Case worker

Due to ongoing growth within Uniting WA's Out of Home Care program, we are currently seeking passionate Case Workers across multiple sites to join our dynamic team. Our team are dedicated to making a meaningful impact to the lives of children and young people. Driven by our values and purpose, we are a supportive and collaborative team who lead with compassion and integrity and are committed to confronting injustice.

Position Overview

As a Case Worker, you will make a difference in the lives of children who have experienced complex trauma supporting the team to deliver high quality, therapeutic and child focused services. We have multiple opportunities in a wide variety of programs:

Community Foster Care (futures): 2 x FTE

Case Workers in our Community Foster Care program provides support to children and young people with high support needs along with ongoing placement support for long-term or short-break carers. If you're looking to work with us in Community Foster Care, you'll need:

• Excellent assessment and decision-making skills to undertake foster care assessments and carer reviews, which requires deep emotional intelligence and the ability to critically assess a carers suitability, motivation and capacity to foster.
• Demonstrated knowledge of how disability, chronic health conditions, and developmental delays affect the day-to-day care needs of children and young people, and the resulting physical, emotional, and practical impacts on carers and support staff.
• (Highly desirable) Familiarity with child protection, NDIS and broader medical and allied health systems, with the ability to advocate effectively and communicate complex information clearly, respectfully, and compassionately within multi-disciplinary teams.
• A child-focused approach that prioritises stability, continuity of care, and long-term wellbeing - whether through family reunification, guardian care or permanent placement options.

Temporary Care Homes – Case Worker Roles 1 x 0.5 FTE (part-time)Our Temporary Care Homes, alongside our Crisis Care Unit, provide therapeutic, short-term accommodation and support for children and young people who are awaiting long-term, stable placement. These homes create a safe and nurturing environment where healing and stability begin. We're looking for Case Workers who bring empathy, expertise, and a commitment to improving outcomes for vulnerable children.

Successful candidates will bring:

• Strong understanding of trauma and child protection practices, including experience working with children who have experienced abuse, neglect, or removal, and a solid grasp of the child protection system, including apprehension processes.
• Well-developed reporting and documentation skills with the ability to prepare timely and accurate case notes, reports, and feedback.
• Proficiency in digital tools and case management systems with confidence in using Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Effective problem-solving abilities with the ability to think critically and respond calmly and appropriately in high-pressure or complex situations.
• Experience in leadership, mentoring, supervising, or supporting residential case workers to ensure consistent, high-quality care.
• Knowledge and understanding of developmental milestones, behavioural needs, and appropriate interventions for children and young people, particularly in early childhood stages.

Group Foster Care: 2 x FTE roles

The Group Foster Care program provides stable, therapeutic environments for children who cannot live with their families due to trauma. Successful Group Foster Care case workers will have:

• Able to guide and model service standards, ensuring the delivery of consistent, high-quality care and professional practice in the day-to-day home environment.
• Developed abilities to apply evaluation tools and review processes to contribute to the continuous improvement of the service delivery through reflective practices.
• Demonstrated skills and knowledge to apply the trauma and attachment theory as it relates to the practice of supporting children in care.
• Demonstrated ability to apply theoretical frameworks to practice, supporting children through safe, nurturing relationships and helping carers respond effectively to trauma-related behaviours.

Complex Care Homes: 1 x FTEOur Complex Care Homes provide intensive, individualised 1:1 care for children and young people with high and complex needs – including significant behavioural challenges, disabilities, and/or mental health conditions. These homes are staffed with knowledgeable and skilled professionals who have had prior experience in working with high and complex needs children and young people.

Description

• Providing intensive therapeutic support to children and young people with complex needs with a focus on proving high quality care and individualised support
• Demonstrated ability to proactively identify and assess young people's needs in a therapeutic environment
• Experience in providing case management to young people with high/complex needs.
• Ability to build rapport and therapeutic relationships with young people.
• Knowledge and understanding of complex trauma and demonstrated ability to work with youth who may demonstrate significant and challenging behaviours.

Key responsibilities

Alongside these unique responsibilities of our case workers in each program, all case worker roles will involve:

• Developing and contributing to therapeutic support care plans and nurture positive placement outcomes for children and young people with significant trauma
• Work collaboratively with allied health professionals, educators, behaviour support practitioners, and families to implement tailored care and intervention strategies.
• Providing specialist advice to Carers, Respite and Support Workers to enable them to achieve optimal outcomes for children and young people
• Building and maintaining effective and proactive relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

You're going to love this job because you have the necessary requirements such as:

• A tertiary degree in Social Work, Psychology or a related discipline
• Tertiary qualifications in Social Work, Psychology, Child & Family Studies, or Counselling are accepted for this position
• A sound understanding of the Out of Home Care system (programs and practice) in WA, programs and practices, preferably with statutory child protection & working with complex child protection cases
• A minimum of 1-2 years experience in Out of Home Care is required
• An understanding of theories and practices relating to child development, trauma and attachment and a demonstrated ability to apply these in complex situations
• Deep understanding of the impact of trauma, attachment and children's developmental on their care and wellbeing needs.
• Commitment to carer recruitment and development. The ability to build and sustain positive relationships with foster carers and approach difficult conversations assertively and compassionately.
• Highly developed written and verbal communication skills including the ability to: prepare reports and other documents: liaise with stakeholders: promote the agency and communicate well with staff, carers, other agencies, children and young people
• Some knowledge of the disability sector and functions of NDIS.
• Experience in providing case management
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Experience in providing supervision to staff.

You must be able to obtain a current National Police Clearance and Provide First Aid certificate. It is also essential to have a current WA 'C class' driver's licence.

A requirement of the role is to satisfy The Department of Communities Record Check Consent Application (RCCA) to support undertaking a Police History Check for workers who have been identified for a role within Non-Government agencies that work with children.