Youth Worker - Foster and Kinship Care Program

Employment Term: Casual

Location: Rockhampton

Remuneration: $46.68 per hour + 11.5% Super + NFP Salary Packaging + Penalties & Allowances

Make a meaningful difference with UnitingCare

We’re looking for someone who wants to make the world a little better through small moments that leave big impacts. To build meaningful relationships and make a difference in the lives of others.

As an integral part of our Foster and Kinship Care Program - you'll be encouraged to utilise your passion and skills to support our young people to grow, develop, heal and feel empowered. If you want to make a difference in the lives of our most vulnerable young people, this is the job for you.

Let’s make a meaningful difference, together.

The successful applicant must be available to work varying shifts that include morning and after school support and must be available to work school holidays. The majority of shifts are 3-6 hours of support.

Your part in our UnitingCare team

We are currently seeking a Youth Worker to join our Foster and Kinship Care Program based in Rockhampton to support outreach and in-home support to children with high to complex support needs. Working in accordance with the CARE model, you will be able to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children, young people and families by taking a therapeutic centred approach.

As a Youth Worker, you will guide carers to provide stable, trauma informed, nurturing family-based care arrangements.

As a Youth Worker you will:

Provide direct support to young people in a sensitive, strengths based, and non-discriminatory, non-judgemental way

Work with individual Carer households to provide training and assistance to support the practical application of the CARE model when caring for the children in their care

Provide support to young people with day to day living situations including personal care when required, including social and community inclusion, with an emphasis on choice, dignity and enhancing quality of life, health and wellbeing, whilst ensuring duty of care is upheld at all times

Participate in the development, implementation and review of individual care plans for young people

Use a high level of initiative and judgement especially in vulnerable and volatile situations, which includes responding to crises

Comply with organisational and service delivery requirement including, but not limited to, completion of case notes, handover notes and other documentation, reporting of service issues, attendance and participation in meetings and training

Uphold and promote the right to privacy, dignity and confidentiality of young people

What makes a difference for us?

You will have a strong understanding of the child protection system and more specifically previous exposure to a residential or out of home care environment. In addition, you will have a strong therapeutic background ideally with a well-developed understanding of C.A.R.E principles and/or trauma informed framework.

Ideally you will have the following:

A relevant tertiary qualification would be advantageous and/or demonstrated experience working with young people who may have challenging behaviours

Experience incorporating the six CARE Principals when supporting Children and Young People, or reflection on how you would incorporate these into your practice

Current Blue Card - Working with Children

A current Open Qld Driver Licence

A current Senior First Aid Certificate

Be subject to relevant criminal and child protection system checks

Please note, that as part of UnitingCare’s commitment to professional development and provision of trauma informed care, successful candidates will be paid to attend training in person for TCI, CARE and Three Pillars of transforming care.

What makes a difference for you?

At UnitingCare we are leaders in crisis response, the protection of vulnerable children, financial resilience and family wellbeing. Our FaDS team work passionately across Queensland to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.

Flexible work arrangements to support work-life balance

Save tax and increase your take home pay by salary packaging your everyday living expenses and bills (up to $15,900) and meal entertainment (up to $2,650) per annum

A recognition and rewards platform, providing employee discounts at hundreds of retailers, including everyday expenses, holidays, health insurance, annual awards celebration, wellbeing and employee assistance programs

A positive and inclusive team based on respect, shared standards, strong values and a commitment to serving others

12 weeks paid parental leave and 2 weeks paid partner leave, available after 6 months service, in addition to the government scheme

Diversity and inclusive leave, offering paid gender affirmation leave and cultural leave options (paid and unpaid) for those who may celebrate Lunar New Year, Diwali, Ramadan, NAIDOC weeks and other significant cultural events

Career development opportunities to challenge yourself, grow and make a meaningful difference

Child safe, Child friendly

UnitingCare is committed to being a Child Safe, Child Friendly organisation and will:

Provide welcoming, safe and nurturing services for children

Implement measures to prevent child abuse and neglect within our services

Appropriately and immediately address child abuse and neglect if it does occur

Diversity & Inclusion

Our approach is simple – everybody is welcome here. At UnitingCare, diversity is at the core of our who we are, our mission and our values. We are committed to providing equal opportunities to all employees no matter their sex, race, culture, sexual orientation, disability or gender identity. Demonstrating our commitment to reconciliation and building long-term employment opportunities for First Nations peoples, UnitingCare strongly encourages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants for this position.

Safe workplace

We work hard to make our services welcoming and safe for every person. We are united in keeping children, young people and the elderly safe from harm, within our services, workplaces and the communities we support. We are committed to speaking up loudly for their safety.