Support Practitioner

**Churches of Christ, Children, Youth and Families**

**Employee Benefits**

As a not-for-profit entity, our employees can package up to $15,900 p.a. of their taxable income on everyday expenses (such as mortgage payments, vehicles, insurance, and entertainment). We are also able to offer a range of compelling benefits including:

- Flexible working environment
- Five (5) weeks of annual leave and the ability to purchase more
- Career development
- Study Assistance
- Onsite parking
- Discounts through our large network of retail partners

To learn about what salary sacrifice can mean for you click here.

**About the role**

**This is an identified position within Churches of Christ. To perform this role it is essential that the person who holds the position be an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person. It is therefore a genuine occupational requirement under section 25 of the AntiDiscrimination Act 1991 that applicants are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.**

You are passionate about the welfare of children and achieving the absolute best outcomes for them. You will have the ability to easily establish and build rapport with people, in addition to being a naturally caring and positive individual.

This is a role working with people and as such, you should really thrive on those daily interactions. With excellent communication skills, you are capable of liaising comfortably with a range of internal and external stakeholders.

The Support Practitioner - Identified is responsible for providing high level support to children, young people, foster and kinship carers and families, primarily of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent.

The Support Practitioner - Identified contributes as an integral member of the Children, Youth and Families group and supports activities aligned with the strategic direction of and consistent with the mission and values of Churches of Christ.

**Key responsibilities**:

- Undertake screening, intake and placement partnering processes for children and young people with foster and kinship care families.
- Utilise a range of assessment, crisis and short-term intervention skills and therapeutic approaches to clients; report issues to management.
- Contribute to the development, implementation and evaluation of programs and care arrangements to meet individual needs.
- Facilitate the delivery of evidence-based parenting programs to parents and carers and utilise appropriate modelling techniques to address identified needs and vulnerabilities; collaborate with community agencies and referral partners to build professional networks.
- Coordinate recruitment of and provide ongoing support to carers.
- Generate comprehensive assessment and/or reports regarding the initial and ongoing suitability of carers and/or young people and facilitate the foster care approval process (where relevant to the role).
- Negotiate, coordinate and implement case management and planning and support the integration of joint case management processes; maintain detailed and accurate client records.
- Provide direct in-home and flexible support services, including the provision of after-hours and ‘on-call’ services on a rotational basis as required; negotiate intervention plans when necessary; provide advice and make appropriate referrals.
- Work sensitively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, children, young people, families and communities to provide culturally inclusive services and achieve sustainable outcomes within a culturally safe environment with the aim of circumventing the intergenerational cycle of over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in care.

**About you**

You are passionate about the welfare of children and achieving the absolute best outcomes for them. You will have the ability to easily establish and build rapport with people, in addition to being a naturally caring and positive individual.

This is a role working with people and as such, you should really thrive on those daily interactions. With excellent communication skills, you can liaise comfortably with a range of internal and external stakeholders.

To be suitable for this position, your qualifications for the role will consist of:

- Degree qualification in social work, psychology, social sciences or a related discipline (or an equivalent level of expertise (more than 4 years’ experience) attained through previous appointments, service and/or study (minimum Certificate III Community Services) as approved by the State Manager or Operations Manager).
- One years’ experience working with children, young people and families in a child protection or community service context
- Applied knowledge and understanding of child protection and out-of-home care frameworks, including knowledge of, or the ability to acquire knowledge of the Child Protection Act 1999.
- Demonstrated ability to complete assessments for care.
- Experience working with First Nations people.
- Demonstrated