/ POSITION DESCRIPTION

Position Title:

/ Intensive/Enhanced Foster Care Case Worker
Department/Location: / TRACC Intensive Foster Care
Employment Status: / Please refer to letter of employment
Reports To: / Intensive Foster Care Coordinator
Direct Reports: / Nil
Key Relationships/Interactions: / Internal:Coordinator, staff of Intensive Foster Care Program, staff of other TRACC programs, other Anglicare Southern Qld staff members.
External:Department of Communities (Child Safety Services),Foster Carers,Children and young people in care, and other community organisations; key Indigenous organisations, individuals and elders.

Position Statement / Overall Purpose:

The Intensive/Enhanced Foster Care Case Worker’s major responsibility is to ensure a high level of therapeutic support is provided to Intensive Foster and Kinship Care placements of children and young people who are referred by the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services (Child Safety Services) – hereinafter referred to as “the Department”. The Intensive Foster Care Case Worker is also responsible for supporting a case load of Foster Carers who are being supported by the Intensive Foster Care Program.

The Identified Foster and Kinship Care Case Worker will manage a caseload of foster carers of which some of these carers will be caring for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children. There will be a strong focus on supporting non-Indigenous foster carers and staff to better understand the needs of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children in care and to respond in a holistic way that considers family, spiritual, community and individual needs. The successful applicant will work in close partnership with our Child Safety service centres and the foster carers to achieve the elements of the young person’s cultural plans.

The Intensive/Enhanced Foster Care Case Worker will work in accordance with the values of Anglicare Southern Queensland and support core business by providing service, guidance and advice within this position’s specialty area.

Intensive/Enhanced Foster Care Case Workers provide direct care of children and/or young people in placement with a wide range of responsibility for program activities, supervision and safety skills. Because of the life experiences and trauma histories that our children andyoung peoplebring to their placement here, staff must not only provide adequate safety and supervision, but must be actively engaged in the process of building relationships, understanding and solving problems as part of a team, and must offer energy, safety and commitment in their work with our children and/or young peoplethrough genuine, caring and empathic engagement. The program supports family involvement through the facilitation, and support for visits and family connections with parents, relatives and other significant people in the lives of our children and young people.

Position Specific Requirements & Qualifications:

  1. Under s25 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (Qld) it is a genuine occupational requirement for the incumbent to be Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
  1. Possession of a degree in Social Work, Psychology or Behavioural Science (essential) and/or relevant experience particularly in foster care (desirable).
  2. Ability and willingness to hold a Paid EmployeesPositive Notice (Blue Card) for Child RelatedEmployment issued by The Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian (at the worker’s own expense).
  3. Eligibility to gain a successful suitability check through the Department of Communities (Child Safety Services) (LCS-2).
  4. Possession of current provisional or open Australian Driver’s Licence.
  5. Ability and willingness to work on-call (on a rostered basis), includingwork on weekends and public holidays.
  6. Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment (desired)

Key Selection Criteria:

Essential:

  1. Applied knowledge and understanding of child protection and out-of-home care frameworks, particularly in the context of cultural sensitivity; including knowledge of or ability to acquire knowledge of the Child Protection Act (1999) and other relevant legislation.
  2. Understanding of child centred family focused work and what this means to implement in a foster care context; with a strong belief in family connection work.
  3. Understanding of the local community networks in particular Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community agencies and key persons; as well as the issues affecting these communities and how to sensitively engage with the relevant people.
  4. Applied knowledge and understanding of trauma and pain-based behaviour; as well as demonstrated experience in assessing complex to extreme needs of children and young people and developing Individual Care Plans
  5. Demonstrated ability to respond appropriately in crisis situations including the ability to ‘self-regulate’ in crises situations; as well as show highly developed problem solving, decision-making and negotiation skills.
  6. Ability to actively engage in building and sustaining positive relationships with children and young peopleincluding supporting them in activities that are purposeful and goal orientated with the aim of building their competencies and life skills.
  7. Proven ability to work effectively both within a team and to operate with autonomy while seeking advice and authority when required.
  8. Competent computer skills, including excellent word processing capabilities, proficiency with e-mail and internet applications and experience using programs such asMS Word, PowerPoint and Excel

Key Accountabilities and Responsibilities:

  1. Accountability: Support of non-indigenous carers who are looking after Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children;

Promote the culturally appropriate care of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children who are not in the care of their family/ local community

Responsibilities:

  • Manage a caseload of non-indigenous foster carers, caring for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children and assist them to support the young persons’ cultural journey. This will include monthly face to face support visits to carers, individual cultural awareness training, sharing information about the child’s family/country/community, and facilitating active involvement of the carer with the child’s community/relevant services in order to connect the child to their culture in meaningful ways.
  • Identify gaps for carers in their understanding and knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, history and impacts of this history and address these through development of a specific cultural support plan* for non-indigenous carers and the children in their care *this may be the departments cultural plan.
  • Review and update these plans on a regular basis to evaluate actions and ensure that the plan is meeting the child’s need.

Work in collaboration with the child, family, foster carer, Recognised Entity, Department of Child Safety staff, Community Elders and other stakeholders to develop strategies to support children’s cultural plans for each Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander child in foster care. Where necessary support the Department to seek relevant kin and family supports for these children and undertake carer assessments of these families where requested.

  1. Accountability: Developmentally focused: Ensure children, young people and carers are understood and responded to from a developmental framework

Responsibilities:

  • Understand how to respond to differences in chronological and developmental levels of children and young people; particularly in the context of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children.
  • Provide support to children and young people in regard to placements, including the development and implementation of specific strategies relevant totheir Care Plan.
  • Contribute to broader training and skills development for foster carers within the service through analysis of individual career needs.
  • Encourage the Foster and Kinship Carers to empower children and young people by providing them with opportunities to learn developmentally-appropriate skills required for living, problem-solving and stress management.
  1. Accountability: Family involved: Support carers, children and young people to have positive relationships with their family

Responsibilities:

  • Demonstrated understanding and belief in the importance of family connection for young people in care and This is particularly relevant for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children who are placed away from family and/or community. Work in partnership with carers to support children and young people’s connections with their family and community.
  • Assist carers in developing and maintaining their own support network within their family and friends.
  1. Accountability: Relationship based: Form and maintain positive, nurturing relationships with carers, children and young people

Responsibilities:

  • Build and sustain relationships with key Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander agencies, individuals and/or elders with the intent that children will be able to make more meaningful cultural connections with their family and community.
  • Provide support to Foster Carers in regard to placements, targeting specific issues relevant for the Case Plan and needs of children and young people who are subject to child protection orders.
  • Conduct weekly or as required home visits with children and young people; as well as their foster carers to ensure they are supported in their Intensive foster care placement and be able to have open and honest challenging discussions with each of them in relation to the care journey.
  • Assist children and young people to develop skills necessary for building positive and empowering relationships and assist them to maintain a positive outlook and relationships whilst in the care system. This may involve application of trauma informed practice.
  • Support children and young people to access appropriate respite and to develop a relationship with their respite carer.
  1. Accountability: Trauma informed: Respond to children and young people with an understanding of complex trauma

Responsibilities:

  • Ensure emotional and safety standards and requirements are met (as outlined in the Child Protection Act 1999).
  • Demonstrates an ability to recognize and respond therapeutically to pain-based behaviour.
  • Promote pro-social behaviour and employ strategies, responses and techniques that are respectful to the child or young person’s dignity and rights to manage challenging or extreme behaviours.
  1. Accountability: Competence centred: Ability to actively engage children and young people in interactions and activities that are goal orientated

Responsibilities:

  • Support young people and their carers to understand their culture and family background; and encourage them to engage in cultural activities that contribute to a strong sense of identity.
  • Provide children with opportunities to learn resilience and living skills appropriate to their age and ability andplan and actively participate in activities to support and increase skills and competencies.
  • Contribute to the individual assessment of each child, utilising their professional training and observation.
  • Develop resources to assist Foster Carers in the therapeutic care of children and young people.
  • Provide support to Carers in the event of a Standard of Care issue, Matter of Concern or grievance.
  • Link Foster Carers to appropriate professional supports and specific fostering bodies (e.g. Foster Care Queensland, Carer Support Groups).
  • Assist in organizing, preparing and delivering Pre-Service Quality Care Training and additional required training for prospective Foster Carers.
  • Ensure each Foster Carer has a Learning and Development Plan
  1. Accountability: Ecological orientated: Actively contribute to an environment that enables children and young people to grow and develop

Responsibilities:

  • Support carers to create a home environment that will promote a feeling of safety and security for young people and ensure they feel their emotional, physical, spiritual and cultural needs are met.
  • Support carers to develop routines with children and young people; including engagement in activities that will assist them towards positive outcomes.
  • Liaise with professional services engaged in the ongoing care of the child or young person (e.g. schools, mental health services, ancillary health services).
  1. Accountability: Promote an effective, supportive, caring and accountable team environment.

Responsibilities:

  • Facilitate communication between Foster Carers, key agencies including Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander agencies or individuals; Child Safety service centres and other relevant stakeholders - particularly in relation to critical or challenging stages of the care process. This will include attendance at relevant meetings for the purpose of discussing the placement.
  • Share the after hours support of Foster Carers to ensure continuity of care for Foster Carers, children and young people. This after hours support will be shared by other Intensive Foster Care team members and the Coordinator of the Program.
  • Contribute to the building of a strong team environment through professional practice that is child-centred, strengths-based and is congruent with a strong and ethical human services framework.
  • Attend and actively contribute to team meetings.
  • Willing to engage in supervision as per the Anglicare supervision process.
  • Adhere to the Anglicare Code of Conduct.
  1. Accountability: Quality Improvement.

Responsibilities:

  • Participation in the intake and assessment processes that facilitate matching children and young people in placements with Foster and Kinship Carers
  • Maintain a high standard of comprehensive record-keeping for children, young people and carers for the purposes of licensing, research and quality assurance purposes (including record keeping of carer and Departmental contact)
  • Continue professional development; maintain knowledge of current research and practice related to Foster and Kinship Care, children and young people, participate in appraisal and supervision in accordance with relevant policies.
  • Monitor and update relevant documentation (e.g. Authority to Care, Foster Carer Agreements, Carer Learning and Development Plans, Care plans where relevant)
  • Comply with all licensing requirements and contribute to ensuring that the Program is in line with licensing requirements and relevant legislation
  • Participate in relevant alternative care and community networks
  • Assist in reviewing the Program, Procedures and Policies
  • Participate in and contribute to the intake, review and closure planning necessary for children and young people in the high plus component of the service to access additional community supports.
  • Continue professional development; maintain knowledge of current research and practice related to foster care, children and young people.
  • Monitor and maintain relevant documentation to ensure the Program sustains compliance with licensing requirements and relevant legislation.
  • Participate in and respond to internal and external audits and their findings.
  • Assist in reviewing the Program, including policies, procedures, forms and practices.
  1. Other Duties and Requirements
  • Undertake own work practices in a safe manner and comply with the instructions given for workplace health and safety within Anglicare Southern Queensland Policies and Procedures;
  • Do not, during or after employment, disclose information relating to residents, clients and staff of Anglicare or damage the reputation, viability or profitability of Anglicare services;
  • Your responsibilities also extend to any tasks outlined on a duties list, or any other tasks delegated to you by your manager/supervisor, provided that those new job requirements are safe, efficient, relevant, legal and within your abilities.

Additional Requirements

  • All Anglicare staff members who work within Children and Family programs are required to participate in mandatory training modules.

Delegation of Authority:

  • In accordance with the Anglicare Delegations of Authority Policy.

Intensive/Enhanced Foster Care Case Worker (TRACC)Version 1.2

Effective Date: May, 2013Page 1 of 5

Review Date: May, 2015