Provide cultural guidance, training and community connection to strengthen culturally safe foster care and support children’s connection to culture and Country.
The Role
Join Centacare’s Foster Care team as the Aboriginal Cultural Practitioner and help strengthen culturally safe care for children and young people. In this role, you will provide cultural guidance, training and insights that support carers, staff remain connected with culture, community and Country.
You will contribute to carer assessments, co‑deliver cultural learning, and lead community‑connection activities. This position suits someone with strong cultural knowledge, deep community ties and a passion for supporting culturally safe, culturally responsive care.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide cultural advocacy and guidance to ensure culturally safe care for children, carers and staff.
- Strengthen community and Country connections by leading cultural activities, engagement and learning opportunities.
- Work alongside Elders, community members and care teams to embed cultural integrity in assessments, planning and responsive practice.
About You
You bring strong cultural knowledge and deep community connections, and you feel confident sharing this to support safe, respectful and culturally grounded care. You value relationships, enjoy working collaboratively with Elders, carers and care teams, and offer a calm, supportive approach.
You are committed to cultural integrity and passionate about helping children, young people and families stay connected to culture, identity and belonging.
See attached position description for full details.
What you need to bring
Essential
- Extensive experience within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community
- Experience working with families involved in the Child Protection System
- Valid Department of Human Services (DHS) Working with Children Check
- Current Drivers Licence
Desirable
- Social Work degree, Community Services or equivalent
- Report writing skills and experience in conducting A5 Step by Step Assessments
- An understanding of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principles
- Experience in facilitating cultural training
- Experience in working collaboratively within multi-disciplinary teams
Special Condition
- You may be required to work additional outside of traditional work hours as outlined in your contract
What's in it for you
- SCHCADS Award 2010 Level 5 $51.00 per hour plus super
- Generous salary packaging to help increase your take home pay
- Ongoing training and development opportunities
- Highly skilled multidisciplinary team
- Experienced and supportive leadership
- Access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- 6 weeks parental leave for primary carer and 2 weeks for secondary carer
What you can expect from us
- We work under guidance of the Aboriginal Governance Committee and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Worker Support Policy
- Support you to respond to family and community obligations within work time
- Provide opportunity for cultural supervision
- Support you to engage in education and training
- Support you with Sorry Business and Funeral Leave
- Extra paid day off on the Friday of NAIDOC week to attend NAIDOC events
Who we are
Each year, we support more than 20,000 people across metropolitan and regional South Australia through a wide range of community services, guided by a strong ethical framework. We are committed to a client-focused approach, delivering effective and flexible support to people of all ages, backgrounds, abilities, cultures, religions, gender identities, and sexual orientations.
Centacare is a Child Safe, Quality Accredited Organisation and a registered NDIS provider. We value individuality and embrace diversity, working in consultation and collaboration while upholding integrity and professionalism in everything we do.
We are dedicated to fostering a respectful and inclusive workplace, free from harassment and discrimination. Our commitment to equal opportunity reflects our mission, vision, and values—and we believe that our positive culture leads to better outcomes for our clients.
To learn more about us, explore our Who we are page and our organisational video.
How to Apply
Please submit your resume and cover letter (as one document) outlining how you meet the requirements of this role as outlined in the position description. To access the position description or submit your application click on the Apply button.
For a confidential discussion about this opportunity, please contact Alicia Remedios, Assessment Manager, on 08 8159 1486.
Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible; applications will be shortlisted as received. Centacare reserves the right to close the advertisement once a suitable candidate has been recruited.
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