Senior Practitioner - Kinship Pathways - Family Based Care

Central Queensland Indigenous Development; Maryborough; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Central Queensland Indigenous Development in Maryborough, QLD, is seeking a Senior Practitioner to lead Kinship Pathways assessments for Family Based Care. You will ensure culturally safe, evidence-informed practice, and comply with ATSICPP and legislation, guiding decisions to secure safe placements for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

The role requires advanced assessment, risk analysis and decision-making, with strong leadership across Fraser Coast, Bundaberg, Rockhampton and

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualification in social work or a related field is required.
• Demonstrated experience with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities preferred.
• Strong leadership and supervisory skills for Kinship care teams.
• Knowledge of ATSICPP principles and kinship care processes expected.

Responsibilities

• Lead assessments and approvals of kinship carers to ensure cultural safety and compliance with legislation.
• Uphold ATSICPP and cultural protocols in decision making and engage with stakeholders respectfully.
• Oversee timely completion of initial and provisional kinship carer assessments and related documentation.
• Provide expert practice guidance on complex matters including risk and legislation.
• Support service planning, workforce capability and continuous improvement.
• Travel regularly across Fraser Coast, Bundaberg, Rockhampton and Emerald regions for service delivery.

Skills

Cultural capability

Leadership

Communication

Supervision

Stakeholder engagement

Risk assessment

Education

Tertiary qualification in social work or related field

Job description

Senior Practitioner - Kinship Pathways - Family Based Care

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

The Senior Practitioner is responsible for leading the assessment and approval of Kinship carers, ensuring all assessments are culturally safe, evidence-informed, and compliant with legislation, practice frameworks, and organisational policy. The role ensures carers are safe, and capable of meeting the needs of children and young people in care.

A strong focus for this position is the application of culturally responsive practice, particularly in upholding the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle. The Senior Practitioner actively centres the voices, rights, and the best interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait children, families, and communities throughout assessment and decision-making processes. This includes engaging respectfully in line with cultural protocols and working in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders.

The role requires advanced skills in assessment, risk analysis, and decision-making, alongside the ability to lead complex assessments and provide clear, defensive recommendations, A strengths-based, safety-orientated approach underpins all practice, with a focus on achieving safe, culturally connected, and stable placements for children and young people.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, kinship systems, cultural authority, family relationships, community and connection to Country guide all service delivery.
• Embed culturally safe, family-led, strengths-based, trauma-informed and child-centred practice consistent with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle (ATSICPP).
• Oversee the timely completion of initial and provisional kinship carer assessments, Household Safety Studies, Blue Card requirements and associated documentation.
• Ensure prospective kinship carers and their households receive clear information, culturally safe engagement and practical assistance throughout the assessment and approval process.
• Maintain collaborative relationships with children, families, kin, CQID programs, Child Safety, prescribed delegates, assessment panels and community partners.
• Ensure service delivery complies with relevant legislation, departmental requirements, assessment guidelines, contractual obligations, CQID policies and quality standards.
• Lead and promote culturally safe, high-quality practice within the Fraser Coast, Bundaberg, Rockhampton and Emerald Foster and Kinship Care teams, with a strong commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families, and communities.
• Lead the intake, assessment, training and approval of kinship carers, ensuring processes are rigorous, culturally responsive, and compliant with legislation, policy, and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle.
• Provide expert practice guidance on complex matters, including risk, assessment, legislation, and culturally informed practice.
• Contribute to a culture of quality practice and continuous improvement, including identifying trends, informing service development, and strengthening outcomes for children and young people.
• Support strategic and operational planning, including service delivery, resource allocation, and workforce capability development.
• Build and maintain strong, respectful partnerships with internal and external stakeholders, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community representatives.
• Provide practice guidance and support staff, including the Senior Program Support Worker, to ensure accountable, culturally capable practice.
• Ensure compliance with organisational, legislative, and quality standards, including ISO 9001:2015, HSQS, and Workplace Health and Safety requirements.
• Contribute to achieving organisational goals and deliver high-quality, accountable services that improve outcomes for children, young people, and carers.
• Undertake additional duties as directed by the Regional Manager and in partnership with the managers.
• Undertake regular travel across the Rockhampton, and Emerald regions to support service delivery, community engagement, and stakeholder collaboration as required.
• Undertake other reasonable duties consistent with the responsibilities and classification of the position
• Undertake regular travel across the Fraser Coast, Bundaberg, Rockhampton, and Emerald regions to support service delivery, community engagement, and stakeholder collaboration as required.
• Undertake other reasonable duties consistent with the responsibilities and classification of the position

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

Key Performance Indicators

• Initial and provisional kinship 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 embedded in the team’s practice.
• Staff demonstrate culturally safe, family-led, strengths-based, trauma-informed and child-centred practice consistent with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle.
• Barriers affecting families’ ability to care are identified early and addressed through coordinated referrals, practical assistance and appropriate use of brokerage.
• Effective collaboration is maintained with the Program Manager, Team Leader, staff, CQID programs, Child Safety, prescribed delegates, assessment panels and community partners.
• Staff supervision, reflective practice, professional development and performance discussions occur regularly and are appropriately documented.
• Child safety, cultural safety, workforce, practice, operational and compliance risks are identified, managed and escalated promptly.
• The Equipping Kin service meets its funded deliverables, contractual obligations, quality standards and continuous improvement requirements.
• The team contributes to safe, stable and culturally connected care arrangements for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
• Complete and maintain oversight of initial carer assessments (including Expressions of Interest (EOI), Application for Initial Approval (APA) and Provisional Approval Carer Initial (PAC) Assessments ) in line with the recruitment plan and/or reporting requirements.
• Ensure assessments are commenced within required timeframes as outlined in the recruitment plan and/or reporting requirements.
• Ensure assessments are finalised within agreed timeframes as outlined in the recruitment plan and/or reporting requirements.
• Maintain an accurate and up-to-date assessment pipeline tracker in accordance with reporting requirements.
• Ensure all assessments are completed in accordance with legislative requirements, CQID policies and procedures, and relevant practice standards.
• Maintain high-quality assessment documentation that reflects comprehensive risk analysis, cultural considerations, and child-centred decision making in line with organisational requirements.
• Ensure assessment documentation meets internal and external audit requirements, with minimal need for rework.
• Support compliance with Statement of Standards and ATSICPP principles across all assessments.
• Ensure all potential kinship and family network options are explored and documented in line with practice requirements prior to non-kin approvals.
• Demonstrate culturally safe practice through active engagement with family, community, and relevant cultural stakeholders throughout the assessment process.
• Ensure cultural consultation is undertaken where appropriate and reflected in assessment outcomes.
• Promote and embed cultural connection planning within all relevant assessments
• Maintain effective working relationships with Child Safety and relevant stakeholders to support assessment processes.
• Participate in stakeholder meetings as required to support assessment planning and decision-making.
• Ensure timely and professional communication regarding assessment progress, risks, and outcomes.
• Support collaborative approaches to placement and approval decisions where required.
• Undertake regular travel across the Fraser Coast, Bundaberg, Rockhampton, and Emerald regions to support service delivery, community engagement, and stakeholder collaboration as required.

Qualifications and Experience

• A relevant tertiary qualification in social work, human services, community services, child protection, leadership or a related field, or a combination of relevant qualifications, cultural knowledge and significant 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.
• Demonstrated leadership experience within kinship care, foster and kinship care, child protection, family support or a related child and family service.
• Knowledge or experience in initial and provisional kinship carer assessments, Household Safety Studies, Blue Card requirements and carer approval processes.
• Strong 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 identify and manage child safety, cultural safety, staff, operational and compliance risks.
• Experience working collaboratively with Child Safety, prescribed delegates, assessment panels, community-controlled organisations and other government and community partners.
• Strong interpersonal, supervision, conflict resolution, written communication, record-keeping and report-writing skills.
• Knowledge of relevant child protection legislation, information-sharing requirements, privacy obligations, quality standards and organisational policies.
• Demonstrated ability to engage respectfully with families experiencing complex circumstances and support staff to identify practical solutions to barriers affecting kinship care.