POSITION DESCRIPTION
Position Title
Family Services Practitioner
Employment Status
Full-time ( 12 month fixed term contract maternity leave cover )
Directorate
Community Support
Program Name
Family Services Program
Position reports to
Family Services Program Manager
Family Services Team Leaders
Date Reviewed
20/11/15
ISIS Primary Care
Organisational Context:
ISIS Primary Care Ltd. (ISIS Primary Care) is a highly regarded community health provider which operates in the
western metropolitan region of Melbourne and provides a unique blend of community-based, family- focused,
generalist health and welfare services to its’ wider community.
Services and constituencies range from small locally-based services and/or projects to large scale complex
regional programs. We have seven principal service sites with additional outreach sites and employs over 400
staff.
ISIS Primary Care strives to provide accessible and integrated health services, which are both sensitive and
responsive to their diverse needs. The range of primary and secondary services provided are designed to meet
the needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged children, youth, adults and families across their life span. We
deliver our services from a social model of Health perspective.
We are dedicated to improving the health and well being of our communities through employees who are
highly valued and encouraged to strive for excellence. ISIS Primary Care rigorously pursues a philosophy of
service enhancement and innovation within available resources whilst promoting research and development in
a quality focused environment. We value our employees and seek to further enhance their professional skills
and well-being through regular professional development, clinical supervision, team-based support, EAP and
well-at-work initiatives.
We have received current QIP accreditation and 5 commendations from the Australian Council of Health Care
Standards (ACHS) and are a registered Community Service under the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005.
ISIS Primary Care is committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment for staff (please refer to the
OH&S and important information sections of this position description).
Organisational Mission:
We work in partnership with local communities in the Western Metropolitan Region of Melbourne to provide
responsive, interconnected health and community services.
We work together for excellence, service enhancement and innovation.
We are dedicated to the continued improvement of the health and well-being of individuals and the
community, within available resources.
Family Services Program:
The Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) Victoria funds the Family Services Program. The program
provides outreach services in the home environment to children, young people and their families who are
vulnerable and have complex needs that may affect their developmental stage of life and their capacity to self-
Document ID: HR – 2.0
Date Effective: 02/03/2012
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manage. In order to achieve sustainable outcomes for our clients, the Family Services Program offers a case
management model incorporating comprehensive safety and risk assessments, care planning, group work,
supportive counselling and linkages with informal and formal community supports in order to support
children, young people and their families.
The ISIS Primary Care Family Services Program is a partner in two Child First and Integrated Family Services
Alliance (CF&IFS) – the Western Catchment area (Cities of Melbourne, Maribyrnong, Moonee Valley, Hobson’s
Bay and Wyndham) and the Brimbank Melton Catchment area (Cities of Brimbank and Melton).These
Catchments areas are identified by State and Commonwealth Governments as ‘ Growth Corridors’. The Family
Services Program team sit across three ISIS Primary Care sites: Sunshine, Altona Meadows and Wyndham Vale.
The Family Services program provides service to children, young people and their families utilising the social
model of health and the Best Interest Practice Framework. The Family Services team understand that the
families we work with may have experienced trauma including: isolation, inter-generational issues, substance
use, mental health, family violence and poverty. We strive to provide cultural and diverse competent practice
to our local communities.
The Family Services program provides clinical supervision and direction and encourages professional
development that supports and drives the Family Services team to provide a high quality service.
The Program encourages staff to participate and actively contribute in organisational, CF& IFS Alliance and
other sectoral services committees and/or working groups, as required.
Purpose & Context of the Position:
The Family Services Practitioner will apply their professional knowledge and skills to engage, rekindle and
restore hope for children, parents and other significant people. In conjunction with the family, you will be an
enabler and developer of a plan that meets the Best Interest of the Child/ren and the Parent and build on the
families’ strengths and aspirations.
You will work alongside and with a variety of complementary services and programs such as: Child Health,
Counselling, Addictions, Allied Health, Dental and Medical to provide an integrated and comprehensive system
of support to families
All services will be delivered in accordance with the philosophy, aims, policies and procedures of the Family
Services Program and ISIS Primary Care Ltd. This is a position that may develop and change over time in order to
be responsive to the service needs of families/clients in the Western Region and to DHHS Child Youth and Family
strategic directions.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
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To work in accordance with relevant legislation, ISIS Primary Care mission, values, policy and
procedures (please refer to the important information section contained in this position description).
To provide a high quality service that is responsive, respectful, diversity competent evidence and
outcome based to an agreed number of vulnerable children, young people and their families.
To ensure that assessments, care plans, care plan reviews and exit plans are undertaken in line with
the program’s guidelines.
To participate and at times, lead case conferences and or review meetings with children, young
people, their families and other professionals working with the family.
To develop, plan and facilitate groups, when a need is identified.
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6.
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To meet and comply with the program’s administration and reporting requirements that include the
writing of case notes and maintenance of families’ case files to a professional standard, recording of
work time, collection, analysis and reporting of program data.
To represent the Family Services program and ISIS Primary Care at external or internal meetings,
committees and/ or working groups.
On-going development of professional skills and knowledge.
Manage own role and responsibilities, working both independently and as a contributing team
member.
To actively participate and comply with the Family Services Supervision framework
To actively participate and contribute to team meetings, peer support and other designated team
functions.
To actively participate and support the Family Services Program implementing QICSA/One DHS
Standards accreditation and quality improvement processes.
Provision of monthly report or other reports as required to the Family Services manager.
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
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Service delivery activities are undertaken in a holistic, non-judgemental and client focused manner.
Assessments demonstrates that evidence based theoretical frameworks and the Best Interest Practice
model is applied
Child and Family care plans demonstrate that they are completed with the child, young person and
family’s involvement and are regularly reviewed.
Program administration and reporting requirements are accurate and timely, according to service
standards and program procedures.
Attendance and participation in supervision.
Role model to staff, clients and other professionals conduct and behaviours that reflect and enhance
the organisation’s values.
Effectively represent the Family Services Program in internal meetings, committees and working
groups.
Effectively represent the organisation in relevant partnership, network meetings and working groups.
Participation in quality improvement and accreditation processes.
KEY SELECTION CRITERIA
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Tertiary qualifications in Social Work or other appropriate qualification (eligible for membership to AASW
or appropriate equivalent).
Demonstrated experience (minimum of three years) and knowledge of contemporary theories,
frameworks and practice in the child, youth and family field, and the application of this knowledge in the
provision of assessments, case work and case management.
Demonstrated experience in working with children, young people and families with complex needs e.g.
Family Violence, Mental Health, trauma and substance misuse.
Demonstrated experience in working with diverse communities including in the work place.
Demonstrated capacity to collaboratively work across the full spectrum of the health and community
support sector.
Highly developed written (reports, correspondence, case notes and records entry) and oral (liaison,
consultation, negotiation and telephone) communication skills and interpersonal and advocacy skills.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a complex and changing environment within the
policies and protocols of the organisation and be responsive to direction from management.
Computer literacy in Microsoft Word, Excel and Internet. Highly desirable computer literacy in IRIS and
Trakcare
Fluency in a community language is desirably viewed.
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INHERENT PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS OF POSITION
Sitting: Sitting for long periods at a computer station with breaks, sitting at ground level or low level in order
to engage or role model play & interaction with babies, toddlers and pre-school aged children
Driving: Use of an ISIS vehicle when required
Physical: Lifting and carrying items such as baby capsules, child car seats, prams and activity box for group
work. Where appropriate, the ability, to undertake physical activities to engage children and young people in
individual or group work interventions.
General office based work: including various paperwork activities and handling files
Off-site activities: Attending meetings, possibly sitting for periods of up to two hours at a time.
Undertaking outreach to clients homes that may have varying degrees of environmental hygiene.
OH & S RESPONSIBILITIES
ISIS Primary Care is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for staff, ensuring that the
workplace is free from harassment, bullying and discrimination and supporting the diverse skills, backgrounds
and values of others. In accordance with this commitment all employees will be required to:
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Comply with all OHS Management System, policies and procedure requirements and take reasonable
care to protect their own health and safety and the health and safety of others in the workplace. All
staff are required to immediately report any incidents, hazards or near misses to the relevant
Manager/Supervisor and actively participate in hazard elimination where required.
Comply with Equal Opportunity policy, procedures and requirements, and undertake work and
activities in a manner that ensures the workplace is free from harassment, bullying behaviour and
discrimination and supports the diverse skills, backgrounds and values of others.
In addition, all employees with people management responsibilities will:
Be responsible for monitoring and improving the safety performance of their work area by investigating
incidents, identifying hazards, initiating actions and participating in the resolution of safety issues.
Ensure the effective implementation of all OH&S Management System policies and procedures, ensuring that
staff members have adequate training to perform their job safely and new employees are effectively inducted
to minimise safety risks within their area.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
ISIS Primary Care Employees are required to demonstrate a commitment to follow the ISIS Primary Care’s
values & behaviours - Respect | Responsiveness | Fairness | Creativity | Connectedness| Quality and perform
all of the key accountabilities (duties) of their position. Employees are also required to acknowledge that they
have complied with the Code of Conduct and exhibited the professional behaviours expected at ISIS Primary
Care, followed ISIS Primary Care policies, and confirm that there has been no change in their police clearance
check status & any other credentialing which is required for the role.
You will need to disclose any pre-existing illness or injury that you know about which could be reasonably
foreseen to be affected by the described work duties, If you fail to disclose such a condition, if employed, you
will not be paid compensation for that condition in accordance with s.82 (7) of the Accident Compensation Act.
As ISIS Primary Care evolves to meet changing needs, so will the roles required of its staff. Accordingly, staff
and applicants should be aware that this document might not necessarily represent the full role that the staff
member will perform in the long term. This document is intended to provide an overview of the role as at the
date of advertisement.
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POSITION DESCRIPTION
ISIS Primary Care requires you to sign a confidentiality agreement and declare other personal information
relevant to your employment. ISIS Primary Care will comply with the Information Privacy Act 2000 in the way it
collects and handles this information.
All appointments to ISIS Primary Care Family Services Program are subject to the following:
Current Victorian driver’s licence, reference checks, criminal record check, current Working with Children Card.
The successful applicant will be subject to a six (6) month probationary period.
MANAGER AUTHORISATION
Manager’s Name:
Signature & Date:
Document ID: HR – 2.0
Date Effective: 02/03/2012
EMPLOYEE ACCEPTANCE
Employee’s Name:
Signature & Date:
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