Case Worker

**Full-Time position based on Wonnarua Country in East Maitland**:

- **$89K - $96K + Super + Salary Packaging (Salary dependent on qualifications and experience)**:

- **Flexible Friendly organisation**

**Our Organisation**

The Benevolent Society’s vision is to build a just society where all Australians can live their best life. For more than 200 years we have supported people at the margins of society: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians; children, young people, and their families; older people; carers and people with disability. We are an independent, non-religious service provider which supports people to live life their way.

As part of The Benevolent Society's vision, we are strongly committed to reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of Australia. We remain steadfast in our commitment to promoting the economic, political, and social inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

**About the role**

Our **Family Connect and Support Service** brings together families, support services, and community resources to prevent a difficult situation from escalating to a crisis requiring a statutory response from the child protection system.

As our **Case Worker**, you will undertake an initial assessment of family strengths and needs, determine an appropriate referral pathway for the family to help them achieve their goals, and follow up with services to ensure successful engagement. Typically, we engage with families on a short-term basis (up to 16 weeks).

**Duties**
- Conduct initial assessments of a families strengths and needs identifying their main goals.
- Identify and make appropriate referrals based on the goals; and follow up with services.
- Assess and manage child protection risks for families.
- Liaise with key stakeholders in the community.
- Keep accurate and timely documentation of all client interactions and related tasks.

**Our Benefits**

We support people to live their best life. That includes you, our employee. A **‘best life’**is unique to everyone and can change as life changes:

- **Salary Benefits**-You can package up to $15,900 pa of your pre-tax salary to pay for everyday expenses before income tax is calculated, meaning you take home even more pay
- **Motor Vehicle Packaging Options**- to suit your lifestyle.
- **Work/Life Balance** - Enjoy flexible work arrangements, including hybrid home/office options, and accrue an additional day off each month (a bonus of 12 days per year) as a full-time employee.
- **Recognition and Reward**-** Sector competitive remuneration, various recognition programs and access to long service leave after 5 years.
- **Wellness**-** Stay fit with a Fitness passport, utilise our Employee Assistance Program, and even purchase additional leave. \
- ** Professional Development** -** We tailor career development opportunities to all employees and volunteers for career enrichment, fulfilment, and growth.
- **Our Reconciliation Commitment**-**Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees are entitled up to 2 days paid plus up to 10 days unpaid cultural leave, as well as the option to be a voice on **reference networking groups**, the opportunity for cultural and professional development that supports career pathways and your social and emotional wellbeing.

**Skills and Requirements**

As an experienced Social Worker, Psychologist, Case Worker or Case Manager you will have:

- A relevant degree qualification in a related field.
- 12 months case management experience working with at risk children, young people and/or families in a child protection focused role, including experience undertaking comprehensive assessments is preferred but not essential.
- Excellent understanding of child protection issues and client vulnerabilities such as drug and alcohol use, domestic violence, mental health issues, and the impact of trauma and the effect on child behaviour and development.
- Excellent IT skills and ability to use technology in service delivery.
- Ability to work unsupervised.
- Ability to work remotely.
- High level of professional accountability and integrity and a belief that every parent has potential.
- Current driver’s license.
- If you identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, then we want to hear from you. The Benevolent Society recognises and values cultural knowledge and wisdom of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, we therefore strongly encourage you to apply. We are strongly committed to being an Employer of Choice, one who offers, provides, and practices cultural safety in our workplace. _
- _Internally this role is called a Child and Family Practitioner_