Child & Family Practitioner – Cairns

Full-time max term contract until 31 December 2026 (with potential for extension)
Opportunity to work for one of Australia’s largest social purpose organisations
Attractive remuneration package including Tool of Trade vehicle and fuel card
Access to salary packaging benefits to increase your take-home pay
Monthly RDO available

About the Organisation

Every day, Life Without Barriers provides support and care to children and young people, as we work collaboratively with families, carers, and communities, to ensure they have the environment they deserve to grow. With a focus on ensuring safety and respect, this is an opportunity to make a positive and meaningful difference in these young lives and help pave a brighter future.

Life Without Barriers is a leading social purpose organisation of 8,000 employees working in more than 500 communities across Australia. We support children, young people and families, people with disability, older people, and people with mental illness. We work with people who are homeless and refugees and asylum seekers. Join a community of people dedicated to breaking down barriers.

We want to employ people who reflect the diversity of our clients to ensure we can support each client's individual needs and wants. We encourage people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background and people with disability to apply.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Child & Family Practitioner to join our Cairns team on a full-time max term contract until 31 December 2026, with the potential for extension.

The Child & Family Practitioner provides support and supervision to children and young people placed in family-based care arrangements, ensuring they receive safe, stable and nurturing care.

The successful candidate will work collaboratively with foster carers, children and young people, families, government agencies and other stakeholders to develop and support individualised care plans while ensuring the required standards of care are maintained.

This role is ideal for an experienced practitioner with a background in child protection and/or the foster care sector who is passionate about achieving positive outcomes for children and young people.

Based from our Cairns office, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful difference within the out-of-home care sector.

Key Responsibilities

• Undertake child-focused casework practice including assessment, case planning and review in partnership with government agencies, children, young people, families, carers and other stakeholders.
• Provide ongoing support, supervision and guidance to foster carers caring for children and young people.
• Conduct regular home visits and provide telephone-based support and supervision to carers.
• Support carers to implement strategies outlined within individual case plans.
• Provide supervision and support to youth workers as required.
• Develop, implement and review risk assessments, cultural support plans, safety plans and behavioural support plans.
• Maintain accurate documentation including carer renewals, foster care agreements, file notes and case records.
• Ensure information is accurately maintained within relevant systems including CIRTS.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience

• Recognised degree qualification in Social Work, Psychology or a related human services field.
• Demonstrated experience working within the child protection and/or foster care sector.
• Experience supporting children, young people, families and carers using strengths-based and culturally responsive approaches.
• Demonstrated ability to assess needs, identify strengths and support positive outcomes for children and young people in care.
• Understanding of permanency planning and the Queensland child protection system.
• Strong communication, assessment and case management skills.
• Current unrestricted driver’s licence.

Successful candidates will be required to clear probity checks including a National Criminal History Record Check and Working with Children Check (where relevant to the role).

Benefits

• Attractive remuneration package.
• Tool of Trade vehicle including fuel card.
• Access to salary packaging benefits through Maxxia to increase your take-home pay.
• Mobile phone and laptop provided for work purposes.
• Monthly RDO.
• Supportive team environment with opportunities for career development.
• Opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children, young people and families.

How to Apply

Include your resume and covering letter in one document, click ‘Apply’ and follow the prompts. For general role enquiries contact Joelene via recruitment@lwb.org.au

Candidates with disabilities who require adjustments to the recruitment process or the application form in an alternate format can visit https://www.lwb.org.au/careers/ for information on our access and inclusion work and how to contact us directly. 

Applications close at midnight on Sunday 16/08/2026. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible, as applications will be reviewed as they are received. The advertisement may close prior to the listed closing date if a suitable candidate is appointed.

We want to employ people who reflect the diversity of our clients to ensure we can support each client's individual needs and wants. We encourage people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background and people with disability to apply.