Join Our Team – Stand Alongside Tamariki Through Crisis and Healing
We are seeking a compassionate, trauma-informed, and culturally grounded Sexual Harm Crisis Support Specialist (Mātanga Tamariki) to join our team.
This specialist role walks alongside tamariki, rangatahi, and whānau during some of the most vulnerable and critical moments in their lives. You will provide immediate crisis response, advocacy, stabilisation, and support for victim survivors of sexual harm, ensuring tamariki are believed, protected, and upheld with dignity.
Working across Police, health, education, statutory, and community systems, you will help navigate complex environments while centring the wellbeing, safety, and mana of tamariki every step of the way.
This is not just a role. It is deeply meaningful kaupapa.
About the role
Kirikiriroa Family Services Trust is seeking a passionate and experienced Sexual Harm Crisis Support Specialist (Mātanga Tamariki) to join our Hamilton based team.
This is a high-impact frontline role requiring calm, responsive, and trauma-informed practice. You will provide immediate crisis intervention and ongoing coordination for tamariki and rangatahi impacted by sexual harm, ensuring they and their whānau are supported through every stage of their journey.
This role includes after-hours and on-call response and requires someone who can confidently work within high-pressure and emotionally complex environments while maintaining relational safety and professionalism.
Practice within this role is grounded in our organisational Model of Care and Service Delivery Pathways, ensuring interventions are evidence based, culturally responsive, trauma informed, and aligned to outcomes that strengthen tamariki and whānau wellbeing.
Our approach centres relational safety, whakamana, and long-term healing, while recognising the importance of walking alongside whānau in ways that uphold dignity, identity, and connection.
What you’ll be doing
- Providing immediate crisis response and emotional stabilisation for tamariki and rangatahi impacted by sexual harm
- Completing risk assessments and implementing immediate safety plans
- Supporting tamariki and whānau through Police, medical, forensic, and statutory processes
- Advocating to ensure tamariki are treated with dignity, respect, and cultural safety
- Coordinating supports across health, justice, education, Oranga Tamariki, and community providers
- Reducing re-traumatisation through strong multi-agency collaboration and coordinated responses
- Providing warm transitions into ongoing supports including counselling, ACC sensitive claims, and kaupapa Māori services
- Applying approved evidence-based interventions consistent with the organisation’s Model of Care and Service Delivery Pathways
- Maintaining accurate case notes, reporting, and documentation within required timeframes
- Participating in clinical supervision, cultural supervision, and ongoing professional development
What we’re looking for
- A relevant qualification in social work, counselling, psychology, trauma, or crisis response
- Experience working within sexual harm, crisis response, or trauma-informed environments
- Strong understanding of the impacts of sexual harm on tamariki and rangatahi
- Experience navigating multi-agency systems including Police, Oranga Tamariki, and health services
- Strong advocacy, communication, and relationship-building skills
- The ability to remain calm, composed, and responsive under pressure
- A deep commitment to culturally grounded and mana-enhancing practice
- Understanding of te ao Māori and kaupapa Māori approaches to wellbeing
- Professional registration (e.g. SWRB, NZAC) is preferred but not essential
- Full NZ driver licence required
What we offer
- A kaupapa-driven organisation committed to tamariki wellbeing
- Clinical and cultural supervision
- Ongoing professional development and training in trauma and crisis response
- Weekly Te Reo Māori classes
- Group health insurance after six months with KFST
- Strong leadership and practice support
- A collaborative and values-led working environment
- The opportunity to make a genuine and lasting impact in the lives of tamariki and whānau
About us
Kirikiriroa Family Services Trust is a leading provider of social services across the Waikato. Our mahi is grounded in strengthening tamariki, uplifting whānau, and delivering services that are culturally responsive, trauma informed, and centred on long-term wellbeing.
We believe every tamaiti deserves to feel safe, heard, protected, and supported — especially during moments of crisis.
If you are passionate about walking alongside tamariki with compassion, courage, and integrity, we encourage you to apply.
Apply now.
