Domestic and Family Violence Case Management Worker

Are you ready to embark on a fulfilling journey where you can play a pivital role in transforming lives and breaking the cycle of domestic and family violence? Do you possess the compassion, capabilities, and commitment to empower women and help break the cycle of abuse and support survivors to safety and healing?  If so, we want you to be part of our remarkable SYDNEY WDVCAS team!

Why Join us?:

• Professional Growth: Contribute to building something extraordinary and grow along with us with regular professional supervision
• Balance and Well-being: We prioritize your work-life harmony, ensuring a supportive and flexible work environment with a 35 hour week and flexible hours
• More holidays: We have 5 weeks holiday plus additional leave at Christmas
• Great salary: Starting package full time $106k + super (neg. dependent on experience)

About Justice Support Centre

Justice Support Centre is a not-for-profit community legal Centre.

Our legal services include information, advice and legal representation for people in South West Sydney, whose access to justice is denied or constrained, including specialised legal services for victim-survivors of DFV.

Our DFV services include court support and advocacy, safety planning, case management and financial counselling.

Both the legal and DFV teams offer tailored training and workshops to the community members and community organisations.

We give our clients the guidance, legal advice, support services and strength they need to claim their rights, know their options and choose their next steps.

About the role

The WDVCAS Caseworker provides case management support to WDVCAS clients who have been assessed as having complex and serious needs which are impacting on their ability to keep safe and that therefore would benefit from intensive support.

Principle Duties 

Caseworker duties include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• work collaboratively with DFV Specialist Workers to accept referrals of clients for case management
• independently initiate, develop, prioritise and review case plans for WDVCAS clients
• provide trauma informed support, safety assessments, high level expert advice and appropriate referrals for clients in crisis
• intake meetings with the Manager or Assistant Managers who are responsible for referral of WDVCAS clients into case management
• risk assessment, using the DVSAT, and safety planning with clients
• provision of relevant information to clients and making warm referrals on their behalf to a range of service providers to assist with their ongoing needs
• liaison with the SAM Coordinator to ensure all clients assessed as ‘at serious threat’ are placed on the agenda for the next SAM when necessary
• preparing relevant client information for Safety Action Meetings and attendance at SAMs and court to support case managed clients as required
• liaison with clients in relation to Safety Action Plans developed at SAMs
• use safety assessments and processes and guidance from the Manager to have safe meetings with clients away from the WDVCAS office when required
• develop and maintain strong working relationships with key WDVCAS partners, including the NSW Police Force, Local Courts, legal representatives and referral agencies, in order to facilitate client access to those agencies and services
• undertake tasks at the direction of the WDVCAS Manager
• undertake internal and external supervision
• undertake professional development and training
• attendance at relevant community meetings and interagency events as directed by the Manager to work with local communities and services to promote awareness of domestic and family violence and WDVCAS services
• compliance with the WDVCAP Service Agreement, WDVCAP Policy and Procedure Manual, WDVCAP Case Management Policy and all other designated WDVCAS documents. 

General Duties

• adhere to all Justice Support Centre policies, procedures, principles and service standards
• be familiar and comply with all administrative, WHS and Human Resources procedures and processes relevant to your position
• undertake training and professional development to develop and maintain skills and qualifications necessary to effectively fulfil your position and as directed
• adhere to and work within codes of practice relevant to your role, position in the community and community sector
• maintain client and organisational privacy and confidentiality
• attend and contribute to regular team/staff meetings and planning activities as required
• actively and constructively participate in performance reviews
• promote Justice Support Centre in a positive manner at all times
• encourage and maintain an atmosphere of harmony in the workplace by promoting and observing ethical practices, professionalism and teamwork
• work collaboratively with other team members by sharing skills, resources, projects and ideas
• participate in staff development opportunities
• maintain a working familiarity with office equipment required within the position
• other duties as requested by the Manager that are within the scope of this position.

Essential Criteria 

• tertiary qualifications and/or experience in social work and/or community services
• demonstrated experience in case management and understanding of working with people who are impacted by trauma and related issues
• demonstrated understanding of domestic and family violence, its complexities and consequences
• demonstrated understanding of intersectionality between social issues and domestic and family violence, in particular the barriers that women may face when leaving violence including women with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from multicultural backgrounds and members of the LGBTQI community
• demonstrated knowledge of the criminal justice response to domestic and family violence including Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders 
• excellent communication skills, particularly in negotiation, advocacy and conflict resolution
• knowledge of and an ability to work effectively with interpreter services
• excellent organisational and administrative skills including ability to undertake all your own word-processing as well as clerical and administrative duties for your role.

Desirable Criteria

• fluency in a community language other than English
• sound knowledge of the Sydney CBD, Eastern Suburbs, Inner West and its community services network.

This position is open to female applicants only. Justice Support Centre considers being a woman to be a genuine occupational qualification for this position under s. 31 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW).  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Closing Date: Applications are open and will be reviewed progressively   

Contact Person: Enquiries about the roles should be emailed to Janice Waring, Manager Sydney WDVCAS, janice.waring@jsc.org.au

The preferred applicants will be required to undergo a Working with Children Check and a National Police Records Check.

How to apply for this position:

1. apply online via this link with your cover letter, detailing how your skills and experience meet the essential and desirable criteria along with your resume
2. please address the essential and desirable criteria in full. Applications that do not address the essential criteria will not be considered.