Child protection jobs - position descriptions

The Child Protection Employment Program (CPEP) is a paid employment program offering participants the opportunity to experience what it is like to work in child protection.

Program participants work in a structured and supportive learning environment at the Case Practice Support Work (CPP2) level alongside experienced practitioners.

Find out more about the Child Protection Employment Program (CPEP).

Case practice support workers require no minimum qualifications.

Case Practice Support Practitioners (CPP2) are integral to child protection and involves case support tasks, such as facilitating contact visits, transporting children to services and other case support duties such as:

• observing and assessing the interactions between children and family members
• providing reports to child protection case managers to assess and plan for the child’s best interests.

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CPP3 is the entry level for child protection practitioners. You will gain an excellent experience across the child and family services system. Additionally, you will manage a variety of cases and issues increasing in complexity with your experience, while changing the immediate future of at-risk children and their families.

At this level, you will have case management responsibility for child protection cases.

Their role includes:

• undertaking risk assessment, including assessment and investigation of reports to child protection
• assessing children and young people who need protection
• planning, implementing and reviewing case plans and case work tasks to address identified risks
• coordinating and negotiating services for children and young people
• providing or arranging practical and emotional support to children, young people and families
• working in collaboration with families, Community Sector Organisations and professionals to develop and implement effective plans for children
• where necessary, taking matters to the Children’s Court to ensure the safety of children or young people and supervising orders made by the Children's Court.

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Advanced child protection practitioners work with more complex cases and situations. Ideally, you will have a minimum of two years’ case work or similar relevant experience in child and family social work.

As an advanced child protection practitioner, you’ll receive and assess reports of alleged abuse and neglect of children and young people. You'll do investigations and develop plans to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. This may include taking matters to court. You will often be dealing with more complex cases and will operate with an increased level of autonomy appropriate for the role.

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At the senior level, there are numerous different specialist streams and leadership roles available. At this level, you will either be supervising a team in the delivery of services or operating as a specialist and sharing and applying your developed expertise.

• CPP5.1 Senior Practitioner
• CPP5.1 Senior Practitioner, Community based
• CPP5.1 Senior Practitioner, Court Officer
• CPP5.1 Senior Practitioner, Interstate Liaison

Download the position descriptions (Word docs)

At the senior level, there are numerous different specialist streams and leadership roles available. At this level, you will either be supervising a team in the delivery of services or operating as a specialist and sharing and applying your developed expertise.

Download the position descriptions (Word docs):

• CPP5.2 Team Manager
• CPP5.2 Team Manager, Orange Door
• CPP5.2 Practice Leader
• CPP5.2 Aboriginal Family Led Decision Making (AFLDM)
• CPP5.2 Family Drug Treatment Court and Marram-Ngala Ganbu
• CPP5.2 Sexual Exploitation

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These are our most senior practitioner roles, and you will need to be well-qualified with significant experience.

Expert practice roles at the CPP6.1 level include:

• CPP6.1 Deputy Area Operations Manager

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These are our most senior practitioner roles, and you will need to be well-qualified with significant experience.

Expert practice roles at the CPP6.2 level include:

• CPP6.2 Area Operations Manager
• CPP6.2 Principal Practitioner

Download the position descriptions (Word docs)