Senior Adoption Practitioner

Job description

Agency Department of Children and Families Work unit NT Wide Services - Adoption

Job title Senior Adoption Practitioner Designation Professional 2

Job type Full time Duration Ongoing

Salary $90,204 - $107,554 Location Darwin

Position number 2353 RTF Closing 28/09/2025

Contact officer Amy Fogarty, A/Director on or

About the Agency

Apply online

APPLICATIONS MUST INCLUDE A ONE-PAGE SUMMARY ABOUT YOU, A DETAILED RESUME AND COPIES OF YOUR TERTIARY

QUALIFICATIONS.

Information for applicants – inclusion and diversity and Special Measures recruitment plans

The NTPS values diversity. The NTPS encourages people from all diversity groups to apply for vacancies and accommodates people with disability

by making reasonable workplace adjustments. If you require an adjustment for the recruitment process or job, please discuss this with the contact

officer. For more information about applying for this position and the merit process, go to the OCPE website.

Aboriginal applicants will be granted priority consideration for this vacancy. For more information on Special Measures plans, go to the OCPE

website.

Primary objective

Contributes to the delivery of adoption services as required by the Adoption of Children Act 1994 including administration of the role of the

Northern Territory Central Adoption Authority.

Context statement

This role works is in the Adoptions team and provides adoption services to people living in the Northern Territory including adoptees, birth parents,

adoptive parents and families. This role provides advice, advocacy, family finding information, and case management for domestic and international

adoptions with a focus on safeguarding children and supporting their best interests.

Key duties and responsibilities

1. Facilitate domestic and international adoptions involving Northern Territory residents as per legislation, international conventions, and bilateral

agreements.

2. Provide education, suitability assessment, support, and case management of Northern Territory residents seeking to adopt or who have

adopted a child.

3. Preparing, lodgement, and monitoring of intercountry adoption applications with the country of origin and provide required post-placement

reports as part of adoption compliance.

1. Participate in national meetings and provide strategic advice, advocacy and feedback on a range of adoptions matters.
2. Provide information and support to relinquishing parents.
3. Submit legal documents to the court, attend planning meetings, and attend court as required.
4. Attend to enquiries from birth parents, adoptees and adoptive families and facilitate the provision of relevant information.
5. Provide reports relating to adoptions in the Northern Territory internally and to national reporting bodies.
6. Review and update policies, procedures and processes to facilitate contemporary practice in adoptions.

Selection criteria

Essential

1. A degree of an Australian tertiary institution, which gives eligibility for membership of the Australian Community Workers Association, the

Australian Association of Social Workers, or the Australian Psychological Society, or equivalent OR Diploma of Child, Youth and Family

Intervention AND Vocational Graduate Certificate in Community Services Practice (Statutory Child Protection) OR Graduate Certificate in

Safe Communities (Child Protection).

1. Five years demonstrated experience in assessment and report writing, counselling and casework with demonstrated application of practice

frameworks.

1. Demonstrated high-level of communication and interpersonal skills to effectively work and liaise with people from diverse cultural

backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their families.

1. Demonstrated knowledge or experience in child development and developmental trauma or other theoretical frameworks that relate to

adoption.

1. Demonstrated ability to utilise legislation and policy in the provision of services with strong attention to detail.
2. Demonstrated ability to manage a high workload and to work independently with minimal supervision.
3. Demonstrated ability to liaise with internal and external stakeholders, negotiate complex issues to reach agreeable outcomes to achieve

outputs and outcomes.

8. Current NT driver's licence or the ability to obtain.

Desirable

1. Demonstrated experience in delivery of services in an area relevant to adoptions.

1. Sound knowledge of NT adoption legislation and regulations or evidence of a willingness to learn.

Further information

The selected applicant will be required to hold a current Working with Children Clearance notice and undergo a criminal history check (a criminal

history will not exclude an applicant from this position unless it is a relevant criminal history).