Family Preservation and Reunification Response Practitioner

• Award/Level: SCHADS Level 6
• Category: Full Time - Permanent
• Sunshine

About the organisation

Baptcare is a purpose driven and faith-based organisation working across Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia providing residential and community care for older people and support to children, families, and people with disability, financially disadvantaged people and people seeking asylum.

Baptcare is committed to child safety.

About the role

The Victorian Family Preservation and Reunification Response (The Response) is funded by the Victorian Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH). The culturally safe Response is an innovative approach to delivering relational, evidence-informed and coordinated support to vulnerable children and families through a strengthened partnership with Child Protection by responsive, intensive and sustainable support to children and families where children are at imminent risk of entry to care or where safe reunification is appropriate. Children at immediate risk of entry into care and those children who have recently entered care are the target group, with a specific focus on children who are the subject of unborn reports, young children (0-5) and young adolescents (10-15).

The Family Preservation and Reunification Response (FPRR) Practitioner supports infants, children and young people living with their parents or other family members with a specific focus on supporting caregivers to sustain placements and the reunification of children to their parents. The role provides a rapid, intensive, wraparound service, in close partnership with partner agencies, to deliver a collaborative case management approach. The sustained intervention works from a strength - based, child and family centered perspective, integrating intensive evidence-based assessment, care team planning, safety and risk planning and provision of skill development and parenting strategies to promote family and caregiver resilience and self-determination. This role, prioritises and builds strong and positive communication and relationships with Aboriginal People and children and families from culturally or linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Duties, skills and experience

Skills and Experience:

• Demonstrated ability to work in a way that promotes Aboriginal people’s cultural identity and promotes their connection to family, community and culture. Have a sound knowledge of Aboriginal culture.
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of working with families to promote family preservation and working with clients to assess and promote reunification of children to parental care.
• Demonstrated evidence-based family assessment skills in working with vulnerable children and families with complex issues.
• Demonstrated evidence- based knowledge and application of therapeutic models and theories to develop skill-based interventions that enable positive change.
• Demonstrated evidence-based knowledge and understanding of child development, trauma, family and child/risk assessment skills.
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of Child, Youth and Family Services Act including the Looking after Children Framework, Best Interest Planning Principles, Trauma and Attachment Frameworks and demonstrated knowledge of using a therapeutic approach within a complex service system.
• Sound stakeholder management and the ability to build and maintain strong, credible relationships with relevant stakeholders.
• Ability to build strong relationships with community stakeholders (i.e. DFFH, other providers, judges, schools, etc.) to ensure cooperation among service providers.

Duties:

• Provide evidence-based assessment, counselling and case management support to families and children referred to The Response.
• Plan, develop and monitor the implementation of evidence-based interventions.
• Deliver evidence-based intensive interventions to enhance family functioning, parenting capabilities and safety, stability and the developmental needs of children.
• Partner and collaborate with a variety of organisations to develop internal and external referral points.
• The role is classified at SCHADS 6

Baptcare offer flexibility of where you work, balanced with deliverables required for the role and Baptcare’s duty of care, as well as maintaining the relationship between you and your team. The position offers a flexible work model that encompasses the opportunity to work with clients in the community, work from home and from Baptcare Hubs.

How to Apply

Please ensure the Key Selection Criteria are addressed from the Skills/Experience and Duties as listed in the Position Description.

For more information, contact:

Name: Catena DePasquale, Children and Family Services Manager
Email: cdepasquale@baptcare.org.au using the subject line: Practitioner - Family Preservation, Reunification and Response

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

At Baptcare, we value diversity in all forms and aim to co-create inclusive experiences and communities with our employees, volunteers, the people we work alongside and our partners. We are committed to diversity and inclusion across all we do and to building communities and workplaces where everyone belongs. 

Baptcare is dedicated to the safety, empowerment, and participation of all children. We have zero tolerance of child abuse and are committed to a thoughtful, protective environment that supports infants, children, and young people to feel safe and respected. 

Baptcare (VIC, TAS) is proud to be working towards uniting with BaptistCare (NSW, ACT, WA) and Baptist Care SA, to create a newly merged national care organisation committed to providing exceptional support and services across Australia. Together, we are building on a shared history of care and compassion, expanding our reach, and strengthening our mission to help people live well with dignity and purpose. 

If you require support with the application process, please contact pcservices@baptcare.org.au.