• Fixed term
• Full time (76 hours per fortnight)
• Remuneration SCHCADS level 6 dependent on qualifications and experience + 10.5 % Employer superannuation

About the position

The OOHC/KEYS program is funded by the Department of Families, Fairness & Housing (DFFH) in partnership with Anglicare (lead agency), Austin Health and Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA) to provide a specialist Youth Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) service to young people involved in the child protection system and living in the KEYS residential therapeutic units. The OOHC/KEYS worker will provide support and advice to staff in out of home care residential facilities through specialist secondary consultation to Child Protection case planning processes; AOD education; and appropriate AOD assessment, referral and linkages. Servicing the North and West Metropolitan Regions, the OOHC/KEYS worker will be based in Sunshine and be a member of the multi-disciplinary YSAS West team. However, this role will spend the majority of time working within the KEYS units and will also be required to establish strong linkages with YSAS services in the Northern teams.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• 
  Provide specialist Youth AOD secondary consultation and support to the Child Protection case planning process
  
• Conduct and contribute to appropriate Youth AOD assessments and developmentally appropriate care planning, of identified young people connected to Child Protection and Out of Home Care (OoHC) including Kinship and Foster Care.
  
• Provide practical guidance and advice/support to Child Protection, Youth Justice, residential and ACP providers and drug treatment services.
  
• Provide time limited youth AOD counselling and support utilising a range of therapeutic techniques with a focus on harm reduction, relapse prevention and drug education (utilising an Assertive Outreach Model) where local/regional services cannot be identified or accessed.
  
• Develop a menu of Youth AOD training resources/packages for a diverse audience including; frontline residential care workers; contract case managers; Child Protection and Youth Justice Case managers; parents and carers
  
• Develop a menu of Youth AOD training resources/packages for a diverse audience including; frontline residential care workers; contract case managers; Child Protection and Youth Justice Case managers; parents and carers.

Please note:

• YSAS is a safe workplace and requires staff to be fully vaccinated (two doses plus booster) or a valid medical exemption to prevent the spread of COVID-19. YSAS will request evidence in the pre-employment stage.
• Service delivery aspects of the role may be modified in order to comply with Victorian Government COVID-19 guidelines.
• As part of our Employment screening process you will be required to undertake a National Criminal History check and have a current Working with Children Check.
• You must have Australian work rights to apply for this position

Further Enquiries

For a confidential discussion about the position, please contact Shannon Bell, Community Manager, on 0428 242 047 regarding the Senior Practitioner role – 085-2022.

• YSAS is an equal opportunity employer and we welcome applications from all sectors of the community.
• YSAS has a zero tolerance for child abuse and is committed to the provision of a child-safe organisation.