Senior Practitioner – Social Worker

Better Health Network; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work arrangements

Salary packaging benefits

Professional development

Collaborative team culture

Job summary

Better Health Network in Bentleigh East, VIC, is seeking an experienced Senior Social Worker to provide therapeutic counselling and psychosocial support to older adults in Residential Aged Care Facilities. The role includes evidence-based interventions, collaboration with RACF staff and supervision of Social Work students within the program.

You will work autonomously across allocated facilities, oversee assessments, deliver wellbeing sessions and contribute to quality, compliance and reporting.

Qualifications

• Must hold a tertiary Social Work qualification and be eligible for AASW membership.
• Experience delivering evidence-based therapeutic interventions for older adults.
• Strong cross-disciplinary collaboration and supervision skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide outreach counselling and psychosocial interventions to older people in RACFs.
• Conduct holistic assessments and develop recovery-focused plans.
• Deliver individual wellbeing sessions and facilitate group activities where appropriate.
• Perform risk and mental state assessments and maintain safety plans.
• Collaborate with residents, families, RACF staff, GPs and care teams.
• Provide social work expert advice and supervise students on placements.
• Maintain accurate records and meet quality and reporting requirements.

Skills

Mental health assessment

Clinical supervision

Multidisciplinary collaboration

Outreach counselling

Client risk assessment

Education

Tertiary qualification in Social Work

Accredited Mental Health Social Worker status

AASW membership eligibility

Job description

Better Health Network – Bentleigh East VIC

• Based in Bentleigh East, with outreach across Residential Aged Care Facilities in south-east Melbourne
• Make a real difference in the lives of older people

We are seeking an experienced Senior Social Worker to provide therapeutic counselling and psychological support to older people living in Residential Aged Care Facilities.

Working within the RACF Wellbeing Support Service, you will deliver person-centred, evidence-based interventions that support residents experiencing mild to moderate mental health concerns. You will also provide discipline-specific expertise, work collaboratively with aged care staff and oversee Social Work students completing placements within the program.

As a not-for-profit organisation, Better Health Network supports people and families at different stages of life and works with communities to strengthen health and wellbeing. We believe that better health and wellbeing is built around community.

About the role

As the Senior Practitioner – Social Worker, you will work independently across allocated Residential Aged Care Facilities, becoming an integrated member of the care environment while remaining connected to BHN’s Mental Health and Community Services program.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Providing outreach counselling and evidence-based psychological and psychosocial interventions to older people
• Completing comprehensive, holistic assessments and developing individualised strategies that support recovery and wellbeing
• Delivering individual wellbeing sessions and facilitating group sessions where appropriate
• Undertaking mental state and risk assessments, monitoring client wellbeing and developing safety and wellness plans
• Working collaboratively with residents, families, carers, RACF staff, GPs and other members of the care team
• Providing specialist Social Work advice and building the capability of RACF staff and other care providers
• Supporting student selection and orientation, and providing operational and clinical supervision to Social Work students
• Maintaining accurate records and meeting relevant quality, compliance and reporting requirements.

About you

You will be an experienced Social Worker with a strong background in mental health, aged care or services supporting older adults. You will be confident working autonomously across multiple facilities while applying sound professional judgement and contributing positively to multidisciplinary care.

To be successful, you will bring:

• A tertiary qualification in Social Work
• Membership, or eligibility for membership, with the Australian Association of Social Workers
• At least five years’ practitioner experience in mental health and/or services supporting older adults
• Demonstrated experience delivering evidence-based therapeutic interventions
• An understanding of, and commitment to, the Social Model of Health
• Knowledge of best-practice approaches and effective treatments for older people living in Residential Aged Care Facilities
• Leadership experience and strong clinical supervision skills, with the ability to create a positive learning environment for students
• Strong risk assessment, stakeholder engagement and multidisciplinary collaboration skills
• The ability to work autonomously and provide person-centred, outcomes-focused services
• A current full or probationary driver’s licence.
• Accredited Mental Health Social Worker status.

At BHN, you’ll join a values-driven organisation that genuinely cares about its people and the communities it serves. We offer:

• Flexible work arrangements to support work-life balance
• Salary packaging benefits to increase your take-home pay
• Professional development and learning opportunities
• A collaborative and supportive team culture
• The opportunity to make a meaningful impact every day.

Location

This role is primarily based at 2A Gardeners Road, Bentleigh East, with regular outreach work across Residential Aged Care Facilities and other BHN locations in south-east Melbourne.

We value Accountability, Collaboration, Respect and Courage, and we strive to create an inclusive environment that welcomes people from all backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, culturally and linguistically diverse, and LGBTQIA+ communities.

Pre-employment checks include reference checks, a National Police Check, Working with Children Check, NDIS Worker Screening Check, Aged Care Statutory Declaration, Aged Care Worker Banning Order Check, evidence of the right to work in Australia, confirmation of AASW membership eligibility and proof of required immunisation.
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