Children's Educational Support Worker - Residential Services

Safe Steps is the only 24/7, family violence response centre in Victoria, providing a “state-wide entry point” for victim-survivors of domestic and family violence. Services include information and referral, crisis response, specialist family violence risk assessment, safety planning, Webchat, and access to residential crisis accommodation.

Our vision is safety, support and respect for all victim-survivors of domestic and family violence.

Within the parameters of our constitution, service philosophy and the policy framework established by the Board, and under the direction and supervision of the 2IC Senior Practitioner and Manager Residential Services, the Children’s Educational Support Worker – Residential Services will work as part of the Victorian state-wide Family Violence service, supporting the provision of a specialist support service to child victim-survivors accommodated by the service.

The Children’s Educational Support Worker (Residential Services) is expected to uphold organisation’s policies and procedures as well as the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing and Health and Human Services Standards, which include the following obligations:

• to respect client confidentiality
• to obtain consent for the disclosure of information about a client
• to inform any client who wishes to make a complaint about the organisation of their right to do so, and to assist them to initiate a complaint.

Safe Steps’ locations and unlisted telephone numbers may not be disclosed to any other person except in accordance with service procedures. The locations and unlisted telephone numbers of any high-security refuges may not be disclosed to any other person other than in accordance with the instructions of each such service.

Collaborate with staff, schools and parents to obtain relevant learning resources and strategies to implement at an individual and/or group level.

• Assess the individual learning requirements and goals for each child for the period of their stay in service.
• Develop and implement individual and group learning plans, incorporating indoor and outdoor activities.
• Maintain and upgrade therapy resources in consultation with the multidisciplinary Residential Team.

Educational Support

• Provide Educational Support and guidance to children and young people residing in Residential services short-term crisis accommodation.
• Tutor children on schoolwork provided by the child's school, or provide age/stage-appropriate educational material to support children in their learning journey.
• Provide individualised support and guidance to meet the unique needs of each child, including those with special educational needs or language barriers.
• Engage children and young people in Art Therapy and regulation.
• Assess and monitor each child's progress, providing regular feedback to staff and parent.
• Create a safe space for children and young people by building relationships, advocating for their educational rights and interests, using strengths-based language, de-escalation and sensory tools.
• Create a safe and inclusive learning environment that promotes positive behaviour, social and emotional wellbeing and academic success.

Program Administration

• Keep accurate client records in line with quality, auditing, and accreditation standards.

Program Evaluation

• Gather information and feedback from children, schools and parents to assist with the monitoring and evaluation of the program.
• Contribute to the development of reports on the impact of educational interventions on the well-being and academic progress of children and young people accommodated in Residential Services short-term crisis accommodation. 
• Contribute to project and other activities designed to improve the educational experience of children and young people within the Residential Services setting.
• Meet regularly with the multidisciplinary Residential Team regarding ongoing development and planning of service provision to children accommodated in Residential Services.

Team Support

• Participate in team activities, attend staff meetings when scheduled, and demonstrate a supportive approach to colleagues which contributes to the overall team effectiveness.

Professional Development and Continuous Improvement

• Demonstrate a commitment to reflective practice, professional debriefing, and supervision.

Other

• Complete mandatory and other training as required
• Adhere to all organisational policies and procedures, including all workplace health and safety measures

• Minimum of a Certificate IV in School Based Education Support or Bachelor of Education, OR equivalent qualification
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience working with children in an educational setting
• Demonstrated experience in responding to children who have experienced trauma.
• Demonstrated ability to select and apply current evidenced based practice in the provision of Art Therapy in a special education setting.
• Demonstrates ability to form collaborative partnerships with families, staff, and community members from a range of professional and cultural backgrounds.
• An understanding of relevant theories and practice frameworks that relate to Child Development, Trauma Informed practice and Family Violence
• Demonstrated knowledge of the effects of family violence on children and the mother/child bond.
• Understanding of the specialist family violence sector in Victoria.
• Understanding of state-based legislation as it pertains to family violence, privacy and child protection legislation relevant to service delivery.
• Well-developed oral and written communication skills including ability to communicate effectively with a diverse range of cultural and social groups.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a challenging and demanding environment, including working within agreed timeline parameters.
• Ability to remain calm under pressure, with a flexible and positive approach.
• High level of resilience and self-care practices in place.
• Willingness to commit to the living expression of Safe Steps values of integrity, diversity and empowerment.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and negotiation skills.
• A current Working With Children Check.
• Current Driver’s Licence
• Current Level 2 First Aid – Or willingness to attend training
• Current National Police Check

Other relevant information

• Willingness to undertake further training and development.

1. IMPORTANT INFORMATION

• This role is exempt from the provision of the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 which would otherwise require the appointment to this position to be on a non-gender specific basis. Applications for this position will be considered from people who identify as women (Exemption H135/2022).

• Safe Steps is a child safe organisation and is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all children. All Safe Steps services, programs and practices are following Victoria’s Child Safe Standards.

• Safe Steps recognises that risk management, and the sound and effective implementation of a risk management strategy with associated tools and plans, is a key process in a best practice framework at all levels of the organisation. We are committed to the implementation and maintenance of a formal risk management system to provide a sound quality and governance framework that aligns with the Australian Standard for Risk Management (AS/NZS ISO 31000:2018) and ensures there are linkages between risk management and decision making, there is clearly articulated accountability, and there is mandate and commitment from all key staff in the organisation.

• Safe Steps is committed to the principles of continuous quality improvement (CQI) in all aspects of its operations, service delivery and governance. We place the highest priority on the safety and wellbeing of those we support and provide services to.

• All offers of employment are subject to satisfactory background checks including a National Police Check (including an international police check if resided continuously in an overseas country for 12 months or more in the last ten years), Working with Children Check, disclosure of previous or current disciplinary action, referee checks, proof of eligibility to work in Australia and qualification checks.

• Where background checks are not to the satisfaction of Safe Steps in its absolute discretion, the offer of employment may be retracted or terminated.

• If you are offered employment with Safe Steps and are not currently an existing employee, you will be required to disclose full details of any pre-existing injuries or illness that may be affected by the work and/or undergo a health assessment. The disclosure/health assessment is conducted to ensure you have the health and mental capacity to meet the requirements of the position and to identify any adjustments that may need to be made in the workplace. Failing to notify or hiding a pre-existing injury or illness which might be affected by the nature of the proposed employment, could result in that injury or illness being ineligible for future compensation claims.