Behavioural Specialist

**Behavioral Specialist - Authorised Program Officer**

**Head Office**

**Part Time - 3 days per week**
- **Are you an Experienced Practitioner within the Disability Sector?**:

- **Do you have extensive experience within NDIS and Quality and Safeguarding?**:

- **This is a unique opportunity to provide guidance, support and expert advice to Wintringham’s client facing staff in meeting practice standards and service delivery.**:

- **Join a rapidly growing not-for-profit organisation with a commitment to social justice**:

- **Access to Salary Packaging benefits**:

- **Wintringham promotes ongoing training and professional excellence**:

- **Based in Flemington with travel to other sites in metropolitan Melbourne & regional Victoria required**

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**Who are we?**

Wintringham is a not-for-profit organisation providing an extensive range of aged care, housing and related support services to men and women aged 50-plus who have been homeless or at risk of homelessness. We employ over 900 staff and operate from multiple offices across Melbourne, Hobart and regional Victoria. Our Head Office provides the strategic direction and support services for Wintringham’s residential, housing, community care and NDIS services.

**Your new role**

Wintringham is seeking Behaviour Specialist to support Wintringham clients across our residential aged care program.

The role will also have a key responsibility as an Authorized Program Officer (APO).

The primary purpose of the Behavioral Specialist role is to safeguard NDIS participants against the inappropriate use of a regulated restrictive practice (RRP). Another key component to the Wintringham Behavioural Specialist APO Role is to strengthen the practice skills and knowledge of all residential care staff and to support a practice culture that is evidence based and imbed positive behaviour support principles and practices within Wintringham.

The role will provide direct support to Residential Care Managers to ensure they are aware of their responsibilities to ensure all residents are supported with least restrictive behaviour management practices. The APO supports the residential site managers to meet their obligation with timely reporting of restrictive practices to the NDIS Commission.

The role is instrumental in supporting Behaviour Support Practitioners to understand Wintringham client’s preference and Wintringham practices in supporting clients and ensuring that the BSPs are communicated to Residential Care Staff so they can be implemented to support clients. The APO is responsible for uploading Behavioural Support Plans (BSPs) into the Restrictive Intervention Data System (RIDS) for authorisation and liaising with Victoria Senior Practitioners.

**Your duties and responsibilities will also include (but are not limited to)**:

- Ensure Wintringham RAC sites are compliant with the Victorian Senior Practitioner reporting requirements for an implemented RRP.
- Advise behaviour support practitioners of any unauthorised RRP that require implementation in a Behavioural Support Plan.
- Have an understanding of all relevant care plans previously developed for the participant and how they may contribute to a BSP.
- Liaise with Residential Site Managers to ensure they (and their staff) implement the Behavioural Support Plan and aware of any reporting requirement linked to the Behaviour Support Plan
- Liaise with the Victorian Senior Practitioner (VSP) Office in relation to concerns of a RRP / BSP.
- Liaise with the NDIS quality and safeguards commission regarding reportable incidents and behaviour support teams in relation to a RRP / BSP.
- Monitor changes in regulation guidelines from the NDIS quality safeguards commission and VSP and communicate the same to key Wintringham liaisons.
- Educate the Residential Site Managers to ensure person with a disability are consulted prior to a BSP being authorised and implemented and that the person has access to independent advocacy to assist as required.
- Develop and deliver training and education on the safe use of RRP and positive behaviour supports.

**About you**

You are a proven leader with a track record of management in the aged care sector. Your skills will be supported by possessing the following:

- Degree level qualification in allied health or aged care related field
- Relevant experience developing practices to achieve program targets relevant to Behavioural Support of Clients.
- Broad knowledge base of Positive Behaviour Support, Person Centred Active Support and Regulated Restrictive Practices;
- Significant experience in working with people with disabilities including knowledge of a broad range of disability types, complex behaviours, and associated issues;

**How to apply**

For more information about this exciting role, please contact Phill Goulding (General Manager - Aged Care Services) at (03) 9376 1122

A copy of the Position Description can be accessed by clicking here.

Applications can be directed