Child and Family Specialist – Play2Learn

Job Posting Organization:
54 reasons is Australia’s leading child rights organisation, proudly part of the Save the Children Australia Group and a global movement dedicated to ensuring that children and young people have their rights met and thrive in all their diversity. The organization operates across every state and territory in Australia, providing quality services to children and their caregivers, including in remote areas and capital cities. With a workforce of approximately 600 employees, 54 reasons embraces diversity in race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexuality, cultures, and beliefs, recognizing that it takes all types of people to accomplish their challenging work.

Job Overview:
The Child and Family Specialist position is a full-time maximum term role based in Townsville, working within the Play2Learn program, which is one of the most successful initiatives aimed at helping families and young children learn to play, socialize, and establish routines. The role involves close collaboration with parents, caregivers, and children to facilitate a smooth transition into early learning. The specialist will be responsible for delivering supported playgroups, providing outreach parent coaching, and conducting online parent education. This position emphasizes a trauma-informed, strengths-based, and culturally sensitive approach to family support and early childhood development, ensuring that children are developmentally on track and families are equipped with effective parenting skills.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities of the Child and Family Specialist include delivering supported playgroups in the local community, providing outreach parent coaching, and conducting online parent education. The specialist will also offer 1:1 outreach services, including in-home visits for parent coaching, utilizing partnership, outcomes-based, strengths’ perspective, and client-centered approaches. Additionally, the role involves identifying the need for additional assistance and external services, providing appropriate information, support, and referrals. Promoting positive and culturally respectful approaches to parenting and child and family wellbeing is essential, as is ensuring that children are developmentally on track and that families possess the necessary skills and tools for effective parenting.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must demonstrate skills, knowledge, understanding, and experience in group facilitation and engagement, particularly with at-risk families and children, primarily those aged under 4 years. Experience in delivering in-home family support and interventions is required, along with knowledge of best practices in effective parenting strategies and behavior management techniques. A degree or diploma qualification in a relevant field such as Psychology, Early Childhood, Social Work, Human Services, or Social Sciences is necessary, or significant equivalent experience may be considered.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a degree or diploma in a relevant field such as Psychology, Early Childhood, Social Work, Human Services, or Social Sciences. Candidates with significant equivalent experience in these areas may also be considered, emphasizing the importance of formal education in understanding child development and family dynamics.

Experience:
The position requires demonstrated experience in group facilitation and engagement, particularly with at-risk families and children under the age of four. Candidates should have experience in delivering in-home family support and interventions, showcasing their ability to work effectively with families in various settings and circumstances.

Languages:
While the job description does not specify mandatory languages, proficiency in English is likely essential for effective communication with families and caregivers. Additional language skills may be beneficial, particularly in communities with diverse linguistic backgrounds, enhancing the ability to connect with and support families from various cultural contexts.

Additional Notes:
This is a full-time maximum term position expected to last until June 202

• The role offers a generous award rate salary (Level 4.1 – currently $46.70 per hour) plus superannuation and full salary packaging benefits. Employees are entitled to extra leave options to ensure optimal performance, and the organization provides supportive management, professional supervision training, and access to a confidential Employee Wellbeing Program. The work environment is friendly and flexible, with opportunities for internal deployment and career progression within one of Australia’s largest non-profits. The organization strongly encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates and is committed to diversity and inclusion in its recruitment process.