Director, Specialist Practice
CANDIDATE INFORMATION PACK
DEPARTMENT FOR CHILD PROTECTION
Executive Summary
- Join a newly formed team and play a part in change and reform in the delivery of child protection services
- Lead specialist practice and drive the delivery of high professional standards
- Provide strategic practice advice, leadership and oversight of child protection practice across a state-wide, multi-disciplinary directorate
THE OPPORTUNITY
The Department for Child Protection (DCP) works in partnership with families, government and non-government organisations, carers and the community to care for and protect vulnerable children and young people by addressing harm and keeping them safe.
THE ROLE
Reporting to the Chief Practitioner for DCP, the Director Specialist Practice is responsible for leading professional practice across a statewide, multi-disciplinary directorate. The role will provide significant strategic practice advice, leadership and oversight of child protection practice with the ultimate aim of achieving safety, stability and optimal development for children.
The Director, Specialist Practice will drive high professional standards by leading DCP’s practice and therapeutic services including Psychological Services, Disability and Development Program, Lead Practitioner and Practice Leads allowing for continuous improvement and systematic oversight of practice from a key vantage point.
THE CANDIDATE
The successful candidate will need to demonstrate:
- Discipline recognition in child protection or broader social work practice at a statewide, national or international level.
- Experience in the creation of a strategic framework and development of professional competence within a social work or relevant discipline.
- Significant experience in providing professional policy development advice to government and authoritative and specialist consultancy which has impacts beyond the State.
- Thorough knowledge of the child protection system including current national and international trends and best practice.
- Ability to effectively liaise and collaborate with key stakeholders including the Aboriginal community and relevant organisations.
- The holding of a relevant tertiary qualification in social work, psychology, or relevant discipline.
For a confidential discussion, please get in touch with:
Liz Hlipala, HardyGroup Principal Search Consultant
M. +61 0401 122 301
E. lhlipala@hardygroupintl.com
The Department for Child Protection
The Department for Child Protection (DCP) works in partnership with families, government and non-government organisations, carers and the community to care for and protect vulnerable children and young people by addressing harm and keeping them safe.
Where children and young people cannot stay safely in the family home we will find a place for them to live, preferably with members of their family and kinship networks, or with foster carers.
We aim to give young South Australians in our care every opportunity to reach their full potential. We value children and young people's voices and consider their views.
Responsibilities
The department is a statutory organisation responsible for administering the Children and Young People (Safety) Act 2017(external site)
We use a child centred, trauma-informed practice approach that focuses on cultural safety, strengthening families, supporting carers, and working in partnership to meet children and young people’s need for safety.
We are responsible for:
- responding to concerns about children and young people who have experienced harm or are at risk of harm
- placing children and young people in care when they are unable to live safely with their families
- providing case management and support for children and young people under the custody or guardianship of the Chief Executive
- supporting the reunification of children and young people with their families where it is safe to do so
- managing the adoption process
- supporting children and young people from a refugee background through the Commonwealth Guardianship team.
Strategic Plan 2022 - 2026
Vision:
Is for all children and young people to grow up safe, health, connected and feeling loved so they reach their full potential.
Purpose:
The Department for Child Protection protects, cares for and empowers children and young people at risk and in care. We do this by working together with our key partners to respond to abuse and neglect, keep children and young people safe from further harm, help them heal from trauma and reach their full potential.
Role Specification
The Director, Specialist Practice will be responsible for leading professional practice across a statewide, multi-disciplinary directorate. The role will provide significant strategic practice advice, leadership and oversight of child protection practice with the ultimate aim of achieving safety, stability and optimal development for children. The Director, Specialist Practice will drive high professional standards by leading DCP’s practice and therapeutic services including Psychological Services, Disability and Development Program, Lead Practitioner and Practice Leads allowing for continuous improvement and systematic oversight of practice from a key vantage point.
Key accountabilities and responsibilities for the Director, Specialist Practice include:
- Further enhancing the overall capacity of the Office of Professional Practice to provide strategic leadership, set the direction for systematic practice development and hold accountability for the delivery of large-scale practice reform.
- Lead development of a strategic framework and contribute to departmental practice, policies and development programs that directly develop the professional competence of child protection practice across South Australia.
- Take an active role in leading and chairing multi-agency Complex Case Review Meetings with a clinical and systems understanding, while exploring other mechanisms for supporting service delivery areas.
- Contribute to strategic leadership and business planning across DCP.
- Provide professional/clinical supervision, support, guidance and direction to identify complementary skill sets and capability of team members and disseminate agency knowledge and experience across teams.
- Provide expert advice on strategic practice matters to senior stakeholders including the Chief Practitioner, Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive.
- Contribute to the recognition, protection and advancement of fundamental human rights of self-determination in accordance with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle.
- Develop and maintain strong stakeholder relationships within and external to the department.
- Maintain awareness and understanding of national and international trends in child protection practice to identify opportunities to drive continuous improvement within South Australia.
- The DCP has a significant reform agenda and this role will play an important part in leading the continuous improvement of practice across the organisation.
- This is a newly formed Directorate and there is a need to bring together the leadership team and make links across the organisation.
- The Director Specialist Practice leads a multi-disciplinary directorate of child protection professionals who will look to this role for practice guidance.
- The role will require an individual with a strategic lens on matters such as practice approach, policy development and risk assessment contributing to large-scale practice reform.
The Director, Specialist Practice will report directly to the Chief Practitioner.
Internal Relationships :
- Chief Executive
- Deputy Chief Executive
- Chief Practitioner
- Director, Quality and Safeguarding
- Executive Director, Aboriginal Policy & Services
- Staff in all Directorates
- DCP Executive group
- All practitioners
External Relationships:
- Education and research bodies
- Crown Law and Youth Court
- Relevant officers in the Department of Treasury and Finance
- Other state and Commonwealth authorities
It is essential that the incumbent holds a degree level qualification in Social Work which gives eligibility for full membership of the Australian Association of Social Work.
Persons of Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, who have the appropriate background and skills but do not have the essential qualification, may apply for and be engaged/assigned to the role of Social Worker and will be entitled to apply for any Allied Health Professional roles requiring a qualification in Social Work within the Department for Child Protection (DCP).
It is desirable for the incumbent to have a post graduate qualification in social work, psychology, mental health or related discipline.
- 1.Hold discipline recognition in child protection or broader social work practice at a statewide, national or international level.
- 2.Demonstrated experience in the creation of a strategic framework and development of professional competence within a social work or relevant discipline.
- 3.Significant demonstrated experience in providing professional policy development advice to government and authoritative and specialist consultancy which has impacts beyond the State.
- 4.Proven and ongoing active contribution as a member of a statewide or national committee of relevance to the social work discipline.
- 5.Demonstrated thorough knowledge of the child protection system including current national and international trends and best practice.
- 6.Demonstrated extensive management and strategic leadership skills including the ability to provide direction, mentoring and support to multi-disciplinary staff working in a complex environment.
- 7.Demonstrated ability to effectively liaise and collaborate with key stakeholders including the Aboriginal community and relevant organisations.
- 8.Proven ability to analyse, evaluate and apply research and information to drive clinical practice improvement strategies.
- 9.Demonstrated knowledge and commitment to promoting and creating a safe and inclusive work environment.
Staffing: 5 direct reports - approximately 100 staff in the Directorate
The total remuneration package range is $184,498 per annum including 12% superannuation.
Service Location: Adelaide
Classification: AHP6
The closing date for applications is Monday, 25th August 2025 at 9am.
The reference number to include in your application is H25_5204
Note: Please use the online platform to submit your application. It will not be accepted via email.
If you require assistance in submitting your application online, please get in touch with Executive Search Coordinator, Natasha Tirado: M: +61 (0)468 301 310 / E: ntirado@hardygroupintl.com
Your application must include:
- 1.Cover letter addressed to the Principal Consultant;
- 2.A written response addressing the key selection criteria; and
- 3.An up to date copy of your Curriculum Vitae.
It Is standard practice for HardyGroup to acknowledge receipt of your application no later than the next business day. We request that if you do not receive the acknowledgement, you contact the search coordinator listed above as soon as possible after the 24-hour business period and arrange to resend your application if necessary.
For a confidential discussion, please contact:
Liz Hlipala
HardyGroup Principal Consultant
M. +61 0401 122 301
E. lhlipala@hardygroupintl.com
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