About the Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre
We are a client-centred organisation, supporting the community throughout Barwon, Wimmera, and the South West regions, offering a range of specialist support services to people impacted by sexual and family violence, encompassing 24 hour crisis care, specialist response services, early intervention programs, Victims Assistance Program, Community Legal Services, trauma recovery programs, professional training and primary prevention initiatives.
About The Role
The Specialist Family Violence Practitioner is a senior practitioner with extensive knowledge of family violence and/or child protection. The role is co-located in the Geelong office of DHHS with a portfolio focussing on greater Geelong. The role is also co-located one day per week in our home agency in Geelong. The position is responsible for providing operational and strategic advice to Child Protection practitioners and their managers who undertake investigations of families where a child is or may be in need of protection due to family violence. As a senior practitioner, the position is designed to influence and build the capacity of the Child Protection and family violence services responses, understanding and relationships. The position assists Child Protection in the planning and conduct of investigations and supports the development of plans that aim to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. The Specialist Family Violence Practitioner works collaboratively with the Child Protection senior managers and practitioners to provide effective service delivery and support.
Why work for The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre?
The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre takes pride in being an employer of choice; we are passionate about the wellbeing of our team members and we celebrate diversity and inclusion in all we do. We have a high level of employee engagement and satisfaction and provide a number of complementary benefits to our staff, some of our benefits include:
- Generous above award Enterprise Agreement entitlements
- Flexible working arrangements
- Professional development opportunities
- 5 weeks annual leave and access to purchased leave for full and part time employees
- Paid parental leave
- Salary packaging
- Health and Wellbeing initiatives
- Flu vaccinations
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Social initiatives
- Positive workplace culture
The SAFV Centre acknowledges and respects the First Nations ownership of the land where we work.
About You
With degree qualifications in degree in social work or related community services discipline, you will be a values driven person, motivated to make a difference and hold the client at the centre of everything you do. You thrive working autonomously and also collaboratively within a dynamic, team environment.
If you share our vision for a community free from family violence and sexual assault and are motivated to make a difference, we would like to hear from you. We pride ourselves on being a great place to work. You care for our clients and we care for you, including by investing in your development and wellbeing. You will have access to leading specialists and training and development that supports you in your role and in your longer term career journey. We offer a variety of career pathway options, leading salary packaging benefits and flexible working arrangements that help you manage your work and your life.
The successful candidate will be required to maintain a current Working with Children's Check and National Police Check at their own expense.
Key Selection Criteria
Essential Qualifications and Experience
Your application must address the following:
- A degree in social work or related community services discipline is essential.
- A minimum of three years experience working in the family violence service system as a senior practitioner with leadership or supervisory experience.
Essential Skills and Knowledge
- Capacity and desire to support improved engagement by Child Protection with both victims and perpetrators.
- Demonstrated knowledge and high level understanding of:
o the perpetrator’s pattern of coercive control and its impact on children and the ability of the protective parent to safely parent;
o mechanisms to restore and enhance safe, child-centred parenting; and
o the capacity to use this knowledge to assist Child Protection to achieve improved client and system outcomes.
- A sound knowledge of local family violence support services and approaches in the local area.
- An established strong working relationship with Child Protection is desirable.
- Demonstrated understanding of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008, the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005, Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014, the Health Records Act 2001, the CRAF and Victoria Police Code of Practice.
- Understanding of how to engage with perpetrators or with services working with perpetrators of family violence for the purpose of service linkage and referral.
- Demonstrated experience in developing and maintaining relationships with other stakeholders in a multi-disciplinary environment including capacity to problem solve and negotiate with other professionals.
- Highly developed written and oral communication skills including:
o a demonstrated high level of skill in accurately recording data, correspondence and reporting; and
o providing written and oral evidence to the Children’s Court of Victoria, the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria and other relevant courts and tribunals.
- Use a range of IT/web-based applications to manage workflow in accordance with organisational guidelines and privacy principles.
- Keep accurate and complete records of your work activities in accordance with organisational requirements, information security and privacy policies and requirements.
Referees
Applicants must provide the name and current contact details of 2-3 professional referees including the most recent or current supervisor.
Period of Appointment
This position is ongoing depending on funding.
Hours of work
- The position is minimum 0.8 FTE full time or part time
- Location of the position is at the Footscray DHHS office and the Geelong office as arranged with the Manager.
- Hours will usually be worked during business hours of 9.00am to 5.06 pm between Monday
to Friday.
- The days are based on the needs of the service.
- Flexibility in working hours will be required from time to time as the need arises.
Salary and Conditions
Annual salary range is Specialist Family Violence and Child Protection Level 7 pay point 1-3 plus superannuation (pro rata for part time).
Salary will be commensurate with experience and skills. Industrial Instrument: The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre Enterprise Agreement 2023.
Salary Packaging: Provided via Maxxia. PBI status with other expenses available to package above this cap. The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre is a Public Benevolent Institution.
Superannuation: The employer will also make superannuation payments on your behalf in accordance with the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992.
Probationary Period – 6 months with a review conducted during this time.
How To Apply
All applications must address the key selection criteria outlined in the PD. For a confidential discussion, please contact 03 5222 4318.
We are currently accepting applications from direct applicants only, no recruitment agency applications accepted.
