JOB DESCRIPTION:

• Position: Family Practitioner
• Program: Yawarj Mara Empowering Families
• Hours per week: Full-time, 35hrs
• Reports to: Team Leader, Empowering Families
• Probationary Period: 6 months from commencement of employment
• Salary: Negotiable between $80,000-$95,000 depending qualifications and experience
• Award: Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry - Level 3-5
• Excellent salary packaging: plus 11.5% to a nominated Superannuation account
• Ex Gratia Days: at Easter, Christmas including NAIDOC Day, plus Public Holidays

ABOUT yerrabi yurwang

Yerrabi Yurwang Child & Family Aboriginal Corporation(Yerrabi) was established in 2019, due to the high unmet health and wellbeing needs of the local Aboriginal Community residing in Canberra’s North-western Ngunnawal region. Yerrabi Yurwang means to ‘walk strong’ and was bestowed upon the organisation by our esteemed and respected NgunnawalElder Aunty Agnes Shea OAM, who was also a Founding Board Member of Yerrabi and our Inaugural Patron. In Dec 2024, Yerrabi also established Yerrabi Health in Macquarie ACT, to provide comprehensive Primary Health Services to the high unmet health and wellbeing needs of the local Aboriginal Community.

Yerrabi operates in the Northwest of the Australian Capital Territory, part of the traditional lands of the NgunnawalPeople.

Yerrabi is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO), which means it is owned and operated by Aboriginal People, for Aboriginal People, and so, we are committed to the principle of Aboriginalself-determination, whereby we seek to engage and empower Aboriginal People and their Families who utilise Yerrabi’s services that align with our Vision Statement, Strategic Priorities, Values and Goals.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

The Yawarj Mara Empowering Families Program supports Aboriginal children, young people, and their families to thrive by reducing involvement with statutory systems through early intervention, family preservation, and restoration support. We work alongside Aboriginal families, building on their inherent strengths, to address their immediate needs, helping stabilise their situations and prevent involvement with the ACT Child Protection and Youth Justice systems. By connecting Aboriginal families with access to practical and wraparound supports, we work to promote long-term connection, safety and stability. Our approach safeguards Aboriginal children, enabling them to remain at home, while empowering their parents to create nurturing environments where their families thrive.

When children cannot safely remain at home, the Yawarj Mara Empowering Families Team coordinate support for Aboriginal children and young people in Out of Home Care, partnering with families, carers, government and non-government agencies to ensure they remain connected to their culture, family, and community. We support parents in making the necessary changes for their children's safe return home, guiding Aboriginal families throughout the restoration process, and ensuring their involvement in key decisions. Through these efforts, we empower Aboriginal families to create lasting, positive change, ensuring their children grow up safe, healthy, and connected to their family, culture, and community.

ABOUT the role

As a Family Practitioner, you will play a vital role within Yerrabi’s Empowering Families team, providing culturally responsive and trauma-informed support to Aboriginal children, young people, families, carers, parents, and community members. This role focuses on working alongside Aboriginal families who are at risk of involvement with, or currently engaged in, the ACT child protection and youth justice systems. Guided by an Aboriginal-led, strengths-focused and wholistic model of care, you will deliver intensive case management services that supports early intervention, family preservation and restoration. Your work will involve helping families to remain safely together wherever possible, assisting with the safe return of Aboriginal children from out-of-home care, and advocating for family-led solutions that prioritise safety, wellbeing, connection, and resilience. You will collaborate closely with community, government, and sector partners to strengthen referral pathways and ensure families have access to coordinated, culturally responsive wraparound support. Through this role, you will be central to empowering Aboriginal families to build strong, thriving futures and navigate systemic challenges with dignity, self-determination, and cultural pride. Working closely with the Team Leaders (Empowering Families), sector professionals, families and community, you will work to:

• Improve local, cultural, community-led responses to enhance service coordination and outcomes
• Ensure active implementation of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle (ATSICPP).
• Champion the delivery of the Closing the Gap priority reforms, particularly targets 11, 12, and 13, for the local Aboriginal community.

This role also requires the successful applicant to obtain a Community Agency Employee Consent clearance as per ACT Childcare, Youth and Families requirements.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

• Relevant qualifications or a minimum 2 years’ experience working with Aboriginal children, young people and families in community-based and/or child welfare settings.
• Demonstrated experience in delivering culturally responsive, strengths based, and trauma informed therapeutic interventions to Aboriginal children, young people and their families.
• Demonstrated ability to work within a multi-disciplinary team and work independently.
• Demonstrated awareness and commitment to working within the ‘Best Interest Principles’ outlined within the Child and Young People Act 2008 and a sound understanding of the ACT Child Protection and Youth Justice systems.
• Sound understanding of child and adolescent development including the impacts of child abuse and neglect, as well as demonstrated resilience to work with and support clients who have been exposed to trauma, violence, abuse and/or neglect.
• Demonstrated knowledge of early intervention and prevention practice and principles including a broad understanding of inter-generational trauma and ongoing impacts of colonisation.
• Demonstrated understanding of the ATSICPP and ability to apply this practice.
• Strong organisational skills and ability to multi-task with demonstrated experience in working as a valuable part of a team.
• Demonstrated experience in actively engaging vulnerable children, young people, and families, particularly those who are reluctant to use support services, utilising a child-focused family-centred approach.
• Well-developed verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills. Strong organisational skills and ability to multi-task with demonstrated experience in working as a valuable part of a team.
• Familiarity with the use of technology including appropriate computer software to fulfil the responsibilities of the role.
• Ability to develop strong relationships and work effectively with a wide range of stakeholders including community, Government and Non-Government Organisations.

Please note, successful candidates will be required to provide the following mandatory certifications and checks as per ACT Children, Youth & Families requirements:

• Current Driver’s License
• Working with Vulnerable Persons Check (WWVP)
• National Police Check (NPC) - dated within the last 6 months
• Full Drivers History - dated within the last 6 months

DESIRABLE CRITERIA:

• Qualifications in social work, community services, mental health, allied health, youth work or related discipline.
• Professional experience working within statutory or non-statutory roles delivering Out of Home Care or
• Experiencing in delivering group programs (e.g. Circles of Security, Tuning into Kids, Functional Family Therapy, Family Group Conferencing etc).
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples are strongly encouraged to apply.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT:

• Be part of a hardworking, good humoured and supportive team.
• Work in an organisation that values its people promotes a strong sense of belonging.
• Flexible working conditions + excellent salary packaging.

A position description is attached.