Cultural Advisor for AFLDM and Cultural Support Planning

About BDAC

BDAC is an ACCO (Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation) registered as a member under the umbrella of VACCHO (Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation) and represented nationally through NACCHO (National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation).

BDAC was founded to represent and provide services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living on Djaara Country.

BDAC has a responsibility to ensure growth of services, development of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, better and improved health outcomes for our people, improved quality of life and be a lead agency in providing self-determination employment and career pathways for Aboriginal people.

What We Are Offering

• Full time
• Fixed term 12 months
• SCHADS Grade 4 - $44.58 per hour
• Access to Salary Packaging
• 12% Superannuation
• Supportive work environment
• Ongoing training and development opportunities

The Position

The Cultural Advisor for Aboriginal family lead decision making & Cultural Support planning will hold a key role in developing the family meeting processes and supporting the development, implementation, and review of cultural plans for vulnerable Aboriginal children and young people living in out-of-home care.

The role will convene family meetings as well as engaging families, finding and activating family support networks as well as negotiating with families where there are significant concerns for the safety and wellbeing of children and young people.

They support the development of cultural plans by care teams, assessing and providing support where needed and recommend cultural plans are endorsed by the relevant manager. This includes reviewing cultural plans and working with care teams to ensure they are of a suitable standard and address the cultural needs of vulnerable Aboriginal children and young people.  This position will require some travel and after hour's work.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide quality, timely and effective specialist knowledge to care teams, including complex matters, in developing and reviewing cultural plans and family meetings. Assist care teams to ensure cultural plans meet the cultural needs of vulnerable Aboriginal children and young people, as well as reflecting the best interest's principles as the primary consideration for all child protection planning.
• Collaborate with care teams to ensure Aboriginal input into all cultural plans and family meetings; and ensure care teams undertake reasonable steps to identify, gather information, and explore vulnerable Aboriginal children and young people's Aboriginal heritage and family. When necessary, work with Aboriginal children and their families to obtain information and develop plans.
• Schedule meetings in line with process timelines.
• Ensure all significant people are personally invited and have ability to participate in the meetings.
• Facilitate meetings in cultural ways that ensure all participants have a voice.
• Ensure accurate record of meetings are taken and recorded.
• Skillfully manage conflict to negotiate common goals.
• Where needed, work with families to develop Case Plans that address the concerns and promote the child or young person's best interests.
• Provide information to children, families, carers and service providers on procedures, practices, and guidelines and provide advice and case consultation on the Aboriginal cultural needs of Aboriginal children and young people, including services available to help meet needs.
• Actively contribute as a collaborative team member in the ongoing development and review of cultural plans, related to strengthening Aboriginal children and young people's connection to their Aboriginal community and culture.
• Monitor, analyse and review cultural plans; assess the effectiveness of the plan provided to Aboriginal children and young people and provide well-developed recommendations on future actions required to support the maintenance and strengthening of Aboriginal children and young people's connection to their Aboriginal community and culture.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships, ongoing communication and successful negotiations with Child Protection and key stakeholders.
• Provide authoritative advice and opinion to professionals in other disciplines; lead or participate in case conferences, including family decision making, with other professionals.
• Where the need is identified, research extended family and work to activate them as support to the children and families.
• Actively engage with families identifying strengths and capacities, highlighting these in family meetings.

Key Selection Criteria

• Knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal Culture and the ACCHO environment.
• Highly developed negotiation and meeting facilitation skills.
• Willingness to work through conflict situations in an understanding way to achieve best possible outcomes.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills including the capacity to negotiate and work effectively with a range of individuals and agencies to achieve positive outcomes.
• Ability to make decisions in high pressure contexts, clearly able to communicate rational for decisions.
• Ability to engage children, young people families and communities through a friendly warm approach.
• Demonstrated resilience and ability to managing self-care in being able to work in high pressure environments and work with families.

Ability to work afterhours and on call as required.

Desired:

• Experience or formal qualifications in Social Work, Family Support, or Family Welfare
• Experience and training in any form of conciliation convening will be an asset.

How to Apply

If this role sounds like the role for you then click on the link below and apply by attaching your resume, cover letter detailing how you suit the role and a document addressing theKey Selection Criteria by Wednesday 19th of November 2025.

Mandatory Requirements

Should an applicant be the preferred candidate, background checks (Police check, reference check and Working with Children's Check) will be completed prior to the candidate's employment being confirmed.

For more information about this position please see the Position Description which can be accessed via our website or contact our human resources team on or send an email through to 

Please note:This is an Aboriginal Designated Position, classified under 'special measures' of section 12 of the Equal Opportunity Act 2010. Only Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people are eligible to apply.