Description:
- A dynamic opportunity to lead staff professional development, guide clinical practice integrity and influence and contribute to clinical projects and practice change
- Apply your extensive clinical practice experience to engage in direct service delivery with individuals convicted of a range of offences
- Great opportunity to join Forensic Intervention Services
- Make a positive difference in keeping our community safe
- Attractive salary between $109,730 - $132,764 + superannuation
An exciting ongoing opportunity is available to join Forensic Intervention Services as a Forensic Senior Clinician, Practice in the Medium Security Prisons team.
About the business unit
Corrections Victoria is part of the Department of Justice and Community Safety and is responsible for the direction, management, and operation of Victoria's adult corrections system, including Community Correctional Services, public and privately operated prisons, and a transitional centre. It ensures prisoners are safely and securely contained and aims to rehabilitate offenders by addressing the underlying causes of offending behaviour.
As a division of Corrections Victoria, Forensic Intervention Services is a specialist program area within the Offender Services Division that provides service users in custody and in the community with offence-specific, evidence-based screening, assessment, and intervention services to support their rehabilitation. In doing so, Forensic Intervention Services is a critical component of the department's strategy to reduce reoffending and contribute to community safety.
About the role
The Forensic Senior Clinician, Practice is a senior representative of Forensic Intervention Services that provides leadership, high level consultancy and advice to internal and external stakeholders across the system on clinical matters, particularly in relation to the management of service users and their multi-systemic treatment needs.
These positions sit within the Medium Security Prisons team and offers the distinctive opportunity to manage forensic clinical work with service users and contribute to Forensic Intervention Services' program integrity. A significant portion of the role is in direct service delivery, supporting and mentoring staff in the delivery of evidence-based risk assessments and facilitating therapeutic interventions with service users. The role supports the delivery of Forensic Intervention Services' Supervision Framework and program integrity through various clinical practice processes and initiatives.
Some of your duties will include:
- Provide an advanced range of clinical services, including assessments, case formulation and treatment for service users and specialist advice to other multi-disciplinary clinicians and Correctional staff on the management of clinical and behavioural management issues.
- Role model and mentor clinical staff in the delivery of group-based and individual interventions according to the service remit.
- Enhance workforce capability through the provision of supervision, training and development opportunities for Forensic Intervention Services clinical workforce and other Corrections Victoria staff.
About you
To be successful in this role, you will have:
- An advanced understanding of the theory and therapeutic frameworks underpinning assessment and treatment with service users within the justice system, and an ability to apply these frameworks in practice, such as the Risk-Needs-Responsivity principles.
- Significant experience in and knowledge of evidence-based, forensic risk assessments and the delivery of individual and group treatment and behaviour intervention treatment models with complex populations in a justice setting (for example, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Schema Therapy, Transtheoretical Model of Change, Trauma Informed Care, Strengths Based Approaches).
- Demonstrated ability to critically analyse and apply current research evidence, methodology and approaches required for effective practice.
- Adherence to key therapist characteristics [empathy, warmth, rewarding and directive] to facilitate the therapeutic relationship and demonstrated ability to undertake reflective practice and actively participate in clinical supervision to improve clinical practice.
Qualifications
- Registration as a Psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
- Membership of the Australian Association of Social Work; or
- Credentialed as a Mental Health Nurse with the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses; or
- Registration as an Occupational Therapist with the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia.
- AHPRA approved supervisor, or equivalent; or
- A minimum of 2 years of being a practicing supervisor.
- Specialist training and/or postgraduate qualifications in a clinical or forensic field is desirable
What's in it for you?
You will be working for the Department of Justice and Community Safety, which is one arm of the Victorian State Government, a recognised top employer of choice nationally. All our staff work to the vision of a safe, just, innovative and thriving Victoria.
There are many advantages in working for the department, including:
- Job stability – fixed term position as a member of the Victorian Public Service (VPS)
- A fair salary – enjoy great work conditions and salary sacrificing options.
- Transparent performance framework – approach your work with confidence in how you're tracking, working to professional development plans agreed on by you and your manager.
- Generous leave entitlements – provisions for many forms of leave; including personal, parental, carers, study, cultural, compassionate, and sick leave.
- Employee Assistance Program support – you are encouraged to use this short-term, confidential counselling service if you're experiencing emotional stress, relationship problems, conflict with others or personal issues. It is also available for financial counselling and retirement planning.
To learn more about the type of skills you will need to thrive in this role, please read the position description.
If you have any queries, please call Rhys Woolley on 0436 017 702 or email Rhys.Woolley@justice.vic.gov.au
We want to make sure all Victorians feel represented by the department's work. One of the ways do this is by recruiting a diverse workforce – we welcome people of any gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and cultural background. We are also committed to the Victorian Government's promise to increase the number of veterans working in the public sector.
We're proud of our individual differences. We're proud of the many languages we speak and the stories we can share with each other. We hope you will share your story too.
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people are strongly encouraged to apply.
The Department of Justice and Community Safety is continually working towards increasing our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Aboriginal) workforce. The Aboriginal Employment Team aims to attract, recruit and retain Aboriginal staff across all our roles. This support includes a culturally appropriate attraction and recruitment process. To learn more, email aboriginal.employment@justice.vic.gov.au
If this sounds like a compelling job that you believe your skills would be a great match for, please APPLY NOW. Applications close 20 March 2025.
How to apply
Please click the Apply button on this advertisement. Applications should include a resume and covering letter. Attachments can be uploaded in .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt or .rtf formats.
The successful candidate will be required to undergo pre-employment checks which may include national police checks and misconduct screening.
If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process, or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the contact person listed on this ad.
FOR INTERNAL VPS EMPLOYEES:
In accordance with the Jobs and Skills Exchange Recruitment Policy, only Victorian Public Service employees are eligible to apply for this position. People on labour hire contracts, such as agency staff and external contractors, are not eligible to apply.
For all VPS employees, due to the new Jobs Skills Exchange (JSE) policy, please apply through the JSE to be eligible to be considered for this position in the first round.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
CHILD SAFE STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT:
The Department of Justice and Community Safety is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. We seek to prevent harm of any kind impacting children and young people and have zero tolerance for racism, child abuse and inequality. Children and young people's rights, relationships, identity, and culture must be recognised and respected, their voices heard, and their concerns acted upon. We aim to foster a culturally safe, child safe and child friendly environment for all children and young people we have contact with, deliver services to, or are impacted by our work.