JOB AND PERSON SPECIFICATION
Title of Position:
Recruitment and Assessment
Type of Appointment: Full time 6 month contract - 76 hours per fortnight
SCDS Level 5
Current jobholder:
Maternity leave vacancy
Last updated:
18 November, 2015
JOB PURPOSE
Since 1960, Time for Kids has cared for and strengthened the lives of over 5000 children and
their families. Over this time, our program of early intervention through respite care and
complementary supports has been demonstrated to empower and enable children in need
to overcome their disadvantage and reach their full potential. We match children from birth
to 17 years with volunteer families and individuals for mentoring and regular part-time care.
Working within a close knit and collaborative team, the Recruitment and Assessment
position reports to the Chief Executive or her delegate. Recruitment and Assessment
plays an integral role in achieving our stated aim of matching as many children each year as
possible with volunteer respite carers and mentors.
The role involves encouraging and recruiting new volunteer mentors and carers. This role
requires high level personal and written communication skills. It is often the first
introduction that people have to Time for Kids and therefore is a critical part of our public
relations activities.
This role requires exceptional people-skills as well as exemplary organisational skills to
prepare written reports and to ensure that all volunteers in the assessment, approval and
training process move through in a timely and effective manner.
The role of Recruitment and Assessment, working in collaboration with Carer Recruitment
and Support, is also responsible for ensuring early placement support up to 12 months for
new child placements with volunteer carers. Following this period, Recruitment and
Assessment is responsible for formally transferring placement support across to the Child
and Carer Support area.
You will be proactive and creative in your approach to your work, bringing your best skills to
bear in support of Time for Kids’s carers and children and young people. The support you
deliver will encompass those children and young people who have not been placed but are
on the waiting list. From time to time, this assistance will be delivered through the families
or carers of our children.
You will be required to build positive and constructive relationships with our carers, children
and young people, and their families in support of the longevity of children’s placement
within Time for Kids and to ensure best outcomes through their participation in the
program.
This position works closely with the other staff and volunteers within Time for Kids to ensure
an effective and timely service for our children, carers and prospective volunteers. From
time to time, this will involve other tasks as directed by the Chief Executive Officer. Our
team culture is collaborative, respectful, ethical and accountable.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES
Carer Intake and Matching1
 Coordinate and undertake the intake and assessment of prospective volunteers who
apply for consideration to be a carer through Time for Kids, ensuring the highest
standards of rigour are applied within the assessment process, with particular attention
paid to child safety issues and carer compatibility with the ethos and approach of Time
for Kids.
 Manage the assessment process, including liaison with the Carer Assessment and
Registration Unit within state government for carers proposed for children living under
the guardianship of the minister.
 Work with carers to identify the most compatible match available from amongst
children and young people awaiting placement, ensuring that matches align the needs of
the child or young person with the skills, experience and capacity of the prospective
carer.
 Deliver high quality resources and training to volunteer carers as part of the assessment
and matching process, to ensure they are informed of all elements of their role as
volunteer carer and are well-equipped to manage relationships and issues surrounding
their Time for Kids child.
 Proactively identify factors that may increase the risk of placement breakdown, where
appropriate providing early training and support to volunteer carers to ensure they are
equipped to manage such matters and otherwise ensuring that placement matches are
made with reference to these risks.
Child and Family Intake
 Coordinate and undertake the intake of children / young people and families who are
referred to Time for Kids for child placement.
 Work with referring agencies assessing the eligibility of child and youth referrals based
on the referral documentation, ensuring children accepted into the program are the best
fit to benefit from the program model and that additional child or family needs are being
supported externally to Time for Kids.
1
The words ‘carer’ and ‘carer and mentor’ are used interchangeably and intended to refer to anyone
volunteering through Time for Kids to provide support to a child as a carer or a mentor.
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Where appropriate, provide onwards referral to children / young people, families or
parents who are assessed as having substantively different needs than can be
accommodated within the existing suite of Time for Kids programs.
At the point that a prospective match is identified for a child, undertake assessment of
the child, working with the child and their family to identify the objectives and goals they
wish to attain through their involvement with Time for Kids and ensuring accurate and
effective assessments to ensure compatible, robust and long-lasting placement matches.
Effect all new placement matches for children not previously admitted into the program
and who are receiving their first placement through Time for Kids.
Work collaboratively with other staff to coordinate and deliver the Time for Kids school
holiday program and to coordinate children’s, carers’ and families’ access to other
events and activities delivered by Time for Kids or external partners.
Partnerships, Collaboration and Agency Liaison
 Maintain an up to date knowledge of the alternative care sector and associated
community, health and welfare services relevant to the needs of our family, and actively
utilise this knowledge when working with carers, children and families.
 Liaise with other agencies involved with each child, especially the child’s case manager at
Families SA or the referring agency, to broker the provision of essential services and
supports to children and their families as required.
 Link carers, families and children with existing community resources in support of child
and family wellbeing, and provide practical assistance and advice to empower families in
their negotiations with government and non-government agencies, community and
education services, and other associated professionals.
 Represent Time for Kids at external forums, networks, committees and consultations.
 Build positive and professional working relationships within the child and family welfare
sector, to promote a positive understanding of Time for Kids’ work.
 Work collaboratively with referring agencies to design and implement constructive
feedback and evaluation mechanisms to inform ongoing program and professional
development.
Professional / Program Development
 Actively and regularly update knowledge of relevant policies, procedures and legislation,
including but not limited to the Child Protection Act and the various Child Protection
authorities, policies and procedures.
 Actively and regularly update knowledge on the Office of the Guardian for Children and
Young People’s Charter of Rights for Children and Young People in Care. Provide
accurate and accessible information on the Charter of Rights to children and families
involved with Time for Kids.
 Contribute to the knowledge of the team, best practice development and to new
initiatives and ongoing program design and development.
 Represent Time for Kids in a highly professional and ethical manner at all times with
government, community, corporate and philanthropic colleagues and with volunteers,
children and their families.
Administrative
 Monitor activities and record professional case notes on carers and children involved
with Time for Kids on the placement management system and other relevant hard copy
and electronic registers and records.
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Provide case studies and other data to contribute to the organisation’s structural
advocacy work and promote a positive understanding of the impact of the Time for Kids
program.
Effectively manage an appropriate case load and meet workload within timeframes and
against competing demands.
Develop high quality documents, files and data as required to support data collection,
evaluation and reporting in relation to service delivery.
Teamwork, Culture and Practice
 Work within and contribute to a team environment that is collaborative, respectful,
ethical and accountable and in accordance with the Time for Kids vision, mission and
values.
 Contribute to the creation of a positive team culture, providing collaborative and
collegiate support to colleagues as required and through participation in individual and
team meetings, supervision and annual performance development discussions, and
team-based planning processes.
 Work within an integrated model of service delivery, actively collaborating across work
areas within Time for Kids through both formal and informal mechanisms.
 Provide assistance and support to colleagues at times of particularly high workload or
demand, to ensure Time for Kids is providing the best quality service to carers and
children at all times.
 Communicate effectively and professionally with all colleagues and volunteers, both
within and external to Time for Kids, modelling ethical, accountable and respectful
behaviours at all times.
 Contribute to and participate in the evaluation and continuous improvement of all
elements of Time for Kids’ operations, as part of our commitment to delivering the
highest quality services and supports to our children and young people.
 Always dedicate best efforts, skills and abilities to the interests and strategic objectives
of Time for Kids.
Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare
 Ensure own action or lack of action does not place own safety or the safety of others at
risk.
 Use prescribed personal protective equipment.
 Assist in the identification and evaluation of hazards and immediately report any
accidents or near misses.
JOB REQUIREMENTS
 You will be required to travel regularly to homes of clients and applicant carers across
metropolitan and regional South Australia.
 To undertake travel associated with the role, you will require a full and current driver's
licence with access to your own vehicle.
 When you use your own transport, you will receive mileage reimbursement at the
current rate specified in the SCDS Award.
 Occasional out of hours work will be required; this position provides an on-call service.
 You will have a mandatory requirement to report any suspicion of abuse or neglect of
children or young people to Families SA who have a 24 hour Child Abuse Report Line set
up for this purpose (131 478). You should also inform the Chief Executive of Time for
Kids; however this does not remove your obligation to report your suspicion directly to
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Families SA. There is no onus on you to have any proof of abuse, only that there are
reasonable grounds for suspicion. Training will be provided on this topic.
Up to date training in Child Safe Environments.
STANDARD JOB REQUIREMENTS (all staff)
 Operate within Time for Kids values and in accordance with Time for Kids vision.
 Conform to all current Time for Kids organisational policies and procedures.
 Adhere to legislative requirements applicable to the role, including and not limited to
the OHS&W Act and the EEO Act.
 Current Criminal History Screening and Assessment Background Check and to be
physically and mentally capable and report to work in a fit state to perform all duties.
 Actively participate in performance reviews, performance development, training
(including OHS&W and fire safety) and supervision opportunities.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Carer and Child and Family Intake
 Experience in working in a child- and family-focused service, with clients experiencing
multiple forms of disadvantage.
 Proven ability to respond to presenting needs and provide appropriate assessment, case
work, and advocacy and referral responses.
 Proven ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing with people from a
range of backgrounds and experiences.
 Proven ability to be flexible, solution- and strengths-focused in client work and to value
diversity and difference, using a range of models and approaches that can be tailored to
the needs of the individual child and their carer.
 Proven ability to develop and promote linkages with formal and informal supports
through partnership and referral processes.
 Proven ability to negotiate systems that relate to clients and advocate on their behalf at
individual and structural levels.
 Understanding of child protection legislation in South Australia and experience in
delivering Child Safe Environments training.
Partnerships and Professional / Program Development
 Proven ability to develop and work towards common goals, build effective relationships
and work in partnership with clients and colleagues.
 Experience in cross-agency collaboration, working collaboratively with external agencies
to achieve joint objectives.
 Proven ability to use formal and informal debriefing processes effectively and to
maintain boundaries in professional relationships.
 Proven ability to develop and implement constructive feedback and evaluation
mechanisms to inform ongoing program and professional development.
 Sound understanding of the child and family welfare sector in SA.
Administrative
 Proven ability to prioritise and perform multiple tasks and be responsible for own
workload to meet deadlines and output requirements.
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Proven ability to record client and program information clearly, accurately and promptly
both manually and electronically.
Proven ability to develop and provide clear and concise written work for clients on
services provided and outcomes / outputs achieved.
Proven ability to use ICT in a work context, including experience in the use of the full
suite of Microsoft applications and entering and accessing client information and case
notes from databases.
Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare
 OHS&W knowledge and skills suitable for the position.
Teamwork, Culture and Practice
 Demonstrated ability to work within and contribute to a collaborative team
environment.
 Demonstrated commitment to social justice principles.
Qualifications
 Tertiary qualifications in social work, psychology, community development, community
services or a related field.
 Train the trainer in Child Safe Environments or willingness to undertake training in this
area.
ACCEPTANCE/AUTHORISATION
Jobholder: .............................................................................. Date: .......................
Chief Executive: ..................................................................... Date: .......................