Provide a trauma-informed service to children and young people in our care

CRVCID. 746394

 This is a Fixed Term Full Time or Fixed Term Part Time appointment(s), until 01/03/2027, with the possibility of extension(s) and/or permanency. We currently have 1.0 FTE available. Part Time appointments (at a minimum of 0.4 FTE) and secondments will be considered.

Position Profile

As a Senior Social Worker within our team you will work closely with medical teams and other healthcare professionals and be responsible for providing support to both inpatients and outpatients, completing psychosocial and risk assessments and crisis intervention for children and young people who have experienced or are at risk of harm.

You will apply knowledge drawn from experience in a clinical setting to understand the emotional, social, and psychological needs of our young patients and their families and advocate for the child’s best interests, prioritising interventions in their interests of their safety and well-being and ensuring their voice is heard in decision-making processes.

This role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to our trauma-informed service, with a shared commitment to creating safety for children and reducing the risk of future harm.

Key responsibilities of the role include:

• Conducting comprehensive screenings and assessments, taking into account factors such as their social, emotional, and psychological well-being, physical safety, family dynamic and living conditions to determine the unique needs of each child.
• Evaluating the level of risk faced by children and determining appropriate interventions to ensure their safety.
• Providing counselling advocacy and support to families to access additional support services.
• Responding to acute / crises and emergencies, offering immediate support and interventions as needed.
• Advocating for the rights and needs of each child within the community and the healthcare system.
• Offering education and training to families and staff on a range of topics related to your clinical practice.
• Actively participating in clinical supervision.

The ideal candidate will be a compassionate listener, with strong interpersonal and crisis intervention skills. Previous experience in child protection or related field is essential.

Please note a tertiary qualification in Social Work and eligibility for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) is a requirement for this role.

Why join us

We are a close-knit team who collaborate and support each other in the complex and challenging work that we do.

Be a part of a team dedicated to providing a trauma-informed service. Your work will directly contribute to the shared goal of creating safety for children and preventing future harm.

About our Department

Based at Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH), our dedicated Child Protection Unit (CPU) provide comprehensive state-wide service for children aged 0-16 where concerns of abuse or neglect have been reported. Our team are recognised for the complexity of our work and the highly developed skillset required. 

We receive referrals from within PCH as well as from external sources including other hospitals, GP’s, Community Health, the Police and Department of Communities. Working closely with CPU medical and therapy teams we conduct thorough assessments, evaluations, and interventions, to ensure the safety of each child and connect children and their families with ongoing support through referral to other services and community-based resources.

How to apply

We welcome your application via the ‘Apply for Job’ button at the bottom of this page. Please ensure the email address provided is actively monitored as it will serve as the primary communication channel throughout the recruitment process. Your application should contain the following:

• A statement addressing the selection criteria in 2 – 3 pages maximum.
• A copy of your current CV outlining your most recent and relevant work experience.
• The name, email and contact details of two referees who can be contacted to provide a confidential report (we will contact you and seek your confirmation prior to contacting your listed referees).
• Evidence of a Tertiary qualification in Social Work and eligible for full membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers or the Society of Professional Social Workers OR Evidence from the AASW of assessment of an overseas social work qualification and AASW membership eligibility.

Within the application system you will be presented with the following question. Please review the Essential and Desirable Selection Criteria outlined in the attached Job Description Form carefully when preparing your response.  This question allows you to showcase your relevant skills and experiences in detail, with a generous word limit of 500 words for your response. 

1. Please provide an example where you have supported or lead a complex case discussion within a multi-disciplinary team.

How did you ensure that the team balanced ethical decision making with ensuring the child’s voice was heard in the process. What was the outcome?

These documents should be complete and ready to attach prior to applying online. Please ensure you allow sufficient time to complete the online application process as you will be required to answer various questions and attach your documentation.

Selection Criteria: Please see the attached Job Description Form.

Role related questions: We encourage you to contact Denise McNab (Team Leader) on denise.mcnab@health.wa.gov.au or 6456 4300 with any specific questions related to this role.

Help in submitting your application: If you experience technical difficulties while applying online, please contact Employee Services on 13 44 77 for immediate assistance during business hours.

Eligibility to Apply: To be eligible for appointment, applicants must have valid Australian work rights. This includes visa holders. Permanent appointments may be made to individuals who hold citizenship, permanent residency, or visas that enable ongoing employment in Australia. 

Sponsorship is not currently available for this position.

Other Conditions: WA Health engages staff in positions of trust and responsibility. WA Health policies require applicants to undertake a criminal records screening and integrity checking as part of the appointment process. As well as undertaking a criminal record screening and integrity checking, you may also be required to undertake a working with children check (if required for the role) and a pre-employment health assessment. We may ask referees to comment on your integrity and past demonstration of ethical behaviour. Please note that adverse information does not necessarily disqualify an applicant but will be considered as part of the appointment process.

WA Health is committed to eliminating all forms of discrimination in the provision of our service. We embrace diversity and strongly encourage applications from people from culturally diverse backgrounds and people with disabilities.

In addition, we are committed to growing our Aboriginal workforce as part of WA Health Aboriginal Workforce Policy. As a measure to achieve equality, Section 51 of the Equal Opportunity Act 1984 applies to this position and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are encouraged to apply.

This position is subject to a Western Australian Working With Children (WWC) Check. For further information please refer to the WWC website at: https://workingwithchildren.wa.gov.au

Whilst this selection process will initially be used to fill the above vacancy, applicants found suitable for this position may be considered for other ‘similar’ vacancies within CAHS and/or the wider WA public sector. In addition to this, should the successful applicant decline or vacate the advertised vacancy, then the next most suitable applicant may also be selected from this process. Both of these options remain valid for a period of twelve (12) months from when the authorised delegate endorses the recruitment decision.

About CAHS 

The Child and Adolescent Health Service (CAHS) is proud to be the leading service provider for paediatric healthcare in Western Australia, as the State’s only dedicated health service for infants, children, and young people. CAHS comprises three service areas: Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH) and Neonatology, Community Health, and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).  

With over 7000 employees, our services are delivered at PCH and King Edward Memorial Hospitals (KEMH), as well as across a network of more than 160 community clinics across the Perth metropolitan area. 

For further information about the benefits of working for CAHS, please click here and for further information regarding CAHS’ services, please click here 

CAHS values: To achieve our vision of healthy kids, healthy communities, CAHS is committed to providing a workplace culture that is driven and shaped by our values of Compassion, Collaboration, Equity, Respect, Excellence and Accountability. During the selection process you may be assessed on your ability to fulfil the responsibilities of this position in accordance with the values. If you have any questions regarding this, please contact the person named in this advert. 

Support for your interview process

CAHS is committed to ensuring that our interview process meets the access needs of all applicants. If you require any reasonable adjustments to accommodate a disability, enhance access, or support your inclusion and success during the interview, please contact the CAHS Talent Acquisition Team prior to your interview. 

You can reach the team via CAHS.talentacquisition@health.wa.gov.au or by calling 08 6456 0321. All enquiries will be treated confidentially. 

Lodgement is system generated. Any submissions on, or after, 4:00pm on the closing date will not be accepted. 

LATE OR EMAIL APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.