The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in Western Australia offer support, advice and treatment to children and adolescents from birth to 18 years who are experiencing mental health challenges.

CAMHS Crisis Connect (CCC) provides a single point of contact for children in community settings across State-wide Western Australia (including metropolitan emergency departments) who require urgent mental health support, brief intervention and/or assessment. Support is offered in a variety of different mediums including mental health assessments in PCH emergency department, tele-health assessments for young people in external ED’s in addition to a 24/7 crisis line accessible to all young people, their families and carers in addition to professionals such as teachers, GPs and school psychologists seeking expert advice.

About the Role:

Join our multi-disciplinary team as a Carer Peer Worker! Utilise your Lived Experience and perspective of caring for a child or young person who has experienced mental health challenges, to provide peer support to parents and carers of young people accessing CCC

As a Carer Peer Worker, you will provide peer support primarily by telephone, offering parents and carers an opportunity to connect with someone who has their own lived experience of caring for a child or young person experiencing mental health challenges. Through genuine connection, shared understanding and purposeful use of lived experience, you will help parents and carers feel heard, supported and less alone as they navigate their experience and the mental health system.

You will create a safe and supportive space where parents and carers can share their experiences and, where helpful, explore what support may be most helpful to them. Drawing on your own lived experience, you will provide connection, understanding and practical insights, and where appropriate, share information or connect carers with other supports and resources.

The role will also provide opportunities to contribute to the development, co-design and evaluation of peer support initiatives within CAMHS. This may include contributing to group-based peer support as opportunities develop across CAMHS, as well as contributing to education, training, research and continuous improvement activities.

As a valued member of the multi-disciplinary team, you will work alongside other professionals to ensure the voices, experiences and needs of parents and carers are recognised and included in the care and support provided to young people and families.

As such, to be considered for this role you will need to have both:

Substantial lived experience of caring for a child or young person through mental health challenges and recovery, including experience of navigating mental health services, combined with:
An ability to meaningfully and purposefully use your lived experience to provide peer support to parents and carers of young people who access our service.

We are looking for someone who can reflect on their own experiences and use the knowledge, insights and learning gained through their journey to support others. This includes the ability to share aspects of your lived experience safely and appropriately, while maintaining boundaries and recognising that every family's experience is different.

You will be asked to provide a brief outline of your lived experience of caring for a child or young person through their mental health recovery journey as part of the written application process. CAMHS encourages applicants to follow safe sharing practices to ensure the psychological safety of yourself and panel members throughout the recruitment process.

When addressing this criterion, it is not essential to share your detailed personal story. Instead, focus on the lessons you have learned, your unique knowledge and perspective gained through your lived experience.

Please refer to the attached document – Things to Consider When Applying for a Lived Experience Role.

Joining the team will give you the chance to make a positive impact on the lives of children, adolescents, and Western Australian families.

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.

How to apply

We welcome your application via the ‘Apply for Job’ button at the bottom of this page.

Your ability to meet the work-related requirements will be assessed throughout the recruitment process. For your written application please provide the following:

A current resume and cover letter which summarises your experience and how you are able to meet the position requirements.
A written statement addressing Essential Criteria 1, 2, 3 and 4 per the Job Description Form, including relevant examples, in no more than 3 pages maximum.

A statement addressing the following *suitability criteria:
- Completion of Certificate IV Mental Health Peer Work, or equivalent or progressing towards completion is desirable.
The name, email and contact details of two referees who can be contacted to provide a reference. Referees should include at least one individual who has been or is your direct Line Manager/Supervisor. We will contact you to seek your confirmation prior to contacting your listed referees.

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.

Role related questions: We encourage you to contact Veronica Plej, Clinical Nurse Consultant on 08 6456 1322 with any specific questions related to this role.

*Suitability Criteria: Suitability recognises that there is a range of factors - along with having the skills, knowledge and abilities - that constitute merit. These factors included a person's eligibility, ability to demonstrate the right behaviours, ethical alignment and cultural fit. In addition to the Essential Criteria and Desirable Criteria outlined in the attached Job Description Form, these requirements will also be considered to determine your suitability for the 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.

Selection Criteria: Please see the attached Job Description Form.

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.

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 vacancies, it may also be used to fill other "similar" vacancies throughout the health service. 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. These can be permanent full time, permanent part time or fixed term full time, fixed term part time opportunities with the possibility of extension and/or permanency.

Other Conditions: 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.

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.

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