• Make a difference in the lives of children
• Competitive salary and excellent benefits package including phone, car, tablet and salary packaging
• Two roles available
• Albury location – part time four day per week role’s – fixed term two year and ten month contracts available.

The Australian Childhood Foundation has a strong reputation for delivery of therapeutic services, professional training and secondary consultation built upon up-to-date evidence based theoretical frameworks including the neurobiology of trauma, attachment and relational theories and child development. This theoretical framework provides the foundation upon which all elements of care and intervention are provided by the Foundations Therapeutic Services.

The RISE program focuses on addressing impacts of family violence to ensure children and families are safe, heal from their experiences of violence and develop resilience into the future. This program is delivered in partnership between ACF and Junction Support Services across the Ovens Murray region.

Within the program, the Senior Child Counsellor position is employed and managed by ACF. This role provides counselling and group programs to address the impacts of family violence for children, young people and their parents/carers. The role also has a clinical leadership focus with regard to the development and implementation of appropriate therapeutic support for children and young people within their particular care setting, including out of home care, and works closely with professionals and carers to develop trauma-informed therapeutic approaches to support children and young people recovering from family violence.

Your primary responsibilities:

• Deliver child-focused, dyadic group programs to children/young people and their parents/carers;
• Provide specialist individual, and parent/child therapeutic support to children within the program to promote their recovery from the effects of their abuse or experiences of family violence;
• Build parent/carer trust to talk about the impact of trauma and family violence on the child, and provide ongoing support to parents/carers and the care team to consistently meet the needs of the child;
• Engage in intake and risk assessment procedures in accordance with organisational and program processes;
• Undertake specialised trauma assessments for children and young people referred into the program addressing both the trauma and attachment dimensions in addition to other critical issues and developmental vulnerabilities;
• Use a trauma-informed approach to provide secondary consultation concerning the needs of children referred to the program to members of each child’s care team, network and others involved in the child’s life as appropriate;
• Deliver training in the area of child abuse and trauma to carers and professionals.

About you – Key Selection Criteria:

• An appropriate tertiary qualification in Psychology, Social Work or a related discipline.
• 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, other agencies and the community.
• A current driver’s license and Working with Children Check or equivalent.

Remuneration & Benefits:

This position attracts a competitive base salary + car + 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:

• A generous annual professional development allowance
• Employee Assistance Program

To apply:

To apply for this position please forward a copy of your current resume along with a cover letter addressing each of the “About You” criteria (listed above) to recruitment@childhood.org.au

Or for more information about the role or to request a copy of the position description, please email recruitment@childhood.org.au

Applications will be assessed and continued until the right candidates are sought, no close date will be issued, if you are interested please apply as soon as practicable.

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 encouraged to apply.