• Full time permanent position based on Bidjigal country in Hurstville
• $89K - $95.7K + Super + Salary Packaging (dependent on qualifications and experience)
• Flexible, friendly organisation with WFH options available!

Our Organisation

The Benevolent Society’s vision is to build a just society where all Australians can live their best life. For more than 200 years we have supported people at the margins of society: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians; children, young people, and their families; older people; carers and people with disability. We are an independent, non-religious service provider which supports people to live life their way.

As part of The Benevolent Society's vision, we are strongly committed to reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of Australia. We remain steadfast in our commitment to promoting the economic, political, and social inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

About the role

Our Fostering Young Lives program enables children in Out Of Home Care (OOHC) to achieve their highest potential. Within the Family Partnerships Team, we support children’s carers and their birth parents to create a safe and secure environment, so these children have a safe place to land.

Working in synchronisation with case management teams, you will ensure family placement options are explored, parents are supported to meet their children’s needs and child/young person retain their, identity and culture through family connection.

Working holistically, your role will encompass three key areas: supporting and assessing the viability of parents to have their children restored to their care; whilst in parallel completing kinship assessments in the attempt to maintain children and young people to remain within the family unit and holistically supporting the family following restoration. The role also includes recruiting, assessing and supporting general foster carers. If you enjoy working in a fast paced environment and can easily adapt to change, while always keeping the safety, best interests and well-being of children and young people at the centre of your work, then this is the role for you.

What you get to do:

• Work with a range of designated clients. The number of clients will depend on factors such as phase of intervention, complexity, and geography. Practitioners may work with individuals, or multiple stakeholders relating to the child or young person, their birth family and foster and/or kinship carers.
• Complete assessments across the Fostering Young Lives Program. Assessments include but are not limited to the following; restoration/viability assessments, Kinship assessments, Provisional assessments, Guardianship assessments, General Foster Care assessments and supporting the process of restoration for children, birth parents and carers, under the legislative Permanency Principles.
• Engage with clients, including children, young people, and their families, utilising appropriate assessment and risk mitigation strategies.
• Utilise a strength based approach following the permanency principles for children and young people in Out of home care.
• Facilitate transparent communication by openly sharing client plans with clients and relevant agencies.
• Coordinate with various service providers to ensure comprehensive support delivery, including facilitating access to wrap-around services.

Our Benefits

We support people to live their best life. That includes you, our employee. A ‘best life’ is unique to everyone and can change as life changes:

• Salary Benefits -You can package up to $15,900 pa of your pre-tax salary to pay for everyday expenses before income tax is calculated, meaning you take home even more pay!
• Motor Vehicle Packaging Options – to suit your lifestyle.
• Work/Life Balance - Enjoy flexible work arrangements, including hybrid home/office options, and accrue an additional day off each month (a bonus of 12 days per year) as a full-time employee.
• Recognition and Reward - Sector competitive remuneration, various recognition programs and access to long service leave after 5 years.
• Wellness - Stay fit with a Fitness passport, utilise our Employee Assistance Program, and even purchase additional leave.
• Professional Development - We tailor career development opportunities to all employees and volunteers for career enrichment, fulfilment, and growth.
• Our Reconciliation Commitment – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees are entitled up to 2 days paid plus up to 10 days unpaid cultural leave, as well as the option to be a voice on reference networking groups, the opportunity for cultural and professional development that supports career pathways and your social and emotional wellbeing.

Skills and Experience

• Have a minimum 2 years’ experience working with children and families addressing child protection concerns or within OOHC identifying and managing risk through trauma informed practice.
• Have a degree in Social Work, Psychology or relatable subject.
• Be comfortable working with and supporting individuals and families where there has been an identified risk.
• Using strong analytic skills to evidence and communicate both verbally and in writing.
• Be confident to have difficult conversations in a sensitive and appropriate way.
• Have the capacity to engage with people from all walks of life and adapt to changing circumstances.
• Ability to work flexibly in varying Sydney locations including occasional weekend and evening work.
• Hold a current driver’s licence.
• Accreditation and experience in uitlising the ‘Step-by-Step' training and assessment tool is desirable.

If you identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, then we want to hear from you. The Benevolent Society recognises and values cultural knowledge and wisdom of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, we therefore strongly encourage you to apply. We are strongly committed to being an Employer of Choice, one who offers, provides, and practices cultural safety in our workplace.

Interested? Apply online today!

Have a question? Contact Gemma on 0401 674 217 for a confidential discussion.

The Benevolent Society respects and promotes human rights and diversity. We are committed to building an inclusive culture where individuals from all backgrounds and identities are not only welcomed but valued. We pride ourselves on being a client safe and child safe organisation, which is why all staff and volunteers undergo comprehensive employment screening. We value relationships with local Aboriginal community and welcome applications from its members. To ensure you are best supported with your application if you have any specific needs requiring a reasonable adjustment, let us know what accommodations you require.

• Please click here for the Position Profile