Quality & Practice Officer – Out of Home Care

About the Multicultural Child and Family Program (MCFP)

SSI delivers a specialist culturally responsive permanency support program in Sydney with a satellite service in Newcastle.

The Program’s service models include family preservation, multicultural foster care, restoration and other out-of-home care services through a culturally responsive practice framework prioritising services for children and young people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds aged 0–18 years. The program is committed to keeping children and young people safe, in stable homes, connected to family, community and culture.

About the role

We are looking for an experienced caseworker to join our team in Bankstown. Someone who may be interested in engaging on another important aspect of out-of-home care by driving, coordinating and implementing practices that increase quality assurance and compliance responsibilities we have to our children, families, carers and other stakeholders at SSI.

This role will work closely with SSI caseworkers and case managers to monitor, review and facilitate practices that meet the accreditation requirements and the DCJ (Dept. of Communities & Justice) service delivery contract responsibilities in caring for children in foster care or case managed through the MCFP permanency activities.

In this role, the successful candidate will also assist in reporting on child-focused permanency standards, child wellbeing outcomes and analysing data to maintain high practice standards assisting children meet their safety and wellbeing outcomes.

The position will provide coaching, auditing, reporting, remediation guidance and other practical mentoring functions to ensure the MCFP casework and case management activities consistently meet the OCG permanency standard compliance indicators and those children’s wellbeing measur es are consistently met.

Key responsibilities include, but not limited to:

• Work with team members to undertake quality audits and analyse activities within the program; ensure quality assurance records and relevant information are collated and analysed on a regular basis;
• Develop and maintain a program compliance work plan that facilitates collating evidence of practices against the OCG permanency standards;
• Assist with collation of all findings and improvement opportunities through written reports which include practical recommendations reflective of implementation and change management principles;
• Contribute to activities which sustain practice monitoring and responsiveness to continuous quality improvements for children, young people, carers, family members and other stakeholders who support SSI deliver permanency support programs and related contractual requirements;
• Review case files, incidents for risk and provide recommendations and practice support to enhance outcomes for children, young people, carers and families.
• Develop and maintain positive professional relationships with all internal and external stakeholders, including DCJ.

About you

The successful candidate will ideally have the following skills & experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work or related discipline;
• Demonstrated work experience in out of home care or child protection or related child and family sector;
• Understanding of and experience in the field of casework assessment and training within permanency support programs and/or Out Of Home Care and/or child protection;
• Knowledge of the OCG Child Safe Standards for Permanent Care;
• Understanding of and commitment to use of data for quality improvement
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• Well-developed analytical, critical thinking and assessment skills coupled with intermediate MS office skills; Intermediate Excel skills desirable.
• A valid NSW driver’s licence is also desirable.

If you have good relationships at DCJ or similar agency’s and you’re ready to contribute, participate, build connections and make a positive impact, please apply now!

What we offer at SSI

• Salary packaging options to receive up to $15,900 of your salary tax-free meaning more take-home pay!
• Industry-leading flexible working arrangement supported to work from home and office, including 9-day fortnight;
• Access to in-house training and learning opportunities for professional development and growth;
• Access to our in-house wellbeing programs, three days of culture and well-being leave
• Working alongside professional and dedicated team members all wanting to make a difference in our communities.