• Competitive salary for the right candidate plus Salary Packaging Options!
• Exceptional opportunity to provide support to families.
• Full time, permanent role, working 35 hours per week.

About SSI

SSI is a community organisation and social business that supports newcomers and other Australians to achieve their full potential. We work with children and young people as well as people with refugee and asylum-seeking background, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, people with disability and more to build capacity and enable them to overcome inequality.

About the Multicultural Child and Family Program (MCFP)

SSI delivers a specialist culturally responsive permanency support program in Sydney with a satellite service in Newcastle. The Program's service models include family preservation, multicultural foster care, restoration and other out-of-home care services through a culturally responsive practice framework prioritising services for children and young people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds aged 0-18 years. The program is committed to keeping children and young people safe, in stable homes, connected to family, community and culture

Family Group Conferencing (FGC) is a key approach to bringing family members and other significant people together, to collectively discuss and make decisions about children's and young people's ongoing safety and well-being. Significant stakeholders may include extended family members and/o or cultural, or community or religious leaders involved in a child's or family's life.

About the role

This is a new role within the program. It has a strong focus on empowering children and family members and collaborating with those important in a family's life to collectively consider issues and make decisions to improve the child's ongoing safety and well-being. This is an important role and we are looking for a passionate change maker; someone who wants to contribute, participate, build connections, is culturally aware, responsive and committed to engaging with people to make an impact.

Key responsibilities include, but not limited to:

• Coordinate and assess FGC referrals from within the MCFP and from the broader OOHC sector;
• Work collaboratively and maximise contributions from key stakeholders involved in a child's life including family members and significant community or cultural leaders;
• Proactively engage with and facilitate participation from those involved in a child's life to make shared family decisions about the child's ongoing protection and care;
• Conduct family group conferences;
• Facilitate and support MCFP operational staff to conduct FGC;
• Maintain culturally responsive practice evidence that enhances positive FGC outcomes for children and family members;
• Maintain data and meet reporting requirements.

About you

The successful candidate will ideally have the following skills & experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Psychology, Family Therapy or related discipline;
• Family Group Conference accreditation;
• Exceptional interpersonal, facilitation, consultation, mediation and communication skills enabling successful negotiation, within child protection and/or family focused context;
• Ability to engage and communicate to groups of people, tailoring communication, and activities to suit a CALD community or age range;
• Knowledge of child protection and/or experience in working with the OOHC;
• The ability to maintain confidentiality and discretion at all times.

The ideal candidate will work well with people of all ages; someone not afraid to have difficult conversations, all in a professional manner, while building relationships from a positive mindset and can-do spirit. If you have experience working with CALD children, young people and families coupled with some provision of case management services we want to hear from you!

What we offer at SSI

• ADO (fortnightly accrued day off) - currently on hold due to covid;
• Salary packaging options - receive up to $15,900 of your salary tax-free meaning more take home pay!
• Role is based in Bankstown (currently working from home with some scheduled office time)
• Returning to the office next year, where we will continue to promote flexible working arrangements and work/life balance;
• Working alongside collaborative and outcome focused team members all wanting to make a difference in our communities.

Please ensure a detailed cover letter and your resume is attached to your application.

All employees will undergo a National Police Clearance and a Working with Children Check as a condition of employment.

SSI will provide reasonable adjustments in our recruitment processes and in the workplace.

If you require a reasonable adjustment please email [email protected], using the subject line: Family Group Conference Coordinator enquiry via EthicalJobs, or call Vimla Khooblall on 02 8799 6700.