Brighter Futures Family Worker
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Position Title:
Brighter Futures Family Worker
Position Status:
Part Time 28 hours per week
Responsible to:
Program Manager
Program:
Hawkesbury Community Services Inc – Hawkesbury Child & Family
Services, Brighter Futures Program
Hawkesbury Community Services Inc is a locally based not for profit
organisation funded by NSW Family and Community Services through
Wesley Mission to provide services under the Brighter Futures Early
Intervention Program in the Hawkesbury Local Government Area.
Hawkesbury Community Services Inc is a Christian organisation under
the auspices of Hawkesbury Church, Windsor.
The Brighter Futures program aims to enable children to live safely at
home and thereby:
 Reduce the rate of ROSH reports to the Helpline
 Reduce the rate of entry to and length of time in OOHC
 Reduce future demand for services, such as child protection,
corrective or mental health services
The Brighter Futures program is voluntary and works closely with
other Hawkesbury Community Services Inc programs, community
partners and NSW Family and Community Services.
Location:
Hawkesbury
Relevant Award:
Social, Community, Home Care, and, Disability Services Industry
Award (MA000100)
Award
Social Community Service Employee (SCSE) - Level 5
Remuneration:
As per the award, plus 9½% superannuation
Essential Criteria:
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Demonstrated knowledge and experience of working with families
in a strengths-based, solution-focused approach and a child
centred, family focused integrated service framework;
Tertiary qualification(s) in Psychology, Counselling, Social Work,
Social Sciences or related fields;
Demonstrated experience and knowledge of casework practice
and key functions of case management; family strengths and
needs assessment; service planning and resource identification;
linking families to services; service implementation and
coordination; monitoring service delivery; advocacy; case review;
family conferences; evaluation and closure;
Demonstrated willingness to meet families at the point of initial
contact and build relationships of trust and cooperation;
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Brighter Futures Family Worker
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Knowledge and understanding of early intervention and family
support work with families; home visiting and parent education;
High level ability to liaise, network and maintain relationships with
partner agencies, government agencies and professional groups;
Effective written and verbal communication skills;
Self-management and organisational skills;
Working knowledge of issues in relation to domestic violence; child
protection; parental drug and alcohol misuse; parents with
significant learning difficulties or intellectual disabilities; parental
mental health issues; lack of parenting skills/ inadequate
supervision;
Current NSW or National Driver’s Licence and a reliable
comprehensively insured vehicle.
Desirable Criteria:
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Training and experience in the delivery of one on one parent
education programs;
Experience in using Structured Decision Making (SDM) tools in
work with families and children;
Experience in using electronic files and data bases;
Working knowledge of the Brighter Futures Early Intervention
Program;
Working knowledge of the Hawkesbury Local Government area;
Cultural competence in working with CALD and Aboriginal families.
Objective:
1. To provide a professional and comprehensive child centred and family focused early
intervention service to children and families who are at high risk of entering or escalating
within the statutory child protection system.
2. To uphold the guiding principles of the Brighter Futures program;
a. The focus of any work we are doing is on outcomes for children;
b. Brighter Futures is a family program that seeks to support parents and families in
further developing the skills and ability to appropriately interact, care for and
nurture their children;
c. Brighter Futures is a voluntary program where self-determination is key;
d. Brighter Futures aims to link families to their local community, away from service
dependence and towards independence;
e. Brighter Futures provides integrated service delivery, where there is coordination
between all the services involved in a child’s life;
f. Brighter Futures uses a strength’s based approach to work alongside children
and their families;
g. The work we do in Brighter Futures comes from an evidence base derived from
research and practice knowledge around what works in terms of providing early
intervention for children at risk of significant harm.
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Brighter Futures Family Worker
3. To be an active, cooperative member of a multidisciplinary team, to ensure good
practice in service provision, smooth transitions to integrated services, and to contribute
to the ongoing development and evaluation of the Brighter Futures program.
Basic Job Function:
1. To provide an integrated casework and case management service to families who are
vulnerable and require in home or centred based assistance and specialist services,
parent education and access to quality Early Childhood Service places and brokerage.
2. To enhance family functioning and promote positive relationships within the family, and
between the family and their wider community, in partnership with other members of the
Brighter Futures team, NSW Family and Community Services (FaCS) and other
integrated service providers;
3. To maintain a working knowledge of and adhere to relevant child protection legislation
and deliver services in keeping with the Brighter Futures Service Provision Guidelines;
4. Promote the Brighter Futures program to families referred directly to Hawkesbury Child &
Family Services by NSW Family and Community Services and making initial contact with
families by home visiting or phone or letter to determine eligibility for the program and the
delivery of services when needed;
5. To provide consultation, advocacy and promotion regarding early intervention and child
protection issues;
6. To uphold the Christian philosophy and aims of Hawkesbury Community Services Inc.
Relationships of Brighter Futures Family Worker:
1. Reports to and is supervised by the Brighter Futures Manager Case Work;
2. Works with an allocated caseload of families, providing them with direct service and
coordinating/facilitating other support services to meet their identified needs in
consultation with the Manager Case Work;
3. Works with all team members of Hawkesbury Child & Family Services, including other
Family/Group Workers, Early Childhood Specialist, volunteers and administrative staff;
4. Liaises and works with staff from referring agencies, and with other government and non
–government agencies involved in the provision of services as directed by the Manager
Case Work;
5. Participates in local networks and interagencies relevant to the service in consultation
with the Manager Case Work.
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Brighter Futures Family Worker
Responsibilities of Brighter Futures Family
Worker:
1. To perform duties according to the Hawkesbury Community Services Inc. vision and
values statement, and other relevant policy documents and legislation;
2. To provide an integrated, professional and holistic service within a strengths based
framework to expectant parents and parents with children under 9 years in the following
areas of vulnerability:
a. Domestic violence
b. Parental drug or alcohol issues
c. Parental mental health issues
d. Parents with a significant learning difficulties or intellectual disability
e. Lack of parenting skills/inadequate supervision
3. Maintain an understanding of a strengths based, solution focussed approach to best
practice developments in the provision of effective services to children and families;
4. Provide, coordinate and evaluate support services including assessment, referral and
information, case planning, case reviews, case work, home visiting, counselling,
advocacy, group work and practical assistance as determined by the Family Strengths
and Needs Assessment;
5. Conduct home visiting of families which includes “Cold Calling” procedures in keeping
with the home visiting policy and tracking of movement procedures in consultation with
Team Leader;
6. Attend planning meetings, case conferences and review meetings to ensure that
coordinated, flexible and integrated case management services are provided to families;
7. Work collaboratively with other team members to organise group work programs;
8. Be aware of the need for confidentiality in all aspects of Hawkesbury Child & Family
Services work and ensure that confidentiality is adhered to at all times;
9. Maintain a working knowledge of and adhere to the Interagency Guidelines for Child
Protection NSW (2006), and to work collaboratively with other government and nongovernment agencies to ensure a comprehensive and effective service provision for
children and families;
10. Document all client services, maintaining client records and statistical and/or evaluative
information for Wesley Mission and Hawkesbury Child & Family Services in a timely
manner as required by the Program Manager. Documenting presenting issues and
trends, to assist with the development of evidence based best practice so as to provide
responsive and effective services to families;
11. Manage all aspects of own caseload in consultation with Manager Case Work;
12. Work as a member of a multidisciplinary team by participating in team meetings, team
building initiatives, conflict resolution, service review, planning and evaluation;
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Brighter Futures Family Worker
13. Commit to a continuous process of personal/professional development and skills
acquisition, including preparing for and attending regular monthly external clinical
supervision, and participating in an annual performance appraisal;
14. Participate in Hawkesbury Community Services Inc Orientation and Induction process
and other mandatory training for this role as appropriate and identified by Program
Manager;
15. As an employee, be responsible under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 NO10 for
the occupational health and safety of everyone you deal with during employment
activities reporting all hazards and injuries to the Program Manager;
16. Promote the understanding and applications of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)
and Affirmative Action (AA) practice, and attend such seminars and training in
consultation with Program Manager;
17. In relation to other duties, accept such other duties as from time to time may be
determined by Program Manager.
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