Shape young lives. Strengthen families. Lead meaningful change in mental health.
Remuneration: $116,892 – $120,680 per annum + superannuation + salary packaging
Location: The Maitland Hospital
Employment Type: Permanent Full Time
Position Classification: Social Worker Level 3
Requisition ID: REQ652583
Applications Close: Monday 4th May 2026
Where you’ll be working:
An exciting opportunity is available for an experienced Social Worker to join our supportive and dynamic team at the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) – Hunter Valley. This position is based at our HNE High Street Campus in Maitland, with some travel across the Hunter Valley region required to support clinical work.
At CAMHS Hunter Valley, we operate within a collaborative and multidisciplinary team environment, where mutual support and shared learning are central to achieving meaningful outcomes for young people and their families. Our model of care at HNELHD CAMHS emphasises individual therapy for children and adolescents, while also promoting dual-clinician approaches to deliver effective family therapy. This model fosters strong therapeutic outcomes and supports ongoing professional development for our clinicians.
Staff are well-supported through local team governance structures, as well as through the broader CAMHS and Mental Health Service networks. Clinical decisions, risk management, and service improvement initiatives are approached collaboratively, ensuring safe, evidence-based, and innovative care.
About the role:
As a Social Worker within CAMHS Hunter Valley Team, you'll provide high-quality assessment, treatment, and case coordination for children, young people, and their families/caregivers experiencing complex and severe mental health challenges.
Typical days involve multidisciplinary team discussions and individual and or dual clinician therapeutic interventions. While most clinical work is conducted in our main office, we also provide telehealth services and conduct outreach to smaller satellite health sites during work hours to ensure equitable access across the region.
Our focus of care is providing Specialist Mental Health Assessment and stabilisation for mental health presentations and promoting and achieving recovery for young people and families to graduate from public mental health care.
You will be interfacing and providing consultation to other services linked with a young person including GP’s, Schools and NGO’s as well as other CAMHS clinicians / teams across our HNE network.
This role includes day-to-day support from the Hunter Valley/Manning CAMHS Team Leader, site seniors, and CAMHS Senior Leadership Team. Regular collaboration with the multidisciplinary team exists to support shared clinical decision-making. Clinical supervision is provided internally for individual development, with access to external supervision for specific therapeutic modalities as needed.
Ongoing professional development is supported, and further therapy training opportunities can be accessed in alignment with service needs and clinician interests.
About you:
We are seeking an enthusiastic and skilled clinician who brings experience in delivering therapeutic interventions for complex child and adolescent mental health presentations. The successful candidate will demonstrate flexibility in managing competing demands and be able to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team environment. A collaborative approach is essential, including openness to having clinical work reviewed as part of risk management and continuous service improvement processes.
A strong commitment to quality care and the ability to identify and act on opportunities to enhance clinical practice and improve consumer outcomes are also important. While experience in family therapy is beneficial, it is not essential. Training and mentorship are available for specific family therapy models, such as Family-Based Therapy for Eating Disorders (FBT-E).
Requirements:
* Must hold as a minimum a bachelor degree in social work which provides eligibility for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers, or other qualification deemed equivalent by the employer.
Eligibility to drive in NSW and interstate and the willingness to travel in the course of employment.
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What we offer
At Hunter New England Local Health District (HNELHD), enjoy a career where you're challenged by interesting work and surrounded by spectacular locations. Join the team enriching health in millions of ways every day:
* Free on-site parking
* ADO's each month (for full time employees)
* Salary packaging options
* Fitness Passport
* Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for staff and family members
* Opportunity to work and collaborate with a range of non-clinical and clinical professionals
Additional Information:
* To be eligible for permanent employment in this position you must be an Australian Citizen, or a permanent resident of Australia, or a New Zealand citizen with a current New Zealand Passport. Employment of a temporary visa holder may only occur if no suitable local candidate is identified for the position; in this instance, you may only be offered employment in line with the conditions and expiry date of your visa.
* An eligibility list will be created for future permanent full or part time and temporary full or part time vacancies.
* This position is full time; however, part time arrangements will be considered.
* We are unable to accommodate visa sponsorship for applicants requiring a visa for this position.
How to apply:
Click apply online, submit your information and resume, and address the criteria listed below providing examples that demonstrate your ability.
* Demonstrated ability to independently problem-solve and apply professional and ethical boundaries when working with complex situations as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
* Knowledge and or experience in relation to mental illness, assessment, and care planning including working knowledge of the NSW Mental Health Act 2007 and contemporary principles and practices in mental health care.
* Demonstrated commitment to consumer and carer focused clinical practice which is collaborative and provided in a holistic and respectful way.
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For role related queries or questions contact Benjamin Tupou on
Information for Applicants:
Applicants will be assessed against the essential requirements and selection criteria contained within the position description (link below). For assistance addressing selection criteria visit: https://bit.ly/3vL5fq2
Stepping Up Website is a resource designed to help indigenous job applicants apply for positions in NSW Health. For more information, please visit: https://bit.ly/HNEHealthSteppingUp
This is a Category A position. Recommended applicants will be reviewed for compliance with NSW Health policy directive PD2024_015: Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination against Specified Infectious Diseases for Category A positions prior to offer. All new employees must agree to comply with the requirements outlined in the policy.