Team Leader – ACAC

  • Base/Location:Family Services Unit 34 Annesley St, Echuca
  • Reports To:Program Manager of ACAC and Kinship
  • Hours:Full-time (37.5 hours week)
  • Award:SCHADS Award - Level 5
  • Position Scope:

    Njernda is the Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO) in the Loddon area with the cultural responsibility and authority for Yorta Yorta children and young people within our legal boundary.
    The Aboriginal Children in Aboriginal Care (ACAC) program operates under Section 18 of the Children Youth and Families Act 2005 giving the Aboriginal Organisation control of Child Protection Orders for specific children.
    Practice is guided by the Child Youth and Families Act of 2005 and the Best Interest Case Principles and Aboriginal Placement principles.

    The Team Leader will be part of a team involved in the challenging role of:
    • Being a part of ground-breaking work in supporting Aboriginal Children and their families
    • Creatively work to find solutions for children and their families
    • Access to quality training in line with Victoria’s Child Protection workforce
    • Unique experience of statutory work within an Aboriginal context
    • Work in a supportive and friendly team environment

    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.

Organisational Values:


The ACAC Team Leader 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.

 

The responsibility and role of the Team Leader:


  • The Team Leader is responsible for the effective service delivery and management of a small team of practitioners in the new ACAC program under Section 18 of the Children Youth and Families Act 2005 during the preauthorisation phase.
  • The Team Manager will be responsible for:
  • Endorsement and review of case plans and to bring about the changes necessary to ensure the safety, stability and development of children and young people and to promote the achievement of case plan objectives within specified timeframes.
  • Confidently prepare and represent child protection in the Children’s court – support the case managers to prepare court reports, initiates, prepares, and present in Children’s Court, or other tribunals.
  • Work collaboratively and with a solution focus with vulnerable families and children involved in Statutory Child Protection Program in their healing journey.
  • Interventions will be guided by the Best Interest Case Practice Model; taking inconsideration the need to protect the child from harm, protect their human rights, and will promote their development. Support families and children to build cultural connections in the community.
  • Provide professional, effective and timely case management which will include conducting home visit and provide contact opportunities for children with their families. Contact may include the transporting the child.
  • Involve families and child in case planning and decision making.
  • Utilise resources when working with families including the practice manual.
  • Prepare plans, letters, emails and reports and write case notes using clear, concise and grammatically correct language. Ensure written communications contains necessary information to achieve their purpose.
  • Support the child and families to access services by referring to other Njernda services or mainstream services to support a family to meet their goals.
  • Manage competing demands able to negotiate and provide advocacy for children and their families.
  • Able to be flexible and work after hours.
  • Participate in Supervision with a focus on professional development, accountability and worker self-care.
  • Participate in training to develop practice.

 

Key selection criteria:


  • An understanding the legislative framework of the Children’s Youth and families Act 2005 and the core principles of the Act.
  • Understands the risk factors that place a child art risk of abuse or neglect and is able to articulate risk verbally and written to a range of stakeholders including the parent, children and other professionals.
  • Works confidently with Aboriginal child/ren and families to promote safety and culture. Understands child development stages within a child’s life, and attachment and trauma theories when assessing risk. Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the issues relating to families who come in contact with Child Protection.
  • Experience in care and case planning able to set goals and tasks to address risks.
  • Practice guided by the Best Interest Practice Framework is child centred and family focussed, working towards solutions, understanding of the impact of trauma of a child’s development and supports healing for child/ren and families.
  • Skills and commitment to Supervision and performance management.
  • Good written and verbal skills able to write reports maintain records.
  • Flexible and able to work after hours.

 

Personal Qualities:


  • Ability to achieve results – takes initiative to proactively creating solutions and solving of problems.
  • Decisiveness – Makes rational and sound decisions based on consideration and facts.
  • Resilient – responds thoughtfully, seeks guidance, communicates effectively, when working with children and families in crisis and who have experienced trauma.
  • Adaptable – willing to learn.

 

Essential:


  • A recognised Social Work Degree or Diploma of Community Services qualification which includes:
    (a) primary focus on child development, human behaviour, family dynamics and/or impacts of trauma; and
    (b) preferably a practical component such as counselling or case work practice
  • Appointment is subject to a satisfactory National Police Records Check and Working with Children Check & Driver’s License check.
  • Commitment to equal opportunity and occupational health and safety principles and practices is 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: 10th Dec 2019

Applications must include:

  • a covering letter
  • current resume
  • address the selection criteria
  • the names and telephone contacts of at least two referees.

 
Address your application marked: “Private & Confidential”

To: HR Manager
Njernda Aboriginal Corporation
307 High Street,
(PO Box 201)
Echuca Vic 3564
Email: jobs@njernda.com.au

 

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).

  • Application Form

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  • Accepted file types: doc, docx, pdf, jpg, png, tif, tiff.