FAMILY ADVISOR Western Sydney Family Referral Service Full Time (x2 Positions)

Transcription

1 FAMILY ADVISOR Western Sydney Family Referral Service Full Time (x2 Positions) Thank you for your enquiry regarding the position of Family Advisor at the Western Sydney Family Referral Service (WSFRS) at Mt Druitt. Relationships Australia NSW is a secular, not-for-profit organisation receiving funding from both Commonwealth and State governments to assist in the delivery of services such as counselling, mediation, and relationship and parenting education programs. Relationships Australia NSW also has a large professional training division, offering accredited training at post-graduate level. In addition, it provides management and clinical consultation to other organisations, as well as workplace services, such as conflict resolution, to companies and government departments and a range of seminars for employees, managers and HR personnel. Further information about our organisation can be found on our website The role of the Family Advisor (at the Western Sydney Family Referral Service) is to provide intake, assessment and co-ordination of referrals to appropriate services for clients who need additional support for their children and families. Family Advisors provide information about the Family Referral Service and assist the client and their families to identify their support needs. Appropriate referrals are recommended, information regarding the services including access to program/service/ centres, eligibility criteria, capacity, waiting periods and relevant fee structures along with the relevance of the referrals. This is a fixed term, full time (negotiable), contract until 30 June 2016 position based at the Western Sydney Family Referral Service at Mt Druitt. The total remuneration package for this position (including salary, superannuation and leave loading) is between $65,622 - $70,217(pro rata).

2 Employees of Relationships Australia NSW enjoy a number of non-salary benefits that have been designed to assist in their personal and career growth and their well-being. In addition to salary and statutory requirements surrounding annual, personal and long-service leave, Relationships Australia NSW provides the following benefits to our staff: Salary sacrificing to superannuation, some educational courses and other approved items 5 additional leave days per year, to be used between Christmas - New year, picnic day and your Birthday. Discounted fees for courses undertaken at the Australian Institute of Relationship Studies Staff Development allowance of up to 1.5% of work time being used for approved study Additional Study Leave for approved educational courses up to four hours per week Access to our Employee Assistance Program Additionally, you will enjoy and benefit from working in an organisation that lives its values of: Respect and Inclusiveness Pursuing Excellence Valuing staff Integrity Selection Criteria Your written application must demonstrate competence in the following areas: (Please give an outline of your background and experience for each criterion). Essential Experience in the human services environment in working directly with clients, (families and children) who may be experiencing significant crises, domestic violence or family transitions. Demonstrable skills in client assessment, engagement and awareness of issues relating to client safety, confidentiality and the requirements of relevant legislation (including Child Protection and Family Law). Experience is working within a child-centred, family-focussed framework. Proficiency in the use of IT for data entry and record keeping. Excellent written/verbal skills a basic level of counselling skills will be well regarded. Desirable A degree (or diploma) in social work, counselling, psychology, welfare or health related services will be well regarded. Understanding of Domestic Violence, Child Protection and Family Law. Group work training and experience. Previous work experience or knowledge of working in a community based or not-forprofit organisation.

3 Applying for the Position Applications should forward there CV and Selection Criteria via to attention of Jared Harries. If unable to send your application electronically, please mail to Jared Harries at: Relationships Australia Unit 2 Macquarie Link 277 Lane Cove Rd Macquarie Park NSW 2113 Please ensure that the position you are applying for is in the title of your or correspondence. Applications will be accepted until close of business Tuesday, 10 th June Only successful applicants will be notified of interviews. The proposed interview dates will be from Thursday, 19 th June onwards. Before we can offer you the position we will require from you the names and contact details of two referees (one of whom should be your current manager/ supervisor). A Working with Children Check is a prerequisite for employees who work within the following job families in child related work. For RANSW these are determined to be: All Counsellors and Family Therapists All Child consultants-(fa s and FDRP s) All REP Educators who run children s groups All CCS Employees All POP Employees All ARC, JSP & RCCBSS Employees All Community Builders employees As a condition of employment you will be required to apply for a Working with Children Check at your expense within 10 working days from the date your employment commences, and again every 5 years. Please refer to the Working with Children Check guidelines on for details on application procedures and applicable fees. If you require any further details or information, please do not hesitate to contact Jared Harries on We look forward to receiving your application.

4 Reports to: Position Liaises with: Location: Manager, Western Sydney Family Referral Service Other FRS and RANSW staff at the Western Sydney Family Referral Service or similar services Western Sydney Family Referral Service, Mt Druitt (or outreach locations) Position Responsibilities: Intake, assessment of the needs of clients and their families including screening for eligibility and suitability and to ensure safety for client and workers Providing information to clients and making referrals to and from RANSW services and other related community services Ongoing co-ordination of cases where clients are accessing or using RANSW services, liaising with other staff and service providers as needed Ensuring compliance with Workplace Health and Safety in line with the organisation s OH+S Policy and procedures Key Tasks: Provide information about the service/ centre, including access, eligibility criteria, capacity, requirements and procedures. Clients for services may be referred by child wellbeing units, courts, or other services as well as self-referred. Assist clients and client's families to identify their support needs and the relevance of the services to which they are referred. Screen all clients to ensure the safety of adults and children clients as well as staff in line with best safe practice and proscribed screening tools. Identify the need for immediate short-term assistance for clients and make arrangements for temporary support in relevant cases. Assess client's eligibility and suitability for and the relevance of specific Programs, Services and/or Centres and make appropriate referrals assisting clients to understand how these may help them. Coordinate intake, review, exit or referral to relevant Program/Service/Centres on behalf of clients in person, by letter, phone or on-line enquiries. Maintain appropriate statistics, administrative records, service evaluation and written reports. Enhance networks with other agencies and service providers to ensure that clients are provided with up-to-date and comprehensive range of options and referrals. Contribute to the overall functioning of the team and the improvement of the quality of service provided by the WSFRS. Participate in other service provision within the service as required including facilitation of educational groups and seminars.

5 Maintain a professional standard of service, professional behaviour and the confidentiality of all information pertaining to clients and their families in accordance with the requirements of the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act, Family Law Act, Privacy Act, and the organisational Code of Conduct. Key Competencies for Position: Services and referral: Knowledge and understanding of community services available especially those relating to families. Interpersonal and communication skills: Demonstrated initiative and adaptability to changing situations. Ability to work efficiently and effectively. High level of oral and written communication skills. Negotiation and /or basic counselling skills: Ability to act with empathy and understanding in order to engage clients and to make sound decisions about the extent and timeliness of the client support required and make appropriate referrals. Information technology: Skills in the use of information technology, including Microsoft Office applications and data bases for communication, referral and data collection. Understanding of families and children: A broad understanding of children s development, the needs and issues faced by children and their families who face crises, domestic violence, child protection matters, family separation and / or other family disruptions, as well as ways to assist clients to address these issues. Crisis management: Ability to think and act appropriately in a crisis and to manage self and others in situations where emotions and conflict are apparent. Networking: Coordinating and community networking skills. Professional practice and development: Demonstrates maturity and professionalism. Ability to engage in reflective practice through clinical supervision and a commitment to continual personal professional development. Knowledge of relevant legislation: Awareness of legislation relevant to the position such as Care and Protection of Children Act, Family Law Act and Privacy Act Teamwork: Ability to work as part of a team as well as independently. Collaboration and cooperation in working towards shared organisational goals for service delivery and contribute to positive team culture. Groupwork: Knowledge and skills applicable to group facilitation Qualifications / Previous Experience Essential Experience in the human services environment in working directly with clients, (families and children) who may be experiencing significant crises, domestic violence or family transitions. Demonstrable skills in client assessment, engagement and awareness of issues relating to client safety, confidentiality and the requirements of relevant legislation (including Child Protection and Family Law). Experience is working within a child-centred, family-focussed framework. Proficiency in the use of IT for data entry and record keeping. Excellent written/verbal skills a basic level of counselling skills will be well regarded. Desirable A degree (or diploma) in social work, counselling, psychology, welfare or health related services will be well regarded. Understanding of Domestic Violence, Child Protection and Family Law. Group work training and experience.

6 Previous work experience or knowledge of working in a community based or not-forprofit organisation.