Employment Type: Permanent Full Time, 38 hours per week
Location: SWSLHD District Wide Service
Position Classification: Psychologist, Social Worker Level 3
Remuneration: Dependent on Classification
Psychologist: $74, - $109, per annum
Social Worker: $108, - $112, per annum
About You
1. Passionate about engaging with vulnerable families who are involved in the child protection system.
2. Dedicated to delivering culturally responsive service to Aboriginal Communities.
3. Ability to work within a team and also independently. Capacity to manage a complex caseload and excellent time management skills.
4. Enthusiastic about developing your clinical skills within an Integrated Prevention and Response to Violence Abuse and Neglect (PARVAN) setting
5. Enjoy working in a safe, innovative and supportive team environment
About the Opportunity
The Child Protection Counselling Service (CPCS) in South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD) has an exciting opportunity for 2 experienced clinicians to bring their skills and knowledge and join a collaborative and professional team.
The CPCS is recruiting to 2 permanent full-time Senior Child Protection Counsellor (Social Worker Level 3 or Psychologist) positions. The central unit for the CPCS is based within the Liverpool LGA, with CPCS Counsellors located in some Health Centres across the SWSLHD. These positions are district-wide and will be based at a Health Centre in the SWSLHD. CPCS operates between the hours of 0830 – 1700 and does not require on-call work.
SWSLHD operates its services on the lands of the Dharawal Darug and Gundungurra lands and has a rich history of working alongside local Aboriginal communities and our district’s Aboriginal Health Unit. We are a district that is committed to supporting you grow and develop your skills.
The CPCS sits within the broader Integrated Prevention and Response to Violence Abuse and Neglect (IPARAVAN) team and is a traumaspecific service responding to violence, abuse and neglect involving children and young people. The CPCS’ overarching purpose is to work towards the recovery and ongoing safety and wellbeing of children and young people involved in the child protection system. The CPCS are primarily an outreach or home visiting based service and provide individual, couple, and family counselling. They also provide therapy sessions to children and young people, after clinical assessment. The type of sessions facilitated depends on the needs of the family. Groupwork is also provided to clients of the service. The client work is medium to long term in duration.
This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of an innovative team. You will have the chance to influence and shape the way the team works to deliver integrated trauma-informed care and reflective practice.
What You'll be Doing
The position is responsible for improving the emotional, social and mental wellbeing of children, young people, parents/carers and their families where there has been a confirmed history violence and neglect by providing specialist counselling and interventions. This response includes:
6. Trauma informed interventions and responses,
7. Case coordination that includes intake, assessment, case planning and referral functions,
8. Client focussed advocacy, liaison and consultation,
9. Provide consultation in relation to child protection matters to other health professionals as part of the team’s service delivery.
10. A genuine child-centred, family focused approach, collaborating across services to ensure clients receive the service they need, when they need it.
This position is to ensure the provision of optimal health outcomes consistent with SWSLHD policies and procedures, standards, relevant legislation, and the NSW Health Code of Conduct. The position will also participate in professional development, clinical supervision, teaching, quality activities and other relevant departmental and administrative duties.
Child, Youth and Family Clinical Services Directorate staff work within a trauma informed framework with an understanding of and responsiveness to the impact of trauma on children, young people and their families. The position will ensure that services are provided in a manner that is welcoming, safe and appropriate for all, including individuals, families and communities who have experienced trauma. By adopting a trauma-informed and family sensitive approach, health services can play a key part in identifying and meeting the needs of children, young people, individuals, families and communities who are vulnerable.
11. A Social Work degree which provides eligibility for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) or Full registration as a Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia. Completion of four-year sequence of accredited undergraduate study in the discipline of psychology (or equivalent completed overseas).
12. Demonstrated extensive post graduate clinical experience in providing counselling, groupwork, parenting and case management interventions to clients where child protection, violence, neglect and trauma incidents has occurred.
13. Demonstrated knowledge of child protection issues including the relevant legislation and guidelines and the appropriate response for clinical practice.
14. Demonstrated experience in engaging with difficult and involuntary clients.
15. Demonstrated high level of communication skills (written and verbal) and demonstrated computer skills.
16. Demonstrated experience in the provision of clinical supervision and expert advice/consultation to other professionals in relation to counselling and child protection issues.
17. Demonstrated experience in the planning, implementing, leading and evaluating of quality improvement activities involving the application of evidenced based practice.
18. Current unrestricted Australian drivers licence (P2 Licence Acceptable) subject to obtaining NSW drivers licence within 3 months of appointment. Ability and willingness to travel for work purposes, including providing outreach and home-visiting services.