Family Services Practitioner

Posted: 29/08/2024

Closing Date: 13/09/2024

Salary: $97,000.00 - $101,000.00

Job Type: Contract - Full Time

Location: Narre Warren

Job Category: Community Services and Development

As a Family Services Practitioner, you will provide outreach and support to families living within the Casey, Cardinia and Greater Dandenong areas.

Our model is an integrated and evidence-based/informed approach to supporting and problem solving with families. Capacity building with parents and walk alongside them to create and foster a safe and stable environment for their children and young people.

The team will work as a cohesive whole and report directly to a Senior Coach within the Integrated Family Services team at Windermere.

We currently have a contract position available. This position is a hybrid model of working remotely (providing daily outreach) and within one of our offices based in the South East of Victoria (Narre Warren or Pakenham).

**Why work at Windermere?**

We are committed to outcome-focused care for children, families and individuals and to making a positive difference in the community. As well as tailored support services for individuals and families, Windermere provides a varied scope of services to support disadvantaged and vulnerable people. Windermere offers a culture of flexibility, support and wellbeing.

Staff Benefits - this is where we stand out from the crowd Windermere offers staff a wide range of unique benefits beyond the salary.
- Flexible Ways of Working - home, in the office or combination of both
- Above Award Personal Leave and 17.5% annual leave loading
- Gifted days off (between Christmas and New Year)
- Employee Referral Program - $500 per referral
- Flexible Leave Scheme (50/52, 51/52)
- Generous salary packaging (up to $15,900 per year + additional $2,650 meals and entertainment)
- Structured performance and 1-on-1 development check-ins and secondment opportunities
- Staff discount program for everyday items
- Opportunities for professional development

Windermere care about staff and strive for continuous improvement, which is why we regularly ask our staff and consumers about what we can do better. In our latest staff survey 95% of respondents said they are _"happy to tell their family and friends they work at Windermer_e" and 95% agree _"staff are welcome regardless of age, cultural background, race, religion, disability, gender identity or sexual orientation"._

**Now, let’s talk about this exciting opportunity**

**A Family Services Practitioner **will be responsible of holding a case load of between 10-12 families living within the Casey, Cardinia and Greater Dandenong areas who have been referred via The Orange Door, Child Protection, schools and many other local community services including families who self-refer. We work alongside families to achieve their identified projects whilst supporting and building their parenting capacity and capabilities always keeping the child and/or young persons voice and Best Interests at the core of everything we do.

This is a fixed term role, **Parental Leave contract to October 2025 **and is a truly rewarding opportunity for someone with a professional background and passion in working with families and wanting to make a difference in children and young people’s lives.

**Desired Skills and Experience**:
**Key Selection Criteria**:

- Relevant tertiary qualifications in Social Work, Social Welfare, Psychology or a similar level qualification.
- Demonstrated understandings of Child, Youth and Family service acts and relevant legislation/s.
- Experience of using evidence-based practice/models or coaching practices is desirable.
- Experience working with children, young people and their families.
- Flexible approach to service delivery and ability to advocate on behalf of children and families.
- Demonstrate well-developed oral and written communication skills
- Demonstrated experience in contributing and responding to change ideas and supporting others through this process, using specialist knowledge
- Ability to work autonomously and collaboratively to deliver safe consumer-focused care, providing specialist knowledge or depth of experience.
- Demonstrate a well-developed skill set in organisation, time management, planning and priority setting
- Demonstrate innovative approaches to problem solving for individual consumers and/or service delivery using specialist skill or knowledge
- Work collaboratively with peers showing flexibility and adaptability.
- Demonstrate knowledge and sensitivity to ethical and cultural issues and vulnerable population groups and integrate this into practice.

If this job excites you, then click the “Apply” button now because we want you Please click here to view the detailed Position Description and please make sure to address Key Selection Criteria in your cover letter.

Windermere is committed to equity & equality for consumers and employees, this by building diverse and inclusive servic