Family Support Specialist

Across Tasmania, children are facing more and more challenges to their development. At 54 reasons, we provide critical support to families who need it most. Through a variety of programs and individual case management, you’ll provide professional support to families with complex needs. This is your opportunity to help children reach their potential and give them a chance to thrive.

54 reasons is Australia’s leading child rights organisation – no ordinary not-for-profit.    

A place where your purpose matters. Proudly part of the Save the Children Australia Group and global movement, we’re here to make sure that children and young people have their rights met and thrive, in all their diversity. 

With the child’s voice at the centre, we provide quality services to children and their caregivers, advocating with them so that children develop, learn, and are connected, safe and confident. Our people are proudly local, reflective of the communities we serve - in every state and territory, and across regions, remote areas and capital cities. 

It takes all types of personalities and talents to drive our organisation– yours included. We value a healthy work-life balance and ensure our people feel connected to each other and our impact. Learn from inspiring people and grow from a connection to our strong local and global networks. From our programs to our support services - this is the place to realise your purpose.  

A place to make a difference:  

We currently have two permanent Family Support Specialist roles available:

• A part time role in the Integrated Family Support Services (IFSS) team (3 days per week)
• A full time role in the Intensive Family Engagement Service (IFES) team

In both roles, your work will focus on identifying the needs of families who have been referred to the specific program, with the aim of working collaboratively to ensure these needs are met and the best outcomes for the children and their families are achieved. Based in Hobart, you’ll work within our larger Family Support Services team and report to our Team Leader.

In both roles the successful applicant will make a difference by:

• Providing families with a coordinated, professional family support service
• Providing case management support to families through outreach and home visits
• Building family capacity in a family partnership service model, using strengths and family-centred approaches
• Providing evidence-based, trauma-informed parenting information and education material

A place to feel valued:

You’re an experienced family support practitioner who is truly passionate about maximising opportunities for children to develop and thrive. Your ability to think on your feet will see you find solutions to complex situations, and your experience in similar roles will see you able to hit the ground running. Your cultural knowledge will help you build strong connections with people from a variety of cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. You have empathy, a ‘can-do attitude’ and most importantly, an infectious enthusiasm for your job.

Bringing your best every day means having: 

• Degree or Diploma in Social Work, Health or allied areas (or significant relevant experience)
• Demonstrated experience in case management, working alongside families using partnership, strengths-based and family-centred approaches
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and families
• Understanding of the importance of the “early years” and the impact of trauma on child development

What are the key differences between IFSS and IFES?

Whilst there are a lot of similarities and skills that are needed to perform the Family Support Specialist role in IFSS and IFES, there are also some significant differences in the services that are provided.

IFSS Family Support Specialists work with a larger number of families, for an average of one hour per week over twelve months. Comparatively, IFES Family Support Specialists work with a small number of families for up to twenty hours per week over a twenty-week period.

Additionally, IFES works alongside Child Safety Services and is designed to service families identified by Child Safety Services as requiring intensive support. In contrast, IFSS referrals come from a wide variety of sources and the complexity of the families support needs fluctuate.

For further information on the two services, see our Program Profiles: IFES and IFSS. For more clarity around the differences between the services contact the Team Leader, Hamish Perry-Macleod, on 0499 462 458 or hamish.macleod@54reasons.org.au.

A place to belong:  

54 reasons is proudly part of Save the Children Australia. We are a learning organisation that invests in the development and wellbeing of our people. Our workforce is approximately 1100 people strong, and proudly diverse, whether in race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexuality, cultures and beliefs. 

It takes all types of people to do the challenging work we do. We are diverse personalities, backgrounds and talents, embracing our differences as one strong and united team. We see and celebrate the unique value you bring to our organisation, and offer a range of rewards for your effort, including:  

• Award rate salary (SCHADS Level 5, currently $49.28 per hour) plus access to full PBI salary packaging benefits - use this link to see how much this benefit could mean to you
• Supportive Managers – we provide professional supervision training and monthly supervision sessions so you can feel supported and build a career at Save
• Internal employment and development opportunities  
• Support for workplace wellness, including access to our free, confidential Employee Wellbeing Program  
• Extra leave to use in a range of ways to ensure you’re able to perform at your optimum

Follow this link for the full list of our employee benefits.  

Does this sound like the place for you?  

We’d love to hear from you. Submit your cover letter and resume below.  Please also indicate which role you are most interested in.

Applications close 12pm AEDT, Monday 25^th November 2024.

Position Description: Family Support Specialist – IFSS and IFES

For any queries about this position, please contact Hamish Perry-Macleod, Team Leader, on 0499 462 458 or hamish.macleod@54reasons.org.au.

We have tested our application process with diverse groups in mind, with the intent to ensure its straightforward and accessible for all to apply. Diversity and inclusion are fundamental to our culture and improve our ability to reach our most vulnerable client groups. But we also know there is no one-size fits-all when it comes to recruitment - so if we didn’t quite hit the mark for you, please let us know at people.culture@savethechildren.org.au. We’re dedicated to ensuring Save the Children Australia is a place where everyone can feel supported – no matter your race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexuality, neurodiversity, culture and beliefs.  

Save the Children Australia is a child-safe organisation. All employees are required to undergo a National Police Check, a Working with Children Check, and sign our Child Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct. We also support the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. You can read about the Scheme and our commitment to Safeguarding here.  

Save the Children is committed to providing and maintaining a safe working environment for its employees and client groups, consistent with our obligations under OH&S legislation. 

If you are having any issues with uploading your application for this role, please contact people.culture@savethechildren.org.au for further support.