Social Worker Grade 2

Location: Melbourne | Western Metropolitan

Job type: Full time

Organisation: Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health

**Salary**: Salary not specified

Occupation: Health and Allied Health, Prison and Corrective Services

Reference: 15714
- 2 Full Time Ongoing opportunities for Social Workers Grade 2
- Located at Erskine Unit, Ballert Yeram-boo-ee, Forensic Mental Health services Ravenhall Correctional Centre
- Investment in a career for life

**Job location**

Forensicare is the statutory agency responsible for the provision of adult forensic mental health services across Victoria.

Position based at Ravenhall: Completed in 2017, the new medium-security men's prison is located at Ravenhall Correctional Centre in Melbourne's west, providing world-class forensic mental health services in Victoria in a purpose-built state of the art facility developed to international best practice standards.

**About the Role**:

- Social Workers are responsible for the ongoing development and planning of social work services to achieve and maintain a high standard of consumer care, recognising the needs of both individuals and families, within the boundaries set by professional standards, legislative requirements, organisational policies, practices and directives.
- Social Workers are required to complete psychosocial assessments and interventions, as well as educate and consult with members of the multidisciplinary team regarding social and systemic issues, advocating for consumers' rights and entitlements.

**Duties**:

- Demonstrate highly developed skills when undertaking social work assessments of patients within a multi-disciplinary corrections setting.
- Formulate and document client focused care coordination plans, with emphasis on more complex management issues.
- Demonstrate skills in the appropriate assessment of patient discharge/release needs, and matching these with relevant services for the effective preparation and ongoing support of patients re-entering the community.
- Demonstrate an ability and commitment to negotiate and implement a care plan with patients and colleagues and to direct and complete appropriate social work services to a high quality in the various settings within Forensicare.
- Undertake structured family assessments, examining support structures and need for psycho or legal education and referral to specific community-based services.
- Demonstrate initiative in the delivery of social work services including an ability to plan psychosocial interventions, and an ability to operate independently in relation to routine and limited non-routine tasks.

**About You**:

- A demonstrated commitment to forensic mental health consumer recovery
- At least two years' experience in direct social work practice and / or leadership positions
- Demonstrated ability to manage team dynamics within a complex work environment
- Experience or confidence in crisis management and in defusing difficult situations
- Ability to undertake comprehensive social work assessments and to plan, implement and evaluate social work interventions for mentally ill people within a complex service environment.
- Demonstrated commitment to advocacy and social justice within the provision of social work services.
- Well developed skills and abilities in individual, group and family work.
- Well developed written and verbal communication skills

**What you need**:

- Approved degree in Social Work and eligibility for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers.

**A culture where people matter.**
- Excellent supervision and investment in the skill development of managers and supervisors.
- Celebration and reward for good performance, through employee recognition.
- A leading, multi-faceted approach to safety, with unparalleled strategic, practical, individualised and team-based supports to minimise risks and fear and maximise safety and security, underpinned by our workplace health and safety strategy.
- Access to an employee assistance program - an external, confidential, self-referral employee wellbeing program, for personal or work-related matters.
- A mental health and wellbeing program providing psychological support, peer support and critical incidence response programs, as needed.

**COVID19 & Influenza Vaccination Evidence**

Under the Victorian Public Health orders, all employees working within the Public Health system must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and Influenza and are required to provide acceptable evidence of their vaccination status. The current orders require evidence of three doses for COVID-19.