Counsellor (Lvl 4) - Child Protection Clinical Leader - Temp FT/PT

South Western Sydney Local Health District

REQ490436

Employment Type: Temporary Full Time or Part Time, up to 38 hours per week until 16 May 2025 (4 days only)
Location: Health Services Building Liverpool
Position Classification: Counsellor Level 4
Remuneration: $59.28 - $60.71 per hour

 
About You

· Passionate about engaging with vulnerable families who are involved in the child protection system

· Dedicated to supporting and nurturing the practice and skills of professionals to deliver culturally responsive service to families within the SWSLHD

· Exceptional communication skills

· Excellent skills in time management and the capacity to manage a high volume of work pertaining to complex child protection matters

· Confident in people management and Human Resource responsibilities

· Enthusiastic about developing your leadership skills within an Prevention and Response to Violence Abuse and Neglect (PARVAN) setting

About the Opportunity 
The Child Protection Counselling Service (CPCS) in South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD) has an exciting opportunity for an experienced clinician to bring their expertise and join a collaborative and professional team. The CPCS has a Clinical Leader position (Counsellor Lvl 4) that is temporary full-time/part time (4 days). This position is a maternity leave back-fill up until 16 th  May 2025, with the possibility of extension for 2 days per week after this time.

The CPCS sits within the Staying Safe in Community (PARAVAN) Directorate and is a trauma-specific service responding to violence, abuse and neglect involving children and young people. The CPCS’ overarching purpose is to work towards the recovery and ongoing safety and wellbeing of children and young people involved in the child protection system. The CPCS are primarily an outreach or home visiting based service and provide individual, couple, and family counselling. They also provide therapy sessions to children and young people, after clinical assessment. The type of sessions facilitated depends on the needs of the family. Groupwork is also provided to clients of the service. The client work is medium to long term in duration.

This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of an innovative team. You will have the chance to influence and shape the way the team works to deliver culturally responsive and reflective practice. This position is responsible for providing professional leadership and management of child protection counselling staff located within the CPCS in Primary and Community Health. A portion of this role is dedicated to supporting and nurturing the practice and skills of professionals such as clinicians working with children to deliver culturally responsive services to clients.

The position is expected to provide leadership in quality activities, manage specific projects, professional development, clinical supervision, teaching, assist in human resource management and other relevant departmental and administrative duties. This position is to ensure the provision of optimal health outcomes consistent with NSW Ministry of Health, SWSLHD policies and procedures, standards, relevant legislation, and the NSW Health Code of Conduct.

The position works closely with the CPCS Head of Department to conduct administrative/management responsibilities including; intake and referral management, workforce planning, Human Resource responsibilities, service planning, procedure and guideline development, business planning and accreditation, maintain adequate client records including databased and statistics relevant to the service and undertakes audits as requires. The position is also required to assist with the analysis of department and educational data.

This position is currently based at our central unit in Liverpool with some travel around the district required. The position also has flexible working arrangements.

How to Apply To be considered for this position, please ensure you address the selection criteria as thoroughly as possible.

• A Social Work degree which provides eligibility for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) OR Full registration as a Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia. Completion of four-year sequence of accredited undergraduate study in the discipline of psychology (or equivalent completed overseas or Bachelor or Masters of Counsellors degree with full registration to PACFA or ACA)
• Demonstrated experience in prioritising a challenging and demanding workload; managing stressful situations; and applying advanced reasoning skills and independent professional judgement.
• Demonstrated experience in providing guidance and leadership in a counselling team.
• Demonstrated communication skills (verbal and written), including excellent negotiation, complex decision making, data collection and management, statistical analysis, report writing and advocacy skills and demonstrated computer skills.
• Demonstrated experience in the provision of clinical supervision to counsellors and students and expert advice/consultation to other professionals in relation to counselling and clinical issues.
• Demonstrated experience in the planning, implementing, leading and evaluating quality improvement activities involving the application of evidenced based practice within counselling.
• Demonstrated extensive post graduate clinical experience in providing counselling, groupwork, parenting and case management interventions to clients where child protection, violence, neglect and trauma incidents have occurred.
• Demonstrated knowledge and skills of child protection issues including the relevant legislation and guidelines and the appropriate response for clinical practice and the management of child protection issues.
• Must possess a valid Australian Drivers Licence (excluding learner driver's licences). If not already in possession, a NSW Drivers Licence must be obtained within 3 months of appointment.

Stepping Up – Close the Gap
Stepping Up aims to assist Aboriginal applicants understand how to apply for roles with NSW Health by clarifying the recruitment and onboarding process. If you are an Aboriginal person and wish to obtain more information about applying for a role within South Western Sydney Local Health District, please contact the SWSLHD Aboriginal Workforce Team on SWSLHD-AboriginalWorkforce@health.nsw.gov.au

Workplace Giving Program
South Western Sydney Local Health District employees also have the opportunity to make a difference to help those less fortunate. Visit the Workplace Giving Program for more information.

Salary Packaging
South Western Sydney Local Health District employees are able to enjoy the benefits of salary packing. Visit Smart Salary for more details.

Health & Fitness
South Western Sydney Local Health District employeesreceive discounted Gym Membership/Corporate Wellbeing Programs, including Fitness Passport .

Transforming Your Experience
Transforming Your Experience (TYE) is SWSLHDs key strategy to always positively transform your, our patients, our consumers, our staffs and our communities experiences across our organisation and services. Our vision is that our care is always safe, high quality and personalised and all our staff are supported and empowered to achieve their full potential. SWSLHD upholds the CORE Values – Collaboration, Openness, Respect and Empowerment.

To be eligible for permanent appointment to a position in NSW Health, you must have an Australian citizenship or permanent Australian residency.

At South Western Sydney Local Health District we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, where we don’t just accept differences but we honour and support it. Committed to providing a working environment that thrives and values diversity, we encourage people of ️ ???? Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander ️ ???? background, people with a disability and people from the  L G B T Q I +  community to apply.

SWSLHD is committed to driving a child safe culture that upholds children and young people’s rights. We strive to ensure children and young people feel safe, supported and included in their care. Existing staff of SWSLHD and those seeking employment are required to take the safety, welfare and wellbeing of children and young people seriously while taking action to keep them safe from harm and abuse.

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