Child and Family Counsellor

Colac Area Health; Colac; On-site; AUD 70,000 - 100,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary sacrificing/Packaging

Active Social Club

Extensive professional development

Employee Assistance Program

Access to on-site research support

Job summary

Colac Area Health in Victoria is seeking a dedicated Child and Family Counsellor to join our Community Health team. The role delivers assessment, individual and family therapy, parent-focused interventions and systemic supports within a trauma-informed framework.

Part-time, 48 hours per fortnight, maternity leave replacement from 28 September 2026 to 30 September 2027. Collaboration with multidisciplinary teams and external agencies to foster family wellbeing and positive outcomes.

Qualifications

• Relevant tertiary qualification in Social Work, Psychology, Counselling, Welfare or related discipline.
• Experience undertaking assessment and therapeutic interventions with children, young people and families.
• Demonstrated ability to provide flexible, culturally safe and inclusive therapeutic support.
• Strong interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary and integrated service environment.
• Understanding of social, economic and structural factors impacting children, young people and families.
• Current Victorian Driver's Licence.
• Current Working with Children Check.
• Satisfactory National Police Check.
• Commitment to ongoing professional development.
• Experience delivering child, adolescent and family therapy interventions.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed counselling approaches.
• Experience facilitating therapeutic groups and family-focused programs.
• Experience working with children and families who have experienced trauma.

Responsibilities

• Provide counselling and therapeutic support to children aged 5-12 years and their families.
• Work within a trauma-informed and family-centred framework.
• Deliver assessment, intervention, referral and advocacy services.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and community agencies.
• Contribute to community education, health promotion and service development.

Skills

Interpersonal communication

Verbal communication

Written communication

Trauma-informed practice

Education

Tertiary qualification in Social Work, Psychology, Counselling or Welfare

Tools

Driver's Licence (Vic)

Working with Children Check

National Police Check

Job description

Classification -Allied Health Professionals (Victorian Public Sector)(Single Interest Employers) Enterprise Agreement 2021-2026 : SC21 SCWork Grade 2, Year 1 || Allied Health Professionals (Victorian Public Sector)(Single Interest Employers) Enterprise Agreement 2021-2026 : SC22 SCWork Grade 2, Year 2 || Allied Health Professionals (Victorian Public Sector)(Single Interest Employers) Enterprise Agreement 2021-2026 : SC23 SCWork Grade 2, Year 3 || Allied Health Professionals (Victorian Public Sector)(Single Interest Employers) Enterprise Agreement 2021-2026 : SC24 SCWork Grade 2, Year 4

Job Category -Child and Family Counsellor

About Us

Situated just 150 kilometres south-west of Melbourne, at the foot of the stunning Otway Ranges, close to Lorne and the Surf Coast, Colac Area Health services 21,000 people who call the Shire home. Colac Area Health meets the needs of more than 30,000 people in the Corangamite, Colac Otway, and Surf Coast Shires. A unique integrated health service providing a wide range of clinical and non-clinical services to the Colac and district community.

About the role

• Provide counselling and therapeutic support to children aged 5-12 years and their families
• Work within a trauma-informed and family-centred framework
• Deliver assessment, intervention, referral and advocacy services
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and community agencies
• Contribute to community education, health promotion and service development

Child & Family CounsellorPart time – 48 hours per fortnightMaternity Leave Replacement 28.09.2026 to 30.09.2027

Colac Area Health (CAH) is a values-based organisation providing a unique integrated health service comprising of over 500 employees, providing Acute Care, Aged Care, Community and Allied Health Services.

Colac Area Health is seeking an experienced and compassionate Child and Family Counsellor to join our Community Health team. This rewarding role provides the opportunity to support children and families experiencing a range of social, emotional and behavioural challenges through evidence-based therapeutic interventions.

Working within a trauma-informed care model, you will provide assessment, individual counselling, parent-focused interventions, family therapy and systemic supports that strengthen family wellbeing and improve outcomes for children. You will also work collaboratively with internal programs and external agencies to ensure coordinated, client-centred care.

This position is ideal for a qualified professional who is passionate about supporting children and families, values integrated practice, and enjoys working within a supportive multidisciplinary environment.

What’s required?

• Relevant tertiary qualification in Social Work, Psychology, Counselling, Welfare or related discipline.
• Experience undertaking assessment and therapeutic interventions with children, young people and families.
• Demonstrated ability to provide flexible, culturally safe and inclusive therapeutic support.
• Strong interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary and integrated serviceenvironment.
• Understanding of social, economic and structural factors impacting children, young people and families.
• Current Victorian Driver's Licence.
• Current Working with Children Check.
• Satisfactory National Police Check.
• Commitment to ongoing professional development.
• Experience delivering child, adolescent and family therapy interventions.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed counselling approaches.
• Experience facilitating therapeutic groups and family-focused programs.
• Experience working with children and families who have experienced trauma.

Benefits working with us

Colac Area Health offers the following benefits.

• Extensive organisational orientation/department induction
• Salary Sacrificing/Packaging
• Active Social Club
• Extensive professional development and continuing education
• Employee Assistance Program
• Access to on-site research support from the CAH Research Unit and the Western Alliance Academic Health Science Centre

To learn about our town and region please visit: Discovering natures wonders in Colac

Diversity and Inclusion

We believe in the power of diversity and inclusion. We celebrate the unique backgrounds, perspectives, and talents of our team members, fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and respected.

Our commitment to diversity strengthens our ability to provide compassionate and equitable care to all individuals, regardless of their backgrounds, abilities and identities.

We are committed to providing positive employment opportunities and a workplace that promotes wellbeing, and we welcome and encourage applications from those who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

We actively encourage individuals with disabilities and diverse backgrounds and identities to apply for our positions. Should you require any reasonable adjustments or support during the recruitment process, we are here to assist you every step of the way.

We are committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people.

Position Description

Are you currently a Colac Area Health employee? If so, please log into the People Plus internal careers site here or via your applications using your network login. Here you will find the full list of jobs available to you. You can then apply though the internal portal.

This role requires you to provide evidence of the current influenza vaccination.

Contact person: Ruth Hamilton

Email: *********@cah.vic.gov.au

Phone: [phone]***