Child Wellbeing Practitioner

Department of Human Services; Renmark; On-site; AUD 95,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working arrangements

Learning and development opportunities

Job summary

Department of Human Services in Australia is seeking a Child Wellbeing Practitioner to support the Child Wellbeing Program, engaging with Education sites, families and communities to promote safe and positive outcomes for vulnerable children. The role links Education, Child Protection, and health networks to deliver timely interventions.

The position is part of Safer Family Services, emphasizes collaboration, and may require interstate travel.

Qualifications

• Incumbent should hold an appropriate Social Work qualification from a recognised tertiary institution giving eligibility for full membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers.

Responsibilities

• Strengthen communication and understanding between DHS, DCP, EDU and Health systems for timely and effective service responses.
• Identify risk and assess needs of vulnerable children and families, plan and deliver focussed interventions to safeguard outcomes.
• Provide high-quality service delivery and work in collaboration with government and non-government services to mitigate child protection risk.

Education

Social Work qualification (AASW eligible)

Job description

Here at the Department of Human Services (DHS), we strive to deliver modern programs, services and policy that strengthen communities and enable South Australians to actively participate in community life. With people at the heart of what we do and a commitment to child safety, ageing well and supporting people with disability, we work to increase inclusion, independence and decision-making, and help our communities when it matters most.

About the Business Safer Family Services

Our Safer Family Services team delivers a range of services, including intensive family support and multi-agency responses, to help children stay safely at home with their families and avoid the need for out-of-home care. They also help families with parenting support, workshops and connection to community events and initiatives to improve child safety and wellbeing.

Role Highlights

• Access excellent learning and development opportunities
• Flexible working arrangements available
• Provide a range of services to promote wellbeing of young people

Role Details

The Child Wellbeing Program (CWP) is a targeted program aimed at assisting Education staff to quickly identify vulnerable children and their families, to engage them in, and with, timely and appropriate support services, resulting in fewer children and families reaching the level of concern that requires a statutory child protection response. Child Wellbeing staff work closely with Education sites, to enhance their ability to engage with families in a setting that is generally perceived by children and families to be accepting and positive. The Child Wellbeing Program has been designed to provide an integral link between Education sites, Child Protection operational services and Department of Human Services (DHS), Safer Family Services (SFS). Child Wellbeing staff will build and support collaborative systemic responses across pre-statutory child protection systems, across government and non-government service sectors. The Child Wellbeing Practitioner (CWP) works to support and engage directly with vulnerable children, young people and families at risk, and is accountable to the Supervisor, Child Wellbeing Program (CWP) for: strengthening communication and understanding between the Department for Child Protection (DCP), Department for Education (EDU), and Health systems for timely and effective service responses to meeting the needs of children and their families demonstrating effective case practice and case management, providing high quality and effective service delivery to respond to the needs of children and their families in a timely manner and in a supportive diversionary role promoting and developing partnerships with government and non-government support services, to identify and implement responses to mitigate child protection risk (including domestic and family violence) for vulnerable children and their families creating opportunities to work in collaboration with other services to effectively link vulnerable children and families to relevant services identifying risk and assessing the needs of vulnerable children and families, planning and delivering focussed intervention to safeguard children and young people within their families and communities to promote positive outcomes.

Special Conditions

• National Police Check required.
• Employment-related Screening Check required.
• Some interstate and intrastate travel may be required.
• Must hold a current Australian issued driver's licence (equivalent to minimum class C).
• Must comply with any order, direction, policy or procedure of the Chief Executive or delegate to receive vaccinations.

Essential Qualifications

Incumbent should hold an appropriate Social Work qualification from a recognised tertiary institution giving eligibility for full membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers. Persons of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, who have the appropriate background and skills but do not hold the essential qualification, may apply for and be engaged/assigned to the role of Social Worker and will be entitled to apply for any Allied Health Professional roles requiring a qualification in Social Work within the Department of Human Services.

Classification AHP2 - Allied Health Professional

Salary Range $94,997-$110,052

Duration Term up to eleven (11) months

Enquiries to Matthew Holmes Phone: [phone] Email: [emailprotected]

Diversity and Inclusion

DHS is committed to making our services and workplaces safe and inclusive for all people and ensuring the full diversity of the communities we serve are represented in our workforce, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability and/or neurodivergence, young people, older people, culturally and linguistically diverse people, LGBTIQA+ and gender diverse people. We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to provide a positive, barrier-free recruitment process. If you require assistance with this process, please contact us at [emailprotected] and a member of the team will get back to you. The South Australian public sector promotes diversity and flexible ways of working, including part time. Applicants are encouraged to discuss flexible working arrangements for this role. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to apply. We also celebrate the many strengths and skills people with disability and/or neurodivergent people bring to our workplace and acknowledge our role in ensuring a supportive work environment for people with disability and/or neurodivergent people to thrive in.