Family Search and Engagement Specialist

**Position Objective**

To understand the needs of the client, and support Children and Young People (C/YP) to have relational permanency with family, kin, and other key people in their lives. Complete family finding and engagement work to support organisational staff to build free and forever networks and have CYP consistently connected. Through assessment and planning, support family to build capacity to contribute to the planning and care of their C&YP. Provide better long-term outcomes for CYP through consistent natural networks and for the CYP to achieve a true sense of belonging, identity and connectedness.

**Primary duties and responsibilities;**
- Work with C/YP, their siblings, foster carers, birth families, kin and significant others to ensure that safe, sustainable and permanent placements and family connections are achieved.
- Supporting young people across the organisation in the areas of restoration, case coordination and family finding work.
- Work with parents, family & kin with a dignity driven and strengths-based approach.
- Support the understanding and imbedding of family inclusive practice across the organisation.
- Support teams to work with parents and carers in the family home and other community environments from a dignity driven and justice doing framework.
- Conduct assessments to inform case direction and develop plans with parents and carers, to increase parental capacity.
- Coordinate and complete and monitor all aspects of Family Action Plans and SDM Restoration Assessment Tools within their required timeframes; ensuring objectives are being worked towards and met.
- Complete Family Finding work on behalf of partnering Allambi Care departments, or externally as required.
- Work with a culturally sensitive and informed approach. Participate in cultural trainings as directed.
- Support and facilitate family engagement and involvement in all aspects of planning for their child/young person.
- Facilitate the delivery of therapeutic and needs based case management, underpinned by Allambi Care’s (AC) Needs Based Restorative Framework (NBRF), to ensure all domains of a child or young person’s life are supported by the carer or birth family.
- Support and engage biological families or Kin to be empowered to improve their overall wellbeing and parenting capacity and long term connection.
- Understand and adhere to the NSW PSP Permanency Placement Principles.
- Provide detailed and factual case notes, affidavits, care plans and other court reports as required, in a timely manner, in dignity driven language and ensure the quality and accuracy of reporting meets AC standards.
- Work collaboratively with all departments within Allambi care and support discussions with external agencies, including CFDU and Allambi Care’s Permanency Coordinator (DCJ) and community service providers to achieve positive outcomes for C/YP, their families and/or carers.
- Facilitate the delivery of in-home supports those being practical, psychoeducation, referrals to other services or programs, for clients and their families.
- Conduct reviews of current family time reports and schedules for children and young people in the organisation, to support increasing and improving connections and contact where appropriate.
- Be aware of client funding packages and case plan goals and the work permitted under each.
- Ensure structured decision making (SDM) safety and risk assessments are completed on children who have self-restored to families/placements as well as utilise the Mandatory Reporting Guide and report to child protection helpline as required.
- Develop and Implement safety plans with family members and young people where there has been identified risk.
- Understand the process (including assessments required) of Guardianship, Parental Responsibility, Kinship and Adoption.
- Work towards relational permanency from the time a child or young person enters care, or as soon as possible after a review of circumstances for those already in care.
- Centre the child and advocate in all environments regarding permanency, in line with the placement principals.
- Support proactive planning to ensure the continuum of care and permanency, that empowers and equips clients, families and networks for positive lifelong outcomes.
- Work within NSW Aboriginal Case Management Policy and guidelines, and the Children’s and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 No 157; including the ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child and Young Person Placement Principles.
- Ensure program Manager (or Director and Executive Officer Operations when absent) are aware of any critical incidents, including those that may involve debriefing for workers and significant Child Protection issues.
- Prioritise, organise and complete set tasks as per the direction of direct supervisor.
- Ensure all AC Policies and Procedures are followed.
- Work with a non-biased, strength based and needs based approach.
- Attend regular team and depa