Intensive Family ServicesFamily Preservation Reunification 12 Month Role

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES OF THE POSITION

The FPR/IFS Practitioner is responsible for providing:

Aboriginal families with programs and activities that will promote a stable nurturing

environment for children meet their needs and strengthen parents ability to care for

children.

Flexible and intensive support to families as required.

Supervision of placement students as identified by Team Leader.

The incumbent can expect the Team Leader to allocate a mix of both Family Preservation and

Reunification (FPR) Intensive IFS cases and Integrated Family Services (IFS) (as may be required)

to the program which includes FPR Intensive Family Services and Integrated Family Services.

Family Preservation and Reunification (FPR) level support

The Victorian Aboriginal Family Preservation and Reunification Response (the Response) codesigned with representatives from the Aboriginal child and family services sector will be implemented by ACCHOs statewide with GAC implemented under the Wimmera South West

region and overseen by the CP Navigator.

This Response includes an initial intensive intervention phase delivered through a mobile and

integrated approach followed by a sustained service support phase aimed at preventing atrisk

Aboriginal children entering or re entering care. This new Response will link to align with

existing child and family services within the broader service system providing an enhanced

continuum of care across the state. It will be evaluated and continuously developed to enhance

the Aboriginal Family Preservation and Reunification (FPR) evidencebase for Aboriginal child

and family services and programs in Victoria (including Child Protection).

The aim of the Response is strong Aboriginal families with children who are safe healthy

resilient and thriving; and Aboriginal parents who are supported to create a safe and nurturing

home environment. GAC will work in close partnership with Child Protection to deliver the

Response.

The primary objectives of the Response are:

Family preservation where the objective is to create safety and prevent child removal and

placement in care.

Reunification where the objective is to return children safely and rapidly to their families

and communities.

Intensive level support

The FPR/IFS Practitioner will support families with Aboriginal Children that are eligible for this

program which is outlined in the Intensive 200 hour Response guidelines. The FPR/IFS

Practitioner will work in partnership with Child Protection and other services working

intensively with families to achieve case plan goals to allow children to remain with their

families safely.

The FPR/IFS Practitioner will work with families as an early intervention and an alternative to

Child Protection investigating in a statutory level to prevent Aboriginal families from entering

the Child Protection system. This is in preparation for the Child Youth and Families Section 18

transition of Aboriginal children to ACCHOs.

It is expected that this role will work collaboratively with the case planning goals and individual

family goals identified by DFFH Gunditjmara and the family and this is achieved with minimum

weekly home visits to achieve these goals.

Substantial level support

The FPR/IFS Practitioner will work with vulnerable Aboriginal children young people and their

families where risk factors or concerns are present. Risk factors may include:

Family violence.

Mental health.

Alcohol and/or other .

Underdeveloped parenting skills and/or capacity.

The family may be at risk of becoming involved with Child Protection and/or other child

wellbeing or parenting entities.

Assisting families to identify and work towards goals that reduce risk to children and/or

young people address concerns that may be present and encourage the health and safety

of children and young people in the home. The incumbent may be required to work in

collaboration with other support services.

Secondary consultations with services such as AOD Mental health Housing and

homelessness and Family Violence

A major requirement of this position is to identify and assist in the families to meet agreed

goals/outcomes by nurturing:

Emotional and behavioural development.

Cognitive and educational development.

Building capacity for selfcare and identity.

Making healthy choices about how they live their lives.

Maintain and strengthening cultural identify and wellbeing.

Enhancing family capacity and provide safe developmentally appropriate and secure care.

Strengthening parent capacity to provide basic care ensure safety and promote their childs

development.

Improve the familys community connections and access to community resources.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Direct Service Delivery

Undertake outreach work. This includes flexible working hours from 7am7pm depending on

client need and urgent outreach work via phone from after hours on weekends. (As needed

and agreed upon by Practitioner and Team Leader/Management)

Utilise relevant evidence informed strengthsbased and trauma informed intervention

strategies to engage at risk families. (Best interest Case practice FPR Modules)

Advocate on behalf of clients to ensure agency referrals are completed and appropriate

support provided.

Participate in training to understand and apply evidence informed practice approaches

including Aboriginal Practice Modules and Common Elements.

Participate in data collection in line with program monitoring and evaluation requirements.

Participant in Response Team Meetings and other client meetings as required

Ensure culturally relevant support is provided by liaison and consultation with secondary

services.

Conduct and complete case work accurately and in a timely manner.

Support families to attend social and community activities and events within Gunditjmara or

the local community.

Family Support

The program aims to help families strengthen their Aboriginality and connection to culture.

Work with and support families presenting with diverse and complex needs.

Support families where Child Protection Orders are present to effectively address the

protective concerns and case plan goals identified.

Provide strategies that will strengthen familys ability to manage crisis by providing practical

support to families including role modelling and coaching to increase parenting knowledge

skills and capacity.

Work intensively with children and families delivering effective interventions that increase

parenting capacity family functioning achieve child safety and enhance conditions for child

development.

Assess and assist clients to identify needs and goals including developing a family action

plan.

Build relationships and actively engage with children to ensure the voice of the child is

considered in assessment and goal planning.

Contribute as a member of the care team or professional network to support case planning

and ongoing risk assessments. Lead care teams where there is no CP involvement

Lead interdisciplinary meetings where there is more than one GAC service involved to coordinate services

Work within the best interest of children and young people.

Maintain privacy and confidentiality for all clients and families.

Regular sighting and assessment of children; including infants under two years of age.

Advocacy

Liaise with DFFH Child Protection and other relevant organizations/agencies in relation to

the delivery of quality and coordinated services to Aboriginal families.

Refer families to specialised services if appropriate.

Support families to access specialized services.

Advocate for clients within the best interest of children and young people.

Risk assessment planning and review

Conduct risk assessments on child safety and wellbeing. Include team leader and

manager as required (SAFER Framework)

Conduct Brief and intermediate MARAM assessments as required where family violence

has been identified (In consultation with Family safety and healing team if required)

Safety planning around risks identified by family/practitioner using GAC provided

templates

Liaise with communitybased child protection and Navigator around Section 38 consults

and L17s.

Administration

Maintain accurate and confidential records and statistics of daily activities mother/family

profiles and other documents which will be required for submitting and reporting on

funding.

Ensure all contact information is entered into the required data systems in a timely manner.

Undertake supervision with the Team Leader.

Participate in 12 monthly performance appraisals

Oversee and provide supervision to placement students.

Provide accurate evidencebased documents to court proceedings as required

Actively participate in Southwest Child and family services direct services alliance meetings

and training

Participate in professional development

Utilize Staff member program engagement plan developed by practitioner and team leader

and review regularly

HOW TO APPLY

Position descriptions are available on request by emailing

Please forward your covering letter (addressing the key selection criteria) and resume to .

We are looking to fill these position ASAP however we will wait for the right candidate so get in quick.

We are a Child Safe organisation. This means that any job offer will be subject to strict screening processes and proof of immunisation (both childhood & Covid). See the position description for further information.

For more information call Kristy DeBono