Chief Social Worker

• Full time or Part time (job share) fixed term secondment opportunity (up to 6 months)
• Based at Thomas Embling Hospital or another Forensicare site (by negotiation)

About the role:

The Chief Social Worker provides clinical leadership for state-wide forensic mental health social work
practice and interventions at Forensicare. The position oversees the development and implementation of
state-wide forensic mental health social work services, including hospital, community, and prison-based
services, to achieve and maintain a high standard of holistic, recovery-orientated consumer care,
inclusive of families and carers. This role sits within the Operations Executive team and is responsible for
promoting clinical excellence within and across the social work discipline at Forensicare. The role also
supports the delivery and evaluation of the spiritual care program at Thomas Embling Hospital and
oversees relevant contracted services and clinicians.

The scope of the position comprises:

Providing expert advice, consultation and leadership on complex clinical, systemic, social,
cultural and welfare matters.

• Providing and ensuring professional leadership and development for the social work team.
• Contribute to special projects, committees and working parties across Forensicare services and externally.
• Develop and monitor appropriate standards of social work practice in accordance with recognised statutory and professional requirements.
• Provide expert advice/consultancy within Forensicare and to other agencies/key stakeholders

The Chief Social Worker is a senior position with high level strategic engagement skills who will build
exceptional partnerships directly with our executive team and Board of Directors. You will develop and
support the leadership capabilities of Social Workers through learning and development opportunities,
co-design and deliver initiatives to develop an embedded career and workforce structure for First
Nations employees and co-design and deliver initiatives to develop awareness and understanding of the
experiences and perspectives of families and carers. You will contribute to system improvement, service
planning, workforce planning, the new Thomas Embling Hospital redevelopment, our new model of care
and in addition, drive research and evaluation. The Chief Social Worker will be a compassionate and
engaging leader with exemplary communication skills and strengths in co-design, an ability to work in a
complex and changing environment and an innovative and creative thinker.

About you:

• Demonstrated commitment to mental health consumer recovery.
• Extensive post graduate clinical / practice experience in forensic social work and/or social work in a custodial setting.
• Extensive leadership experience in health/mental health or a related sector.
• Demonstrated proficiency in financial and people management.
• Extensive experience at a senior level in a relevant social work setting.
• Significant knowledge of contemporary social work, lived experience principles, such as mental health recovery and co-production, as well as mental health treatment methods.
• A sound knowledge of legislation relevant to the target population
• Appropriate post-graduate qualifications in relevant field.
• Demonstrated ability in the provision of strategic advice in relation to service development and practice for social work within a complex organisational setting.
• Demonstrated leadership, management and supervisory skills in both supporting and providing high level of family centred casework skills and social work clinical expertise.
• Ability to evaluate a social work service and service components within a forensic mental health setting
• Excellent communication skills including the ability to consult, and to provide written and verbal reports
• Proven ability to promote excellence in the social work profession and contribute towards the advancement of the profession.

How to apply:

Submit a CV and Cover Letter outlining your interest and suitability for the position.

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