Description:
Position
Child and Family Practitioner (SHINE)
Team
Family Safety and Wellbeing
Role Classification
SCHADS Award Level 5
Employment Type/Hours
Full time, Permanent .
Location
Dandenong office (Bunurong Land), Remote working and outreach as required.
Reports To
Team Leader, Shine and Connect
Effective Date
March 2025
Overview of Program
The Support, Help, Information Networks and Education Mental Health Program (SHINE) is an initiative to improve mental health for children, youth and their families by delivering innovative integrated services of Support, Help, Information Networks and Education. The primary target for prevention and early intervention is children from birth to 18 years, with individual behavioural needs and family, environmental factors posing risk for continuing mental health problems (i.e. anxiety, depression, and conduct disorder). The focus of the program is to reduce risk, strengthen protective factors and link to appropriate services for coping with mental illness in families.
Position Objective
The SHINE Practitioner provides case work and therapeutic support to children and families where there are concerns for the emotional wellbeing or mental health for children and/or their parents, with the aim to strengthen family relationships and improve emotional wellbeing.
Key Responsibilities
The key responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- To work with children and their families, including where there are complex mental health needs, issues of risk and safety, including situations where family violence has been experienced/witnessed by the child/young person.
- Work with children, youth and their families to address mental health concerns, including where there are complex needs, wellbeing concerns or issues of dysregulation and disconnection.
- Apply a range of therapeutic modalities to best meet client/family needs with a particular focus on outreach case work, counselling, in-home family and parent support, group work, community development and community education.
- Work to improve and strengthen the relationship between children and parents and support the child to increase healthy social connectedness.
- Work closely with mental health providers to develop and strengthen the family where mental health is the primary issue.
- Utilise frameworks and therapeutic approaches such as Trauma Informed Practice, Safe & Together, Best Interest, Strength Based Practice etc. while taking a whole of family approach.
- Identify services that can assist clients and undertake an assisted referral process to refer clients to suitable services.
- Undertake an assessment with the child and family as required and undertake a systems approach when working with children and families.
- Collect, record and maintain all required documentation to evidence impact and effectiveness of service delivery in a complete, accurate and timely manner, as required by organisational standards and program contracts.
Key Selection Criteria
- Bachelor Degree qualification in Social Work, Community Services or equivalent.
- Eligibility for membership of an appropriate professional association.
- Experience working directly with families, children and young people with complex needs.
- Experience working with families and young people using a family inclusive and community-based approach.
- Ability to facilitate groups and community education forums leading to the empowerment of diverse communities to create and lead their own initiatives.
- Work with families of cultural and linguistic diversity.
- Ability to deliver a range of prevention, intervention and developmental services to a highly professional standard.
- Understanding of the complexities and experience working within the Family Violence field.
- Safety Planning and risk and needs assessment skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively across programs, organisations and systems.
- Highly effective interpersonal communication skills.
- Ability to prepare written reports and maintain records to a high standard.
- Ability to manage time effectively and efficiently.
- Thorough knowledge and understanding of Child and adolescent development, Parent education and skills development.
- A thorough understanding of systems, family, and family violence theories and research.
- 16. Bilingual/multilingual ability desirable