First Nations Caseworker - PSP (Out of Home Care)

Uniting; Dubbo; On-site; AUD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Ex-gratia leave

Paid parental leave

Family violence leave

Hybrid work options

Professional development

Job summary

Uniting NSW.ACT is seeking a First Nations Caseworker to support Aboriginal children in out-of-home care, with a focus on safety, permanency, and cultural identity. You will coordinate care, plan with families, and travel across Western NSW to build strong, respectful relationships within communities.

This identified Aboriginal position requires deep cultural understanding, independence, and the ability to manage a caseload while ensuring quality care and compliance.

Qualifications

• Identified Aboriginal position with strong cultural ties to community.
• Ability to build culturally respectful relationships with birth families and extended kin.
• Independent worker with planning skills and face-to-face engagement.
• Comfort with complex family situations including trauma and placement changes.
• Strong and responsive communication with active listening.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate care for Aboriginal children in out-of-home care with focus on permanency, culture and healing.
• Plan weekly schedules with regular home visits, informal visits, appointments and family time.
• Liaise with carers and birth families; keep children connected to their community, country and culture.
• Manage caseload (up to 12 children, depending on complexity) and complete required admin/compliance tasks.
• Travel across Western NSW to support communities and maintain relationships.

Skills

Community connections

Cultural knowledge

Planning & scheduling

Face-to-face communication

Trauma-informed approach

Willingness to travel

Driver's licence

Job description

About the Role

This is a full-time (35 hours / week) permanent opportunity based in Dubbowith travel across Western and Far Western NSW region

As a First Nations Caseworker, you’ll be a key figure in a child’s life supporting their safety, their story, and their cultural identity. You’ll be responsible for coordinating care for Aboriginal children and young people in out-of-home care, with a strong focus on permanency, cultural connection, and healing.

You’ll have control over your daily planning, allowing you to plan your work week based on the needs of the children, families, and carers you support. This includes conducting regular home visits, frequent informal visits, appointments, and family time. As well as liaising with carers and birth families, and ensuring children stay connected with their broader mob.

About you in the role

• Developing and reviewing case plans and risk assessments.
• Supporting family time and building strong, culturally respectful relationships with birth families and extended kin.
• Working toward guardianship outcomes where appropriate.
• Collaborating with the clinical team on behaviour support planning.
• Navigating placement breakdowns and sourcing culturally safe alternative placements.
• Drawing on your community connections and cultural knowledge to keep children close to their families, Country and culture.
• Managing a caseload of up to 12 children (depending on complexity).
• Completing a range of administrative and compliance-related tasks that are part of ensuring quality care and protection for each child.

• This role is based on core hours from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm however, flexibility to work outside these hours is required to meet the needs of children, young people, and the program.

The role involves regular travel across Western NSW, so you’ll need to be comfortable being on the road, visiting communities and maintaining strong, face-to-face relationships.

About You

• This is an identified Aboriginal position. Only Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are eligible to apply in accordance with Section 14 (d) of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW).

• You are a proud Aboriginal person with deep cultural understanding and strong ties to community.
• You are passionate about keeping Aboriginal children safe while helping them maintain lifelong connections to family, mob and culture.
• You thrive when working independently, planning your schedule and connecting with families face-to-face.
• You’re confident working through complex family situations, including trauma and placement changes.
• You’re a strong and responsive communicator who listens deeply, speaks with heart, and walks alongside people with respect.
• Ability to analyse information and write accurate and clear documentation.
• You hold a current driver’s licence and are ready to travel across Western NSW.

Why Join Us?

• Be part of a culturally safe and supportive team that honours Aboriginal ways of being, knowing and doing.
• Enjoy flexibility to manage your time and wellbeing.
• Access ongoing cultural supervision, clinical support, and professional development.
• Help build a future where Aboriginal children are safe, strong and thriving and connected to family, culture and Country.
• Ex-gratia leave (up to 5 days per year), paid parental leave, and family violence leave.
• Hybrid work options and time-in-lieu to support flexibility.

Closing date: 11:55pm Tuesday 15th September 2026

Employment with Uniting is subject to satisfactory background checks, which include National Police Checks, Working with Children Checks and Reference Checks.

About Uniting

When you’re part of Uniting NSW.ACT, you’re part of a diverse, purpose-led team of people making a real difference.

We contribute to the work and mission of the Uniting Church in NSW and the ACT through social justice advocacy, community services, and spiritual care. Our purpose is to inspire people, enliven communities, and confront injustice.

We acknowledge the continuing sovereignty and rich cultural diversity of Australia’s First Peoples. We pay our respects to all Elders—past, present, and emerging—and to all First Peoples on whose lands we live and work.

Uniting is a Child Safe Organisation committed to promoting the safety, wellbeing, and inclusion of children and young people.