Family Advocacy and Support Service Specialist (FASS).

About the position

The FASS is a specialist family violence service, which partners with Legal Aid NSW and duty lawyers, to provide legal and social support to clients affected by family violence in the family law courts. This may include women who are victims of family violence, as well as women who have allegations of family violence made against them in the their family law matter.

This position can be based in either our Taree or Port Macquarie NSW office and covers the Federal Circuit Courts at Forster and Port Macquarie.

Hours of work; 8.30am -5pm as negotiated (Mondays to Fridays)

Pay rate; Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010. Classification Level 6

Applications should be addressed to; The Manager.

Emailed to; [email protected]

Applications will close when this position is filled.

APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED VIA THE SEEK PLATFORM WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

Applicants must respond to all the Essential Criteria to be considered.

Your application must provide:

a cover letter introducing yourself and the position you are applying for

a document that addresses each of the Essential Criteria

a current Resume

contact details for two recent employment referees, one from a current or previous supervisor

About us

Mid Coast Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Services has been operating in the Manning Great Lakes and Port Macquarie Hastings areas for over 20 years. We provide services to women and their children experiencing domestic and family violence. Our services include Intake and support, information, safety assessments and referrals for ongoing supports. We facilitate the Safety Action Meetings within our areas for women as serious risk or harm. We provide support and advocacy with all domestic violence related court matters at the following local courts, Taree, Forster, Gloucester, Port Macquarie, Wauchope, Kempsey and Macksville. The addition of the Family Advocacy and Support Service specialist (FASS) will provide specialist services to women with Family Law matters in the Federal Circuit Courts at Port Macquarie and Forster NSW.

Join our passionate team committed to providing effective, flexible and high-quality services to women and their children experiencing domestic and family violence. We are an inclusive and respectful employer that works towards empowering women to take action to improve their safety and create better outcomes for themselves and their families

We offer salary packaging to receive a portion of your salary tax free.

We focus on staff wellbeing with regular internal and external reflective/practice supervision.

Access to training and learning opportunities

Women who identify as Aboriginal and women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Being a woman is a genuine qualification for this position under the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act.

Responsibilities of this role

The FASS specialist is responsible for assisting the Manager with the overall administration and coordination of the FASS, whilst maintaining direct engagement with FASS clients.

• Accepting referrals from the Legal Aid NSW Domestic Violence Unit and Early Intervention Unit, judicial officers, solicitors and from government agencies and non-government services

• Contacting clients referred to the FASS in a timely manner, conducting a threat assessment to ascertain their current risk, and checking the status of their court matter

• Triaging clients to determine their most urgent needs

• Providing ongoing emotional support to clients going through, or potentially going through, the family court system within a trauma-informed practice as needed

• Undertaking safety planning to address a client’s immediate safety needs, both in and outside of the Court

• Providing relevant information and making warm referrals to a range of service providers to assist clients with their ongoing needs

• Attending court on duty list, interim and final hearing days and other days as required to provide information, assistance and court support for FASS clients as requested by the client or the Court

• Attend other Court matters to observe for key terms and behaviours that might include domestic and family violence, to ensure that those involved in the matter are aware of support services

• Developing and maintaining strong working relationships with key FASS partners, including the Domestic Violence Unit and Early Intervention Unit, all Federal and Family Court of Australia judicial officers and staff, legal representatives, court security, FASS Men’s Social Support Workers, and referral agencies, to facilitate client access to those agencies and services

• Where possible, accept any invitation by the Court to assist with procedural matters, such as support for clients receiving Family Reports or participating in Child Impact Interviews and Reports

• Collaborating with WDVCAS colleagues to provide integrated support to shared clients

• Complying with the Domestic Violence Information Sharing Protocol

• Maintaining confidential and accurate records

• Fulfilling reporting requirements in line with the FASS Service Agreement and the FASS Policy Manual

• Assisting the Legal Aid NSW FASS Project Officer to develop and administer policies, systems and processes for the effective operation of the FASS.

Essential criteria and skills

• Understanding of domestic and family violence, its complexities and consequences

• Understanding of the intersections between domestic and family violence and the family law system

• Ability to work autonomously with limited supervision

• Experience in maintaining boundaries with vulnerable clients in complex situations

• Excellent communication skills, particularly in negotiation, advocacy and conflict resolution

• Demonstrated ability to engage effectively with clients in crisis and provide appropriate, trauma-informed support

• Ability to work with the local community to promote awareness of domestic and family violence and FASS services

• Knowledge of, and an ability to effectively work with, Interpreter services, including Auslan interpreters

• Excellent organisational and administrative skills

Previous employment in supporting women with Family Law matters and or working within the Family Law Court System may be an advantage.

The successful candidate will be required to provide;

a recent Working with Children Check,

a recent Criminal Record Check

a current driver’s licence and reliable and insured vehicle

For further information please email; [email protected] and leave your name and a contact number and we will contact you as soon as we can.