Therapeutic Practice Lead - Permanent Full Time

Marist180; Blacktown; Hybrid; AUD 140,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Marist180 seeks a Therapeutic Practice Lead in Blacktown, NSW, to oversee a team of therapeutic specialists within the Permanency Support Program. You will implement ARC and TC I models, provide supervision and professional development, and ensure outcome measures are applied to each child or young person.

Based in Blacktown with flexible working arrangements, the role requires extensive leadership, trauma-informed practice, and collaboration with governance forums to drive service improvement

Qualifications

• Relevant tertiary qualification in psychology, social work or associated degree and membership or eligibility for membership to the relevant professional body (e.g., AHPRA, AASW).
• Current registration with the professional peak body relevant to their qualification.
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary teams and providing clinical supervision and coaching.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and support to Therapeutic Specialists, monitor performance and development.
• Provide clinical supervision, practice coaching, and reflective facilitation for staff.
• Ensure assessment procedures and planning include PBSP, RMP, and restrictive practices.
• Lead ARC and TCI training and monitor program-wide outcomes.
• Represent therapeutic lens in governance forums and collaborate with stakeholders.

Skills

Leadership

Clinical supervision

Practice coaching

Reflective practice facilitation

Education

Relevant tertiary qualification in psychology or social work

Job description

Therapeutic Practice Lead - Permanent Full Time

Marist180 is a child-safe organisation. We are committed to prioritising the safety, wellbeing, rights and voices of children and young people in everything we do. We expect all employees to actively contribute to a culture where child safety is understood, championed and everyone takes responsibility for identifying, reporting and responding to concerns.

The position

The Therapeutic Practice Lead coordinates and leads a team of therapeutic specialists in the Permanency Support Program (PSP) to ensure the implementation of evidence-informed therapeutic models (e.g. ARC) that promote the safe, consistent, and healing-centred practice that enhances the wellbeing and recovery of children and young people.

Primary accountabilities of the role of Therapeutic Practice Lead include, but are not limited to:

• Provide leadership, direction, and support to a team of Therapeutic Specialists. Monitor performance and support professional development.
• Facilitate regular individual and group supervision focused on case formulation, reflective practice, and staff wellbeing.
• Ensure Therapeutic Specialists are skilled in appropriate assessment procedures, therapeutic planning processes and outcome measures and that these measures are undertaken for each child or young person as required.
• Support Therapeutic Specialists in developing and reviewing matching reports and individual therapeutic support plans, including Positive Behaviour Support (PBSP), Risk Management Plans (RMP), and restrictive practices/psychotropic medication.
• Represent the therapeutic lens in key decision-making forums such as Referral Panels and the Therapeutic Advisory Group (TAG).
• Provide specialist advice to all levels of management and groups of staff on practice matters and provide expert assistance in complex or sensitive cases.
• Champion the implementation and consistent application of the service’s chosen therapeutic model (ARC) and systematic approach for preventing and managing crises effectively (TCI) across all care environments.
• Deliver ARC and TCI training as required.
• Monitor program wide outcomes for children and young people in relation to therapeutic interventions and adjust strategies as needed.
• Undertake strategic initiatives to evidence practice.
• Monitor compliance and quality to meet Key Performance Indicators and contribute to the Strategic and Operational Planning of Marist180.
• Identify systemic practice issues and contribute to organisational learning, policy review, and practice refinement through participation in governance forums.
• Participate in organisation wide service provision, training, quality assurance mechanisms and service development.
• Develop a thorough working knowledge of the ARC and TCI models to deliver training as required.
• Develop an understanding of research and research-to-practice initiatives and commit to ongoing personal professional development including attending relevant practice forums and educational events.
• Actively contribute to a child-safe organisation by championing the safety, wellbeing, rights and voices of children and young people; recognising and reporting child-safety concerns; and contributing to an open, accountable and learning culture where concerns, incidents and feedback are used to strengthen practice and prevent harm.
• Promote integrated, multi-agency responses through collaboration with stakeholders.
• Based in Blacktown, NSW, with flexible working arrangements agreed on a case-by-case basis.

The candidate

Qualifications:

• Relevant tertiary qualification in psychology, social work or associated degree and membership or eligibility for membership to the relevant professional body (e.g., AHPRA, AASW) with demonstrated commitment to ongoing professional development.

Experience & Skills:

• At least 5 years demonstrated experience in working effectively with the issues faced by children and young people who have a complex trauma background under the NSW Permanency Support Program (PSP).
• Current registration with the professional peak body relevant to their qualification.
• Proven ability to lead and support multi-disciplinary teams, including providing clinical supervision, practice coaching, and reflective practice facilitation.

Work Requirement:

• Current First Aid and CPR certificate.
• Current Working with Children Check.
• Clear National Criminal History Check.
• Eligibility to work in Australia.
• Provide Marist180 consent to complete a verification of the Residential Care Workers Register managed by the Office of the Children’s Guardian.

Marist180 provide Equal Employment Opportunities for everyone. We value the benefits of diversity and strongly encourage applications from people with disabilities, mental health as well as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background, people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds and mature aged applicants.