• Position : Full Time, Fixed Term Contract (12 months)
• Salary : $106,142 to $110,316 plus Super (based on skills and experience)
• Location : Wangaratta

The Organisation

Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA) is the largest organisation of its kind in Australia, employing more than 600 employees and delivering more than 70 programs across Victoria. VACCA is an Aboriginal community-controlled organisation that supports and advocates for the Aboriginal community. Our strength lies with our people. Our team is committed to the organisation's vision and values; advocates for our children and other vulnerable community members; and shows respect for, observance and compliance with Aboriginal cultural protocols, practice and ceremony. Our Aboriginality is what distinguishes us from mainstream services and what enables us to deliver the positive outcomes we achieve for our people.

About the role

The Children and Young Person’s Practice Leader is a practice leadership position in each Support and Safety Hub (The Orange Door). The Orange Door service model recognises the safety of infants, children and young people as an inalienable right, distinct from their parents or guardians, and that each infant, child and young person has unique needs that will be assessed individually.

The Children and Young Person’s Practice Leader will hold responsibility for providing expert practice leadership on engaging children and young people, assessing risk and needs for the infant, child, young person and family, and supporting interventions for infants, children and young people impacted by family violence and/or experiencing vulnerabilities due to other factors.

The Children and Young Person’s Practice Leader will proactively build the capability across The Orange Door workforce working collaboratively to engage with children and young people to ensure that the experiences and voices of children and young people inform the service response in line with The Orange Door Service Model. and Best Interests Case Practice Model

About You

• Demonstrated understanding of, and commitment to, the values that underpin VACCA' vision and purpose and the capacity to take a leadership role in championing these internally and externally.
• Demonstrated awareness and appreciation of Aboriginal societies and cultures, and commitment to continually build knowledge of such, along with a high level of awareness of the key issues which impact upon Aboriginal communities.
• Expert knowledge and experience working in clinical and social services management roles: has established expertise and capability to lead and embed Children and Young Person’s practice and quality clinical practice; has demonstrated experience in risk assessment and risk management in relation to infants, children and young people; has demonstrated cross-sectoral expertise in relevant disciplines, including but not limited to a knowledge of the drivers/causes of family violence, child development, attachment and trauma theories; has deep understanding of the role of the law and legal system in the context of responding to family violence and vulnerable children and families.
• Child centred and family focused: focuses on the child and the child’s role within the family to assess risk and needs and understand the voice of the child.
• Works collaboratively to drive cultural change: designs and delivers innovative practices that enhance practice with infants, children and young people and promotes quality clinical standards; understands how to build and establish effective practice cultures; identifies change required, describes reasons for it and engages people in the process of change.
• Stakeholder partnerships: engages stakeholders, identifies issues in common for one or more stakeholders and uses to build mutually beneficial partnerships; identifies and responds to stakeholder’s underlying needs; uses understanding of the stakeholder’s organisational context to ensure outcomes are achieved; finds innovative solutions to resolve stakeholder issues.

Personal Attributes

• Relationship building, Initiative & accountability, Drive & commitment, Teamwork

Specialist Expertise

• A strong knowledge and understanding of the drivers/causes of family violence and child and family vulnerability, as well as the child and family services and/or broader social services sector and their fundamental practices and theories is required.

Qualifications

• Professional clinical experience and relevant qualification(s) in social work, psychology or a related discipline is essential.

What we can offer you!!

• Professional support and training via in-house learning and development training modules
• Attractive salary packaging to increase your take home pay
• Great career development opportunities.
• Access to Employee support and wellbeing program(s)
• Opportunity to work and build connection with the Aboriginal Community and culture

We strongly encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders people to apply.

Applications should include a cover letter addressing the key selection criteria and current resume.

We encourage applicants to view the Position Description prior to applying. Please click here to view the position description

We are committed to Aboriginal self-determination and supporting strong, safe, thriving Aboriginal communities and aim to ensure every individual is treated with dignity, honouring all cultural backgrounds, abilities, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities and spiritual beliefs.

VACCA is a child-safe organisation and is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children and young people with zero tolerance for child abuse. All successful applicants will be required to undertake a National Police Record Check and Working with Children Check prior to commencement of employment and periodically following commencement.

VACCA is an equal opportunity employer and has a smoke-free workplace policy.