Senior Practitioner Changing Future

The Changing Futures program is an intensive support service to provide, intensive family and early parenting support for a group of highly vulnerable children and families subject to recent and historical statutory child protection involvement. The program is staffed by experienced staff, who work flexibly with children and families in their own home across part of Western Melbourne. Intervention is focused on empowering families by building on their strengths, assisting them to experience greater social participation and inclusion, and helping equip parents with greater knowledge about their children’s development and sound parenting strategies they can use to best meet developmental needs.

The objectives and expected outcomes for the program are:

• Parent’s confidence and competence in parenting and caring for their child is strengthened,
• Family relationships are strengthened, including the parent-child bond,
• Families undertake vocational training or education or obtain employment,
• Child health, safety, stability and developmental outcomes, including educational outcomes are optimised,
• Families are connected to their communities,
• Families are able to make positive changes to their lives and undertake steps towards becoming economically self-sufficient with reduced reliance on government supports,
• Children are able to remain living safely at home with their family,
• Reduced incidence of child protection intervention post Intensive Family Services involvement.

To Be Successful You Will Need:

1. A relevant tertiary qualification in Social Work, Psychology, Early Childhood Specialist and/or related behavioral sciences at degree level with substantial experience; or associate diploma  level with substantial experience in the relevant service stream, or less formal qualifications with specialised skills sufficient to perform at this level
2. Demonstrated awareness and commitment to working within the ‘Best Interest Principles’ outlined within the Child, Youth and Families Act 2005.
3. An understanding of the social context of child abuse and neglect.
4. Demonstrated ability to conduct comprehensive child focused safety and wellbeing assessments and make sound judgments in relation to prescribed actions.
5. Demonstrated understanding and application of individual and systemic theories that underpin effective, intensive, in-home family based interventions, including motivational interviewing and social inclusion.

Please Note: It is mandatory for the successful applicant to hold a current Working with Children Check and be prepared to undergo a National Criminal History Check prior to commencement.