• Full Time position based in Macquarie Park (travel to Hurstville required)
• $86K - $92K inclusive of Super + Salary Packaging  
• Flexible Friendly organisation, WFH & part time options available

Our Organisation

The Benevolent Society’s vision is to build a just society where all Australians can live their best life. For more than 200 years we have supported people at the margins of society: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians; children, young people, and their families; older people; carers and people with disability. We are an independent, non-religious service provider which supports people to live life their way.

As part of The Benevolent Society's vision, we are strongly committed to reconciliation with our First Nations people of Australia. We remain steadfast in our commitment to promoting the economic, political, and social inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

About the role

Functional Family Therapy (FFT) is an evidence-based model built on principles of respect and accountability. At its core, FFT requires a focus on assessment and intervention to address risk and protective factors within and outside of the family that impact children's safety and adaptive development. The model is relational and requires therapists to remain strength-based and non-judgmental in their approach.

The Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) has selected this approach based on its international success increasing children safety and keeping more families together.

As a therapist, you will use your knowledge to work intensively with families to assess strengths, needs and identify goals; and develop and implement behaviour change plans, aimed at improving family functioning and increasing the safety of children. You will support clients to embed changes and plan for potential challenges that families may face in the future using motivational interviewing skills.

Duties

• Work intensively with a range of designated high-risk clients for up to 6 months to provide in-home family therapy and child protection intervention using a whole of family approach, creating a therapeutic alliance with all family members.
• Engage and motivate young people and families to be a part of a change process by decreasing family conflict, negativity and blame; and increasing hope around the possibility of change.
• Create and implement individualised skills-based behaviour change plans to address the specific risk factors present for each family.
• Engage in weekly group supervision to receive from and provide supportto other therapists on the team. These meetings are also for the purpose of collecting data and ensuring fidelity to the model is maintained to a high standard.
• Liaise and collaborate with multiple stakeholders relating to the individual and/or family.
• Document your activity to ensure the impact of the model on families in the Australian context can be measured and used to shape future practice standards across the sector.
• Where necessary, refer individuals to a range of external services in the community to support families to maintain change within the family unit even beyond FFT involvement.

Our Benefits

We support people to live their best life. That includes you, our employee. A ‘best life’ is unique to everyone and can change as life changes:

• Salary Benefits -You can package up to $15,900 pa of your pre-tax salary to pay for everyday expenses before income tax is calculated, meaning you take home even more pay!  
• Motor Vehicle Packaging Options – to suit your lifestyle.    
• Work/Life Balance - Enjoy flexible work arrangements, including hybrid home/office options, and accrue an additional day off each month (a bonus of 12 days per year) as a full-time employee.
• Recognition and Reward - Sector competitive remuneration, various recognition programs and access to long service leave after 5 years.     
• Wellness - Stay fit with a Fitness passport, utilise our Employee Assistance Program, and even purchase additional leave.
• Professional development - We tailor career development opportunities to all employees and volunteers for career enrichment, fulfilment, and growth. 
• Our Reconciliation Commitment - First Nations employees are entitled of up to 10 days of leave for ceremonial purposes, as well as the option to be a voice on RAP working group, and the opportunity for cultural and professional development that supports career pathways.

Skills and Requirements

You will have a minimum tertiary qualification in Social Work, Welfare, Psychology, Counselling or related discipline and:

• Experience working with at-risk children in a child protection or counselling role
• Ability to actively engage, assess and case manage at risk families using a strengths-based approach
• A clear understanding of child protection issues and the capacity to identify and respond to escalated risk
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to data collection
• Excellent relationship building skills and experience engaging with reluctant clients
• Desire and confidence to learn new practices and immediately implement techniques and strategies with clients

Interested? Apply online today!

Please submit your current CV and cover letter outlining your suitability and interest in the role.

Contact Emma Schmalkuche on 0401 675 378 on [email protected], using the subject line: Family Therapist enquiry via EthicalJobs, for a friendly, confidential discussion.

*Internally this role is called a Child and Family Practitioner

The Benevolent Society respects and promotes human rights and diversity and is committed to building an inclusive culture. We welcome diversity in all its forms; applications from underrepresented communities are strongly encouraged. We value relationships with our local Aboriginal community and welcome applications from its members. We see ability not disability, if you identify as a person with a different ability, please get in contact to let us know how we can accommodate your needs. We pride ourselves on being a client and child safe organisation and as such all our staff and volunteers go through security screening relevant to the role.

Family Therapist Position Profile.