Family Consultants

Job No: FedCourt156

Location: Sydney and Parramatta

Closing Date: 23 Feb 2019 AEST

Division: Federal Circuit Court of Australia
Section: Child Dispute Services
Classification: Executive Level 1 (EL 1)
Salary: $98,358 - $106,225 per annum plus superannuation
Job Type: There may be several positions available in both Sydney and Parramatta. The positions may be ongoing or non-ongoing, full-time or part-time.
Reports to: Senior Family Consultant

Overview of Agency
The Federal Court of Australia (the Entity) is a non-Corporate listed entity for the purposes of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act) and a statutory agency for the purposes of the Public Service Act 1999. The Entity supports the operations of the Federal Court of Australia (FCA), Family Court of Australia (FCoA), the Federal Circuit Court of Australia (FCC) and the National Native Title Tribunal (NNTT). The FCA, FCoA and FCC are Chapter III Courts under the Australian Constitution and continue to operate as individual judicial jurisdictions.

Court Jurisdictions
The Federal Circuit Court of Australia was established by the Federal Circuit Court of Australia Act 1999 (the Act) as an independent federal court under Chapter III of the Australian Constitution. Prior to 12 April 2013, under the Federal Magistrates Act 1999, the Court was known as the Federal Magistrates Court and its judicial officers as federal magistrates. The Court was established to handle less complex matters in the areas of family law and general federal law.

The Court sits in all capital cities, selected major regional centres and circuits to a number of regional locations. The Court is a federal court of record and a court of law and equity.

The Family Court of Australia, through its specialist judges and staff, assists Australians to resolve their most complex legal family disputes. The Family Court is a superior court of record established by Parliament in 1975 under Chapter 3 of the Constitution.

The purpose of the Court, as Australia’s superior court in family law, is to:

• determine cases with the most complex law, facts and parties 
• cover specialised areas in family law, and 
• provide national coverage as the appellate court in family law matters. 

The Court maintains registries in all Australian states and territories except Western Australia.

Important Functions of All Court Staff
Court staff are expected to perform all aspects of their duties so as to:

• satisfy all relevant statutory obligations,
• satisfy the Australian Public Service Values and Code of Conduct,
• contribute to and support achievement of the Courts’ Strategic and Business Plans,
• operate within the Courts’ policies and procedural guidelines, and
• support and contribute to the Courts’ Service Charter.

Child Dispute Services (CDS)
The purpose of Child Dispute Services (CDS) is to provide expert and independent forensic, social science advice and evidence, at the direction of, and for consideration by, judicial officers of the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia who make decisions in relation to disputes about children.

The work of CDS is undertaken by Family Consultants, as defined under s11B Family Law Act 1975 (FLA), and is supported by a small administrative and management team. CDS Family Consultants are either employed by the Court or appointed under Regulation 7 of the FLA.

CDS operates under a comprehensive clinical governance framework.

All work conducted by CDS is underpinned by the following principles:

• Being child-centred – CDS focuses on the physical, developmental, emotional and relationship needs of children within the context of their unique family circumstances;
• Prioritising safety – CDS recognises that the need for protection from harm is paramount;
• Delivering best practice – CDS practices are research informed and consistent with contemporary, evidence-based practice models;
• Operating respectfully – CDS treats parties, officers of the Court and all people with sensitivity and respect and recognises the importance of equity and diversity;
• Acting with professionalism and integrity – CDS utilises a qualified and experienced workforce with a commitment to high quality, ethical service delivery and ongoing professional development.

Since 1 July 2016 CDS has been administered by the Federal Circuit Court of Australia but continues to provide services to both the Federal Circuit Court of Australia and Family Court of Australia.

Purpose of Position
The Family Consultant’s role is to undertake independent forensic family assessments for the purpose of providing advice and evidence to the Courts in relation to family law matters about children.

Key Responsibilities
Family Consultants undertake a range of activities within the provisions of the Family Law Act 1975 including:

• conducting child-centred preliminary and comprehensive family assessments
• providing evidence to the Courts as an expert witness in the form of brief memoranda, comprehensive family reports and/or oral testimony
• providing advice to Court regarding external support services for children and families,
• providing evidence-based, social science information to the Court
• liaising with legal representatives and other professionals 
• participating in professional supervision and professional development programs
• performing administrative and related duties

Reporting Relationships
Family Consultants report to their assigned Senior Family Consultant.

Essential Qualifications

• A recognised degree in social work and eligibility for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers or a degree in psychology with general registration with the Psychology Board of Australia

Essential Experience

• 5 years post graduate, relevant clinical experience working with children and families

Desirable Experience

• Conducting child and family assessments 
• Conducting clinical interviews with children
• Writing clinical, forensic or other forms of professional reports
• Working within a family law environment

Eligibility:
Employment with the Federal Court of Australia is subject to the requirement of the Public Service Act 1999. The following requirements also apply:

• Australian citizenship – the successful applicant must be an Australian citizenship, unless the Chief Operating Officer waives that requirement.
• National Police Check – the successful applicant must satisfy a Police Records Check, and may also be required to complete security clearances during the course of their employment.
• Health clearance – the successful applicant must be fit for duties and will be required to complete a health declaration and may be required to attend a medical assessment to confirm their fitness for duty.

Interested candidates who have received a redundancy benefit from an Australian Public Service agency are welcome to apply, but note that they cannot be engaged until their redundancy benefit period has expired, unless the Public Service Commissioner agrees.

Selection Criteria

1. Extensive knowledge of child development theory and the impact of separation, family violence and abuse, and high conflict on children and families.
2. Extensive clinical experience with children and families, including a demonstrated ability to conduct child-centred family assessments. 
3. Knowledge of the Family Law Act 1975 and the family law system, or the ability to rapidly acquire such knowledge.
4. Proven ability to effectively manage one’s own time and workload within a dynamic work environment.
5. Willingness and capacity to reflect on one’s own clinical practice and to constructively participate in performance feedback, professional supervision and professional development activities.
6. Ability to work effectively as part of a professional team within a legal system, including with court staff, the legal profession and the community services sector. 
7. Demonstrated oral and written skills of a high standard.

How to Apply
To be considered you will need to upload a comprehensive statement of claims against the selection criteria and attach an up to date resume by 11:55pm AEDT on 22 February 2019.

For more information contact:

Parramatta:
Mark Palmer – 02 9893 5558

Sydney:
Ailsa Robinson – 02 9217 7246

Please note once you submit your application you will not be able to edit it.