About Children's Ground

Children’s Ground is a First Nations organisation. The Children’s Ground Approach is designed and delivered through the leadership of First Nations people. We are committed to systems change to ensure dignity, justice and equity for all children and families. Our work focuses on national reform as well as evidencing a new way of working.

The Children’s Ground Approach is a whole of community, whole of life approach. We privilege First Nations knowledge systems and practice. Over the course of a generation, led by local expertise, we create and deliver an integrated system that is centred on learning, development and wellbeing that responds to the child and their family through the key transition points from pre-birth to young adulthood.

Our approach recognises the cultural, social, and economic strength of our communities. We build on this over a generation to ensure a future for our children and grandchildren that gives them freedom, opportunity and rights to their culture and identity.

Children’s Ground operates in Central Australia and across the Top End, with support provided by a Melbourne-based Shared Services team.

About you

You are a respectful and community-minded support worker with experience working alongside First Nations families. You understand the impacts of colonisation and bring a trauma-informed, strength-based approach to helping families stay safely together and thrive.

With qualifications in social work, health, or community development, you have experience in case management and child and family safety. You’re a clear communicator who builds trust, works collaboratively, and adapts to meet the needs of community.

Organised and digitally literate, you’re confident with reporting and data. You’re ready to work flexibly—including in outdoor and remote settings—and are committed to supporting community-led change and healing.

About the role

The Community Support Worker position works with the Family Support Services team to deliver high quality support and services to families and maintains strong integrity in accordance with the Children’s Ground Approach.

Key Selection Responsibilities

1. Program Delivery

• Provide support and assistance to families to help them keep their children safe, at home; reunify children in care with their birth family; support fathers and father figures to raise healthy and safe children.
• Support all programs to ensure they are delivered with quality and integrity.
• Work together with the Children’s Ground Top End Health and Early Learning teams.
• Contribute to the development a strong network for service provider referral.
• Assist in developing community led, governance standards and practice.
• Work to ensure compliance with relevant regulations, laws, and standards.

2. Relationships and stakeholder management

• Develop collaborative relationships with service partners, participating in local Service Delivery Forums, to promote service collaboration and integration.
• Liaise with a wide range of organisations and businesses who have a shared interest in following the leadership of community members and the goals of individual community plans.
• Develop, strengthen & maintain relationships.
• Maintain joint working relationships across Children’s Ground operations.
• Represent Children’s Ground in key meetings as requested.

3. Information and data systems, monitoring, and reporting

• Ensure user data and information is being recorded as to meet the monitoring and evaluation needs of Children’s Ground.
• Participate in the reporting requirements of the Family Support Service funding agreement.
• Support community-based staff to document and record data.
• Maintain confidential, organised and up to date files.
• Prepare reports as required.

4. Contribute to Children’s Ground

• Be a positive, innovative, and active member of the Children’s Ground Top End Region team.
• Contribute to strategic planning, organisational development, management work plans & policy formation.
• Support a strong, connected, respectful and supportive organisation.
• Participate in professional development programs offered by Children’s Ground.
• Undertake other tasks as requested to support the delivery of Children’s Ground.

Key Selection Criteria

1. Experience working with First Nations communities and an understanding of the effects of colonisation, disempowerment, and intergenerational trauma.
2. Relevant qualifications and experience, such as social work, health worker, community development and social science, with experience in case management.
3. Strong understanding of strength-based and trauma-informed approaches.
4. Excellent communication and community engagement skills, and ability to adapt communication style as required.
5. Experience in early intervention in relation to child, family, and community safety.
6. Knowledge of child protection issues and the NT child protection system.
7. The ability to develop a strong network for service provider referral.
8. Ability to work in a flexible team environment.
9. High computer and digital literacy to work across multiple computer systems.
10. Current Driver’s Licence.
11. Willingness to undergo a National Police Check and obtain an NT OCHRE Working with Children Check

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