• Full time ongoing / Grade 3 Senior Social Worker position (part time applications may be considered)
• Based at Ravenhall Correctional Centre
• Diverse and supportive environments

A career in the forensic mental health sector is diverse, challenging and rewarding. A career at Forensicare will be like no other. If you’re passionate about supporting people in their mental health recovery, Forensicare is where you need to be. You will be a part of a caring and supportive team, making a real difference to people living with the dual stigma of mental illness and offending. We approach our work with curiosity and a commitment to understanding the unique needs of our consumers and carers. Working across community, hospital and prison settings, you can learn, apply your specialist skills and advance in your profession. Together, we can contribute to a more connected, compassionate mental health and criminal justice system.

Job location 

Forensicare is the statutory agency responsible for the provision of adult forensic mental health services across Victoria. Completed in 2017, Ravenhall Correctional Centre is a medium-security men’s prison in Melbourne’s west, providing world-class forensic mental health services in Victoria in a purpose-built state of the art facility developed to international best practice standards. 

About the Role:

The Moroka unit is a 10-bed forensic mental health unit for people in custody that demonstrate entrenched complex and challenging behaviours related to mental illness, predominantly personality disorder. The Senior Social Worker plays a key role as a senior clinician within the multidicplinary team. The Senior Social Worker assesses and supports the psychosocial needs of patients, and provides therapeutic support to patients and their families through the delivery of programs, acts as a family violence champion, and plays a key role in discharge planning for patients.  You can read more about the Moroka program here: https://www.forensicare.vic.gov.au/revitalised-moroka-program-to-support-prisoners-with-complex-and-challenging-behaviours/ [link removed]. 

Duties:

• Use evidence-based models to support patients and their family systems and bring about therapeutic change, applying strength-based and recovery-oriented approaches to fostering relatinoships with relevant agencies and team members
• Complete psychosocial assessments and interventions, as well as educate and consult with members of the multidisciplinary team regarding social and systemic issues, advocating for consumers’ rights and entitlements
• Support the ongoing development and planning of social work services to achieve and maintain a high standard of consumer care, recognising the needs of both individuals and families, within the boundaries set by professional standards, legislative requirements, organisational policies, practices and directives
• Provide leadership within the multidiscplinary team and the social work service, including supervision of students and grade 2 social workers

About You:

• A demonstrated commitment to mental health consumer recovery
• Five years’ experience in direct social work practice and / or leadership positions
• Experience or confidence in crisis management and in defusing difficult situations
• Ability to undertake comprehensive social work assessments and to plan, implement and evaluate social work interventions for mentally ill people within a complex service environment
• Demonstrated commitment to advocacy and social justice within the provision of social work services
• Well developed skills and abilities in individual, group and family work.
• Well developed written and verbal communication skills 

What you need:

• Approved degree in Social Work and eligibility for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers.

 This position is subject to a Police Check.

A culture where people matter.

• Excellent supervision and investment in the skill development of managers and supervisors.
• Celebration and reward for good performance, through employee recognition.
• A leading, multi-faceted approach to safety, with unparalleled strategic, practical, individualised and team-based supports to minimise risks and fear and maximise safety and security, underpinned by our workplace health and safety strategy.
• Access to an employee assistance program – an external, confidential, self-referral employee wellbeing program, for personal or work-related matters.
• A mental health and wellbeing program providing psychological support, peer support and critical incidence response programs, as needed.

For more information on employee benefits visit https://www.forensicare.vic.gov.au/careers/employee-benefits [link removed]  

COVID19 & Influenza Vaccination Evidence

Under the Victorian Public Health orders, all employees working within the Public Health system must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and Influenza and are required to provide acceptable evidence of their vaccination status. The current orders require evidence of three doses for COVID-19.
All applicants to positions with Forensicare will need to upload acceptable evidence of full vaccination against COVID-19 and Influenza as part of their job application. Acceptable evidence is a copy of your Immunisation History Statement which can be accessed via MyGov. For international candidates, acceptable evidence is documentation issued by the relevant government authority. Offers of employment will only be made to candidates who can provide evidence that they meet full vaccination status.

Current Forensicare employees should apply through eRecruit using an account which is linked to their Forensicare email address and should contact People and Culture if they are unable to access their Forensicare eRecruit account.

Forensicare is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to attracting and developing a diverse workforce which reflects the community we serve. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people who identify as LGBTQI, people with a lived experience of disability, as well as people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Forensicare promotes our guiding principles of curiosity, purpose, strong ethics, compassion and fairness; and promotes behaviours that are consistent with these values at all times. Forensicare is an equal opportunity employer and offers a smoke free environment.