Family Life - Transforming lives for stronger communities

• Work locally in the Bayside Area and make a difference within our Community
• Enjoy flexible work options and a great team culture
• 2 x full-time positions - 1x ongoing and 1x fixed term until 30/06/2026
• Level 5 SCHADS AWARD $100,776 FTE + Generous Salary Packaging + Super

Family Life is a recognised Employer of Choice. Work with us and be part of our supportive, people-focused culture.

The Opportunity

The Family Services Practitioner will work with a range of clients including where there are complex needs and issues of risk and safety to provide short and medium-term case management and support to vulnerable children aged 0-17 and their families. The Family Services Practitioner will support families to build their parenting capacity and assist parents to be responsive to their child’s developmental needs, including their understanding of child development and building healthy and positive attachments.

Based at our Frankston, Cheltenham and Hampton East sites (Bunurong Land), the Family Practitioner will also have the opportunity to work from home for up to 2 days per week.

Key Responsibility Areas

The key responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Managing a high-risk caseload, with complex needs, using trauma informed approaches to practice, and utilising theoretical frameworks and evidence-based practice.
• Working with families by applying a range of service modalities including but not limited to; intake and assessment, brief support, a care team approach, group work, outreach case management and developing strong working relationships with key agencies such as Child Protection, schools and Maternal and Child Health Services.
• Increasing capacity of parents to meet their child’s health, safety and developmental needs, and to build self-resilience through linkages to community support, education, and training and employment opportunities.
• Carrying specialist portfolios such as group work to promote interventions designed to strengthen family capacity and provide psychoeducation and reduce family violence in the community.
• Promoting safety and stability through strong assessment, case plans and application of appropriate risk assessment frameworks.
• Providing a collaborative response to Family Violence, including the provision of brief and medium-term interventions.
• Working effectively with parents from a range of backgrounds including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from CALD backgrounds, people who are LGBTQIA+, people with a disability, and young people with a history in out of home care.
• Delivering services to quality standards, complying with relevant legislation and contractual requirements.
• Engaging in regular supervision and critical reflection with the Team Leader and group reflective practice with the Practice and Program Development Advisors.
• Participating in appropriate training sessions, network meetings, team meetings and peer supervision as directed by the line manager.
• Collecting, recording and maintaining all required documentation to evidence impact and effectiveness of service delivery in a complete, accurate, and timely manner, as requested by the organisation’s standards and program contracts.
• Taking an active role in the organisational priority of building on our “place based” approach to support, by activating community to increase accessibility and community involvement in supporting local families.

Our Ideal Candidate at Family Life

Growth Mindset - You pride yourself for your commitment to resilience and continuous improvement. You see growth opportunities as opposed to failures, and you are always on the lookout for an improved workflow or process. You think creatively, value input and feedback from peers, and adapt to changing or unforeseen circumstances.

Curiosity - You naturally seek out learning opportunities and further information without being prompted to by your manager. You clarify the ‘Why’ and like to investigate and explore further information.

Proactivity - You are a positive influence on your colleagues, you opt-in to support organisational projects, and always lend a hand to support others.

We are looking for a degree qualified (Social Work, Psychology, or similar Human Services qualification) and skilled individual who embodies the Family Life Way principles to deliver trauma informed support to our clients to achieve positive outcomes. Passionate about supporting at-risk families, you will ideally have experience working with infants, children and adolescents and their families, particularly those with various vulnerabilities such as family violence, trauma, mental health, and AOD. With a high level written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills, you also have working knowledge of the Child Youth and Families Act 2005.

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.

Working at Family Life - 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 options and a great team 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.
• Purchased Annual Leave Scheme.
• 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 careers page: Family Life Careers.

Click 'Apply Now' to please submit your confidential application including a CV and cover letter addressing the key selection criteria via our Application Portal.

For further information regarding the position please contact Caroline Stephens, Family Services Team Leader) 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