The Children’s Specialist Case Manager/Group Worker position sits within the Bright Futures Program of Merri Outreach Support Service. Bright Futures targets vulnerable children from families living in the DFFH North and West Metropolitan Regions (N&WMR) of Melbourne who have been impacted by homelessness and/or family violence.

Bright Futures is delivered by a team of four workers – Program Manager, two Children’s Specialist Case Managers and one Children’s Specialist Case Manager/Group Worker based at the Broadmeadows office. The service model involves collaborative work with other agencies and referring workers. Co-case management and occasional shared co-facilitation of groups is a feature of the program.

The Bright Futures program involves 3 streams of service delivery:

1. Assessment and Development of a Case Plan
2. Enhanced Case Management
3. Therapeutic Group Work

The Children’s Specialist Case Manager/Group Worker’s role works across the three streams of service delivery. This involves coordination and delivery of Stream 3 including: organising groups, facilitating groups and building partnerships with services as well as delivery of Streams 1 and 2 which include being involved in: secondary consultations, managing referrals, completing assessments, case planning and the case management of the children being supported by Bright Futures.

Case Management provides:

• Intensive support focused on educational, social, recreational, emotional and health needs.
• Identification and linkages to appropriate services.
• Supporting positive interaction with peers and family.
• Advocacy on the rights of children and young people to access services within their community.
• Individual support with children around case plan goals, utilising modalities such as play-based, narrative and creative arts.

The promotion of Bright Futures to the Specialist Homeless Services and Family Violence sectors across the N&WMR catchment will also be important.

For more information about the position please contact: Talia Barrett 0488 222 379. Additional information about Merri Outreach Support Service can be found on the website: www.merri.org.au.

A position description is attached.