This role is responsible for providing culturally responsive child and family assessments, intensive home visiting, crisis management and longer term casework to prevent unnecessary entry of children and young people into Out of Home Care (OOHC). This role carries a case load of up to 4 families and works alongside each family for up to 2 years. 

This is a permanent full time position where you will be part of the Family Preservation team based on the Central Coast. This role includes occasional weekend work and unannounced visits and participates in a 24/7 on call support roster approximately 1 week in 4.  

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide intensive casework and case management services to families within the child protection system where children are at risk of entry into out of home care (OOHC).
• Provide in-depth assessment, support and structure for the safety of children and young people and immediately take appropriate action in line with agencies policies and relevant professional responsibilities where children are assessed to be at risk of significant harm.
• Facilitate the development and implementation of culturally sensitive case plans with families and assist families to set goals and build capacity in their functioning.
• Practice in accordance with the Domestic Violence Practice Framework, Home Builders Model, Family Finding and other evidence based practice models determined by the program.
• Practice effectively and sensitively in the cultural context of the families and identify additional cultural supports where appropriate.
• Work collaboratively with Department of Communities and Justice to support families to remain together safely.

About You

• Tertiary level qualifications in Social Work, Psychology, social welfare or a related discipline.
• Minimum 2 years case management experience with at risk children and their families.
• Demonstrated understanding of child protection issues and an ability to conduct risk and family assessments using a strengths based approach.
• Demonstrated ability to work with families in crisis and work in partnership with them to achieve their goals, using a variety of evidence based intervention strategies.
• Demonstrated experience in supporting Aboriginal families using culturally safe and sensitive interventions.
• Commitment to ongoing training and development to ensure a broad range of evidence based models as determined necessary by the program.
• Current NSW Working With Children’s check.
• Current driving license.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families are over represented in this program and the child protection system as a whole.  Appropriate cultural knowledge and understanding is important to deliver effectively in this role.  This is a targeted position and applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged.   

The salary range for this role is from $69,087 to $82,383 base salary with superannuation added on top and $15,990 salary packaging available. 

If you have any questions or require further details, then please contact Zoe Banbury on [email protected], using the subject line: Family Preservation Caseworker - Central Coast enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Employment with Uniting is subject to satisfactory background checks which include a National Police Check and Reference Check.