Principal Practitioner (Identified)

& District Aboriginal Co; City of Greater Bendigo; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

12% Superannuation

Salary Packaging

Training and development opportunities

Supportive work environment

Job summary

BDAC's Aboriginal Children Aboriginal Care programs; Mutjang bupuwingarrak mukman and Wartaka oversee the administration of the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 for children authorised to BDAC. The Principal Practitioner will lead practice development, integrate Aboriginal healing approaches, and provide expert advice on risk assessment and case planning.

This role supports training and professional development of ACAC practitioners and contributes to internal policy development, with

Qualifications

• Recognised Social Work degree or Diploma in Community Services Work with trauma focus.
• Experience with Aboriginal community members or organisations preferred.
• Ability to mentor ACAC practitioners and provide risk assessment guidance.

Responsibilities

• Lead practice development across ACAC programs.
• Provide expert consultation to ACAC practitioners and leadership.
• Oversee documentation and case planning under the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005.
• Represent BDAC in forums and develop program policies.

Skills

Trauma-informed practice

Aboriginal engagement

Risk assessment

Supervision

Communication

Education

Social Work degree or Diploma in Community Services Work

Job description

Job Description

Job Category: Community Services & Social Work

Please note: This is an Aboriginal Designated Position, classified under 'special measures' of section 12 of the Equal Opportunity Act 2010. Only Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people are eligible to apply.

About BDAC

BDAC is an ACCO (Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation) registered as a member under the umbrella of VACCHO (Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation) and represented nationally through NACCHO (National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation).

BDAC was founded to represent and provide services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living on Djaara Country.

BDAC has a responsibility to ensure growth of services, development of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, better and improved health outcomes for our people, improved quality of life and be a lead agency in providing self-determination employment and career pathways for Aboriginal people.

What We Are Offering

• Full Time
• Pay Aligned with SCHADS Grade 8
• Access to Salary Packaging
• 12% Superannuation
• Supportive work environment
• Ongoing training and development opportunities

Job Description

About the Position

BDAC's Aboriginal Children Aboriginal Care programs; Mutjang bupuwingarrak mukman (a Dja Dja Wurrung name meaning "keeping our kids safe") and Wartaka (a Dja Dja Wurrung name meaning "come with purpose") are responsible for administering the Children's Youth and Families Act 2005 for children authorised to BDAC under section 18. The Principal Practitioner is an instrumental role across the programs and will be responsible for practice development, developing and integrating therapeutic responses with an Aboriginal approach to healing as well as providing expert advice and consultation in relation to working with Aboriginal families, risk assessment, case planning and cultural planning.

This position will support the development of internal training and professional development of ACAC practitioners and support in developing internal policies and procedures. This positions at times will require after hours work

Key Responsibilities

• Integrate the Aboriginal Children in Aboriginal Care approach to working with Aboriginal children and their families.
• Further develop the Aboriginal Children in Aboriginal Care program manual.
• Support in upskilling ACAC practitioners with procedures from the program manual.
• Provide expert consultation to ACAC practitioners and leadership.
• Expert understanding of the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005, that supports embedding practice.
• Complete visits with children, young people, parent's and carer's as well as other professionals.
• Undertake specialist assessments and interventions, case reviews, appeals and maintain case records.
• Exercise a range of authorities and legal delegations under 18 of the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 and other specific delegations and functions including adherence to relevant practice standards.
• Establish and maintain excellent working relationships with key stakeholders both internal and external.
• Assist in the development of policies and procedures.
• Prepare and oversee the preparation of documentation, present information and make recommendations to the Children's Court of Victoria and other relevant courts and tribunal processes on decisions and actions in the best interests of the child.
• Assist in maintenance of operational level of program development and service delivery.
• Represent BDAC at varying forums, promoting the work of ACAC.
• Deliver expert supervision and leadership to staff and students.
• Support in writing grant submissions.

Desired Skills and Experience

About You

• Ability to embed ACAC practice across the ACAC program.
• Expert knowledge of therapeutic approaches to working with people who have experienced trauma, ability to consult and provide mentoring and support to ACAC practitioners.
• Highly developed skills and ability to provide consultation on risk assessment and safety planning.
• Expert knowledge and ability to administer the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 and the Child Wellbeing Act 2005 particularly relating to Aboriginal children and families.
• Demonstrate self-care and resilience to supporting a team working with children and families in crisis and have experienced trauma.
• Ability to prepare and oversee the preparation of high-quality documentation for a range of audiences.
• Knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal cultural and the ACCHO environment.
• Ability to engage children, young people, families and communities.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills including the capacity to negotiate and work effectively within a range of individuals and agencies to achieve positive outcomes.
• Willingness to work through conflict situations in an understanding way to achieve the best possible outcome.
• Ability to work afterhours and on call as required.
• Ability to make decisions in high pressure contexts, clearly able to communicate rationals for the decisions.

Education, Training and/or Competencies.

Mandatory

A recognised Social Work degree or a recognised Diploma of Community Services Work, or similar qualification which is studied over a minimum of two academic years of full-time study (or part time equivalent) and includes:

• A primary focus on child development, human behaviour, family dynamics and/or impacts of trauma.
• Supervised fieldwork placement (ideally completed within the child and family welfare sector) and at least one unit of study in case management, case work practice or counselling.
• Previous experience working with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community members or in an Aboriginal organisation (preferred)

Mandatory Requirements

Should an applicant be the preferred candidate, background checks (Police check, reference check and Working with Children's Check) will be completed prior to the candidate's employment being confirmed.

Please note: This is an Aboriginal Designated Position, classified under 'special measures' of section 12 of the Equal Opportunity Act 2010. Only Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people are eligible to apply.