Position Title: Family Violence Support Worker

This position is responsible for providing timely crisis intervention and holistic case management support to women and children who have experienced family violence.

Statement of Purpose:

Kara House Inc is a crisis support service for women and their children escaping family violence. Kara House works towards a feminist analysis of family violence. The primary focus of the service is supporting women and their children from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Women are encouraged and empowered to take control of their lives. Case management is provided within a crisis intervention framework coupled with appropriate transitional support. Our approach is tailored to meet the individual needs of the women and children who use our service. We recognise that women and children have the right to live free of physical, emotional, sexual financial and all other forms of abuse. Kara House provides both Refuge, Transitional housing and Outreach Support.

Conditions of Employment

Hours of Employment:

  • One-year contract
  • Part-time, 60 hrs per fortnight, 9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday with a rostered day off
  • After Hours pager duty on a rostered basis (after a qualifying period)

Reporting to:

  • Manager
  • Snr Worker

Award:

  • Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010
  • Superannuation will be paid according to the Superannuation Guarantee
  • Salary packaging available

Qualifications:

  • A tertiary qualification in Welfare, Community Development or other related discipline

Mandatory requirements:

  • Unrestricted Victorian Driver’s License and good driving record
  • A Police Record Check (including proof of identity)
  • International police check (if required)
  • Current Working with Children Check
  • Qualification check (original documents)
  • Pre-employment safety screening including employment history and disclosure of previous or current disciplinary action
  • Referee checks, including most recent supervisor
  • Commitment to Child Safety and adherence to the Kara House Child Safety requirements
  • Commitment to the provision of cultural safety to women and children including Aboriginal women and children, women and children from a multi-cultural backgrounds and women and children with disabilities.
  • Ethical behaviour and adherence to the Kara House Code of Conduct

Key Selection Requirements

  • A tertiary qualification in Welfare, Community Services, Social sciences or other related discipline
  • Demonstrated understanding and experience of the issues surrounding family violence and a commitment to improving the status of women and children in the community.
  • Sound knowledge of crisis intervention and experience in case management practice using creative and flexible approaches to service delivery.
  • Knowledge of and an ability to access a range of relevant community resources, particularly in the areas of counselling/therapeutic supports, parenting and children’s support, health, drug and alcohol, legal, income support, and accommodation to assist women and children with issues relating to family violence.
  • Skill in delivering services to women from diverse cultural backgrounds and experiences.
  • A focus and commitment to ensuring the wellbeing of children is of the highest priority and incorporates safety, including cultural safety and zero tolerance for child abuse.
  • A preparedness to accept a high degree of accountability to co-workers, clients and management.
  • Demonstrated ability to work independently and within a team, delivering a range of services and contributing to agreed outcomes.
  • Acceptance of the need to manage time and competing priorities and to work calmly, flexibly and responsively within a crisis response.
  • The ability to physically undertake the described role, maintain self-care and resilience and effectively participate in supervision and reflective practise
  • Well-developed interpersonal communication, client engagement, advocacy and negotiation skills including the ability to prepare clear written reports, assist with policy development and maintain files.
  • Effective organisational and time management skills
  • Computer skills (intermediate) in a windows environment including case noting, word processing, data collection and entry, internet and email
  • The capacity to liaise with a range of professionals and individuals and represent the service at an agency and community level.
  • Commitment to continuous improvement, managing change and being flexible to change.
  • Commitment to continuing professional development.

Summary of Duties

  • Provide high quality case management to clients, ensuring cultural safety and equity of access to the full range of support services for women and their children experiencing family violence.
  • Offer appropriate support to clients within a crisis framework. This includes assessment, information and referral, advocacy, court support, transitional housing support and the establishment of community supports. This will be achieved through the development and regular review of case plans.
  • Ensure that clients are supported to identify and prioritise their needs through and integrated and consultative approach and to promote and maintain a welcoming and non-threatening environment and context for this process.
  • Provide support and encouragement to clients to access other services in the community to meet special needs such as disability, language, culture, spirituality, health, financial and legal services.
  • Identify and link clients to the community to which they may be relocating.
  • Promote parenting skills and an awareness of children’s rights and needs.
  • Adhere to the standards of mandatory reporting especially as regards the safety and wellbeing of children.
  • Assist to maintain the refuge environment- this may include basic cleaning and room setup
  • Maintain a portfolio responsibility as directed by the manager. Portfolio responsibilities may include OH&S, Indigenous, Disability, Car Maintenance etc.
  • Collect and record client data accurately and in accordance with Kara House policy and procedures and the requirements of the funding body.
  • Contribute to the development of agency policy around a range of areas relating to the service.
  • Contribute to the development of innovative processes, practises and quality systems and promote an environment of continuous improvement.
  • Actively prepare and participate in regular staff meetings, client review meetings, supervision and annual performance appraisal.
  • Attend relevant meetings, workshops and seminars and participate in interagency liaison, appropriate community activities and training to actively contribute to sector development and the maintenance of skills.
  • Perform other related duties as directed by the manager.

Ethical responsibilities

  • Maintain ethics and standard of practise congruent with those of the appropriate professional body, eg. Social Work, Community Development or Welfare studies.
  • Maintain harmonious relationships with all members of staff.
  • Ensure familiarity and adherence to the Kara House Policy and Procedures and the Department of Health and Human Services standards and funding requirements.
  • Treat all client, staff and agency information as strictly confidential.

Key performance Indicators

Key Result Area / Required / Key Performance Indicators
  1. Policyand Procedures
/
  • Understand and work within the guidelines of the Kara House policy and procedure manual
  • Understand and work within the guidelines of the Kara House Direct Service manual
  • Contribute to the development of policy
  • Contribute to the implementation of the Kara House Strategic Plan
/
  • Adherence to Kara House Policy and procedures
  • Adherence to direction from management
  • Contribution to development of policy and procedures

  1. Client Services
/
  • Provide clients with a quality and holistic service
  • Undertake timely assessments intake and liaison with referring services
  • Complete client documentation and case plans accurately, thoroughly and within required timeframes
  • Regularly review client caseplans and maintain client files in the prescribed manner
  • Consult with clients to identify and prioritise areas of need
  • Make timely and appropriate referrals
  • Prioritise child safety and the promotion ofparenting skills
  • Monitor client behaviour with consideration to a communal setting and duty of care to other women and children
/
  • Client feedback
  • Stakeholder feedback
  • Completion of case plans
  • Case plan audits
  • File audits
  • Referral to Children’s resource worker
  • Client feedback
  • Pager response notes

  1. Portfolio
/
  • Undertake responsibility for the maintenance of agreed portfolio duties.
  • Complete and submit required checklists and reports within agreed timeframes
  • Update and check resources relating to Portfolio areas regularly.
  • Identify and collect additional resources for the benefit of all staff.
/
  • Completed checklists (where required) - signed monthly
  • Completed audits (where required)– garage, linen, refuge, multipurpose room, interview room
  • Bi-annual resource update

  1. Teamwork
/
  • Collaborate and work respectfully with colleagues
  • Maintain harmony within the staff team
  • Actively participate in team and staff meetings
  • Share information with co-workers and management and be pro-active in solving work-related problems
  • Show empathy, awareness and practical support to work colleagues
  • Undertake duties as rostered, such as Resi meeting, pager duty etc
/
  • Feedback from colleagues
  • Ensure responsibility to set agenda, chair meetings and print minutes etc
  • Collaboration and assistance provided to colleagues

  1. Communication
/
  • Maintain respectful communication with clients, staff team, management and services
  • Answer telephone calls and respond to messages as soon as possible
  • Ensure emails, letters and other documentation provided on behalf of Kara House is grammatically correct, respectful and accurate.
/
  • Feedback from clients, staff and other services
  • Observation of telephone manner
  • Emails, letters etc generated

  1. Networking
/
  • Attend case conferences as required
  • Identify, develop and maintain sector and related partnerships
  • Attend meetings, forums and sector events
  • Promote community understanding of family violence and the issues surrounding it
/
  • Attendance at case conferences
  • Positive sector partnerships
  • Attendance at meetings, forums and sector events

  1. Data Collection and administration
/
  • Undertake to complete client case notes accurately, succinctly, without bias and in a timely manner
  • Ensure the requirements of the data collection platform SHIP are completed accurately and within required timeframes
  • Maintain the security and confidentiality of client case files
  • Complete tasks as directed and within required timeframes
/
  • File audit
  • Ship notes/status
  • Monthly Ship audit
  • Quality and timeliness of case notes, data collected and status updates

  1. Continuous Improvement
/
  • Contribute to the continuous improvement of Kara House by identifying areas for improvement
  • Prepare and actively participate in the accreditation process
/
  • Participation in continuous improvement opportunities

  1. Professional Developmentand training
/
  • Accept feedback and engage in regular supervision and performance appraisal meetings
  • Participate in training as identified and scheduled
  • Identify and record how training has been incorporated into practice
/
  • Training feedback forms
  • Actively participate and attend training
  • Incorporation of training into practise

  1. OH&S
/
  • Contribute to the maintenance of a safe workplace by identifying and if appropriate removing potential hazards
  • Complete and submit checklists within the required timeframes
  • Transport donations, shopping or other goods to the refuge as required
/
  • Weekly Resi checklist
  • Client exit form
  • Identification and reporting of safety risks
  • Facilitation of refuge fire drill
  • Participation in office fire drill
  • Monthly checklists
  • Knowledge and understanding of safety procedures and policies

Note: Statements included in this position description are intended to reflect in general the duties and responsibilities of this position, and are not to be treated as all inclusive. There will be changes to duties and responsibilities over time.

Signed:Date:

Manager:………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………

FV Support Worker:………………………………………………………..………………………………………………….

1

S:\HUMAN RESOURCES\Position Descriptions\Position Descriptions Recruitment version\FV Support worker position description - Copy.docx 04/16