We’re expanding our team and looking for Senior Therapeutic Support Worker to work across a number of our programs in both South-East and South-West regions.
Position Overview
The Senior Therapeutic Support Worker (formerly Senior Youth Worker) is responsible for providing high-quality care and support to children and young people residing in Praxis residential programs. This role provides leadership, guidance, and mentoring to Residential Youth Workers while ensuring a safe, nurturing, and therapeutic environment that promotes the wellbeing, development, and safety of young people.
The position plays a key role in implementing therapeutic and trauma-informed practice, providing direct support, contributing to case planning, and ensuring compliance with relevant legislation, organisational policies, and the National Standards for Out-of-Home Care.
Key Responsibilities
Direct care and support
- Build positive, trusting, and professional relationships with children and young people.
- Provide daily care and supervision, ensuring physical, emotional, cultural, and social needs are met.
- Support young people to develop life skills, resilience, and positive coping strategies.
- Implement behaviour support strategies in line with therapeutic care principles.
Leadership and Team Support
- Lead by example, acting as a key reference and contact point, providing direction and support to Residential Youth Workers.
- Mentor and coach staff to build and demonstrate skills in therapeutic and trauma-informed care.
- Support the induction and training of new staff.
- Co-facilitate team meetings and reflective practice.
- Provide immediate support and debriefing to staff where required.
- Provide feedback to management on team performance, risks, and service delivery needs.
- Engage in professional written and verbal communication with care staff, colleagues, management and other key stakeholders.
Casework and Planning
- Support the development, implementation, and monitoring of the house planner, routine and activity structures and provide timely feedback where appropriate.
- Contribute to the development, implementation, and review of individual care plans and progress reports.
- Maintain accurate and timely documentation, including incident reports, case notes, and other program documentation as required.
Compliance and Safety
- Ensure adherence to organisational policies, procedures, and child protection legislation.
- Maintain a safe and supportive home environment, including managing risk and responding to incidents.
- Communicate any complaints or feedback promptly and in line with organisational and legislative requirements.
- Uphold Work Health and Safety (WHS) obligations.
Other Duties
- Provide support to additional programs in the absence of other Senior Youth Workers.
- Any other duties as directed or necessary as per program / service requirements.
Roster
Key Features of Senior PPT Roster Line A
- Allocation to a fixed roster line
- 72 hours per fortnight, with option to increase
- 1 sleepover per fortnight
- No back-to-back sleepovers
- 8-day fortnight
- Every second weekend off
- 1 double shift per fortnight
The inclusion of weekend double shifts is intentional, enabling greater flexibility for:
- Community access
- Weekend day trips and extended activities
- Responding to the individual needs and interests of young people
Requirements
- Proven experience within Non-Family-Based Care and knowledge of Child Protection and out of home care.
- Reasonable level of physical mobility and fitness to undertake household duties and day to day care tasks of children and young people.
- Demonstrated support of, and direction to, staff to achieve desired outcomes for young people.
- Holds minimum qualifications of Certificate IV or higher in a relevant field.
- Paid Working with Children Check
- Current National Crime Check
- Current valid Driver’s License (Green provisional or higher)
- Current First Aid and CPR Certification
- Other relevant licensing requirements.
