Family Life - Transforming lives for stronger communities

• Provide Counselling support to Children and Families locally in the Bayside and Frankston communities.
• Enjoy the variety of supporting clients with diverse needs, experiences and complexity.
• The role is supported by the broader Families and Community team with access to support and resources to support the therapeutic process.
• Part-time (0.4FTE), fixed-term opportunity for 12 months
• $130,000 - $140,000 FTE Total Remuneration Package depending on qualifications and experience.

Work with us at Family Life and be part of our supportive, people-focused culture.

Who we are

At Family Life, we believe every child deserves to thrive in a safe and healthy family environment. Family Life is a specialist family services provider that has worked with children, families and communities for more than 50 years. Our vision is to work with clients and partners to create capable communities, strong families and thriving children.

We are known for our innovation and whole-of-community collective impact approach. Our teams are committed to transforming the lives of our clients and communities to build resilience and healthy relationships. We are proudly purpose-driven, independent and not for profit. We support our community through our specialist family services, community strengthening programs, a network of op shops, a vibrant engaged volunteer community and passionate skilled staff.

The Opportunity

This is an exciting opportunity to join Family Life as a Clinician working in our Heartlinks team. Working two days per week based at our Sandringham and Frankston Offices (Bunurong land), our Heartlinks Clinicians provide quality counselling services to children and adults in the Bayside/Peninsula region. The service is not-for-profit and seeks to offer affordable counselling options without the waitlist or barriers to access of some other services on offer. The Heartlinks Clinician will support clients who have experiences of complex trauma or emerging mental health needs using a range of evidence-based psychological interventions tailored to the client’s needs.

Candidates must be registered with the appropriate professional body (AHPRA or AASW) and either be currently registered or eligible to register with the Better Access Scheme.

Key Responsibility Areas

• Provide evidence-based psychological therapeutic interventions to children, young people and adults.
• Experience offering counselling support to children, young people or adults with varied complexity and presentation. A high proportion of the clients referred have a history of complex trauma and require support from dynamic clinicians who can adapt their style to meet them where they are at.
• Ability to travel between our offices in Sandringham and Frankston as required.
• Participate in clinical decisions about treatment planning, assessment and risk management.
• Maintain up to date and comprehensive records in accordance with Family Life policy.
• Work closely with the Program Manager and team to identify opportunities to improve the program and promote positive outcomes for clients.
• Additional duties as directed by line management.
• Ability to undertake psychological assessments with clients including children, young people including ADOS-2 and WISC-V is highly desirable.

Our Ideal Candidate

We are looking for a Clinician who is experienced in providing counselling to children and adults with varied presentations. The Clinician should have strong engagement and rapport building skills, particularly with children aged 5 and over.

As the Heartlinks program sees clients from a number of different referral pathways, complexity and need is highly individualised. The program supports clients from fee paying and Mental Health Care Plans through GP referrals, but also internally and externally referred from case management programs and intake points. We offer grant funding to some of the most financially limited clients in the area to ease and promote access to families who may be excluded from other fee for service practices.

Ideally, we are seeking a Clinician who is trained and experienced in administering assessments such as WISC-V and ADOS-2. With a high demand for these services, due to extensive waiting times in most services in the region.

Working at Family Life is more than just a job

It’s the feeling of knowing that your work is contributing to making the community in which you live a better place and working with others who feel the same way.

Additionally, you will have access to:

• Flexible Work Culture Salary packaging (receive up to an extra $18,500 in tax-free pay per year)
• Paid Wellbeing Leave
• Paid Study Leave
• Additional Paid Leave for End of Year Closedown
• Rostered Day Off Scheme for Eligible Employees
• Employee Assistance Program, a free and confidential counselling service for employees

How to Apply

A full position description is available on our career page: Family Life Careers page

Please submit your confidential application including a CV and cover letter addressing the key selection criteria via our Application Portal by clicking the "Apply Now".

For further information regarding the position please contact Luke, Program Manager, Families and Community Program on (03) 8599 5433.

*We will be reviewing applications as they are received, therefore this role may close sooner if we find the right candidate. Please apply now to ensure you do not miss out!

All offers of employment are subject to the Family Life Safety Screening process, including a Working with Children Check and Police Records Check.Any person issued with a negative notice on their Working with Children Check will not be eligible for employment with Family Life.

Family Life values diversity and welcomes applicants who meet the position criteria, irrespective of race and ethnicity, colour, age, gender, gender identity, disability, religion and sexual orientation.

Family Life is a trauma informed organisation and recognises the unique skills, contributions and insights that come from lived experience.

Family Life is a child safe organisation. We value, respect and listen to children and young people. We are committed to the safety of all children and young people. Family Life supports children to meet their potential and thrive. We do not tolerate neglect, mistreatment or abuse of any kind.