Therapeutic Specialist

**Be apart of a dedicated leadership team supporting vulnerable young people within your community.**:

- **Support and empower passionate staff to achieve positive outcomes within the program.**:

- **Access flexible working arrangements and above award salary.**

**ABOUT CARESOUTH**

CareSouth is a not-for-profit organisation offering services in Early Intervention, Foster Care, Clinical Services, Homelessness and a range of NDIS Disability Services.

CareSouth's vision is to embrace communities with kindness and humility to build a better future. We embrace evidence-based practice and deliver meaningful and innovative services.

We have offices across the Illawarra, South Coast, Goulburn, Queanbeyan, Wagga Wagga, Griffith, Bathurst and Deniliquin.

Intensive Therapeutic Care (ITC) is one component of the Permanency Support Program. The Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) is implementing an ITC system to support children and young people with identified high and complex needs who are either unable to be supported in foster care or require specialised and intensive supports to maintain stability in their care arrangements.

Complex mental health, disability, emotional and behavioural issues are characteristics of these children and young people, resulting in behaviours that often present a risk to themselves and others in their immediate environment.

**ABOUT THE ROLE**

The Therapeutic Specialist is a clinical expert who works across our Intensive Therapeutic Care (ITC) services. They are integral to the ITC system to ensure therapeutic aspects of care are provided at all levels including but not limited to, case plans, facilitation of care team meetings, assessment, formulation, and service coordination.

The therapeutic specialist supports the team to provide trauma responsive care to the children and young people in our homes.

The Therapeutic Specialist works closely with case workers, Central Access Unit and DCJ to ensure decisions are guided by the principles of permanency planning, therapeutic and trauma-informed care and reflect the needs and aspirations of the child or young person as they progress through the program.

The ITC system will include but is not limited to:

- Provide Therapeutic Care
- Have a strong focus on recovery from trauma
- Provide an alternative to long term residential care
- Do more to protect and keep children and young people safe
- Provide clear pathways to less intensive service types and permanency

Provide a broader range of placement options for children and young people to achieve outcomes in particular around mental health, physical health and education

**TO BE SUCCESSFUL YOU WILL NEED**
- Demonstrate a commitment to the safety of children, young people and people with a disability.
- Degree qualifications in Psychology, Social Work, Occupational Therapy or Mental Health Nursing (Post Graduate Qualifications will be highly regarded).
- A thorough understanding of the theories relating to and the impact of trauma, abuse and neglect on a child or young person's development and well-being.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Demonstrated capacity to persevere to achieve positive outcomes when working with young people who have experienced trauma and have complex needs and presentations.
- Excellent interpersonal skills, with a demonstrated capacity to work collaboratively with others and exercise influence in a diversity of contexts
- Experience in completing assessments for children and young people and using the findings to complete a comprehensive therapeutic written report/care plan designed to inform staff and child interactions and the Care Team’s planning.
- Understanding of requirements of working respectfully with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse clients, communities and staff.
- Able to provide evidence (either on commencement or at mandated intervals) a certificate of completion of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) online Worker Orientation module “Quality, Safety and You.
- Current registration with AHPRA where required or eligibility for registration with the relevant state body.
- Willing to undergo a National Police Check and obtain a (NSW) Working with Children Check Clearance, NDIS Worker Screening Check and/or Working with Vulnerable People Card (ACT) and at mandated intervals.
- Current NSW driver’s license (note that preferred applicants for the role will be requested to provide evidence of their driving history.

**WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU**
- Training and ongoing professional development
- $15,900 tax free earning through salary packaging
- 24/7 after hours call centre to allow you to leave work at work
- Additional leave entitlements
- Access for you and your family to an Employee Assistance Program, available 24/7 at no cost to you.

CareSouth warmly welcomes EVERYONE, irrespective of their ethnicity, faith, sexual orientation or gender identity. We are c