Child safety services careers

We offer a diverse working environment focused on self-reflection, learning and continuous practice improvement. There are options to develop your career towards senior leadership and senior practice roles. 

As a qualified Child Safety Officer, you can: 

• specialise in areas of interest (for example, family violence) 
• undertake more responsibility at a senior level in the team 
• progress into a leadership pathway as a Practice Leader or Practice Manager. 

We have positions available in service and practice development, and learning and training areas. Here, you can have an impact on the practice frameworks used by Child Safety Officers. 

All staff within Children and Families are engaged under the Health and Human Services (Tasmanian State Service) Award in addition to the relevant Agreement. Our job advertisements include details on the role’s award and agreement, classification and salary. 

All roles include: 

• leave: 
  • four weeks accrued recreation leave and leave loading 
  • personal sick/carers leave 
  • paid parental leave (including maternity, paternity and adoption) 
  • compassionate/bereavement leave 
  • access to State Service Leave Schemes (purchased leave and State Service Accumulated Leave Scheme) 
  • long service leave 
  • other leave types such as study leave, compassionate/bereavement, family violence leave, jury service, defence force leave 
• 10.5% superannuation on top of base salary 
• access to the department’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 
• travel allowance* 
• paid public holidays* (including three shutdown days across Christmas). 
  *Depending on specific role, please refer to relevant award/agreement. 

In addition, our practice-related roles (Child Safety Officers, Practice Leaders and Practice Managers) are employed under the Allied Health Professionals Agreement and receive: 

• starting salary recognition of additional qualifications 
• accelerated progression upon meeting identified competency criteria or obtaining relevant qualifications 
• access to a $724 annual professional development fund (excluding in-house) 
• novated vehicle leasing options. 

Details on salary and conditions are available: 

• Children and Families employees – Health and Human Services (Tasmanian State Service) Award (PDF, 1.5MB) 
• Practice roles – Allied Health Professionals Agreement (PDF, 30MB) 

We encourage a healthy work-life balance and support part-time and workplace flexibility where possible. By negotiation, some of our roles require a minimum number of workdays to support the services we provide. 

Our standard working hours are 76 hours a fortnight, 8.30am to 5.06pm, Monday to Friday. Some areas provide an after-hours service as required. 

All new staff are required to complete a worksite induction and relevant training. Our Child Safety Officer roles include a six-week Beginning Practice training, with additional training for the Advice and Referral Line and Out of Home Care teams. 

As a qualified Child Safety Officer, you have access to: 

• a professional development fund to develop your expertise, including attending external training, workshops and conferences 
• regular in-house training with refreshers, advanced and ad-hoc courses available
• study leave, supported study initiatives whilst working and external professional supervision. 

We have initiatives to help Support Workers and Unit Coordinators to complete relevant study if they have an interest in acquiring the qualifications to become a Child Safety Officer. 

Children and Families staff work in an environment with service users who have often experienced adversity, including traumatic experiences. Some of our day-to-day work can also be confronting. 

Due to this, we are increasingly focused on providing adequate supports and supervision for our workers. 

You will have access to: 

• regular professional supervision, in one-on-one and group formats (for practice roles) 
• support and mentoring from senior staff 
• the Employee Assistance Program 
• an individual performance development agreement 
• networking opportunities with statewide colleagues 
• wellbeing officers on-site 
• critical incident debrief and support 
• site specific wellbeing programs 
• personal resilience and vicarious trauma training. 

Focus on early intervention

In Tasmania we have a holistic view of child safety and wellbeing. That’s why we implemented the Strong Families, Safe Kids Advice and Referral Line (ARL), with a focus on providing wellbeing and supports to families before there is a formal referral. 

As a sector, we work to keep children and families together to ensure children and young people can: 

• remain connected with their community 
• have their voices included in decision-making. 

The ARL is the first ‘front door service’ in Australia. It brings together government workers from Children and Families, and non-government workers from Baptcare and Mission Australia. This approach supports families with earlier intervention, and therefore better outcomes for children and their families. 

Our service users

We work with children and families who: 

• have multiple and complex unmet needs 
• have experienced systemic disadvantage 
• are diverse and from varied backgrounds 
• engage in our services for a variety of reasons 
• sometimes, not voluntarily engaging. 

It takes skill and resilience to develop trust and meaningful engagement.

Diversity and inclusion

We are committed to having a workforce that reflects the diversity of the Tasmanian community we serve. We also encourage workers to bring their true self to work. 

We regularly work with: 

• Aboriginal community organisations 
• LGBTQIA+ organisations 
• disability organisations 
• culturally and linguistically diverse organisations. 

Work locations

Child Safety Officers work in a team at the main site within their region. Each team has a Practice Leader and an associated Practice Manager. They work both autonomously and as part of a multidisciplinary team of professionals and support staff. 

Most Child Safety and Wellbeing staff in the ARL work out of the Hobart site and provide a statewide phone service. They are assigned to a team with a Practice Leader and Practice Manager. 

Some specialised ARL roles are based in Launceston, Burnie and Devonport and provide face-to-face support education and capacity building in those communities. 

Many professionals are choosing to live and work in Tasmania where there is a strong sense of community and a great lifestyle close to nature. 

Your work will take you around your region and the state. We offer many rewarding opportunities to live and work in Tasmania’s North West, North or South in a range of urban, rural and remote locations. 

Unit Coordinators

• Provide high level support, management and coordination of administrative functions for teams in the Child Safety Service and Advice and Referral Line.

Administration/Reception

• Provide high level administrative and clerical support to staff and service users.
• This includes provision of reception services to sites, record keeping and a range of financial tasks.

Support Worker

• Provide support to children in out of home care.
• This includes facilitating the time they spend with their families and making sure this is always a safe, fun and special experience for them.

Senior Support Workers

• Coordinate, supervise and manage a team of support workers to support children growing up in a safe and supportive environment.
• This includes management of the human and physical resources of the Support Worker program.

Child Safety and Wellbeing Worker, Advice and Referral Line

• Conduct safety and wellbeing conversations over the phone, to identify the most appropriate response to meet the safety and wellbeing needs of children and young people.
• Provide information and advice about service options and other approaches to support the child and their family.
• Partner with families, community members and professionals to facilitate critical early intervention responses to meet their individual needs.

Child Safety Officer

• Receiving, investigating and assessing concerns about children who may be experiencing abuse and neglect.
• Working with families and other professionals to resolve safety concerns.
• Provide placement support for carers and children.
• Undertaking ongoing assessment and facilitating planning and decision making so that the needs of children in out of home care are met.
• Where necessary, Child Safety Officers are involved in legal interventions in the Magistrates Court Childrens’ Division.
• Child Safety Officers work in several areas and teams – Response, Case Management and Out of Home Care.

Adoption Officer

• Conduct assessments and undertake case management of children placed for adoption either voluntarily or on legal status, to ensure their safety and wellbeing.
• Conduct assessments of prospective adoptive parents and collaborate with other services for effective coordination.

After Care Support Advisor

• Key contact point and coordinator for young adults transitioning from the Child Safety System to adulthood within the Transition to Independence program.
• Provide support to young adults who have had a previous care experience to help them maintain stability and respond to issues that arise for them.

Child Safety and Wellbeing Liaison Officer, Advice and Referral Line

• Facilitate the provision of information, advice and assistance between the Strong Families Safe Kids Advice and Referral Line or the Child Safety Service, and regional services to promote community education and referral.

Child Safety Liaison Officer – Hospital, Advice and Referral Line

• Facilitate the two-way exchange of information, advice and assistance between hospital staff and Services for Children and Families staff in relation to children and families using the Tasmanian Health Service.
• This includes facilitating access for children to special clinics, providing liaison relating to management of complex and critical cases, and planning for the safety needs of unborn babies.

Intensive Family Engagement Specialist Worker

• Using a Signs of Safety approach, work with families, service providers, relevant agency staff and community support services to facilitate a process of identifying goals and progressing changes which improve the safety of children in the care of their parents. 

Court Coordinator

• Coordinate court preparation and attendance to support Child Safety Officers with legal processes to assess and respond to the safety of children and young people.
• Assist in ensuring that all legal aspects of Tasmanian Child Safety practice conforms to legislative obligations, agency principles, practices and standards.

Trainer

• Lead the development, planning and implementation of professional learning and development programs for Children and Families staff.

Practice Leader

• Act as a role model for a team of Child Safety Officers, or Child Safety and Wellbeing Workers and the broader service.
• Lead, support, encourage and represent workers in the team to provide high quality and consistent practices to meet the needs of service users.

Practice Manager

• Provide day-to-day leadership and management of all practice within the Child Safety Service and Advice and Referral Line.
• Promote and support high standards of ethical practice through mentorship, consultation, critical reflection on practice and practice support.
• Provide leadership and management of Practice Leaders.

Principal Practice Manager

• Provide high level professional leadership and management of staff within the Child Safety Service statewide, lead clinical governance, and guide the creation of new and innovative practice and programs within Services for Children and Families and the broader sector.

Service Development Manager

• Provide leadership and manage business related functions that support practice, including health and safety, budgeting and funding approvals.

Service Development Practice Advisor

• Provide contemporary and well-informed practice advice and support to the Service Development Manager.
• Undertake workforce management and project initiatives and provide leadership to and management of Practice Leaders within the Child Safety Service as required.