Therapeutic Specialist Residential Care - Merriwa

At Junction Support Services, we exist to support people to live better lives. Every day, our teams help young people overcome barriers, build confidence and reconnect with opportunity.

Junction Support Services, in partnership with Merriwa Community Services, is seeking a passionate and experienced Therapeutic Specialist – Residential Care to join our trauma‑informed residential care program. This is a meaningful opportunity to play a central role in supporting the healing, safety, and long‑term wellbeing of children and young people who have experienced significant trauma.

About the Role

As the Therapeutic Specialist, you will be a trusted clinical leader and specialist practitioner within our therapeutic residential care setting. Working as a key member of each young person’s multidisciplinary care team, you will provide expert guidance that shapes high‑quality, trauma‑responsive care.

Your role will include:

• Conducting comprehensive therapeutic assessments and developing individualised, strengths‑based therapeutic plans.
• Offering expert consultation, advice, and support to carers and care team members to enhance therapeutic responses.
• Facilitating reflective practice and delivering engaging psychoeducation on trauma, attachment, and therapeutic care.
• Providing direct therapeutic work with children and young people where appropriate, particularly to inform assessment and planning.

You will have a pivotal influence on how trauma‑informed practice is embedded day‑to‑day, ensuring therapeutic strategies are understood, applied, and consistently nurtured across each young person’s care environment.

Why Join Us?

This role is co‑located between Junction Support Services and Merriwa Community Services, offering a rare opportunity to work across two organisations with a shared commitment to evidence‑based, trauma‑informed care. You’ll collaborate with a diverse range of professionals who are deeply invested in helping children and young people feel safe, supported, and hopeful about their future.

The role requires a flexible approach to service delivery to best meet the needs of young people and engage the full care team. Some work outside standard business hours (9am–5pm) will be required, with scheduling arranged collaboratively with management.

About You

You are a compassionate, skilled, and values‑driven therapeutic professional who is motivated by making a genuine difference in the lives of vulnerable children and young people. You bring:

• A strong understanding of trauma, attachment, and child development.
• The ability to translate clinical knowledge into practical, supportive strategies for carers and teams.
• Confidence working collaboratively within complex care systems, while providing calm, reflective leadership.

If you are seeking a role where your clinical expertise is valued, your voice informs practice, and your work has a lasting positive impact, we would love to hear from you.

Apply Now!

Please click 'Apply' to submit a resume that details your experience, address the key selection criteria outlining your attributes and achievements & a Cover Letter that outlines why you would be a great fit for this position.

For any other inquiries, please contact People & Culture 02 6043 7400.

Junction Support Services is a child-safe organisation and an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from First Nations peoples, individuals with disability or lived experience of disability, and people of all cultural backgrounds, gender identities and sexual orientations. We value the unique perspectives and contributions that diversity brings to our workplace and the communities we serve.