents, adults and families.
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Provided observations, assessments and treatment. Provided crisis intervention and support for trauma and loss, depression and anger issues Addressed difficulties in relationships including parent/child, couples and families Provided strategies and modelling for behaviour management Provided advocacy |
Education:
University of Windsor
Windsor, Ontario
B.A., Psychology, (Sociology)
Awarded Deans List each year
Volunteer:
Founding board member for Transition House Homeless Shelter for youth to age 24
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Trained staff Set up office and developed forms and documentation Supported homeless clients through counselling and life skills training |
Founding member of Kent InterDisciplinary Support Team
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Served on an interdisciplinary team responsible for hard to serve children and families. Involved in the development of policies and processes Participated and chaired weekly client sessions Provided direct support and counselling to clients in crisis Completed assessments and referrals to community based services Assisted with approval of money and services to meet clients needs |
Served on the Developmental Services Worker Advisory Board at St. Clair College
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Attended monthly meetings with faculty and student representatives Provided feedback, information and suggestions to improve the program |
Provided numerous public presentations for families and professionals regarding the needs of children and families and available services in Chatham Kent.
Skills Acquired:
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Excellent writing, organizational and clerical skills Capability in writing program proposals, and policies and procedures Familiarity with various government and social service programs Effective public relations skills Write and design effective brochures, flyers, training materials, etc., Computer literate Excellent problem resolution skills Proficient in hiring, supervising and managing staff groups Skilled working with children, youth, and adults Good observation and assessment skills. Ability to develop statistics and outcome measurements Creative and effective approaches to helping those in need |
