• Either Shepparton (Yorta Yorta Country) or Seymour (Taungurung Country) location
• Part time, 3 days a week parental leave cover until end of January 2023
• Base salary 84K p.a, plus super and salary packaging (equivalent to $102K package)

For over 140 years, Berry Street has adapted to a changing world, and we will continue to adapt to achieve our purpose. We believe children, young people and families should be safe, thriving and hopeful. Our Vision for 2022: Together we will courageously change lives and reimagine service systems. We look forward to working with children, young people, families, carers, staff and partners to achieve this vision.

About Us

Berry Street's Hume Region has been providing kinship care services since 2010 when the kinship care program model was first developed and funded by the then Department of Human Services (now Department of Families, Fairness and Housing). The program provides a kinship care service designed to support and assist kinship carers provide care to children and young people from within their family or extended family network.

The First Supports program is solely focused on children and young people in statutory kinship placements - those with an active child protection intervention or protection order.

This role can be based at either one of our Shepparton or Seymour offices and requires outreach services to the City of Greater Shepparton, Moira, Strathbogie, Mitchell and Murrindindi Shires.

The position is part of the broader kinship care team and is intended to provide timely comprehensive assessment of the kinship placement, access to kinship family services support and flexible brokerage to assist in supporting kinship care placements.

Key Responsibilities

• You will undertake comprehensive assessments at the time kinship placements are first made.
• Assisting Child Protection to determine the suitability of the placements.
• Linking carers and children with a level of support specific to their needs.
• Providing financial support to carers through the early provision of flexible brokerage to address immediate material and financial needs.
• To build the capacity of the kinship carers to better understand and respond to the needs of the children and young people in their care.
• Promoting child safety, stability and development through the provision of targeted family services support.

About You

A minimum mandatory Diploma level qualification in Community Services, Psychology, Social Work, or related discipline that is recognised in Australia is required for this role, however applicants who are nearing completion of their final years of study may be considered for this role at an unqualified rate until the qualification is complete.

You will also have:

• Experience in the child and family welfare field supporting and maintaining interactive connections with family/carers and the community.
• You have the ability to actively engage kinship families in decision-making processes.
• You hold an understanding of the inter-generational factors and complex inter-relationships between extended family members that can impact kinship placements.
• You can work with children, young people and families through an attachment and trauma based lens.

The Benefits

• Additional salary packaging available for meals/accommodation.
• Flexible work arrangements and generous above award leave conditions.
• Access to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), including access for staff members’ immediate family.

How to Apply

Applications including resume and cover letter addressing your suitability for the position to be submitted via the Apply Now button. Please note, we are assessing applications as we are receiving them.

Queries to Sharelle Davidson, Senior Manager Child & Family Services on 03 5822 8100.

Please note; Comprehensive reference and background checking will be undertaken, including a Working with Children Check and police check.

Berry Street is committed to being a child safe, child friendly and child empowering organisation. In everything we do we seek to protect children. We are committed to the cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children; children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds; children with a disability; children who identify as LGBTIQA+. We aim to ensure every individual is treated with dignity and respect regardless of their cultural background, ability, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, spirituality or religion.

Aboriginal people; people from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds and people with a disability are encouraged to apply.

Berry Street is categorised as an Authorised Provider and this position is considered authorised work and subject to mandatory Covid-19 vaccination requirements. You will be asked about your vaccination or exemption status and any accompanying evidence should your application proceed.

Related documents

• 20220525 PD Kinship First Supports Case Worker