Advocate - Independent Family Advocacy and Support

Work Type: Fixed-term - Full-time

Salary: $86,436 - $101,868

Grade: WVR 3.2

Occupation: Community services

Location: Melbourne - Southern suburbs

Reference: VG/VLA/FYCL/1881536

Provide non-legal advocacy to families in the child protection system, focusing on rights education, self-advocacy support, referrals to services, and pre-proceedings assistance for parents and primary carers.

• 1 x full time maximum term position to 30 June 2027 (part time considered)
• 1 x full time maximum term position to 21 of September 2026, parental leave backfill, (part time considered)
• Salary range: $86,436 - $101,868 (pro rata) plus super plus salary packaging
• Up to $15,900 in salary packaging and hybrid WFH & office model

About the role

Join a unique and innovative service supporting clients involved in the child protection system.

VLA's Independent Family Advocacy and Support (IFAS) provides non-legal advocacy to parents involved in the early (pre-court) stages of child protection. IFAS has a particular focus on supporting First Nations families, parents with an intellectual disability, families from culturally and linguistically diverse communities, unborn reports and parents with a childhood history of child protection involvement

We are seeking committed and client-focused advocates to join our growing IFAS team as we expand the service to new areas. In his role, you will provide high quality non-legal advocacy services to parents, including the provision of information about child protection decision-making processes; supporting clients to understand their rights and self-advocate; making referrals to legal and non-legal services; and assisting clients through direct advocacy with Child Protection and other relevant agencies.

You will work closely with other Advocates, Senior Advocates, the IFAS Manager and the Lived Experience Consultant, as well as legal and other colleagues in VLA. You will also maintain strong referral relationships with agencies in the child and family services system, including through outreach and co-location.

These roles are based at our Dandenong office on Bunurong Country, with regular travel required in the Southern Melbourne, Bayside Peninsula, Inner Gippsland and Outer Gippsland catchment areas for co-location outposts and service delivery.

About you

As our ideal candidate, you will possess:

• Experience in advocacy, social work or community development with clients in the child protection, community services or justice systems.
• Knowledge of the child protection system, child and family services and relevant legal and policy frameworks.
• Experience working with First Nations families, adults with intellectual disabilities, and/or people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, particularly within the child protection system.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to build rapport with clients quickly.
• Post-secondary qualification (certificate, diploma or degree) in a relevant field such as social work, human services or community development.

Don't meet every requirement? At VLA, we understand that your work and life experiences can be just as valuable. If you're excited about this role but your CV doesn't align perfectly with our job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or one of our many other opportunities.

About Victoria Legal Aid

We provide legal and non-legal representation to those who need it most. With over 1400 staff employed in 16 offices across Victoria, we help people with their legal problems by providing information, advice and education with a focus on the prevention and early resolution of legal problems.

Our clients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds and foster a work culture that's inclusive as well as diverse. Your unique ideas and perspectives are valued so that we best represent the people we serve.

Employee benefits

Focus on work-life balance including flexible working arrangements- Hybrid work from home & office model
- Training and professional development opportunities
- Excellent salary packaging options including General Expenses up to $15,900, Meals & Entertainment up to $2,650 and Novated Leasing
- Access to discounted Private Health Insurance

How to apply

To be considered for this role, please submit your current resume and a cover letter addressing the key selection criteria.

If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process or need an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our team.

For further information review the attached position description or contact Robyn Buchanan, Manager, IFAS on or

No agency applications will be accepted.

Applications close by 11.59pm on Sunday 14 September 2025.

Other relevant information

It is a requirement that staff attend for office-based days at their primary work location. In line with this requirement, interstate applications will be considered only where the candidate is able and willing to relocate to Victoria, unless part of a border community.

VLA is committed to putting the safety and wellbeing of children first.

Applications close Sunday 14 September 2025 at 11.59pm

Posted

29 August 2025