- Full time position based in Hurstville
- $86k – $92k inclusive of Super + Salary Packaging
- Flexible Friendly organisation, WFH & part time options available
We are Australia’s first charity, providing a range of Disability, Child, Youth and Family and Aged Care services across New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia. We are an independent, non-religious service provider which supports people to live life their way. Our vision is for a just society where all Australians can live their best life. We use our practice wisdom to mobilise social movements that advocate for anyone in need and create social change.
About the role
Functional Family Therapy (FFT) is an evidence-based model built on principles of respect and accountability. At its core, FFT requires a focus on assessment and intervention to address risk and protective factors within and outside of the family that impact children’s safety and adaptive development. The model is relational and requires therapists to remain strength-based and non-judgmental in their approach.
DCJ has selected this approach based on its international success increasing children safety and keeping more families together.
As a therapist, you will use your knowledge to work intensively with families to assess strengths, needs and identify goals; and develop and implement behaviour change plans, aimed at improving family functioning and increasing the safety of children. You will support clients to embed changes and plan for potential challenges that families may face in the future using motivational interviewing skills.
Duties
- Work intensively with a range of designated high-risk clients for up to 6 months to provide in-home family therapy and child protection intervention using a whole of family approach, creating a therapeutic alliance with all family members.
- Engage and motivate young people and families to be a part of a change process by decreasing family conflict, negativity and blame; and increasing hope around the possibility of change.
- Create and implement individualised skills-based behaviour change plans to address the specific risk factors present for each family.
- Engage in weekly group supervision to receive from and provide support to other therapists on the team. These meetings are also for the purpose of collecting data and ensuring fidelity to the model is maintained to a high standard.
- Document your activity to ensure the impact of the model on families in the Australian context can be measured and used to shape future practice standards across the sector.
- Where necessary, refer individuals to a range of external services in the community to support families to maintain change within the family unit even beyond FFT involvement.
Our Benefits
We support people to live their best life. That includes you, our employee. A best life is deeply personal. It can change as life changes. Here are a few things you might be interested in:
- Salary Benefits – In addition to your salary you can package up to $15,900 pa pre tax and benefit from a $2,650 meals and entertainment card + discount program and package vehicles!
- Work/Life Balance – Flexible work arrangements including part time hours + laptop & phone provided to work remotely + 1 accrued day off a month for full time employees
- Recognition and Reward – Length of Service rewards + long service leave after 5 years
- Wellness– Fitness passport + Employee Assistance Program + opportunity to purchase additional leave
- Professional development – Ongoing learning, training and career progression opportunities
Skills and Experience
You will have a minimum tertiary qualification in Social Work, Welfare, Psychology, Counselling or related discipline and:
- Experience working with at-risk children in a child protection or counselling role
- Ability to actively engage, assess and case manage at risk families using a strengths-based approach
- A clear understanding of child protection issues and the capacity to identify and respond to escalated risk
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to data collection
- Excellent relationship building skills and experience engaging with reluctant clients
- Desire and confidence to learn new practices and immediately implement techniques and strategies with clients
Apply today!
Contact Emma Schmalkuche at [email protected] for any enquiries.
TBS is committed to building an inclusive and diverse workforce that reflects the communities and people we support and advocate for. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, people of all ages, identity and abilities. We pride ourselves on being a client and child safe organisation and as such all our staff and volunteers go through security screening relevant to the role. The Benevolent Society supports vaccination as the best way to keep our clients, communities, volunteers and employees safe from COVID-19. Vaccination for COVID-19 is a condition of employment and volunteering.