Family Mental Health Practitioner

**Job no**: 493334
**Work type**: Part Time
**Location**: Frankston
**Categories**: Services

Frankston City Council is located on the eastern shores of Port Phillip Bay where the beach meets with the natural landscapes of the Mornington Peninsula. We are a diverse community that provides a vibrant lifestyle along with a growing economic and arts sector.

Our leadership team is committed to building an engaged and collaborative culture where innovation and being future focused are the norm. If you want to help shape the future of Frankston, now is the time to join our team

**About the position**

Council’s Maternal and Child Health (MCH) and Immunisation Team is looking for a Family Mental Health Practitioner (FMHP) who will be responsible for
- Working as part of the MCH team and working according to the guidance of MCH Nurses, the FMHP, in partnership with families, will provide specialised support and education to families where mental health has been identified as an issue.
- Providing mental health information and education to families and MCH Team Members on an individual basis and in group settings.
- Providing secondary consultations with MCH Team Members regarding mental health client concerns.

**The main responsibilities will include**:

- Ensure the provision of high quality, evidence-based practice consistent with the MCH Service Guidelines (2019, reissued 2020) and the Enhanced Maternal and Child Health Guidelines (reissued DHHS, 2019).
- Support service activity as identified by clients in their CFAP, where mental health is identified as an issue, including providing mental health assessment, family assessment and to formulate and review CFAP and to be part of discharge planning.
- Provide short term intensive support that is child-focused, family-centred and strength-based, working in partnership with the child and family, to strengthen the capacity of families to make decisions about the family’s mental health, safety and wellbeing.
- Recognise and respect unique family dynamics, values, cultural backgrounds and diversity.
- Provide families with information, advice, referrals and longer-term linkages to services and community support networks.
- Ensure documentation aligns with professional standards in the Child Development Information System (CDIS), with all relevant fields being completed for data collection and reporting.
- Provide secondary consultations to MCH Team Members, where the MCH Nurse has concerns regarding a client’s mental health.
- Collaborate and liaise with professionals along the continuum of care from maternity and maternal and child health, and other health, early years and family services to provide a responsive MCH service regarding mental health.
- Where required, attend meetings with maternity hospitals and other health, early years and family services to collaborate, promote and support integrated service delivery to optimise outcomes for the child and family, including client Care Team Meetings.
- Support the MCH Leadership team in responding to Information Sharing Scheme (ISS) requests from Information Sharing Entities (ISEs) following the Information Sharing Guidelines.

This is a part time role working 30.4 hours per week.

**About you**
- Qualification in relevant tertiary degree Mental Health, Family Therapy, Psychology, Occupational Therapy or Social Work and relevant experience
- Current registration with relevant professional body, where applicable
- Demonstrated experience working with children 0-6 years and their families
- Ability to Make informed, considered and timely decisions about mental health service delivery within the scope of professional knowledge and practice.
- Solutions focused for issues that are sometimes complex and rely on experience, creativity and originality

**Benefits of working at Frankston City Council**

Be part of a workplace that is looking to transform the way that we work and build on our values “Kinder, Fairer, Smarter”. As an employee, you will have access to benefits such as:

- Flexible working hours
- Access to professional and career development opportunities
- Purchased leave
- Paid Parental leave
- Paid Christmas Shut Down Leave
- Free onsite parking (Civic Centre)
- Employee assistance program
- Salary sacrifice gym membership at Peninsula Aquatic Recreation Centre.

This position is a Band 6 currently remunerated at $100,338.66 (pro rata) per annum, plus superannuation.

The for this role can be found on the Frankston City Council Careers page.

**Culture at Frankston City Council**

Frankston City Council respectfully acknowledges the traditional owners, the Bunurong people, as the custodians of the land on which we live and work and their Elders past and present.

Council has zero tolerance for child abuse. Protecting children and preventing child abuse is embedded in the everyday thinking and practice of all Councilors, employees, contractors and volunteers.

We encourage you to talk to us about any adjust