Job Description

Child Protection Caseworker

After Hours Response & Helpline

Location – Liverpool

Employment type – Ongoing Fulltime

Salary - $89, 934 – $116, 969 plus super

We are recruiting to several roles in our Child Protection Helpline and After Hours Response team.

This is a targeted recruitment. While all applicants are welcome, preference will be given to candidates who meet the established standards of the role and are of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait islander descent. This is because the Department acknowledges this lived experience contributes a perspective valuable to our work with this community.

Your role

After Hours Response team

The After Hours Response Team (AHRT) provides a range of After Hours services, working in partnership with parents and carers, extended family members and services to meet the immediate safety needs of children and young people. The AHRT provides face to face field responses to children and young people in the metropolitan area and works with regional on call teams to provide an after-hours child protection response across NSW, from 4.30pm to 6am on Monday to Friday and 24 hours on weekends and public holidays.

The team undertakes assessments and responses to children and young people who are at suspected risk of significant harm and/or families who are requesting urgent assistance. The team will work closely with other agencies including NSW Police, NSW Health, Non-Government organisations and Interstate Agencies to keep children and young people safe after hours.

Child Protection Helpline

The Child Protection Helpline is a 24-by-7 call/contact centre where staff are assigned shifts according to business requirement, spanning all days and around-the-clock start times. The Child Protection Helpline receives calls and e-Reports relating to the suspected abuse and/or neglect of children and young people, as well as general inquiries about the Department.

What you’ll do

As a member of the AHRT you will:

• Work in accordance with legislative and policy requirements
• work sensitively and respectfully with children or young people, parents, family members.
• work collaboratively with other agencies and engage in complex problem solving.
• Assist families in meeting their immediate needs, addressing safety and well-being concerns, and providing appropriate assistance through home visits.
• develop safety plans and complete risk assessments.
• manage short term intervention including situations that involve working with high needs and high-risk clients and their families.
• participate in individual and group supervision

As a member of the Child Protection Helpline, you will:

• Take reports of child abuse and/or neglect from members of the public and mandatory reporters such as police, education professionals, health workers, and/or childcare providers.
• You will build relationships with key stakeholders to support and strengthen families,
• You will respond to general enquires from the public, community partners and child and family protection professionals.
• You will undertake initial assessments before referring reports to a Community Services Centre (CSC) for further review and response.

What we’re looking for

• Completed Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Social Work, Social Science and Welfare. Other related degrees are considered, if you can demonstrate your knowledge skills and experience working with vulnerable children, young people and families
• As an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Caseworker, you will need to have a connection to, and at least two years’ experience working with Aboriginal families, children, and/or communities.
• Relevant experience in child protection, Out of Home Care, or provision of casework in another setting
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, and the ability to build positive working relationships
• A valid driver’s licence (P1 or above)
• A paid working with children clearance number
• Ability to undertake shift work during the hours of operation. On site in attendance in Liverpool, NSW is required.

Being a Helpline Caseworker requires resilience, tenacity and compassion to support children and families living in varied and challenging circumstances. Undertaking initial assessments of significant child protection concerns and potential risks can be confronting; however, the rewards for ensuring the best outcomes for a child can be limitless.

Download the

If you are viewing this ad in Seek and wish to apply via their portal, you will be required to either set up a profile or login via your existing Seek account.

To apply directly via the DCJ Careers site click here Search for the job and click the ‘Apply now’ button.

We focus on hiring people who share our commitment and goals of inclusion, collaboration, adaptability, courage and integrity. If you meet the essential requirements and the role resonates with you, please apply – you do not need to meet every desired requirement for us to want to talk to you.

What We Offer

We offer a variety of benefits, including:

As Australia’s top public sector employer we offer competitive benefits and opportunities including:

• Rewarding salary from $89, 934 – $116, 969plus superannuation, annual leave and shift loading
• Opportunities to work flexibly
• 17 weeks of industry leading training in the Caseworker Development Program
• Customised career development and support for your personal and professional growth
• Generous leave entitlements
• Positive culture for wellness including Fitness Passport, tailored health app and mental health support

Want more information? Visit our website to see more information on Working for us.

We do work that really matters

Working for the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) provides lots of opportunities to make a real difference. We collaborate with other agencies and community partners, to improve lives and realise the potential of children, adults, families and communities. We're focused on breaking, rather than managing, disadvantage. It’s work that really matters.

Apply now and join Australia’s top public sector employer where we will support you and provide an exciting and flexible working environment!

Are you ready to join us?

Click apply, attach a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) outlining how you meet the requirements of the role as well as an up-to-date résumé (maximum 5 pages).

Got a question?

For more information about the role or what it’s like to work for DCJ, please contact the hiring manager

For interest or question in the please contact Joanne Dobry on 0428 943 973 or at joanne.dobry@dcj.nsw.gov.au.

If you’ve got a question about applying or would benefit from an adjustment in the recruitment process to help you perform at your best (including an alternate method submission of the application), please call Lujana Youkhanna on 02 9765 5595 or via caseworkercareers@dcj.nsw.gov.au.

Visit Recruitment adjustments on the DCJ website to learn more.

Inclusion and Diversity lies at the heart of how we recruit

We continue to hire great people with a wide variety of skills, experience and backgrounds. This includes people with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people identifying as LGBTIQ+, culturally and linguistically diverse people, carers and other diversity groups.

To find out what DCJ are doing to build an inclusive and diverse workforce, visitInclusion and diversity on the DCJ website

Other Information

A talent pool may be created for future ongoing and temporary roles and is valid for a period of up to 18 months.

For more information visit Applying for DCJ jobs on the DCJ website.

OR

For targeted recruitments for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people use this text instead:

For more information and advice on applying for roles at DCJ, visit Careers for Aboriginal people.

Thank you for your interest in this role. We look forward to receiving your application.

To keep up with recruitment opportunities at DCJ, follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CareersatDCJ/