Family Support Specialist It Takes a Village

It Takes a Village is an early childhood program which aims to improve child development and family wellbeing amongst families from humanitarian refugee and migrant backgrounds. We need you to help implement the program making sure we maximise its impact. Were seeking a practitioner with a passion for assisting our communities most vulnerable at-risk children and families to reach their full potential.

54 reasons is Australias leading child rights organisation no ordinary not-for-profit.

Proudly part of the Save the Children Australia Group and global movement were here to make sure that children and young people have their rights met and thrive in all their diversity.

With the childs voice at the centre we provide quality services to children and their caregivers in every state and territory and across regions remote areas and capital cities. From our programs to our support services - this is the place to realise your purpose.

A place to make a difference:

In this part-time maximum term role (7.6 hours on Tuesdays and 7.6 hours one other day of your choice per week through to 9th February 2027) youll work as a part of our Children and Families team in Northern Victoria working closely with children and families from humanitarian refugee and migrant backgrounds within their first five years of settlement. Youll provide support to families aiming to build parenting capacity and helping to foster childrens early learning and development in a playgroup setting. Based in Shepparton youll report to our Team Leader It Takes A Village.

You will make a difference by:

• Improving developmental outcomes for children
• Increase social connectedness and decreased isolation for mothers
• Improve emotional wellbeing of mothers and their children
• Increase understanding of parenting in a new cultural context

A place to feel valued:

Your deep expertise in supporting the CALS community will be invaluable.

This role requires

• Partnering with families from CALD (Culturally and linguistically diverse) backgrounds who have complex needs to build capacity and positively shape childrens development.
• Supporting parents in their parenting role either individually or in group settings using partnership strengths-based and family-centred outreach approaches
• Empowering parents and caregivers to support their childs engagement in education
• Building and maintaining strong networks service delivery partnerships and referral pathways
• Collecting and recording data and information for accountability evaluation and reporting

A place to belong:

At 54 reasons we invest in the development and wellbeing of our people. Our workforce is approximately 600 people strong and proudly diverse whether in race ethnicity gender age disability sexuality cultures and beliefs.

It takes all types of people to do the challenging work we do. We are diverse personalities backgrounds and talents embracing our differences as one strong and united team. We see and celebrate the unique value you bring to our organisation and offer a range of rewards for your effort including:

• Award rate salary ($44.58 per hour) plus access full PBI salary packaging benefits - use this link to see how much this benefit could mean to you!
• Supportive Managers we provide professional supervision training and monthly supervision sessions so you can feel supported and build a career at Save
• Internal employment and development opportunities
• Support for workplace wellness including access to our free confidential Employee Wellbeing Program
• Celebrate and feel supported in your diversity. We have a highly inclusive culture and diverse workforce reflecting the communities we serve allowing you to bring your whole self to work (if thats what you want!).

Follow this link for the full list of our employee benefits.

Does this sound like the place for you

Wed love to hear from you. Submit your cover letter and resume below.

We strongly encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates to apply.

Applications Close: Sunday 25 January 2026

Position Description: Family Support Specialist

For more information about this position please contact Cas Ibbotson on or Or for more information about a career at Save visitourCareers Page.

We have tested our application process with diverse groups in mind with the intent to ensure its straightforward and accessible for all to apply. Diversity and inclusion are fundamental to our culture and improve our ability to reach our most vulnerable client groups. But we also know there is no one-size fits-all when it comes to recruitment - so if we didnt quite hit the mark for you please let us know at . Were dedicated to ensuring Save the Children Australia is a place where everyone can feel supported no matter your race ethnicity gender age disability sexuality neurodiversity culture and beliefs.

Save the Children Australia is a child-safe employees are required to undergo a National Police Check a Working with Children Check and sign our Child Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct. We also support theInter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.

Save the Children is committed to providing and maintaining a safe working environment for its employees and client groups consistent with our obligations under OH&S legislation.

If you are having any issues with uploading your application for this role please contact for further support.

Required Skills

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to build rapport with diverse families
• Knowledge of family systems theory and strengths-based approaches to family support
• Understanding of child development and protective factors that promote family resilience
• Ability to conduct comprehensive family assessments and develop individualized support plans
• Proficiency in crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage a complex caseload
• Excellent documentation skills and attention to detail
• Cultural competence and sensitivity to diverse family structures and practices
• Ability to work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams and community partners
• Proficiency with computer systems and case management software
• Valid drivers license and ability to travel up to 50% of work time
• Flexibility to adapt to changing family needs and program requirements
• Knowledge of local community resources and service systems in the Shepparton area
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries while building supportive relationships

Required Experience

• Bachelors degree in Social Work Psychology Family Studies or related field
• Minimum of 2-3 years of experience working with vulnerable families and children
• Experience conducting home visits and providing in-home family support services
• Demonstrated experience in case management and service coordination
• Experience working with families facing multiple challenges such as poverty domestic violence substance abuse or mental health issues
• Previous experience with strength-based family assessment tools and approaches
• Experience collaborating with child welfare systems and family service agencies
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with culturally diverse populations
• Experience in developing and implementing family support plans
• Background in trauma-informed care approaches
• Experience facilitating parent education or support groups preferred
• Knowledge of child protection reporting requirements and procedures
• Experience working in rural or regional communities preferred
• Understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and communities highly valued