Child & Family Practitioner. Permanent Full Time - Townsville

Please note: To be considered for and appointed to a position at Life Without Barriers, you must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or hold a valid medical exemption certificate.  You will be required to provide evidence of your vaccination status during the recruitment process.

About the Organisation

Every day, Life Without Barriers provides support and care to children and young people, as we work collaboratively with families, carers, and communities, to ensure they have the environment they deserve to grow. With a focus on ensuring safety and respect, this is an opportunity to make a positive and meaningful difference in these young lives and help pave a brighter future.

Life Without Barriers is a leading social purpose organisation of 8,000 employees working in more than 500 communities across Australia. We support children, young people and families, people with disability, older people, and people with mental illness. We work with people who are homeless and refugees and asylum seekers. Join a community of people dedicated to breaking down barriers.

We want to employ people who reflect the diversity of our clients to ensure we can support each client's individual needs and wants. We encourage people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background and people with disability to apply.

About the Role

The purpose of the Child and Family Practitioner position is to provide a high level of skilled support and supervision to the placement of children and young people in a family-based care arrangement.

The successful candidate will work in partnership with the foster carer, children and young people, relevant government agencies and stakeholders to develop and implement individualised care plans to ensure the relevant ‘standards of care’ required by QLD government are always met and to give priority to the protection and well-being of children and young people.

This position is being offered as  permanent full-time and is based at our office in Townsville.  A Tool of Trade vehicle (including fuel card) will also be allocated to the successful candidate.

Key Responsibilities

• Undertake child focused casework practice (case planning and assessment) in partnership with the relevant government agency, children and their families, carers, and other stakeholders.
• Provide ongoing support and supervision to Foster Carers in relation to their caring for children and young people in their home.
• Provide support and supervision to Carers by telephone as well as through home visits.
• Support and supervise Foster Carers in the case planning process and assist them to implement the strategies outlined in the case plan.
• Provide supervision and support to youth workers.
• Ensure the necessary risk assessments, cultural support plans, safety plans and behavioural support plans are developed and implemented.
• Ensure all necessary documentation and information such as carer renewals, foster care agreements, file notes and other records are kept up to date, including inputting information into the CIRTS database.

Skills and Experience

• Recognised Social Work qualifications with eligibility for membership of the AASW and/or a Bachelor of Psychology or other relevant qualification.
• Significant experience in the child protection and out of home care sector
• Demonstrated experience working with individuals, families and communities from a strength-based, culturally appropriate perspective that are part of the out of home care sector
• Demonstrated experience in identifying an individual’s strengths and areas for improvement within the context of providing foster and/or host care with an emphasis on permanency for children in care.
• Current Drivers Licence.

Successful candidates will be required to clear probity checks including National Criminal History Record Check and Working with Children Check (where relevant to the role).

Benefits

• An attractive remuneration package will be offered to the successful applicant, including salary packaging tax benefits, a mobile phone, laptop, and Tool of Trade Vehicle with fuel card.
• Work for one of Australia's largest social purpose organisations
• Monthly RDO  

How to Apply

Include your resume and covering letter in one document, click ‘Apply’ and follow the prompts. For any enquiries including persons with disability that require adjustments, contact recruitment@lwb.org.au with the subject heading ‘CFP Townville’.

Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible as applications are continuously reviewed prior to the closing date; and as such the closing date is subject to change without notice. Current application closing date is midnight 9 August 2022.

We are dedicated to playing our part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and bring continuity of care and support to our clients. If you are successful, we will discuss with you an alternative to a face-to-face interview.

Life Without Barriers supports the Royal Commission into violence, abuse, neglect, and exploitation of people with disability. We believe people with disability need to be heard and for these experiences to influence how support services like ours are delivered. View our statement (https://bit.ly/2GzZGWA)