Family and Community Connector

About the role

Position Responsibilities

• Work collaboratively with NFBC Teams, Care Coordinators and Child Safety Officers to create positive momentum and support children and young people in care to strengthen their engagement with family members, community and cultural connections.
• Undertake research, assess and develop family maps for children and young people (including sibling groups) in 24/7 residential care or Supported Independent Living (SIL) to determine paternal and maternal family connections. *This task could range from compiling basic information (i.e. parents and siblings names, dates or birth and contact numbers) through to developing an extended family tree.
• Work closely and sensitively with children and young people and initiate communications with appropriate and interested family members who can assist them to understand family history and or to progress contact their family, community and cultural connections.
• Work with specific First Nations communities to form networks and partnerships to assist with identifying key stakeholders and facilitating safe ways for children and young people to travel to and connect with family, community and cultural activities. *Note several children and young people currently placed with Anglicare NQ are connected to Kowanyama, Lockhart River and Yarrabah however children and young people can (and do) come from other communities across the region.  
• Identify, develop and organise pathways to encourage and enable children and young people to re-establish family connections e.g.  supervised family contact, attending family celebrations, short breaks to stay with family or exploration of placement exit options.
• Work closely with young people in Supported Independent Living (SIL) from entry through to exit to help them make initial contact with and or reconnect to family networks to explore potential exit options for when they turn 18 years old and formally exit care.   
• Once links with family connections have been established, work with Care Coordinators to embed these contacts and connections into children and young people’s Support Plans and routines.
• Attend relevant internal staff and Care Team meetings with Child Safety to ensure family connection is prioritised, supported and that details are shared, plans are supported and travel funded if required.
• Complete all case notes, data entry, calendar scheduling and reports on time, document progress, share what’s working and contribute to Team communications and service improvement projects.
• Ensure all Child Safety risk assessment protocols are followed and that the relevant Child Safety Officer is kept up to date with developments relating to each child and young person’s family, community and cultural connections.

What we are looking for

• Tertiary qualifications in Community Services / Social Sciences or related discipline
• Prior experience working with children and young people in care, residential care, child protection, family support (or related field)
• Proven ability to engage, build rapport and maintain positive relationships with children and young people, families, extended family networks and key stakeholders to achieve positive outcomes
• Experience facilitating family contact, family reunification or cultural connection initiatives for children and young people in care and the ability to research, assess and identify family connections and develop family mapping resources
• Ability to develop partnerships with community organisations, government agencies, and First Nations communities and knowledge of kinship systems, community connections and the importance of cultural identity for children and young people in care
• Well-developed teamwork, planning, follow up and organisational skills and the ability to document progress and contribute to continuous improvement efforts
• Demonstrated ability to use ICT equipment, learn new IT systems and complete essential administration, case notes, incident reporting, financial record keeping and data entry requirements on time
• Commitment to diversity, inclusion, reconciliation and closing the gap objectives and experience working with First Nations people, organisations and communities
• Evidence of qualifications
• Satisfactory outcome of a current (less than 3 months old) National Criminal History Check
• Blue Card (QLD working with children card)
• LCS2 (child safety screening check)
• QLD driver's licence 'Class C' or interstate equivalent
• First Aid certificate and CPR certificate
• Ability and willingness to undertake local area / regional travel
• Out of hours work may be required
• Required to transport clients and or to visit clients in their place of residence or within another out of office settin

The ideal candidate for this role will have excellent communication skills, empathy, and a passion for making a positive impact in the lives of others. If you are committed to building stronger communities through meaningful connections and support, we encourage you to apply for this rewarding opportunity. If meet some but not all of the criteria we encourage you to apply or reach out for a conversation. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people are encouraged to apply. Join our team at Anglicare North Queensland and contribute to creating a brighter future for families and communities in Cairns.