Child and Young Person Specialist

The Helping Children Heal Program is a new project within the SEED Program and focuses on:

• Provision of trauma-informed recovery services for children who have been exposed to domestic or family violence
• Improving social, emotional and educational outcomes for children
• Restoring and strengthening mother and child relationships

As a Child and Young Person (CYP) Specialist, you will work in partnership with practitioners and case managers to help children heal from adverse childhood experiences including homelessness, exposure to domestic and family violence, abuse and neglect.

You will focus on trauma-informed intervention strategies to engage and sustain program participation of the children and their families while they reside within crisis accommodation and transitional housing settings.

This is a permanent role, either full-time or a minimum of 0.8 FTE.

• Work therapeutically with children and their primary caregivers, individually and in groups
• Deliver programs to parents/carers and children and with the aim to increase parental capacity and support the healing and recovery journey from trauma
• Prioritise child safety and wellbeing through all stages of implementing the Helping Children Heal Program
• Work collaboratively to support team operations and contribute to team goals
• Proactively and positively contribute to WAGEC’s culture and impact

• You will work across all areas of the CYP Program but will specialise in at least one of the three focus areas:
  - Parenting Support
  - Creative Arts Therapies
  - Child Development & Learning Needs
• You have significant experience working with children and a good understanding of child development
• You work from a trauma-informed, client-centred, strengths-based approach
• You have a high level of understanding of working with people who have complex needs
• You're able to gain the trust of children and their caregivers
• You’re able to have difficult discussions concerning child safety and wellbeing
• You are a supportive, team-player who enjoys sharing knowledge with other workers and students
• You’ll have Early Childhood, Social Work, Psychology, Education or Community Services qualifications or experience, or similar, and are committed to continuous learning
• You have a strong understanding of working in a culturally safe way with families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
• Ideally you will speak one or more languages other than English, or identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander

Please read the Position Description attached here and check out our range of services at wagec.org.au.

To talk through any questions or if you would like assistance in applying, please contact Andrea Watkins, Director of People and Culture via recruitment@wagec.org.au using the subject line: Child and Young Person Specialist enquiry, or 0437 615 061.  

*If you think you have the experience to do this role but don’t meet all our selection criteria, please get in touch anyway to discuss your situation. We recognise that sometimes the right candidate for a job is based in personal qualities not just qualifications.*

WAGEC is entitled to employ only female and transgender-female staff, due to the nature of our service, under the Anti-Discrimination Act, 1977 (NSW) Section 31.

And when we say ‘women’, we mean all womankind including women of diverse gender and sexualities. We strongly encourage women with lived experience, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and women of all cultures and identities to apply. 

At WAGEC we are committed to caring for our people to help them excel in the work they do. Our additional employee benefits include:

• Flexible work arrangements
• Salary packaging options 
• 2 days of paid well-being leave each year
• $500 self-care allowance each year
• Access to EAP and monthly clinical supervision
• Professional development opportunities and leave