Location: Melbourne | Northern Metropolitan
Job type: Full time / Fixed term until: 25-NOV-2025
Organisation: Department of Families, Fairness and Housing
Occupation: Community Services
Reference: VG/DFFH/COPL/562325B
The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) works hard to create equal opportunities for all Victorians to live a safe, respected and valued life.
Our areas of focus are child protection, housing, disability, the prevention of family violence, multicultural affairs, LGBTIQA+ equality, veterans, women and youth. The work we do benefits thousands of Victorians, particularly those who are disadvantaged and vulnerable.
We work in a variety of community-based settings, including people's homes, residential facilities and secure settings across metropolitan, rural and regional Victoria.
We are committed to developing and supporting a workforce that is well equipped and highly motivated. All jobs can be worked flexibly, and we encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and people from diverse backgrounds and abilities.
THE ROLE Located in the Placement Support Planning Unit North Metro, this innovative position will drive positive changes and enhance the life outcomes for children and young people. The Placement and Support Planning Unit provides a range of specialist knowledge and expertise to assist area-based service delivery teams. It also provides direct client services across the North Division, fulfilling a coordinating role and improving client access to services. The unit includes the Kinship Engagement Program, Placement Coordination Unit, Permanent Care program and Health and Education Coordinator.
The Kinship Engagement Worker, supervised by the Kinship Engagement Coordinator, will work under the model of kinship care which was rolled out across Victoria in March 2018. In this role, you will promote placement stability by providing ongoing and flexible support to kinship placements, and conduct kinship finding activities to identify potential kinship or respite options or mentors for children and young people subject to child protection intervention. You will also assist with embedding all components of the kinship model into practice.
Kinship care is provided by relatives or a member of a child or young person's social network when a child cannot live with their parents. The model focuses on better and earlier identification of kinship carers; strengthening connections for Aboriginal children and young people with family, culture and community; providing increased, ongoing support for carers, children and young people; and a greater emphasis on assessing the needs of carers, children and young people.
The Kinship Engagement Workers and the Kinship Engagement Coordinators have a significant role in the continued implementation and embedding of the model of kinship care in the North Metro area. The Kinship Engagement Worker may undertake the initial search for a child or young person's extended family network, promote placement quality and stability, and support children and young people by being a key contact point for kinship carers and providing flexible kinship support. The Kinship Engagement Worker will report to the Kinship Engagement Coordinator.
The Kinship Engagement teams work closely with Child Protection to support the case plan goals.
Are you A strengths-based practitioner who is child-centred and family-focused, with a commitment to securing positive outcomes and enhancing opportunities for children and young people accessing out of home care?Ready to contribute to the ongoing development of services?Comfortable with supporting new initiatives, policy and processes?ACCOUNTABILITIES INCLUDE Provide quality, timely and effective case practice and support services.Forge strong connections across the department and with external stakeholders to facilitate a partnership approach.Contribute to service development and implementation of new initiatives and policy.COVID-19 VACCINATION
The department strongly recommends (but does not mandate) that employees maintain their COVID-19 vaccination status in accordance with current ATAGI (Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation) advice, given their individual circumstances. As of June 2023, DFFH does not require evidence of COVID-19 vaccination status.
HOW TO APPLY All VPS employees (and ex-VPS employees with extended access to the Jobs and Skills Exchange website) MUST apply via the Jobs and Skills Exchange portal.
Applicants are encouraged to apply online. Attachments can be uploaded in .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt or .rtf formats.
Applicants are required to submit a CV and Cover Letter (max 2 pages) outlining their suitability to the role in line with the Key Selection Criteria.
Applicants must be an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or hold a valid work permit or visa. Work eligibility will be checked as part of the recruitment process.
Preferred candidates will be required to complete pre-employment screening, including a national police check and misconduct screening.
Please apply to submit your interest in this position.
Job type:Full time / Fixed term until: 25-NOV-2025
Job classification:CYF4
Contact:Lisa Hayes | 0447 824 322 or ******
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