Organisational Values

A goal of the Njernda Aboriginal Corporation is to be a leader in the care and protection of children and young people and in working with families and communities to build capacity, resilience and independence.

Case Managers will embrace Njernda’s vision for empowering our Aboriginal community and the organisations values:

• Professional Integrity – We treat all our people with dignity and respect.
• Quality – We always strive to do our best and improve the way we do things.
• Responsibility – We commit to the actions we take to achieve the best possible outcome for our clients.
• Client Focus – We work toward improving the health and wellbeing of our clients and community.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist with the intake of Child Protection referrals between Bendigo and District Aboriginal Corporation and Njernda Aboriginal Corporation.
• Provide consultation to Child Protection on all significant decisions and actions concerning Aboriginal children and young people, ensuring a culturally informed and effective response to the protection of Aboriginal children from harm.
• Provide an Aboriginal perspective on risk assessment and safety assessments for Aboriginal children and young people.
• Participate in the planning of an investigation including the first visit with Child Protection.
• Attend joint visits with Child Protection to investigate protective concerns, where there are no family objections.
• Assist children, young people and families to better understand the reasons for Child Protection’s involvement and the investigation processes.
• Provide information and advice to Child Protection on the child’s family and community, suitable local support services and community networks for the purpose of referral.
• Assist Child Protection to identify and involve the child’s extended family and community members in decision making and Best interests planning.
• Where appropriate and agreed to by the child and family, participate in Best interests planning meetings, including those held as Aboriginal Family Decision Making meetings.
• Provide advice to Child Protection on making a decision to place an Aboriginal child in out-of-home care and, where a decision has been made to place the child in out-of-home care, ACSASS will provide advice to Child Protection on placement options with regard to the Aboriginal Child Placement Principle.
• Provide advice and, where appropriate, direct involvement in the assessment and investigation of quality of care concerns relating to Aboriginal children.
• Assist Child Protection in Cultural Support planning for Aboriginal children in out-of-home care.
• Provide advice to Child Protection on reports concerning unborn children (where the mother is Aboriginal, or the family is known to be Aboriginal).
• Provide advice to Child Protection on irreconcilable differences applications concerning Aboriginal children.
• Provide advice to Child Protection and, where appropriate, direct involvement in the investigation of Therapeutic Treatment Reports concerning Aboriginal children.
• Provide advice to Child Protection on the interstate movement of Aboriginal children subject to protection orders under the Transfer of Child Protection Orders and Proceedings.

Administration and Compliance

• Ensure that you report any risks identified immediately to the Family Services Manager.
• Ensure that your reports are given to the Family Services Manager including relevant statistical data and reporting targets.
• Ensure data and required reporting to funding bodies is exported in a timely manner, with a report to management upon completion.
• Support the collation and documentation requirements for Accreditations.
• Attend and participate in all relevant meetings as required.
• Maintain Program compliance Register and Records.
• Participate in Quality Improvement (CQI) activities.
• Ensure that you adhere and comply with legislative requirements.
• Ensure that your client records are maintained with all relevant up to date information including client case notes and plan reviews, and regular scheduled file audits occur in your program area with report submitted to Family Services Manager.

Key Selection Criteria

• Sound Knowledge of local issues and needs of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and the issues that Aboriginal families are facing today.
• Sound understanding of the issues that Aboriginal families are facing today.
• Ability to communicate effectively with Aboriginal people.
• Ability in convening and mediating outcomes with groups.
• A sound understanding of child and adolescent development, intervention techniques and strategies related to the protection of children and young people from abuse and neglect.
• Well-developed interpersonal communication skills.
• Capacity to engage Aboriginal children and their families in collaborative planning processes.
• Demonstrated knowledge of requirements in relation to policies, legislation, program and practices in relation to child welfare.
• Demonstrated capacity to work within social welfare programs.
• Ability to develop, plan, implement. Manage and evaluate a program.
• Experience in preparing written reports including reports with statistical data collected from service delivery reporting and recording accurate case notes.
• With strengths-based approach, solve problems based on operational knowledge and experience, sourcing useful information, looking for underlying reasons and suggesting alternative actions for clients and staff.
• Take action to provide services that are inclusive of Aboriginal people and engage in learning about other cultures to better establish relationships and improve services.
• Demonstrated ability in staff supervision and management.

Preferred/Desired Education, Training and/or Competencies

• Preferred minimum relevant Degree in Social Work or Diploma of Welfare/ Community Services.

Other relevant information

• Must pass & provide copy of Criminal Police Record Check.
• Must pass & provide copy of Working with Children’s Check.
• Must hold current Victorian Drivers License and provide a copy Commitment to equal opportunity and occupational health and safety principles and practices are required.
• You will need to disclose any pre-existing illness or injury you know about which could be affected by the described work duties. Under section 82 (7) of the Accident Compensation Act, failure to disclose such a pre-existing illness or injury will mean that, if employed, you will not be paid compensation for that condition.

All applications close: 27th Feb 2020

To be eligible for an interview applicant MUST address the Key Selection Criteria and include a recent resume.

Written applications should include a covering letter. Please include the names and telephone contacts of at least two referees.

Address your application marked: “Private & Confidential”

Please check the closing date to ensure your application is received within the specified time. Applications may be posted, emailed, hand delivered or faxed (provided that a hard copy is posted on the same day). 

Applications may be posted, emailed, hand delivered or faxed (provided that a hard copy is posted on the same day).