Placement Support Officer - Family Based Care (2 months contract)

Central Queensland Indigenous Development; Maryborough; On-site; AUD 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Central Queensland Indigenous Development position in Maryborough seeks a Placement Support Officer to assist Team Leader with personalised support for Foster Carers. You will manage initial assessments, safety studies and approvals, collaborating with Senior Practice Lead to safeguard Indigenous children in family-based care.

Strong cultural knowledge and trauma-informed practice are essential. Role focuses on culturally safe engagement, coordination of referrals, and timely documentation.

Qualifications

• A relevant qualification in community services, social work or related field.
• Strong cultural identity and connection to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community.
• Experience with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities in a safe, respectful way.
• Kinship care, foster care or family support experience is highly desirable.
• Knowledge or experience in carer assessments and Blue Card requirements is desirable.
• Understanding of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle.
• Ability to engage and build trusting relationships with families in complex circumstances.
• Ability to prepare clear, accurate, culturally respectful written reports.

Responsibilities

• Work under supervision to deliver the Equipping Kin service.
• Build trusting relationships with carers, children and family members.
• Ensure engagement respects culture, kinship and community connections.
• Apply culturally safe, trauma-informed and child-centred practice.
• Complete carer assessments and safety studies within timeframes.
• Support kinship carers with applications and approvals, including Blue Card.
• Provide families with clear information about statutory care and processes.
• Coordinate referrals and practical assistance with brokerage when needed.
• Ensure children's views and cultural identity are considered in assessments.
• Collaborate with Child Safety and community services and participate in supervision.

Skills

Cultural safety

Relationship building

Time management

Written reporting

Communication

Education

Community services qualification

Knowledge of Blue Card requirements

Job description

Placement Support Officer - Family Based Care (2 months contract)

Central Queensland Indigenous Development – Maryborough QLD

CQID is experiencing organisational growth across all services and seeking suitable candidates for a range of positions.

CQID is one of the largest employers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Central Queensland region. Offering a broad range of service areas, with roles that serve our community across Rockhampton, Bundaberg, Emerald, Gladstone, Hervey Bay, Longreach, Maryborough and Woorabinda.

A new organisational structure, designated HR team and the implementation of a new Workforce Strategy. Striving to support employees on their career journey is a priority and contributes us to being an Employer of Choice.

Purpose of the Position

CQID’s Strong Carers, Strong Children (Family Based Care Services)

The Placement Support Officer’s primary role is to support the Team Leader to Provide Foster Carers with personalised support and case management and journey with them to ensure the safety and successful placement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in a family home environment

Reporting to the Team Leader and working closely with the Senior Practice Lead, the role supports families through initial and provisional foster carer assessments, Household Safety Studies, Blue Card applications and other approval requirements. The position works in collaboration with other Strong Carers, Strong Children to identify their strengths, understand their circumstances and address practical barriers that may affect their ability to care.

The Placement Support Officer ensures Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, kinship systems, cultural authority, family relationships and connections to community and Country guide engagement and assessment practice. The role contributes to safe, stable and culturally connected family-based care arrangements that enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to remain connected to family, kin, culture, community and Country.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Work under the direction of the Team Leader and in collaboration with the Senior Practice Lead and other staff to deliver CQID’s Equipping Kin service.
• Build trusting and respectful relationships with carers, children, family members and household members through culturally safe engagement, home visits, outreach and yarning-based approaches.
• Ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, kinship systems, cultural authority, family relationships, community and connection to Country guide all engagement and assessment activities.
• Apply culturally safe, family-led, strengths-based, trauma-informed and child-centred practice consistent with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle.
• Complete carer assessments, Household Safety Studies and associated assessment documentation accurately and within required timeframes.
• Support prospective kinship carers and adult household members to understand and complete application, Blue Card, health, safety and other approval requirements.
• Provide families with clear and accessible information about statutory care, assessment processes, kinship carer responsibilities and available supports.
• Work alongside foster carer families to identify their strengths, support needs and barriers to caring and develop practical strategies to address them.
• Coordinate referrals, practical assistance and the timely and appropriate use of brokerage in accordance with relevant guidelines and approval processes.
• Ensure the views, wishes, safety, cultural identity and lifelong connection needs of children and young people are appropriately considered throughout assessment.
• Work collaboratively with children, families, kin, CQID programs, Child Safety, prescribed delegates, assessment panels and community services.
• Support culturally safe and coordinated referrals and transitions between Connecting Kin, Equipping Kin and Supporting Kin services.
• Participate in supervision, cultural reflection, case discussions, training and professional development.
• Maintain accurate, confidential and timely case notes, assessments, brokerage records, performance data and other required documentation.
• Identify and promptly report child safety, cultural safety, household, practice or compliance concerns to the Team Leader and Senior Practice Lead.
• Comply with relevant legislation, departmental requirements, assessment guidelines, CQID policies and quality standards.
• Undertake other reasonable duties consistent with the responsibilities and classification of the position.

Detailed procedures, practice requirements and operational responsibilities will be outlined in the Strong Carers, Strong Children Practice Manual.

Key Performance Indicators

• Prospective Foster carers and their households receive timely, respectful, culturally safe and practical support throughout the assessment and approval process.
• Carer assessments, Household Safety Studies and associated documentation are completed accurately and within required timeframes, including before provisional approvals expire.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, kinship systems, cultural authority, family relationships and connections to community and Country are consistently reflected in engagement and assessment practice.
• Practice demonstrates culturally safe, family-led, strengths-based, trauma-informed and child-centred approaches consistent with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle.
• Carers and adult household members are supported to understand and progress application, Blue Card, health, safety and approval requirements.
• Family strengths, needs and barriers to caring are identified early and addressed through practical assistance, coordinated referrals and appropriate use of brokerage.
• The views, wishes, cultural identity and lifelong connection needs of children and young people are appropriately considered and documented.
• Positive working relationships are maintained with families, kin, CQID staff and programs, Child Safety, prescribed delegates, assessment panels and community partners.
• Case notes, assessments, brokerage information, performance data and other records are accurate, confidential, current and completed within required timeframes.
• Child safety, cultural safety, household, practice and compliance concerns are identified and reported promptly.
• The Placement Support Officer participates actively in supervision, cultural reflection, team meetings, training and professional development.
• Individual work contributes to the Equipping Kin, Kinship Support, Connecting Kin service meeting its funded deliverables, quality standards and Strong Carers, Strong Children outcomes.

Qualifications and Experience

• A relevant qualification in community services, human services, child protection, social work or a related field, or a combination of relevant cultural knowledge, skills and demonstrated experience.
• Strong cultural identity, knowledge and connection to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community, with the ability to work respectfully across different communities, cultures and kinship systems.
• Demonstrated experience working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families, kin and communities in a culturally safe, respectful and strengths-based way.
• Experience in kinship care, foster and kinship care, child protection, family support, community services or a related area is highly desirable.
• Knowledge or experience in carer assessments, Household Safety Studies, Blue Card requirements and carer approval processes is desirable.
• Understanding of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle, family-led decision-making, cultural safety and the impacts of colonisation and intergenerational trauma.
• Demonstrated ability to engage and build trusting relationships with families experiencing complex circumstances.
• Ability to gather, assess and analyse information and prepare clear, accurate and culturally respectful written reports.
• Demonstrated ability to identify family strengths, support needs, safety concerns and practical barriers to caring.
• Strong communication, relationship-building, organisation, record-keeping and time-management skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and complete assessments, case notes and other documentation within required timeframes.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team and with Child Safety, prescribed delegates, community-controlled organisations and other service providers.
• Knowledge of confidentiality, information sharing, professional boundaries and child-safe practice requirements.
• Willingness to participate in supervision, cultural reflection, training and ongoing professional development.