Case Manager - Kinship Care

Berry Street is one of the largest independent agencies within Australia, providing diverse programs to over 35,000 young people, children and families across Victoria each year. We pride ourselves on our ingenuity, evidence based and multi-dimensional thinking to provide the best outcomes for our young people!

Shepparton is a growing regional city 180km's North of Melbourne with a population of over 50,000 on Yorta Yorta Country.

Our Berry Street Shepparton office serves as a collaborative hub for the local area in supporting young people and their families through programs such as Kinship Care, Foster Care, Residential Care, Community Partnership Programs, Youth Programs and Education.

⭐️Berry Street Benefits?⭐️

• Regular reflective supervision from leadership
• A culture that values and support professional development
• $15,900.00 pa (pro rata) Salary Packaging + Additional Salary Packaging for meals/accommodation
• 10 weeks paid parental leave + other generous leave conditions!
• Additional 17.5% leave loading
• Access to the Employee Assistance Program, with access for staff's immediate family

The Opportunity

Berry Street provides Kinship Care services to children and their families in the Hume region. Kinship Care is the care provided to a child/young person or sibling group by their extended family or network when they are unable to be cared for by their biological parents.

Berry Street’s Kinship Care program is available to provide specific kinship information and advice to the community, Kinship assessment & family services and contracted case management services to statutory cases through Child Protection.

These roles can be based out of either Shepparton or Seymour office locations. The role is fulltime, ongoing though has flexibility for a 0.8 or 0.9 FTE.

This position has an outreach focus in the community with service delivery across the Shires of Moira, Murrindindi, Strathbogie, Mitchell & City of Greater Shepparton.

Key Responsibilities

• To enhance and build on the available formal and informal family and community supports for children living in kinship arrangements.
• To assist families, provide the best possible care arrangements for children unable to live with their birth parents.
• To provide case management services to statutory kinship care placements to ensure the child’s safety, stability and developmental needs are addressed. 

Your skills and experience

• As a Case Manager you will have demonstrated ability to effectively engage with children, young people and their kinship families and a good understanding of the inter-generational factors and complex relationships between extended family members that can impact kinship placements.
• Previous experience in the provision of case management & casework services to young people and families in out of home care is desirable.
• A sound knowledge of the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005.
• A Bachelor or Diploma qualification in Social Work, Youth Work or other related discipline is required for this role.

How to Apply

Applications including resume and cover letter addressing your suitability for the position to be submitted ASAP as we will be assessing applications as we are receiving them.

Queries to Sharelle Davidson, Senior Manager Child & Family Services on 03 5822 8100.

Please Note; the successful applicant will be subject to comprehensive reference and background checking prior to employment, including a Working with Children Check and National Police Check.

Berry Street is committed to being a child safe, child friendly and child empowering organisation. In everything we do we seek to protect children. We are committed to the cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children; children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds; children with a disability; children who identify as LGBTIQA+. We aim to ensure every individual is treated with dignity and respect regardless of their cultural background, ability, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, spirituality or religion.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; people from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds and people with a disability are encouraged to apply.