Aboriginal Permanency Coordinator

Aboriginal Permanency Coordinator

Location: Illawarra Shoalhaven and Southern NSW district
Full-time, ongoing

Grade 9 - $129,464 - $133,105 p.a. + superannuation and annual leave loading****Flexible work practices including work from home, flexible working hours, 35-hour week and flex leave

This position is open to Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people only.

Your role

Aboriginal Permanency Coordinators are permanency consultants, advocates, and advisors to DCJ and Permanency Support Program (PSP) Service Provider staff. They are skilful collaborators, influencers, and negotiators. They help embed a culture that values and prioritises relational, physical, cultural, and legal permanency for children and young people.

This role is committed to providing better, more responsive and culturally sensitive programs and services that reflect the perspectives of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities we serve.

What you’ll do

• Consultation and review of permanency options for children in statutory out of home care.
• Develop and maintain relationships with key stakeholders to support the practice approach of the Aboriginal Case Management Policy.
• Communicate respectfully with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations in a culturally respectful way.
• Use innovative and non-traditional solutions tailored to meet the individual needs of, and drive better outcomes for children, young people and their families by achieving permanency within a set timeframe.
• Provide advocacy when required to ensure that DCJ, PSP Service Providers, NGOs and government agencies are all meeting their accountabilities to achieve case plan goals.
• Identify practice and service gaps and work with DCJ Commissioning and Planning teams and agencies, particularly Aboriginal Community. Controlled Organisations, to develop agency capacity to better meet the needs of children, young people and their families.
• Support restoration, as the preferred permanency outcome for children and young people.
• Provide practical (field) permanency support as needed.

What we’re looking for

• Demonstrated knowledge, skills and experience with a minimum of 2 years’ experience in working in child protection or out of home care (DCJ or NGO)

• Current driver’s licence as travel will be required

• Tertiary qualifications in Social Work, Psychology, Social Science Welfare or related discipline with demonstrated commitment to ongoing professional development. (Note: It is not essential for candidates applying for Aboriginal targeted roles to have tertiary qualifications.)

• As an Identified role, this position is open only to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander persons, Australia’s First Nations people. Where a position is identified, an applicant’s race is a genuine occupational qualification under the exception in Section 14(d) of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977. There are two alternatives to confirming your Aboriginality, one of which must be uploaded to be considered for the role as follows. Either will be accepted:

  • Confirmation of Aboriginality form or
  • Written confirmation from 2-3 Aboriginal organisations within the community in which you live/work, which addresses the three criteria listed below:

• is of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent, and

• identifies as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person, and

• is accepted as a such by the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community.

The Aboriginal Permanency Coordinator reports to the Manager Review, Performance and Permanency. You will be expected to spend time in person with your allocated CSC and Service Providers.

Note: the roles and responsibilities of the Permanency Coordinator may change in line with the new operational model and OOHC reform. Successful applicants will need to adapt to future role changes.

Appointments are subject to reference checks and the following pre-employment checks:

• National Criminal History Record Check in accordance with the Disability Inclusion Act 2014
• Working with Children Check clearance in accordance with the Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012

Download the role description

We focus on hiring people who share our commitment and goals of inclusion, collaboration, adaptability, courage and integrity. If you meet the essential requirements and the role resonates with you, please apply – you do not need to meet every desired requirement for us to want to talk to you.

What We Offer

We offer a variety of benefits, including:

• A challenging and rewarding career.

• Flexible, autonomous work environment.

• Competitive pay and conditions.

• Training and development opportunities to build and maintain capabilities.

• Health & Wellbeing and Employee Assistance Programs.

Want more information?  Visit our website to see more information on Working for us.

We do work that really matters

Working for the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) provides lots of opportunities to make a real difference. We collaborate with other agencies and community partners, to improve lives and realise the potential of children, adults, families and communities. We're focused on breaking, rather than managing, disadvantage. It’s work that really matters.

Apply now and join Australia’s top public sector employer where we will support you and provide an exciting and flexible working environment!

Are you ready to join us?

Click apply, attach an up-to-date résumé (maximum 5 pages) and a cover letter (maximum 3 pages) addressing the 2 targeted questions below with a brief outline on how you meet the requirements of the role:

Targeted Questions

A key capability of a Permanency Coordinator role involves working collaboratively; and building strong purposeful partnerships with our colleagues and external agencies to achieve the best possible permanency outcomes for children and young people. As an Aboriginal Permanency Coordinator, you will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to achieve the best possible outcomes for children and young people.

• Q1. Please provide an example where you have worked collaboratively with stakeholders to promote a more culturally appropriate approach to permanency, ensuring placement principles are upheld and children remain connected to their culture?

Aboriginal Permanency Coordinators use their relationship skills, influence and knowledge to help deliver better permanency outcomes for children and families we work with.

• Q2. Please provide an example of how you have influenced or helped shift thinking to achieve quality practice for Aboriginal Children and their families?

Applications close - 11:59pm, Friday, 31st July 2026.

Got a question?

For more information about the role or what it’s like to work for DCJ, please contact the hiring manager Vanessa Lewis on Vanessa.Fuller-Lewis@dcj.nsw.gov.au.

If you’ve got a question about applying or would benefit from an adjustment in the recruitment process to help you perform at your best, please contact Peter Luong on Peter.Luong1@dcj.nsw.gov.au

Visit Recruitment adjustments on the DCJ website to learn more.

Inclusion and Diversity lies at the heart of how we recruit

We continue to hire great people with a wide variety of skills, experience, and backgrounds. This includes people with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people identifying as LGBTIQ+, culturally and linguistically diverse people, carers, and other diversity groups.

To find out what DCJ are doing to build an inclusive and diverse workforce, visit Inclusion and diversity on the DCJ website.

Other Information

A talent pool may be created for future ongoing and temporary roles and is valid for a period of up to 18 months.

For more information visit Applying for DCJ jobs on the DCJ website (for all roles except Aboriginal Identified).

Thank you for your interest in this role. We look forward to receiving your application.

To keep up with recruitment opportunities at DCJ, follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CareersatDCJ/

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 Thinking about moving to regional NSW? Get free, personalised support with housing, schools, jobs, and settling in. Learn more: www.nsw.gov.au/welcomeexperience

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