Aboriginal Child Protection Caseworker

Aboriginal Caseworker - Mid North Coast

We are currently recruiting to vacancies in Coffs Harbour, Kempsey & Taree

We do work that really matters

DCJ is all about keeping families together so that children thrive at home. Our first priority is always the safety, welfare and wellbeing of the children or young person.  We know the more Aboriginal caseworkers we have, the more Aboriginal kids grow up safely at home with mob.

What you'll do

• work sensitively and respectfully with parents, family members, children or young people
• work collaboratively with other agencies and engage in complex problem solving
• assist families in formulating goals that align with their needs, addressing safety and well-being concerns, and provide appropriate assistance through home visits
• develop safety plans and complete risk assessments
• manage cases and situations including working with high needs and high-risk clients and their families
• be involved in court processes, including the preparation of court documents and attending court
• participate in individual and group supervision

Being an Aboriginal Child Protection Caseworker can be difficult. Sometimes, you may have to make tough decisions with families to help them overcome hardships in order to be able to care for their children and develop safe and loving homes.

What we're looking for

To be a Child Protection Caseworker you need to be confident, curious and resilient. The essential requirements include:

• A relevant diploma or degree qualification is preferred

• Applicants without a relevant qualification require at least two years' experience working with vulnerable children, young people and their families

• The ability to build positive working relationships, supported by excellent verbal and written communication skills

• A valid driver's licence
• A paid working with children clearance number
• Documented verification of Aboriginality - confirming that you are an Aboriginal person of Aboriginal descent and that you identify as being Aboriginal

As an Identified role, this position is open only to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander persons.

Where a position is identified, an applicant's race is a genuine occupational qualification under the exception in Section 14(d) of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977.

There are two alternatives to confirming your Aboriginality, one of which must be uploaded to be considered for the role as follows. Either will be accepted:

Confirmation of Aboriginality form

or

Written confirmation from 2-3 Aboriginal organisations within the community in which you live/work, which addresses the three criteria listed below:

• is of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent, and
• identifies as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person, and
• is accepted as a such by the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community.

Click here to view the role description and further information about the assessment process.

Click here to hear from our Aboriginal Caseworkers.

What's in it for you?

As Australia's top public sector employer, we offer competitive benefits and opportunities including:

• Rewarding salary from $89,934 to $116,969 pa plus superannuation and annual leave loading
• Opportunities to work flexibly
• 17 weeks of industry leading training in the Caseworker Development Program
• Customised career development and support for your personal and professional growth
• Generous leave entitlements including flex leave
• Positive culture for wellness including Fitness Passport, tailored health app and mental health support

Will you be relocating to Kempsey? - The Welcome Experience is for you

The Welcome Experience in Kempsey connects you and your family with local people and local resources to help you settle in and feel at home in your new community faster. Learn more at-

What about your partner?

Bring your partner along on your employment journey

Regional NSW is a great place to work and currently there is opportunity for you and your partner to find meaningful employment together

Is your partner interested? Register now here

Are you ready to join us?

Click apply, attach a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) as well as an up-to-date résumé (maximum 5 pages).

A Talent Pool may be created for future ongoing and temporary roles and is valid for a period of up to 18 months.  For more information visit Our Process.

If you've got a question about applying or require an adjustment in the recruitment process, please email us at   or call Julie on

Inclusion and Diversity lies at the heart of how we recruit

We continue to hire great people with a wide variety of skills, experience and backgrounds. This includes people with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people identifying as LGBTIQ+, culturally and linguistically diverse people, carers and other diversity groups.

To find out what DCJ are doing to build an inclusive and diverse workforce, visit Inclusion and diversity on the DCJ website.