UnitingCareGippsland – form Organisation wide Page 1 of 3

UnitingCareGippsland

Position Description

Position Title: / Cradle to Kinder Senior Early Parenting Case Worker
Award: / Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010
Classification: / Social and Community Services Employee CDW Class II (b) Level 5
Hours Per week: / 0.5 Position (19 hours per week)
Responsible to: / Manager Client Services, Practice Leader Client Services
Any special conditions: / Based inSale
Key Summary of Functions:
The Cradle to Kinder program in the Outer Gippsland catchment is delivered through a partnership of UnitingCare Gippsland, Gippsland Lakes Community Health, QEC, Orbost Regional Health, and Yarram and District Health Services.
These agencies have a long history in planning and development of services for at risk children, young people and families in the Gippsland Region and are all experienced in the implementation of services for vulnerable young mothers, fathers, their children and families. The Cradle to Kinder Senior Early Parenting Case Worker, works within a virtual team coordinated by Gippsland Lakes Community Health.
The Cradle to Kinder (C2K) program is an intensive ante and post-natal support service to provide longer term, intensive family and early parenting support for vulnerable young mothers and their children, commencing in pregnancy and continuing until the child reaches 4 years of age. The target group for the Cradle to Kinder service is young pregnant women (under 25 years) where a Report to Child Protection has been received for their unborn child, where the referrer has significant concerns about the wellbeing of the unborn child, or where there are a number of indicators of vulnerability/concerns about the wellbeing of the unborn child and the woman is not involved with the Child Protection system.
The Child First partners are committed to culturally appropriate practice across the entirety of the program, not just when working with Aboriginal families. For these partners, culturally appropriate practice means
  • Being aware of one's own cultural worldview,
  • Being aware of our own attitude towards cultural differences,
  • Being aware of the historic and current factors that impact on access to services by clients from diverse backgrounds,
  • Having knowledge of different cultural practices and worldviews, and,
  • Having and building our cross-cultural skills

Key Duties:

  • Provide child-centred family focused case management, skill development and support to vulnerable young mothers and their children who are referred to the Cradle to Kinder program from pre-birth until the child reaches 4 years of age.
  • Work with families to promote positive parenting and build the capacity of parents to meet the child’s health, safety and developmental needs and to build self-resilience through linkages to education, training and employment
  • Undertake comprehensive assessment of families, which includes both a child development and systemic perspective to provide an accurate, holistic and consistent identification of the families needs and level of risk.
  • Provide a family casework service, working in partnership with families to achieve lasting positive outcomes based on their personal aspirations and goals.
  • Use a range of techniques and approaches to engage with engage with vulnerable young mothers and fathers in a respectful youth focused way that is sustained until their child reached 4 years of age
  • To liaise with internal and external services to ensure a coordinated and multi-disciplinary response to the specific needs of young parents including assistance to access a range of universal maternal and child health services.
  • Develop and regularly review specific family action plans with each child and family that will form the basis of long term case management and therapeutic interventions.
  • To maintain an up to date resource base/client records and complete statistical and other information requirements in a timely and accurate manner.
  • To undertake regular supervision sessions and participate in the organisation’s performance management process.
  • Make an active commitment to the development and maintenance of a cohesive multi-disciplinary team environment by participating in organisational Unit and team development activities.
  • Ensure all administrative and reporting requirements of the program are completed and submitted to the relevant organisations within the appropriate timeframe
  • Use principles of best practice to provide an innovative and responsive program.
  • Maintain current and accurate case notes, records and statistical information.
  • Staff are responsible for upholding consumer rights, privacy, confidentiality and informed consent.
  • All UCG staff are responsible for identifying, monitoring, resolving and reviewing OH&S and risk management issues.
  • Undertake review and evaluation of program and professional practice.
  • Comply with organisational effectiveness strategies of UnitingCareGippsland, including development of quality plans, personal objectives and training plans.
  • Assist in the general administration of UnitingCareGippsland such as working the switchboard at peak times.
  • Respect the diverse needs of all community groups and individuals to ensure that their needs are met in an inclusive and sensitive manner.
  • Participate in agency quality accreditation processes.
  • Conform to and apply relevant requirements of the Law within the workplace.
  • Report and participate in any investigation of any incident or occurrence that may constitute a breach of any legal requirement.
  • Other duties as directed.

Key Selection Criteria

Mandatory:

  1. Satisfactory National police check and Victorian Working with Children Check.
  2. Post-secondary qualifications in Health, Social Services, early childhood development, maternal and child health or related field.
  3. Well-developed interpersonal and written communication skills with competent computer skills.
  4. Demonstrated ability to work within the vision, mission, policies and principles of the organisation.

Position:

  1. Highly developed skills and experience in conducting comprehensive assessments and the provision of case work and case management to vulnerable young parents / pregnant women and their children to assist promoting positive change
  2. Sound understanding of the Child Protection system and child welfare work and an understanding of the social context of child abuse and neglect.
  3. Demonstrated experience in relation to Family Action Planning and ability to think broadly and holistically in relation to interventions with families and children.
  4. Demonstrated ability to work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team, to work with minimal supervision and exercise initiative appropriate to the role’s defined scope of practice.
  5. Demonstrated ability to engage and work in a non-judgemental manner with families who present with a range of complex issues, are reluctant to use support services and are from a wide variety of backgrounds.
  6. Sound understanding of child development and the factors that can impede on a child’s development.
  7. Demonstrated excellent organisational, time management and administrative skills.

Key UnitingCareGippsland Principles:

UnitingCareGippsland staff are encouraged to deliver services in a community development continuum, within a multi-disciplinary team environment. Staff are asked to work within the broad principles of Consultation, Caring, Participation, Accountability, Sustainability, Transparency and Quality

I acknowledge that I have read and understood the requirements of the position and agree to work within the agency principles and policies.

Staff Member’s NameSignature:Date:

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Supervisor’s NameSignature:Date:

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Current as at July 2017