Social Worker Grade 3 (Ravenhall Correctional Centre)

• Part-time, 12 months fixed term
• Based in Ravenhall Correctional Centre
• Great salary packaging conditions and leave entitlements
• Free onsite parking

 
Forensicare (the Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health) is the leading provider of forensic mental health services across Victoria. We deliver recovery-focused programs to consumers with serious mental illnesses across the Victorian justice system, mental health sector, and the community–from early intervention and prevention, to inpatient care, rehabilitation, and community transition support.

Our services are delivered through:

• Thomas Embling Hospital: a secure mental health hospital
• Prison mental health services throughout Victoria
• Community Forensic Mental Health Service

We also work in partnership with Swinburne University of Technology through the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science to deliver a forensic mental health research program, specialist training, and ongoing professional education.

Forensicare is the statutory agency responsible for the provision of adult forensic mental health services across Victoria. Completed in 2017, the new medium-security men’s prison is located in Ravenhall Correctional Centre in Melbourne’s west, providing world-class forensic mental health services in Victoria in a purpose-built state of the art facility developed to international best practice standards.

About the role:

The Social Worker provides core areas of social work service provision particularly in relation to case management and program delivery to patients with complex needs, in the context of boundaries set by professional standards, legislative requirements, Forensicare policy and practice and departmental directives.

Duties:

• Demonstrate highly developed skills in the delivery of high-quality social work services to patients.
• Provide high-level consultation and advice to members of the multi-disciplinary team on social work and related issues.
• Demonstrate highly developed skills when completing psychosocial assessments of patients within the multidisciplinary team.
• Undertake structured family assessments, examining support structures and need for psycho or legal education and referral to specific community-based services.
• Hold both the Aboriginal Service Officer (ASO) and Cultural Portfolio

Skills and experience:

• Develop and maintain consultative relationships with key stakeholders including RCC staff, other healthcare professionals, and external mental health, welfare, justice and social support agencies.
• Demonstrate excellent communication skills in recording and reporting information to the multidisciplinary team.
• Build and maintain therapeutic relationships with patients that respect patient choices, experiences and circumstances; enhancing strengths, hope and resilience in the promotion of Recovery.
• Provide support and education to carers / significant others in the ongoing treatment and care of patients.
• Liaise with and provides high level consultation and advice to welfare, justice agencies and healthcare professionals.
• Actively participate in regular meetings and reviews of clinical standards and practice.

Mandatory qualifications & registrations:

Approved degree in Social Work and eligibility for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers.

Benefits:

We value our staff and provide a range of employee benefits including:

• Great salary packaging conditions & leave entitlements
• Bonus payment for relevant postgrad qualifications
• Ongoing training and professional development
• Comprehensive Health and Wellbeing Programs including: Staff health service, Critical Incident Stress Management and Employee Assistance Programs.

Forensicare values a diverse workforce and strongly encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. 

This position is subject to a Police Check.

Forensicare promotes the following values: responsiveness, integrity, impartiality, accountability, respect and leadership; and promotes behaviours that are consistent with these values at all times. Forensicare is an equal opportunity employer and offers a smoke free environment.