• Full time opportunity
• Initial fixed-term contract until mid October 2023
• Canberra location

The Australian Childhood Foundation has joined forces with some of Australia’s most respected child welfare organisations (Barnardos and OzChild) to create ACT Together, a consortium responsible for implementing the next stage of A Step Up for Kids – a commitment to provide support services to children and young people in the Australian Capital Territory. ACT Together aims to reduce the duplication between different government and non-government agencies and ensure better provision of stable, long-term care for children and young people.

The Foundation is responsible in collaboration with other consortium members for delivering the specialist therapeutic services within these programs. The position is located in Canberra.

About the Program:

The ACT Together consortium brings a trauma-informed, integrated and coherent service response to improve outcomes for children in the Out of Home Care system. In collaboration with CYPS, and carers we create a holistic, dependable, and predictable therapeutic environments for children and young people who have experienced abuse and trauma in their lives within which they can recover from the bio-psycho-social-cultural effects of their experiences.

The Foundation and the other consortium members believe that interventions are most successful when carers, support networks and professionals enact collaborative and intersecting functions that can achieve protective, reparative and restorative objectives for children and young people.

About the role:

The key role of the Therapeutic Specialist is to act as a specialist therapeutic consultant and practitioner within the ACT Together programs. This position is a key member of the care team developed for each child referred for long term work. The Therapeutic Specialist is primarily responsible for the provision of specialist therapeutic support to the carers and other members of the child’s care team, the delivery of specialised training about trauma and therapeutic care to carers and key stakeholders of the ACT Together consortium, and direct therapeutic work with children.

The position has a clinical leadership role with regard to the development and implementation of appropriate therapeutic support for children and young people for whom ACT Together is responsible. This position sits in the foster care/kinship care programs.

About you – Key Selection Criteria:

• An appropriate tertiary qualification in Psychology, Social Work or a related discipline.
• Eligibility for membership of the relevant professional association.
• Demonstrated ability to provide leadership and direct service in the clinical assessment and treatment of children, young people and families.
• Highly developed ability to provide secondary consultation and advice to clinicians and other professionals.
• Demonstrated capacity to lead and manage in an area of challenging and complex practice.
• Demonstrated knowledge of trauma, attachment and neurobiology frameworks and theories.
• Substantial experience in the area of child abuse and/or in working with traumatised children and young people.
• Demonstrated commitment to working collaboratively and the capacity to negotiate and liaise with volunteers, including carers, child protection services, other agencies and the community.
• A sophisticated understanding of the complexity of the service system and the issues involved in providing services to statutory clients.
• A current ACT driver’s license or equivalent.

Remuneration & Benefits:

This position attracts a competitive base salary + phone + tablet + superannuation + salary packaging.  The salary is determined on the basis of the employee’s experience and qualifications.

In joining a strong, values based organisation, you will also have access to:

• Professional Development Allowance
• Employee Assistance Program

To apply:

Interested in this new opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children?

Please click here, where you will be redirected to our applications portal. You will then be able to provide a copy of your resume and cover letter addressing the key selection criteria, listed above in the advertisement.

For more information about the role or a copy of the position description please contact Bree Roberts – HR Officer at recruitment@childhood.org.au

Australian Childhood Foundation (ACF) is committed to protecting children and young people from harm. We require all applicants to undergo an extensive screening process prior to appointment.

ACF is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with cultural and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and people with a disability are strongly encouraged to apply.