Family Peer Support Worker

Buscojobs; Greater London; On-site; AUD 50,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job description

The Royal Children’s Hospital’s (RCH) Vision is “A world where all kids thrive”. RCH is a cornerstone member of the Melbourne Children’s Campus, partnering with Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, The University of Melbourne Department of Paediatrics and The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation.

RCH has cared for the children and young people of Victoria for more than 150 years since it was founded in 1870. A full range of paediatrics and adolescent health services are provided plus tertiary and quaternary care for the most critically ill and medically complex patients in Victoria, Tasmania, southern NSW and other states around Australia and overseas. The Hospital has more than 6,000 staff, a budget of $850M, 12 wards and 350 beds. Annually, the RCH has 300,000+ Specialist Clinic appointments, 90,000+ Emergency Department presentations and 20,000 elective surgeries.

RCH enjoys high employee engagement and is committed to staff safety and a positive culture through enactment of our Compact.

Family Peer Support Worker

• Excellent employee benefits including salary packaging
• Challenging and rewarding work environment
• Ongoing training and development opportunities

About the Role

This is a permanent position at 60.8 hrs per fortnight (0.8 EFT) within the Mental Health Service HOPE Program.

You will work alongside other members of the team to best support the family by orientating the parent / carer to the program, understanding the challenges being experienced by the parents and their needs, understanding their preferences and strengths, consulting with other people in the child’s learning and social environment and working with parents / carers on their own wellbeing and future strategies for hope and recovery. You will also work to facilitate linkages to services, NGO based supports and governmental agencies such as Centrelink and housing in the community that provide practical support to families. The role will also support the families to access these services and provide advocacy.

You will use your own lived experience and professional expertise to share your skills and learning, increase problem-solving capabilities and provide emotional support, information and practical assistance to families in a way that is tailored to meet the needs of each family. Within a relationship of mutuality and information sharing, you will promote choice, enhance carer participation, advocate for family-centred service delivery that is sensitive to the needs of carers, promote and help uphold the rights of carers and provide peer support to carers.

What you’ll achieve :

• The provision of practical support and advice to parents / carers in the HOPE program in their efforts at accessing community-based parent and family support services and agencies
• The provision of peer support to parents / carers within the HOPE program through assisting them in completing forms, communicating with other HOPE staff and internal and external services regarding their needs
• Together with other HOPE program staff, engage and support parents / carers through a variety of means including outreach in the community, regular contact by phone, telehealth, clinic-based meetings and attendances in clinical sessions to support the parents / carers.
• Work collaboratively with HOPE team members to promote recovery-oriented practice and share personal mental health lived experience where appropriate to ensure care is sensitive and responsive to the needs and views of consumers and carers
• Network with internal and external stakeholders to keep up to date with carer-related issues and needs

Your skills and experience

• Lived experience of caring for a child or young person with mental health issues
• Current Victorian Driver’s Licence
• Previous experience in peer support work with families
• Demonstrates knowledge of Victoria’s mental health system
• Demonstrated commitment to lived experience values and principles.

If this sounds like you, click here to view the position description.

About the Department

The RCH’s Infant, Child and Family Area Mental Health and Wellbeing Service (RCH Mental Health) Hospital Outreach Post-suicidal Engagement (RCH HOPE) program provides tailored, holistic support to children who are exhibiting mood and arousal dysregulation, may have experienced trauma, experiencing or who are at high risk of developing death wishes, deliberate self-harm, suicidal thoughts gestures or attempts who reside within the North and West Metropolitan Area of Melbourne, as well as their families / care systems. The program provides psychosocial and clinical support to children and their families / carers for up to 3 months to address factors that may have contributed to the child presenting with mood and arousal difficulties. The program works closely and forms partnerships with the RCH emergency department and the many departments and teams within RCH Mental Health, as well as external mental health care providers.

What we offer :

• Salary Packaging – Increase your take home pay!
• Professional development and special events

Other requirements :

• Current National Criminal Record Check, or willing to obtain
• Valid Working with Children Check
• Current NDIS Worker Screening Check, or willing to obtain
• Compliance with RCH’s “Staff Immunisation - Prevention of Vaccine Preventable Diseases” procedure

Application process

To apply, you will need a resume and a tailored cover letter outlining your skills, experience, and suitability for the position in line with the requirements of the position description.

Shortlisting for this position will commence immediately, we encourage you to apply promptly!

For more information about this position please contact Leah Dalton, Acting HOPE Program Coordinator Ph : 03 9345 6011 Email :

Why work at the RCH?

RCH enjoys high employee engagement and is committed to staff safety and a positive culture through enactment of our Compact. We offer the opportunity to work in world-class facilities, surrounded by Royal Park and only a short tram trip from the heart of Melbourne city.

We also offer discounted staff parking, salary packaging, and an award-winning health and wellbeing program.

The RCH is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from culturally and / or linguistically diverse backgrounds, all members of the LGBTQI community and people with disabilities.

It is a requirement of your employment that you be vaccinated against Influenza annually for Category A and B roles, in compliance with any public health orders in place at the relevant time, unless you have a medical exception in line with those public health orders, which has been accepted by The Royal Children’s Hospital. Applicants will be required to provide their Australian Government Immunisation History Statement; it is a requirement of the RCH to collect, record and hold vaccination information.

It is also a requirement of your employment that you comply with any direction given by The Royal Children’s Hospital that you be vaccinated against, or prove immunity to, any other disease, unless you have a relevant exemption.

Are you ready to join our team?

Apply online by clicking on the “Apply ” button.