Family Practitioner – Public Housing Estates

• Position: Full time 1.0 FTE, 12 month contract
• First Nations People, LGBTIQA+ people, people with disability, people of colour, public housing residents or people with a lived experience are encouraged to apply
• DS is committed to child safety and strictly adheres to the Reportable Conduct Scheme for organisations. The safeguarding and wellbeing of our clients is our core focus. All staff must undergo thorough recruitment process including screening and providing evidence of current Working With Children Check and National Police Check

About Drummond Street Services

Drummond Street Services (DS) deliver early intervention case work, counselling and group support to individuals, families and communities, using a developmental and whole of family, life course approach. Our services are open to all children, young people, families and individuals but assertively engage those experiencing marginalisation and/or discrimination, including First Nations, public housing residents, people of colour, LGBTIQA+, people with disability, trauma survivors, women (including those justice involved) and children.

About the Role

The Family Practitioner – Public Housing Estates works with vulnerable children, young people (including from pre-birth up to the age of 18 years) and their families, with a particular focus on families living in the high-rise housing estates in the City of Melbourne and Moonee Valley, who are being impacted upon by disadvantage including poverty, trauma, substance abuse, mental health and family violence and are potentially at risk of becoming involved with the Child Protection system or are already involved with Child Protection.

Key Responsibilities of the Role

• Provide centre based and outreach support on the public housing estates in City of Melbourne and Moonee Valley for children, young people and their families that reduce risks and increases protective factors for a range of developmental outcomes.
• Assertively engage with families and their children that are difficult to reach or engage through other community engagement or in collaboration within DS.
• Manage a caseload of allocated families providing comprehensive, whole of family assessment of presenting needs, strengths, risk factors and risk alerts.
• Match service intensity and interventions to the complexity of the family’s needs.
• Work with the family to identify goals and develop a whole of family action plan, ensuring that children’s health and wellbeing is central to the goals.
• Deliver a range of multidisciplinary interventions with the family.
• Continuously review the case through supervision and ensure that the action plan goals, dynamic risks and safety are reviewed.
• Communicate respectfully and honestly with families and demonstrate transparent practice in relation to welfare concerns.
• Complete risk assessments in line with the Best Interests Case Practice Framework.
• Arrange case conferences where required.
• Facilitate coordination within the multiple agency service system and work collaboratively with other services, including Child Protection and Integrated Family Services’ partner agencies when a child is believed to be in need of protection or providing a joint response between our service and Child Protection where there is an open case.
• Undertake comprehensive closure and exit planning with families to ensure that their goals have been achieved and additional supports are in place, as required.
• Complete all client records and other required documentation including case plans, client assessments, letters to GP’s in accordance with ds policy.
• Provide community engagement and development approaches to build supportive pathways for vulnerable communities and families.
• Develop and maintain knowledge of community resources and networks.
• Develop and facilitate psycho-social and skills-based educational seminars, group intervention and psycho-social programs, including topics relating to mental health literacy, relationships, parenting, children and young people’s mental health, wellbeing and positive development.
• Ensure adherence to professional practice standards and DS’s policies and procedures including those relating to Practice.

Key Selection Criteria

• Tertiary qualification in Social Work or equivalent and further training in relation to family work
• A minimum of three years’ experience in the family services and/or mental health sectors
• Demonstrated knowledge and application of a range of therapeutic approaches for individuals, relationships, families and specifically children and young people.
• Demonstrated experience with providing counselling and case work that supports individuals, children, young people and families with multiple and complex needs such as mental health, family violence and substance abuse issues.
• Demonstrated high level written, oral and interpersonal communication skills and organisational skills including the ability to meet deadlines and prioritise work tasks
• A genuine interest and commitment to working with First Nations People, LGBTIQA+ people, people with disability, people of color and public housing residents

Application process

• All applications will be directed to our career’s portal – Click the “Apply Now” button.
• All applicants must include a resume and with a cover letter addressing all the key selection criteria for the position

Please contact Amuna Abdella on 96636733 or [email protected] using the subject line: Family Practitioner – Public Housing Estates enquiry via EthicalJobs to discuss your application further.

A position description is attached.