Lead Practitioner Family Services

Uniting Vic.Tas; Pakenham Upper; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary packaging up to $15,900

Meal entertainment benefit $2,650

Purchase leave program

Paid parental leave (up to 10 weeks)

Leave loading 17.5%

Job summary

Uniting Vic.Tas in Pakenham, VIC, is seeking a Social Worker for the Family Services Restoring Families program. The role delivers community‑based support and in‑home case management for families with significant, enduring needs, with referrals from Child Protection, Corrections or Youth Justice.

You will lead a multi‑disciplinary care team to create safety for children, support reunification when children are in out‑of‑home care, and help families build capability and resilience through

Qualifications

• Minimum tertiary qualification in Social Work, Psychology, Welfare or a related discipline is essential.
• Demonstrated experience working in an evidence-based program.
• Demonstrated strong risk assessment and decision-making abilities.
• Ability to balance multiple complex demands while maintaining high quality outcomes.
• Consistently manages administration tasks in a timely manner.
• Experience working with families and children with significant, enduring needs and complex challenges.
• Strong knowledge of Best Interests Case Practice Model and CYFA 2005.
• Advanced understanding of child development, trauma and attachment.

Responsibilities

• Using evidence-based frameworks to create sustainable change for families.
• Leading a care team of multi-disciplinary support services to create safety for children.
• Safely supporting reunification when children are in out-of-home care.
• Preserve children in the family home through therapeutic interventions and strategies that build capability and resilience

Skills

Risk assessment

Decision making

Multitasking

Administration

Experience with families and children

Best Interests Case Practice Model

CYFA 2005 knowledge

Child development, trauma & attachment

Education

Tertiary qualification in Social Work, Psychology, Welfare or related discipline

Job description

533541

Pakenham, VIC, 3810

Child, Youth & Families

Maximum Term Full Time

Closing on: Oct 2 2026

Full Time Max term position until 28 May 2027

SCHADS Level 5 + Super + Salary packaging

Increase fortnight take-home pay with access to $15,900 salary packaging benefits!

Based at Pakenham

Your new role

The Family Services Restoring Families steam provides community-based support and case management for families with significant, enduring needs. It offers comprehensive, interdisciplinary in-home child and family support that are targeted and intensive.

This program work closely with Child Protection with referrals being received through Child Protection, Corrections, Youth Justice or a designated statewide coordinator (for 10-11-year-old children under the age of criminal responsibility engaging in high harm behaviour).

Your Impact Will Include

• Using evidence-based frameworks to create sustainable change for families.
• Leading a care team of multi-disciplinary support services to create safety for children.
• Safely supporting reunification when children are in out-of-home care.
• Preserve children in the family home through a range of therapeutic interventions and strategies that allow families to build capability and resilience

Benefits of working at Uniting

At Uniting, You’ll Enjoy

• Working in a large values-led organisation with real community impact.
• Up to $15,900 in salary packaging benefits that can be used for living expenses such as groceries, bills, clothing and streaming services.
• Save on dining out and drinks with a meal entertainment benefit of $2,650 annually.
• Increase your annual leave entitlements through our purchase leave program.
• Up to 10 weeks of paid parental leave for primary caregivers (4 for secondary).
• An extra 17.5% on top of your fortnightly pay when you take paid annual leave.
• Opt in or out of public holidays and be respected for your unique background.

Your skills and experience

You will meet the person specification in the position description, including having a Minimum tertiary qualification in Social Work, Psychology, Welfare or a related discipline is essential

You Will Also Have

• Demonstrated experience working in an evidence-based program: The successful applicant will have demonstrated experience working under evidence-based programs and ensure fidelity to evidence-based models. It is preferable that the candidate has knowledge of the current research the informs our work with families.
• Demonstrate strong risk assessment and decision-making abilities
• Demonstrates the ability to balance multiple complex demands whilst maintaining high quality outcomes
• Consistently manages administration tasks in a timely manner
• Demonstrated experience working with families and children with significant, enduring needs and who face multiple, persistent and complex challenges
• Strong knowledge of Best Interests Case Practice Model and CYFA 2005.
• Advanced understanding of child development, trauma and attachment.

View the position description here.

About Uniting

At Uniting we are passionate about working together to inspire people, enliven communities and confront injustice. We have a 5,000 strong workforce of employees and volunteers who deliver a diverse range of services across Victoria and Tasmania.

Visit us: www.vt.uniting.org

We are proud to work alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities, and we strongly encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants to apply. We are committed to creating a culturally safe, welcoming and supportive workplace.

Uniting is a child safe organisation and is committed in everyday practice to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all children, at all times. As a ‘child safe’ organisation, employment with Uniting is subject to a satisfactory national (and international where relevant) police check and relevant Working with Children Check in your State prior to commencement of any paid or unpaid work and/or participation in any service or undertaking.

Through the recruitment process, we will ask you for personal information. Disclosure is optional, however, it can help us support you better. We invite you to tell us if you identify as Aboriginal, a person with disability, from a diverse background or LGBTQIA+. You will be given an opportunity in the application form to request additional support. We welcome the opportunity to discuss how we can support you.

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