Youth Early Intervention and Prevention Team Leader

**Introduction**:
CORE Community Services Ltd. is a not for profit organisation serving South West Sydney for over 40 years. We provide a wide range of services, activities and programs across 5 Services - Children's Services, Youth Services, Multicultural Communities, Aged and Disability Care (ADC) and Community Engagement.. Our mission is to provide tailored diverse client centric services and opportunities that support and empower vulnerable communities to thrive, resulting in the best outcomes for all individuals.

**Description**:
To provide operational direction to the Early Intervention and Prevention program to ensure optimum customer service, leadership, cost effectiveness and quality outcomes for our clients.

The position will provide support to the Manager Targeted Earlier Intervention in program development and delivery.

Promote the values of CORE to provide clients with independence, participation, care, self-fulfilment and dignity. Ensure awareness and support of the philosophies of healthy ageing and independent living and upholding the rights of clients.

Provide exemplary leadership, supervision, support and mentoring to the Early Intervention and Prevention team enabling the delivery of consumer - driven service excellent in accordance with organisational strategy, values and service principles whilst meeting our legislative obligations and funding requirements.

The Early Intervention Program (EIP) provides appropriately targeted youth support services to reduce the likelihood of young people entering or remaining in the child protection and out-of-home care systems. EIP predominately supports young people who are in the age range of 12-18 across the South West Sydney Area District.

The EIP Team Leader will assist young people to access support, maintain contacts with first to know agencies such as schools and health services as well as promoting awareness of youth homelessness. Provide coordination of supports for young people with multiple or complex needs to deliver integrated care plans and provide interventions to support young people to remain in safe, stable and sustainable accommodation.

To achieve these outcomes, the Position will liaise with, and coordinate support from, agencies that offer relevant services to the client group and their families/care givers. In addition, the Team Leader will provide direct client care through the provision of a specialist service in line with principals of self-determination, whilst meeting the needs of the vulnerable target group.

**Responsibilities Include**:

- Direct, coordinate and supervise the Early Intervention and Prevention Program including all referrals, assessments, care planning and reviews
- Provide leadership supervision and support to create and maintain a high performance culture.
- Shares expert, quality and responsive case management advice, guidance and develops skills and knowledge and builds capacity within the Early Intervention and Prevention Program
- Monitor and evaluate service delivery, including but not limited to regular internal audits of client files and services.
- Manage key resources including staffing and clients to ensure optimal service delivery.
- Responsible for the performance of the Early Intervention and Prevention Program against key performance indicators, ensuring that all team members comply with documentation, and statistical data reporting requirements
- Contribute to the development, monitoring and review of policies and procedures pertaining to consumer safety and quality services.
- Monitor program budgets
- Provide Case Workers with timely advice, support and information based on best practice, risk management, Practice Guidelines and CORE Policy and Procedures
- Participate in accreditation standards and practices activities in conjunction with the Program Support Manager.
- Assist the Early Intervention and Prevention Manager with allocation of Case Workers and program requirements as required
- Review and maintain all Service Agreements and ensure that Service Agreements dates and milestones are achieved, in line with Agreement for Funding of Services.
- Actively marketing and promoting CORE and the Early Intervention and Prevention programs to new prospective Participants and service providers.

**Skills and Experiences**:
**Selection Criteria**:

- Relevant tertiary qualifications in Social Work or equivalent
- Demonstrated experience in leading a team and service/ project co-ordination in a community setting including:

- Priority setting, problem solving skills, skills in implementing agreed plans and strategies, monitoring outcomes, supervising staff and team building, reporting
- Demonstrated awareness of child protection issues, with the capacity to identify levels of risk requiring statutory child protection intervention.
- Knowledge of the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 and relevant legislation.
- Superior case management skills and previous experi