Ramahyuck District Aboriginal Corporation

Position Details

Position Title / Intensive Family Services Worker
Position Number / WL 17/18 - 09
Mode of Employment / 9 month fixed term with the possibility of on-going dependent on ongoing funding
Time Fraction / .6 EFT Latrobe/Baw Baw Position
Award / Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (MA000100)
Classification / Welfare Worker Level 3.2 – Level 3.4
Negotiable depending on qualifications and experience
Remuneration / This position attracts an hourly rate of $28.04 – $29.31 plus 9.5 superannuation
Salary Packaging / Up to $15,899 per annum is available, prior to tax, along with other pre-tax packaging as fits RDAC’s PBI status.
Unit / Wanjana Lidj – Family Services
Locations / 19B Hazelwood Rd, Morwell – Primary Locations
Travel to other locations as required will be expected within this role.
Reports to / Wanjana Lidj Team Leader and Regional Family Services Manager
Direct Reports / Nil
Probationary Period / 6 months
Working with Children Check required / A requirement for this position
First Aid Certificate / Not a requirement for this position
Police Check required / Yes, upon initial appointment – then every three years
It should be noted that the Ramahyuck District Aboriginal Corporation will not discriminate on irrelevant criminal history.
Driver’s Licence required / Yes – current Victorian driver’s licence

Position Summary

Organisational Background
Ramahyuck District Aboriginal Corporation (RDAC) was established as an Aboriginal Community Controlled organisation in 1992 to improve the social, health and economic outcomes for Aboriginal people. RDAC is a leading provider of primary health care and related social and family support services to Aboriginal people and communities across Gippsland. RDAC’s services are provided at the following locations: Sale, Morwell and Drouin. RDAC’s services include: general practice; health assessment and education;dental, audiology; chronic disease management; drug and alcohol counselling; child and family services; child and maternal health; home and community care; immunisation and vaccinations; social and emotional wellbeing support and counselling; allied health; client transport and corporate services; child care service and Aboriginal Best Start program.
Team Information
The Wanjana Lidj team is responsible for providing Aboriginal families with programs and activities that will promote a stable nurturing environment for children, meet their needs and strengthen their ability to care for children.
Position Purpose
The Intensive Family Services Worker supports families with children that are subject to a Family Preservation or Family Reunification Order. The Intensive Family Services worker will work in partnership with Child Protection (and other services where required), working intensively with families to achieve case plan goals. The Intensive Family Services Worker will support families to meet case plan goals by promoting child safety, permanency and development, increasing parenting capacity and family functioning.
The Intensive Family Service program also includes a 110 hour long term component where families who do not meet the criteria for 200 hour Intensive support may access a Long Term of up to 110 hours. It is expected that a case worker will hold a mixture of 200 hour Intensive and 110 hour Long Term cases
Skills, Knowledge and Capabilities
The Intensive Case Workers will demonstrate the following skills, knowledge and capabilities:
  • Experience working within a cross-cultural environment
  • Ability to function in a multi-disciplinary team and ability to function independently
  • Knowledge and understanding of Quality Improvement processes, Occupational Health and Safety, Equal Employment Opportunity and Anti-Discrimination
  • Practice within an evidence-based framework
  • Experience in the use of Microsoft Office products and specialist reporting tools

Position Functions

Key areas of accountabilities
Family Support:
  • Work with families referred by Child First
  • Work with and support families presenting with diverse and complex needs
  • Support families with family preservation and reunification orders
  • Provide Strategies that will strengthen family’s ability to manage crisis
  • Provide practical support to families including role modelling and coaching to increase parenting knowledge, skills and capacity
  • Work intensively with children and families, delivering effective interventions that increase parenting capacity, family functioning, achieve child safety and enhance conditions for child development
  • Assess and assist clients to identify needs and goals, including developing a family support plan
  • Contribute as a member of the care team or professional network to support case planning and ongoing risk assessments
  • Work within the best interest of children and young people
  • Provide up to 200 hours of intensive support to families
  • Provide up to 110 hours of long term support to families
  • Maintain privacy and confidentiality for all clients and families

Advocacy:
  • Liaise with the Department of Health and Human Services and other relevant organisations/agencies in relation to the delivery of quality and coordinated services to Aboriginal families
  • Refer families to specialized services if appropriate
  • Support families to access specialized services
  • Advocate for clients within the best interest of children and young people.

Administration:
  • Develop and maintain up to date client files and data entry
  • Document interventions used to build family functioning, family capability and promote child safety, stability, wellbeing and development for the prescribed outcomes
  • Attend and participate in scheduled staff supervision and relevant meetings

General:
  • Undertake all other tasks and activities that fall within the reasonable scope of being an employee of Ramahyuck
  • Follow all Ramahyuck policies and procedures. Undertake administrative tasks using correct fors and systems. That such activity is done in an effective manner
  • Follow all quality standards and processes. Undertake all activities in a professional manner with ongoing demonstrable continuous improvement and Best Practice activity
  • Undertake all work activities in a collaborative, respectful and team orientated manner
  • Take reasonable care for your own health and safety and for that of others in the workplace by working in accordance with legislative requirements and comply with all occupational health and safety policies and procedures
  • Comprehensively understand all other risks associated with this position and proactively undertake necessary risk management processes
  • Continuously develop skills and contribute to organisational capacity building
  • Undertake all practices in an Aboriginally/Torres Strait Islander culturally sensitive manner
  • Meet all targets attributed to this position.

Other responsibility areas (All staff)
Quality and Risk Management
Actively participate and incorporate continuous quality improvement and sound risk management principles to all aspects of the role and in accordance with RDAC policies
Professional Development & Education
Actively participate in relevant continuing professional development as required.
Participate in educational activities relevant to the role within RDAC
Occupational Health and Safety
Ensure a safe working environment is maintained to RDAC staff and clients.
Cultural Diversity
Actively participate in a continuous process of developing cultural competence by broadening knowledge of and respect for diverse individuals and communities with particular emphasis on the local East Gippsland demographic.
Teamwork
Work proactively with all members of the Corporate Services Team in supporting the Unit and its strategic aims.

Position Requirements

Key Selection Criteria
1 / Well developed interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively with people, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people / M
2 / Ability to provide a high quality service to families with complex needs, including crisis intervention and supporting the safety and wellbeing of children and their families. / M
3 / Demonstrated ability to think broadly and holistically in relation to interventions with children and families / M
4 / Demonstrated ability to be self-motivated, work independently, confidentially and cooperatively as part of a multidisciplinary team / M
M = Mandatory / D = Desirable

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