Aboriginal Disability Practice Advisor

Job Description

Organisation: Department of Justice and Community Safety Occupation: Prison and Corrective Services Reference: VG/YJ1961JAN2025 The department is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and recognises that children’s rights need to be respected, their views welcomed and valued, and their concerns taken seriously and acted upon. If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process, or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the contact person listed on this ad. For more information on working with us and our recruitment process, please visit justice.vic.gov.au/careers . We’re proud of the important work we do across Victoria. Want to be part of it? Utilise your expertise in providing support and advice to Aboriginal young people with disability The Department of Justice and Community Safety (the department) is seeking an Aboriginal Disability Practice Advisor to fill a critical role within the Clinical Oversight and Rehabilitation business unit. About the Business Unit The Department of Justice and Community Safety is responsible for the supervision of children and young people in the criminal justice system, providing strategic advice, and delivering strategic outcomes to address youth crime and reduce offending behaviour. Children and young people with a cognitive disability are significantly over-represented within the justice system and understanding their unique and individual support needs is imperative to addressing their risk of recidivism. The Disability Advisory Team performs a clinical oversight function to support the business in delivering services informed by evidence-based research that are safe and inclusive for all children and young people with disability. The team works within the Youth Justice community and custodial settings to develop the capability of Youth Justice to proactively identify and respond to the needs of people with disability, by facilitating opportunities for upskilling and training. Further, the provision of expert disability advice to address responsivity factors and strengthen protective factors, identify and drive system improvement and delivery, promote a safe and inclusive environment for young people with disability and guide evidence-based practice in supporting children and young people involved in the justice system are central to the role. The team works to ensure that the young person's individual needs are understood, respected and supported, that their voice is heard, and that service delivery supports a continuity of care model, aiding their transition from justice services to community engagement. About the Role You will be responsible for supporting the needs of young Aboriginal people with disability as well as building wider workforce capability to ensure this occurs, while building collaborative and constructive relationships across government and community sectors. Specifically, some of your duties will include: Respond to referrals by providing secondary consultation on a specific situation for a young Aboriginal person with a disability. Provide expert advice to Youth Justice staff on how to support the well-being and developmental needs of children and young people with disability more broadly. Support Youth Justice staff to use effective and tailored approaches to address the responsivity needs of children and young people. Support staff to identify disability using appropriate culturally appropriate screening tools. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of forensic disability and its interface with NDIS, forensic disability services and the broader service system and utilise this knowledge in providing oversight to people with disability in contact with Youth Justice and to inform NDIS liaison committees. Provide secondary consultation to Youth Justice staff to support the transitional needs of Aboriginal young people with a disability. Provide expert advice to Youth Justice staff to support Aboriginal children to access the NDIS and be provided services funded through the NDIS. Facilitate disability-specific training to Youth Justice staff, contributing to Communities of Practice (CoPs) or events and identifying professional development opportunities in response to operational and the needs of young Aboriginal people. Utilise disability-specific knowledge to facilitate the brokerage assessments as required to support access to appropriate services and supports. Collect and maintain data on children and young people with disabilities who are engaged with Youth Justice. Promote the establishment of collaborative relationships and partnerships between the Youth Justice community and disability services, including the NDIS, and the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, in the support of children and young people who have a disability. Completion of other required tasks as directed by the Clinical Disability Manager. To learn more about this role before applying, please read the attached position description. About you To be successful in this role, you will have: Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the Aboriginal community, both society and culture, and the issues impacting it. Demonstrated ability to communicate sensitively and work effectively with the Victorian Aboriginal community. Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of complex cognitive presentations among Aboriginal children and young people, including the impact of disability and current approaches to effectively support Aboriginal Children with disability. Demonstrated knowledge of the Victorian Aboriginal community and demonstrated experience and understanding of Aboriginal programs and services within the justice system through providing advice on Aboriginal cultural issues to staff and volunteers, as well as advice on the impact of incarceration of Aboriginal people with disability. Knowledge and understanding of current relevant legislation including the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005, Disability Act 2006 and National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013, NDIS Amendments Act 2024 and associated policies and guidelines. Knowledge and awareness of the key NDIS policies and procedures including the Applied Principles and Tables of Support (APTOS). Knowledge and understanding of child and adolescent development, and current trends and approaches to effectively support children and young people with disability. Qualifications/requirements Applicants are welcome to utilise support from the Aboriginal Workforce Unit throughout the recruitment process. Aboriginal candidates are encouraged to contact if they would like cultural support and guidance through the application process. For Aboriginal Designated and Prioritised positions, a Certificate of Aboriginality (CoA) will be required prior to an offer of employment being made. How to Apply Please click the Apply button on this advertisement. Applications should include a resume and covering letter. Attachments can be uploaded in .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt or .rtf formats. The successful candidate will be required to undergo pre-employment checks which may include a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC) and misconduct screening. IMPORTANT INFORMATION: CHILD SAFE STATEMENT OF COMMIT #J-18808-Ljbffr