Eligibility
: Open to Everyone
Role Highlights
1. Flexible working arrangements available
2. Provide a range of services to promote wellbeing of young people
3. Access excellent learning and development opportunities
Role Details
The SA Government has committed to reforming the child protection system in South Australia. The Department of Human Services (DHS) has lead responsibility for implementing the Child and Family Support System (CFSS) reform, in which Safer Family Services (SFS) plays a key part. Safer Family Services (SFS) provide help and support to children and their families at risk of harm, neglect and family violence, by deliberately and strongly intervening to disrupt the patterns of intergenerational trauma, and increase the number of children able to be cared for safely in their homes, connected to culture and community. This is particularly relevant for children and families with multiple and complex needs. SFS have established a centralised triage team for referrals to services provided by SFS across South Australia for key partner agencies to refer vulnerable, and at-risk children and their families. The Pathways Service Team are a critical ‘front door’ service to provide initial ‘triage’ assessment of safety and risk for vulnerable children and their families, to ensure the most appropriate intervention pathway is identified and sourced.
The Pathways Practitioner is accountable to the Supervisor, CFSS Pathways for: • Providing efficient and quality initial assessment for the purposes of triaging from the centralised referral line for key stakeholders. • Strengthening communication and understanding between key stakeholders for timely and effective service responses to meeting the needs of vulnerable and at-risk children and their families. • Demonstrating effective initial assessment to respond to child protection risks, including family violence, and needs of vulnerable children from pre-birth through to 18 years old and their families. • Promoting and developing partnerships with government and non-government support services, to identify and implement responses to mitigate child protection risk and improve safety for vulnerable children and their families. • Creating opportunities to work in collaboration with other services to effectively link vulnerable children and families to relevant services.
• Identifying risk and assessing the needs of vulnerablechildren and families, planning and delivering focussed initialassessment for referrals (or case practice interventions includinghome visits if required) to safeguard children and young peoplewithin their families and communities to promote positiveoutcomes.
Key outcomes and accountabilities:
1. Develop local, regional and state-wide networks with a broadrange of government and non-government agencies, to promoteoutcomes for vulnerable children, young people and families at riskof a statutory response.
2. Contribute to the professional knowledge base; reinforceprofessional ethics and standards in decision making. Integratecontemporary information and research evidence withpractice/assessment experience to support decision making,innovative thinking and objective analysis and case work.
3. Consult with Cultural Elders, Cultural consultants and otherrelevant community members, to enhance culturally appropriate andaccessible services to all client groups (with particular focus onAboriginal children, young people and their families).
4. Lead or co-work the delivery of supportive triaging responses tochildren and their families, identified as at risk, and recordingall client related activity in identified data systems.
5. Engaging with the Supervisor, Senior Practitioner, and otherspecialist practitioners (as required), through supervision,regular case discussion and reflective practice sessions, andimplementation of evidence-based practice which provide highquality clinical assessment for vulnerable children, young peopleand their families. Using professional judgement to determine themost appropriate service pathway to meet the risk and safety needsof vulnerable children and families.
6. Work in, and with, the Safer Family Services, to contribute tothe objectives, and strategic direction.
Note: Any other responsibilities in line with the classificationlevel of the role as assigned by Line Manager and/or theDepartment. The responsibilities as specified above may be alteredin accordance with the changing requirements of the role.
Special Conditions
• National Police Check required.
• Employment-related Screening Check required.
• Some out of hours work may be required.
• Some interstate and intrastate travel may berequired.
• Must hold a current Australian issued driver’slicence (equivalent to minimum class C).
• Incumbent will be required to be up to date on theirCOVID-19 vaccination status prior to engagement with DHS, unless itwould be medically unsafe for the employee to do so.
The Pathways Practitioner position is an AHP2 Level rolefor an experienced Social Worker. It is an opportunity for SocialWorkers with demonstrated ability and experience to conductpsychosocial assessments, with strong written assessment skills whohave had experience of direct service provision withclients.
Essential Qualifications
• An appropriate Social Work qualification from arecognised tertiary institution giving eligibility for fullmembership with the Australian Association of Social Workers.
• Persons of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, whohave the appropriate background and skills but do not hold theessential qualification, may apply for and be engaged/assigned tothe role of Social Worker and will be entitled to apply for anyAllied Health Professional roles requiring a qualification inSocial Work within the Department of Human Services.
About the Business
Community and Family Services supports vulnerable people andfamilies to participate in social and economic life and buildstronger communities. This division comprises three key areas:
Safer Family Services (SFS) provides awide range of intensive family support services to children, youngpeople and families experiencing a high risk of statutoryintervention from the child protection or youth justice systems.Services also include family support, community development andparenting and youth programs.
The Office for Women works acrossgovernment and the community towards achieving gender equity andpositive change for women in South Australia by developing policyand advising on issues affecting women to improve their safety,wellbeing and economic security. The office also oversees theWomen’s Information Service to support women over the phone,online and in person, as well as regional safety hubs across thestate.
Communities and Justice works towardsbuilding community safety and wellbeing by providing support andservices to children, young people and families in the youthjustice system, building the capacity of communities throughcommunity development projects and working in partnership with thecommunity services sector to respond to people with complex andexceptional needs.
Role Status: Term up to 06/09/2024 (Multiplepositions available)
Salary Range: $85,665-99,241 (AHP2)
Location: Ingle Farm