• Make a difference in the lives of children
• Launceston location
• Full time (initial 12 month contract)

The Foundation currently provides a statewide therapeutic out of home care service in Tasmania to carers and children/young people in foster care, kinship or family group home care and specialised packages of support to children and young people with complex needs. The Foundation also delivers statewide contract to deliver counselling services to children and young people affected by family violence. In addition, the Foundation has a partnership to deliver therapeutic services as part of the Many Colours 1 Direction Therapeutic Care Program in the Northern Territory, where some of Tasmania’s young people with the most complex needs are placed.

The opportunity:

The primary focus of this position is to work with Tasmanian young people who are placed within Many Colours 1 Direction (MC1D), their families, Care Team and future care providers, where relevant.

Many of the Tasmanian young people have been placed at MC1D for nearly two years. The key focus of this position is to work in partnership with the ACF Therapeutic Specialist (based onsite at MC1D) to provide an integrated therapeutic approach to supporting the young people, their families and other key relationships as the young people prepare to transition back to Tasmania. This new role provides an important part of the program and has a focus on providing counselling and support to families, other key relationships and future care providers to enable the successful return of young people back to Tasmania.

The role:

The role will support contact between families and the young people whilst they are residing at MC1D, preparing families for family camps in the NT to spend time with their child and debriefing them following this contact, and family and/or parent counselling. The role will develop a relationship with the young person whilst located within the MC1D program to support the transition of the young person back to Tasmania. The role will provide support to the young person and their families and care providers (where relevant) through the transition period. The duration of this support will be determined by ongoing assessment and review of the needs of the young person, their family and/or care provider.

The role will be an active and critical part of the Care Team, led by the Therapeutic Specialist based at MC1D, taking over the leadership of the Care Team upon the return of the young person to Tasmania. The role will be expected to work collaboratively with child protection, youth justice and education stakeholders to provide advocacy and support to develop/continue educational and/or vocational pathways.

About you:

• An appropriate tertiary qualification in Psychology, Social Work or a related discipline.
• Eligibility for membership of the relevant professional association.
• Demonstrated ability to provide leadership and direct service in the clinical assessment and treatment of children, young people and families.
• Highly developed ability to provide secondary consultation and advice to clinicians and other professionals.
• Demonstrated capacity to lead and manage in an area of challenging and complex practice.
• Demonstrated knowledge of trauma, attachment and neurobiology frameworks and theories.
• Demonstrated capacity to work with Aboriginal children, families and communities.
• Substantial experience in the area of child abuse and/or in working with traumatised children.
• Demonstrated commitment to working collaboratively and the capacity to negotiate and liaise with volunteers, including carers, government departments, other agencies and the community.
• Demonstrated capacity to communicate effectively and positively within a team environment.
• A sophisticated understanding of the complexity of the service system and the issues involved in providing services to statutory clients.
• A current Tasmanian driver’s licence or equivalent.
• A current Working with Vulnerable People check or equivalent.

Remuneration & Benefits:

This position attracts a competitive base salary + phone + tablet + car + superannuation + salary packaging. The salary is determined on the basis of the employee’s experience and qualifications. In joining a strong, values based organisation, you will also have access to:

• A generous Professional Development Allowance
• Employee Assistance Program

Please email [email protected] using the subject line: Therapeutic Specialist - Launceston enquiry via EthicalJobs to request a copy of the position description for this role or for more information on the role.

ACF is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with cultural and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and people with a disability are encouraged to apply.