YFCS – Safe House Team Leader – 5.1 PFT

Position Summary

Tangentyere Council Aboriginal Corporation (TCAC) is a community controlled Public Benevolent Institution delivering human services and social enterprise activities for the benefit of Aboriginal people from the Alice Springs Town Camps, urban Alice Springs, and Central Australia.

Tangentyere Council deliver a range of Youth, Family & Community Safety (YFCS) services across Town Camps and Alice Springs, supporting children, young people, families, and communities through the delivery of daytime and after-hours services focused on recreation, diversion, out-of-home care, community safety and family support programs.

The Tangentyere Safe House (Ndarndarinjika Safe Houses) provides short-term accommodation for Aboriginal children between the ages of 0 and 12 years old, including respite care. Working from a child-centred, therapeutic approach, the program aims to ensure that children and young people are supported therapeutically by providing a physically, emotionally, and culturally appropriate family environment.

The Team Leader supports Carers in delivering care within a safe, family-like environment and coordinates each child's medical, educational, and cultural needs, including access visits. This role ensures accurate client records and promotes therapeutic practices that centre children's voices in planning and case coordination.

Working closely with the Coordinator, Department of Children and Families and other stakeholders, the Team Leader facilitates effective case management of each child in our care. Under the Coordinator's guidance, they provide mentoring and professional support to staff, ensuring quality service delivery and implementation of individual support plans.

The Team Leader role requires strong communication skills and the ability to develop and maintain working relationships with the Department of Children and Families and other external stakeholders to facilitate effective case management.

This position involves rostered weekend and after-hours work, including participation in an on-call rotation as part of a 24/7 service.

As part of your role, you will be working with children, people with a disability and people who are vulnerable. It is your obligation to always ensure their safety and report any concerns in line with our duty of care obligations. We have zero tolerance when it comes to abuse of any kind and will take disciplinary action, including and up to termination of employment, should we determine that abuse has taken place or there has been a failure to report any suspected or alleged abuse.

Responsibilities

• Provide safe, consistent care aligned with best practice, ensuring a developmentally and culturally appropriate environment in line with Out of Home Care Standards and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement principles.

• Support staff and coordinate resources to ensure smooth Safe House operations.

• Collaborate with the Coordinator to develop the team through supervision, training and supporting a positive workplace culture.

• Identify and respond to the needs of children in care.

• Ensure accurate documentation and confidentiality in line with Tangentyere's policies and child safe legislation, and report breaches to the Coordinator or Manager.

• Assist with achieving quality management objectives across the organisation.

• Assist with achieving safeguarding objectives across the organisation.

• Assist with achieving compliance objectives across the organisation.

• Other reasonable duties as required.

Qualifications and Selection Criteria

Required

• Qualification and/or experience in residential care for children, community service work, family support or related field.

• Understanding of Therapeutic approaches of practice including knowledge of or experience in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention Framework.

• Ability to lead and be part of a team, providing guidance, training, and support to care workers, including leadership at regular staff meetings within the house.

• Ability to support the implementation of program documentation and organisational systems.

• Demonstrated knowledge of Aboriginal culture and extended family kinship systems.

• Flexible and reliable availability to work shifts outside regular hours, including overnight and weekends when required, and participate in an on-call roster.

• Current First Aid Certificate, or willingness to obtain

• Current NT Drivers Licence, NT Working with Children (Ochre) Card, satisfactory Police Check, and proof of full (3) vaccination against COVID-19.

Desired

• Working knowledge of Aboriginal Language/s.

• An understanding of the social justice issues facing Aboriginal People and the role of the Tangentyere Council programs in addressing these issues.

• Therapeutic Crisis Intervention Certification or willingness to obtain within six months of appointment.