• Make a difference in the lives of children
• Competitive salary and excellent benefits package including phone, tablet, and salary packaging
• Permanent full-time role

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 Foundation currently provides a range of therapeutic care programs in foster care and residential care in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, the ACT, New South Wales and the Northern Territory. The Foundation is responsible for delivering the specialist therapeutic services within these programs which are delivered in partnership with a range of foster and residential care providers.
The Pathways to Resilience Program focuses on addressing the impacts of family violence to ensure that children and families are safe, heal from their experiences of violence and develop resilience into the future.

About the role:

ACF currently has an exciting vacancy for a full-time Social Worker/Psychologist to provide group programs as well as counselling that aims to address the impacts of family violence for children, young people, and their parents/carers. You will have a clinical leadership focus with regard to the 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:

• participate in program development, implementation and review of the program, working collaboratively
  to contribute to the successful development and implementation of the program at both regional and
  program levels.
• 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.
• Previous experience in working with adolescents
• 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.
• Experience working with adolescents is preferred.
• A current Victoria driver’s license and Working with Children Check 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:

• A generous annual professional development allowance
• Employee Assistance Program

To apply:

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

Please use the link below to be redirected to our candidate portal, where you will be able to attach a copy of your current resume along with a cover letter, addressing each of the Key Selection Criteria.

https://australianchildhood.force.com/recruit/fRecruit__ApplyJob?vacancyNo=VN062

For more information about the role or a copy of the position description please email 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.