Senior Social Worker Community Recovery

Royal Far West is one of Australia's most enduring and respected charities. We have been connecting children in rural and remote communities to the care they need since 1924. Today we do this from our Centre for Country Kids in Manly, through community outreach and via telecare.
The award-winning Community Recovery team - consisting of Social Workers, psychologists, occupational therapists, and speech pathologists - was established following the 2019/20 bushfires and works alongside preschools and primary schools to provide this support for children aged 0-12yrs, and the adults around these children. Further information about Community Recovery Services, can be found here: https://www.royalfarwest.org.au/bushfire-recovery-program/
Job Description
We are looking for a Senior Social Worker on either a full time or part time (minimum 3 days per week) basis. This role will sit within the Community Recovery Team and will be part of a specialist multidisciplinary team including, Social Workers, Occupational Therapists, Speech Pathologists and Clinical Psychologists. You will also be part of a wider supportive community of Social Workers.
This fixed term position is funded until December 2024, with plans to continue delivery beyond that date. The Community Recovery Program is currently being delivered in the following locations in NSW: Mid-Coast, Northern Rivers, Eurobodalla. These delivery locations may change in the future. Applications are welcomed from Sydney based or remote based applicants who may be in these delivery locations.
This position is responsible for the provision of Social work services for children/families referred to the program. This will include:

• Assessment, care planning, parent counselling/coaching, short-term & targeted casework,, parent/carer group programs, child group programs, and professional development workshops for Educators and Health and Social Service Practitioners.
• Delivery will be a combination of in person community visits working closely with schools and preschools with ongoing support provided by telehealth.
• Services are provided collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.

Desired Skills and Experience
Essential Criteria

• A Bachelor or post graduate degree in Social Work and eligibility for the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).
• Comprehensive knowledge, skills and clinical experience of developmental, learning, behavioural and mental health difficulties in children/young people, and working with parents/carers to support these needs. This includes high level skills in assessment, case planning, parent counselling/coaching, short-term & targeted casework, and working in partnership with families and local service networks.
• Capacity, skill and willingness to deliver services to rural and remote communities by both telehealth (video-link) and outreach. This may include two multi-day (e.g 5-6 days) community outreach visits each school term.
• Experience of developing and delivering professional development individual or group workshops to Educators and/or Health and Social Services practitioners.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively both independently and as a member of a multidisciplinary team; Skilfully prioritise time, manage a demanding workload, apply high level reasoning skills and have independent professional judgement.
• Highly developed written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills. Demonstrated computer literacy and ability to use health information systems.
• Demonstrated skills in providing best practice, quality improvement activities and service development. Capacity and willingness to participate in professional development and the provision of new programs as required.
• Experience and/ or interest in providing clinical supervision and/or mentoring to early career Social Workers.
• Demonstrated understanding of the issues faced by CALD and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities within the context of health and family wellbeing.
• Demonstrated understanding of, and ability to work within, the principles of Trauma Informed Practice.
• This role has been identified as a 'Category A employee' and requires protection against vaccine specified preventable diseases, including Covid 19
• The successful applicant will be required to provide a current Working with Children Check.

Desirable Criteria

• Evidence of relevant clinical experience, working within the area of Disaster recovery and resilience.
• Experience in delivering children's groups focused on loss and change, such as Stormbirds and Seasons for Growth
• Experience in planning and delivering parent groups and education sessions, including Tuning in to Kids
• Accredited Mental Health Social Worker with the AASW.

Our culture:
Royal Far West is a rewarding, inspiring, diverse and purpose driven workplace which aims to elevate and harness our people power to support the health and wellbeing of country children for generations to come.
Our core values of Care, Connection, Passion, and Impact are integral to the organisation. Respecting and upholding these values enables us to maintain a positive, innovative and highly collaborative workplace culture.
BENEFITS OFFERED
Royal Far West has been recognised as one of Australia and New Zealand's Best Places to Work in the prestigious annual list, published by The Australian Financial Review and Boss Magazine. Our extensive benefits offered, include:
Structured Induction program

• Meaningful work where you are making a positive difference. You will be supporting children's mental health, their wellbeing and helping them to build resilience.
• You will be able to focus on the practical work and clinical care, while our support team take care of the administration and service planning.
• Career and professional development opportunities: You will be given high-quality clinical supervision. All team members are supported to become accredited facilitators of the Tuning in to Kids, parent group program and the Seasons for Growth children's group program. There are great opportunities to learn best practice, we offer an Impactful Leadership Program to emerging leaders, interactive workshops offered to develop your work skills as well as online mandatory training.
• Multi-disciplinary workplace. Across RFW we have collaborative and supportive resident paediatricians, psychiatrists, psychologists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists and Social Workers to name a few.
• Attractive remuneration: base salary + 11% superannuation
• Salary Packaging - up to $15,900 of your annual salary will be tax free + meals and entertainment card $2,650 pa. See details at
• Work/Life Balance - work from our beautiful location at Manly Beach or work from home anywhere as long as you can travel for outreach to the areas we support and attend the occasional whole team day in Manly. A laptop provided to work remotely and we offer a purchase leave scheme.
• Recognition & Reward - Length of service awards and recognition awards aligned to our values.
• Positive Culture - We are an inclusive organisation welcoming people from all walks of life!
• Beautiful location at Manly beach: easy access by bus, ferry and parking options. We are based in an architecturally designed building, purposely built to deliver our services. We have showers and towels available for your use so going for a swim before or after work is possible.
• CARE Days - up to 5 days off to look after individuals' health and wellbeing, on top of Annual and Personal Leave, with the intention to provide employees with an opportunity to take regular breaks throughout the year.
• Benefits Program with discounts available on many high street purchases across Australia.
• Pandemic Leave - 7 days paid leave, per calendar year to employees that have been impacted by either a disaster or pandemic which effects their ability to attend work.
• Gifted Leave - gifting leave of up to 3 working days over the Christmas and New year holiday period.
• Paid Parental Leave - 14 weeks full leave pay for the primary care giver and 4 weeks full leave for the non-primary care giver. Access to paid lactation breaks and lactation facilities.

HOW TO APPLY
If you like to take the first step in developing your career in a purpose led organisation, please submit your CV and cover letter, addressing the essential criteria, by clicking on the “Apply” button.
For further information please contact Chris Anderson on chrisa@royalfarwest.org.au or 8966 8598 (RFW will be closed from Friday 22nd December 2023, reopening on Monday 8th January 2024). A is available on the Royal Far West website https://www.royalfarwest.org.au/current-vacancies/
Candidates will be reviewed as they are submitted so, please don't delay in submitting your application.
Royal Far West does not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or based on an individual's status in any group or class protected by applicable law.
Royal Far West encourages applications from minorities and all other qualified applicants.
Only those applicants who have the right to work, and are currently residing in Australia can be considered.
All employees at Royal Far West are required to provide a NSW Working with Children Check and vaccination record against Covid-19.