Aboriginal Children in Aboriginal Care Team Leader

Bendigo and District Aboriginal Cooperative; Greater Bendigo; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary packaging

12% superannuation

Supportive work environment

Ongoing training and development

Job summary

Bendigo and District Aboriginal Cooperative (BDAC) invites applications for the Aboriginal Children in Aboriginal Care Team Leader role in Bendigo. You will supervise a team delivering services to promote safety, stability and wellbeing of Aboriginal children, with duties including legal delegations under the CYFA 2005 and collaboration with the Program Manager.

The role requires strong leadership, cultural safety commitment, and ability to navigate a statutory environment with after-hours

Qualifications

• Knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal history, Culture and the ACCHO environment.
• Understanding of the Children’s, Youth and Families Act 2005.
• Skills to engage Aboriginal families through a relational approach, maintaining professional boundaries.
• Knowledge of child and adolescent development and strategies for working with vulnerable children, young people and their families.
• Experience or detailed understanding of completing investigations, interview strategies and documenting evidence.
• Strong reasoning skills, ability to make assessments and communicate rational for assessments.
• Understanding of self-care and resilience when working with children and families in crisis and who have experienced trauma.
• Strong computer skills, ability to use a range of software and IT based reporting systems.
• Ability to prepare high quality plans, letters, emails and reports, ensure written communications achieve their purpose.
• Demonstrated skills in managing competing demands in a structured thoughtful manner.
• Ability to transport children, conduct home visits and willingness to travel as needed.
• Ability to work after hours and on call (when required)
• Skills in the delivery of supervision and managing performance issues.
• Expert understanding and ability to embed the CYFA 2005 in practice including the core responsibilities and principals of the Act.

Responsibilities

• Exercise a wide range of authorities and legal delegations under section 18 of the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 and other specific delegations and functions including adherence to relevant practice standards.
• Lead and supervise a team of staff working from a strengths approach.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships, ongoing communication, and successful negotiations with all key stakeholders both internal and external.
• Monitor and review key performance indicators to ensure effective service delivery with a focus on continual improvement.
• Use and coach staff to use a range of IT/web-based applications to manage workflow, approvals, and collection of information in accordance with guidelines and privacy principles.
• Prepare and oversee the preparation of documentation, present information and make recommendations to the Children’s Court of Victoria and other relevant courts and tribunal processes on decisions and actions in the best interests of the child.
• Be clear about accountability and responsibility for decisions and involve partners in joint problem solving.
• Contribute the body of practice and the development of policies and procedures.
• Maintain the operational level of program development and service delivery.
• Ensure applications are made to ensure all protection orders are current and updated (if required) prior to expiry date. Protection Orders that are close to expiry must be reported to the Program Manager.
• Authorise plans and delegated decisions in relation to risk assessment, analysis and mitigation/intervention
• Lead planning, review and management or their own work and team members case work
• Lead planning, review and management of issues in line with best practise principals and legislative requirements
• Demonstrate expertise in reflective practices through interactions and communication with staff and stakeholders.
• At times manage case allocation and case hold.
• Create an environment that allows for proactive and shared problem solving, supporting the team to use their strengths to resolve issues.
• Demonstrates leadership in applying culturally informed practice.
• Creates awareness of any changes in business operations and ensures implementation of new practices/processes.
• Ability to work after hours and on call (when required)

Skills

Aboriginal history & culture

CYF Act 2005 understanding

Relational engagement with families

Professional boundaries

Case investigation & evidence

Reflective practice

Supervision & performance management

IT / reporting systems

Job description

Aboriginal Children in Aboriginal Care Team Leader

BDAC is an ACCO (Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation) registered as a member under the umbrella of VACCHO (Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation) and represented nationally through NACCHO (National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation).

BDAC was founded to represent and provide services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living on Djaara Country.

BDAC has a responsibility to ensure growth of services, development of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, better and improved health outcomes for our people, improved quality of life and be a lead agency in providing self-determination employment and career pathways for Aboriginal people.

What We Are Offering

• Full time
• 12 months fixed term
• Access to Salary Packaging
• 12% Superannuation
• Supportive work environment
• Ongoing training and development opportunities

About the Position

Reporting to the Program Manager and supported by higher leadership, working within the ACAC Wartaka program (a Dja Dja Wurrung name meaning “Come with purpose”)

The Team Leader will provide high quality supervision and support to a team of staff who work with children, families and community to promote the safety, stability and wellbeing of Aboriginal children under the Children’s Youth and Families Act 2005. The ACAC Wartaka Team Leader is responsible for effective service delivery, managing resources and cases awaiting allocation and a small team of practitioners. The Team Leader has the formal delegation to make decisions to bring about the changes necessary to ensurethe cultural safety, safety, stability and development of children and young people. The position will work collaboratively with the Program manager around compliance and meeting legislative requirements and the Senior case manager to strengthen case practice, provide effective service delivery and to support other practitioners.

The Wartaka team leaders work in a statutory environment where they must exercise legal delegations and functions pursuant to the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic). The Act under Section 18 provides the legislative mandate for the ACAC programs to protect children and young people using best interest and decision-making principles. This mandate involves, receiving reports, conducting investigations, intervening if it is assessed that a child needs care and protection, taking matters before the Children’s Court, supervising children on child protection orders, determining case plans (including stability plans, cultural plans and therapeutic treatment plans) for the safety and wellbeing of children, and delivering case practice and case management services for children and young people who are either living with family or in out of home care.

Key Responsibilities

Supported by the Program Manager and senior leadership, the team leader will:

• Exercise a wide range of authorities and legal delegations under section 18 of the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 and other specific delegations and functions including adherence to relevant practice standards.
• Lead and supervise a team of staff working from a strengths approach.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships, ongoing communication, and successful negotiations with all key stakeholders both internal and external.
• Monitor and review key performance indicators to ensure effective service delivery with a focus on continual improvement.
• Use and coach staff to use a range of IT/web-based applications to manage workflow, approvals, and collection of information in accordance with guidelines and privacy principles.
• Prepare and oversee the preparation of documentation, present information and make recommendations to the Children’s Court of Victoria and other relevant courts and tribunal processes on decisions and actions in the best interests of the child.
• Be clear about accountability and responsibility for decisions and involve partners in joint problem solving.
• Contribute the body of practice and the development of policies and procedures.
• Maintain the operational level of program development and service delivery.
• Ensure applications are made to ensure all protection orders are current and updated (if required) prior to expiry date. Protection Orders that are close to expiry must be reported to the Program Manager.
• Authorise plans and delegated decisions in relation to risk assessment, analysis and mitigation/intervention
• Lead planning, review and management or their own work and team members case work
• Lead planning, review and management of issues in line with best practise principals and legislative requirements
• Demonstrate expertise in reflective practices through interactions and communication with staff and stakeholders.
• At times manage case allocation and case hold.
• Create an environment that allows for proactive and shared problem solving, supporting the team to use their strengths to resolve issues.
• Demonstrates leadership in applying culturally informed practice.
• Creates awareness of any changes in business operations and ensures implementation of new practices/processes.
• Ability to work after hours and on call (when required)

About You

• Knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal history, Culture and the ACCHO environment.
• Understanding of the Children’s, Youth and Families Act 2005.
• Skills to engage Aboriginal families through a relational approach, maintaining professional boundaries.
• Knowledge of child and adolescent development and strategies for working with vulnerable children, young people and their families.
• Experience or detailed understanding of completing investigations, interview strategies and documenting evidence.
• Strong reasoning skills, ability to make assessments and communicate rational for assessments.
• Understanding of self-care and resilience when working with children and families in crisis and who have experienced trauma.
• Strong computer skills, ability to use a range of software and IT based reporting systems.
• Ability to prepare high quality plans, letters, emails and reports, ensure written communications achieve their purpose.
• Demonstrated skills in managing competing demands in a structured thoughtful manner.
• Ability to transport children, conduct home visits and willingness to travel as needed.
• Ability to work after hours and on call (when required)
• Skills in the delivery of supervision and managing performance issues.
• Expert understanding and ability to embed the CYFA 2005 in practice including the core responsibilities and principals of the Act.

Mandatory Requirements

Should an applicant be the preferred candidate, background checks (Police check, reference check and Working with Children's Check) will be completed prior to the candidate’s employment being confirmed.

For more information about this position please see the Position Description which can be accessed via our website www.bdac.com.au or contact our human resources team on(03) 5442 4***orsend an email through to***********@bdac.com.au