The Family Services Practitioner role within the Care Hub is to provide quality in-home and community interventions, with high intensity and flexible service delivery hours. The Care Hub will provide early assessment, planning and wrap around supports by a single integrated team (formed from a consortium of organisations) for children and young people who are first time entrants into care. The services and support are delivered in a child-centered, family focused way and works alongside families to address the changes that may need to occur for their child/ren or young person to be safe at home.
• To provide quality interventions and services that focus on outcomes to families experiencing vulnerability and the safety and wellbeing of children.
• To work with families to support reunification or meaningful contact with the child/ren or young people.
• To provide education and practical support to families to enhance parenting skills and capacity and reduce risk factors impacting the safety of the child/ren or young people
• To promote and engage in relationships with Aboriginal controlled organisations and Aboriginal families that promote culture as a safety for children.
• 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.
• To provide intensive outreach to families (including outside normal business hours) with a focus on reunification and the safety and wellbeing of children and young people within the family home.
• To undertake regular risk and needs assessments and case management; utilising the Best Interest Framework and other contemporary frameworks and theories; across the Loddon region. Focusing on the safety, stability and wellbeing of children and young people in their family home.
• To actively engage (including outreach visits) children, young people, and families, including those who may be resistant, by being flexible, responsive, strengths-focused, and creative.
• To make an active commitment to the development and maintenance of a learning environment and cohesive multi-disciplinary team across the consortium; through staff meetings, team meetings, staff development, supervision, and reflective practice.
• To develop good working relationships with consortium partners including Aboriginal services to ensure cultural safety in our practice; to promote best outcomes for children, young people, and their families.
• To work within a collaborative care team approach with consortium members and relevant stakeholders, including Child Protection to promote best outcomes for client.
• To fulfil the program obligation regarding case load requirements, targets, case recording, statistics, and other data collection.
Applicants must possess:
1. Resilience to work with and support clients who have been exposed to trauma
2. Demonstrated ability to conduct comprehensive safety and wellbeing assessments and work within the Best Interest Principles ‘as outlined within the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005.
3. Sound understanding of the Child Protection and welfare system, and experience in collaboration with a range of professionals in a care team approach.
4. Demonstrated ability to use a range of active engagement strategies with vulnerable and at risk children, young people and their families, and be flexible and creative in meeting their needs.
5. Excellent written and verbal communication, time management and organisational skills.
6. Understanding the community’s cultural diversity and ability to practice with cultural competency and safety.
7. Ability to partake in reflective practice and to be self-directed.
Qualifications & Experience
A relevant tertiary qualification in Social Work, Psychology, Early Childhood Specialist and / or related behavioural sciences at a degree level or associated diploma level with substantial experience in the relevant service stream.
Other relevant information
The successful applicant will be required to undergo satisfactory pre-employment checks, including providing at least two professional referees, completion of a medical declaration, Police Records Check, Working with Children Check, Victorian Driver’s License, and proof of identify and qualifications
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.
Written applications should include a covering letter. Please include the names and telephone contacts of at least two referees.
To be eligible for an interview applicant MUST address the Key Selection Criteria
and include a recent resume
Address your application marked: “Private & Confidential”
To: Corporate Services Manager
Njernda Aboriginal Corporation
307 High Street,
Echuca Vic 3564
(PO Box 201)
Echuca Vic 3564
Email jobs@njernda.com.au
All applications close: December 3, 2021
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).
All applications close: 3rd Dec 2021