Employment Type: Permanent Full Time, 38 hours per week
Location: Fairfield Community Health Centre
Position Classification: Psychologist, Social Worker Level 3
Remuneration: 
Social Worker Level 3: $105,093.00 – $108,612.00 per annum
Psychologist: $71,240.00 – $105,895.00 per annum

Requisition ID: REQ422041
Application Close Date: 20/08/2023
Interview Date Range: 23/08/2023 – 30/08/2023
Contact Details:  Laura Mcdonald – 0429 121 683 | [email protected]

About You 

• Passionate about engaging with vulnerable families who are involved in the child protection system.  
• Ability to work within a team and also independently. 
• Capacity to manage a complex caseload and excellent time management skills.
• Enthusiastic about developing your clinical skills within an Integrated Prevention and Response to Violence Abuse and Neglect (IPARVAN) setting.

About the Opportunity 
This position is for a permanent full-time Senior Child Protection Counsellor (Social Worker Level 3 or Psychologist). The central unit is based within the Liverpool LGA, with Counsellors located in some health centres across the SWSLHD.  This position will be primarily based at Fairfield Community Health Centre with the expectation that Counsellors travel and work in other Community Health Centres across the SWSLHD in business hours (0830 – 1700). 

The applicant must hold one of the following qualifications: (a) a Social Work degree which provides eligibility for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW); or (b) Registration as a Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia, including the completion of four-year sequence of accredited undergraduate study in the discipline of psychology (or equivalent completed overseas).  

The CPCS are a specialised NSW Health service that are child/young person and family/carers centred. The CPCS is a trauma-specific service responding to violence, abuse and neglect involving children and young people. The CPCS’ overarching purpose is to work towards the recovery and ongoing safety and wellbeing of children and young people involved in the child protection system. The CPCS accepts referrals directly from the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) and other organisations where the specific incident, behaviour or circumstances has met the Risk of Significant Harm (ROSH) threshold. The CPCS are primarily an outreach or home visiting based service and provide individual, couple, and family counselling. They also provide therapy sessions to children and young people, after clinical assessment. The type of sessions facilitated depends on the needs of the family. Groupwork is also provided to clients of the service. The client work is medium to long term in duration.

What You’ll be Doing 
The position is responsible for improving the emotional, social and mental wellbeing of children, young people, parents/carers and their families where there has been a confirmed history violence and neglect by providing specialist counselling and interventions.  This response includes:

·         Trauma informed interventions and responses,

·         Case coordination that includes intake, assessment, case planning and referral functions,

·         Client focussed advocacy, liaison and consultation,

·         Provide consultation in relation to child protection matters to other health professionals as part of the team’s service delivery.

·         A genuine child-centred, family focused approach, collaborating across services to ensure clients receive the service they need, when they need it.

This position is to ensure the provision of optimal health outcomes consistent with SWSLHD policies and procedures, standards, relevant legislation, and the NSW Health Code of Conduct. The position will also participate in professional development, clinical supervision, teaching, quality activities and other relevant departmental and administrative duties.
 
Child, Youth and Family Clinical Services Directorate staff work within a trauma informed framework with an understanding of and responsiveness to the impact of trauma on children, young people and their families.

The position will ensure that services are provided in a manner that is welcoming, safe and appropriate for all, including individuals, families and communities who have experienced trauma.

By adopting a trauma-informed and family sensitive approach, health services can play a key part in identifying and meeting the needs of children, young people, individuals, families and communities who are vulnerable.

How to Apply
To be considered for this position, please ensure you address the selection criteria as thoroughly as possible.

1. A Social Work degree which provides eligibility for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) or Full registration as a Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia. Completion of four-year sequence of accredited undergraduate study in the discipline of psychology (or equivalent completed overseas).
2. Demonstrated extensive post graduate clinical experience in providing counselling, groupwork, parenting and case management interventions to clients where child protection, violence, neglect and trauma incidents has occurred.
3. Demonstrated knowledge of child protection issues including the relevant legislation and guidelines and the appropriate response for clinical practice.
4. Demonstrated experience in engaging with difficult and involuntary clients.
5. Demonstrated experience in prioritising a challenging and demanding workload; managing stressful situations; and applying advanced reasoning skills and independent professional judgement when dealing with situations of a novel or critical nature.
6. Demonstrated high level of communication skills (written and verbal) and demonstrated computer skills.
7. Demonstrated experience in the provision of clinical supervision and expert advice/consultation to other professionals in relation to counselling and child protection issues.
8. Demonstrated experience in the planning, implementing, leading and evaluating of quality improvement activities involving the application of evidenced based practice.
9. Current unrestricted Australian drivers licence (P2 Licence Acceptable) subject to obtaining NSW drivers licence within 3 months of appointment. Ability and willingness to travel for work purposes, including providing outreach and home-visiting services. 

Need more information?
  1) Click here for the Position Description
  2) Find out more about applying for this position

Additional Information

Stepping Up – Close the Gap
Stepping Up aims to assist Aboriginal applicants understand how to apply for roles with NSW Health by clarifying the recruitment and onboarding process. If you are an Aboriginal person and wish to obtain more information about applying for a role within South Western Sydney Local Health District, please contact the SWSLHD Aboriginal Workforce Team on [email protected]  

Workplace Giving Program
South Western Sydney Local Health District employees also have the opportunity to make a difference to help those less fortunate. Visit the Workplace Giving Program for more information.

Salary Packaging
South Western Sydney Local Health District employees are able to enjoy the benefits of salary packing. Visit Smart Salary for more details.

Transforming Your Experience
Transforming Your Experience (TYE) is SWSLHDs key strategy to always positively transform your, our patients, our consumers, our staff