Family Support Service Practitioner

About the role

The Family Support Services Practitioner will have experience in child protection, family services, or childhood development. The Family Support Services Practitioner duties include direct support to families, children and young people and strong ongoing liaison with collaborating agencies. The family work will be child focused and family-centered. The focus being to improve anti-social and violent behaviour, mental health symptoms, suicidal behaviours, and family relationships.

The Family Support Services will be delivered in the home and community as needed, addressing needs as outlined in referral from the Department. Areas of focus include risk assessment and safety planning and staff will strive to empower caregivers to help their children live safely in the community. Practitioners will work with the ecology of the family and school; sporting clubs and local businesses will be engaged as the individual needs and strengths of the family are identified.

The Family Support Services Practitioner will engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families in a culturally safe and competent way. MacKillop will provide support in consultation, and collaboration with Danila Dilba, accessing culturally appropriate supports as required. This includes engaging in regular consultation with the MacKillop’s Cultural Advisor and ongoing cultural training. 

This is a Full-Time opportunity based in Darwin, NT within our Northern Territory Services program. The position reports to the Family Support Services Coordinator.

Key Selection Criteria:

To be successful in this role, the incumbent will have:

• A knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal culture and values and an awareness of the current issues faced by Aboriginal children, young people and their families.
• An appropriate qualification in human services and/or equivalent experience and skills.
• Demonstrated ability in working as part of a team.
• Experience in case management with families and children who have experienced trauma.
• An understanding of attachment, trauma theories, child development, child-centred approach, and resilience. 

Please address the full Key Selection Criteria outlined in the PD as part of your application.

For a full position listing, please click APPLY. The Position Description is available for review at the bottom of the page.

For more information, please contact:

Loretta Starkey at Loretta.Starkey@mackillop.org.au

Our offer:

• Generous Salary Packaging (helps increase your take home pay)
• Ongoing Career Development, Education and Training 
• Employee Assistance Program – free and confidential counselling, coaching and emotional support for work and personal challenges
• Click HERE to find out more about becoming a member of the MacKillop Family Services team and what further support we have to offer our employees.

You must have a:

• Valid and current Driver’s Licence;
• Satisfactory Criminal History Check (paid for by MacKillop);
• Valid Employee Working with Children Check;
• Valid and current NDIS Workers Screening Check (for risk assessed / client facing roles). MacKillop can assist successful candidates with their application.

Our Commitment:

MacKillop celebrates and draws strength from diversity and respects the dignity of all people. Every person at MacKillop has the right to be safe and to be treated justly. We value every person’s ability, cultural or linguistic backgrounds, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, intersex status, relationship status, religious or spiritual beliefs, socio-economic status, and age.

It is our goal that MacKillop Family Services continues to evolve as a culturally safe, culturally competent, and welcoming organisation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people, families, and communities.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

Shortlisting for this position may commence immediately so please submit your application as soon as possible.