About the Position

The Team Leader within the Mutjang bupuwingarrak mukman program will provide high quality supervision and support to a team of staff who work in the community to promote the safety, stability and wellbeing of Aboriginal children under the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005.

The ACAC Team Leader is responsible for effective service delivery, managing resources, case awaiting allocation and a small team of practitioners. The Team Leader has the formal delegation to bring about the changes necessary to ensure the cultural safety, stability and development of children and young people. The position will collaboratively with the program manager around compliance and meeting legislation requirements and as the senior case manager to strengthen case practice, provide effective service delivery and to support other practitioners. The ACAC Team Leader works in a statutory environment where they must exercise legal delegations and functions pursuant to the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005.

The Act under section 18 provides the legislative mandate for ACAC programs to protect children and young people using the best interest decision making principals and SAFER risk assessment. This mandate involves receiving reports, conducting investigations, taking matters before the children’s court, supervising children on protection orders, and determining case plans for the safety and wellbeing of children and delivering case practice and case management services for children and young people who are either living with family or in out of home care.

Key Responsibilities

• Exercise a wide range of authorities and legal delegations under section 18 of the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 and other specific delegations and functions including adherence to relevant practice standards.
• Lead and supervise a team of staff working from a strengths approach.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships, ongoing communication, and successful negotiations with all key stakeholders both internal and external.
• Monitor and review key performance indicators to ensure effective service delivery with a focus on continual improvement.
• Use and coach staff to use a range of IT/web-based applications to manage workflow, approvals, and collection of information in accordance with guidelines and privacy principles.
• Prepare and oversee the preparation of documentation, present information and make recommendations to the Children’s Court of Victoria and other relevant courts and tribunal processes on decisions and actions in the best interests of the child.
• Be clear about accountability and responsibility for decisions and involve partners in joint problem solving.
• Contribute the body of practice and the development of policies and procedures.
• Maintain the operational level of program development and service delivery.
• Ensure applications are made to ensure all protection orders are current and updated (if required) prior to expiry date. Protection Orders that are close to expiry must be reported to the Program Manager.
• Authorise plans and delegated decisions in relation to risk assessment, analysis and mitigation/intervention
• Lead planning, review and management or their own work and team members case work
• Lead planning, review and management of issues in line with best practise principals and legislative requirements
• Demonstrate expertise in reflective practices through interactions and communication with staff and stakeholders
• At times manage case allocation and case hold
• Create an environment that allows for proactive and shared problem solving, supporting the team to use their strengths to resolve issues
• Demonstrates leadership in applying culturally informed practice
• Creates awareness of any changes in business operations and ensures implementation of new practices/processes
• Ability to work after hours and on call (when required)