Helpline Caseworker

We are currently recruiting for Child Protection Helpline Caseworker opportunities.

 
Do you want the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children and families in NSW? Would you like a career with real development opportunities, attractive benefits and support?

Do you identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person or descent?  Your cultural connection, knowledge and understanding is highly valued.

Sound like you? Then apply now!

About your new role

The Child Protection Helpline is a 24-by-7 call/contact centre where staff are assigned shifts according to business requirement, spanning all days and around-the-clock start times. The Child Protection Helpline receives calls and eReports relating to the suspected abuse and/or neglect of children and young people, as well as general inquiries about the Department. As a Helpline Caseworker you will take reports of child abuse and/or neglect from members of the public and mandatory reporters such as police, education professionals, health workers, and/or childcare providers. You will build relationships with key stakeholders to support and strengthen families, you will respond to general enquires from the public, community partners and child and family protection professionals. You will undertake initial assessments before referring reports to a Community Services Centre (CSC) for further review and response.

As a Helpline Caseworker, your work helps to ensure vulnerable young people in the community have improved life experiences and that families from a range of culturally diverse backgrounds access the support they need. Your ability to build relationships and understand that families are complex and have their own individual stories is pivotal to be successful in this role.

For those who identify as Aboriginal, you will have the unique opportunity to provide your cultural insight and ensure that Aboriginal people are central to decision-making about children from their broader community. You will have an opportunity to advocate on behalf of Aboriginal people and use cultural knowledge to help inform and shape service delivery that strives to keep Aboriginal children, families and communities connected to country and culture.

Being a Helpline Caseworker requires resilience, tenacity and compassion to support children and families living in varied and challenging circumstances. Undertaking initial assessments of significant child protection concerns and potential risks can be confronting; however, the rewards for ensuring the best outcomes for a child can be limitless.

Please note – if you are successful for the role, you will begin your Caseworker journey at the Child Protection Helpline for a maximum of 2 years. After this time you may be assigned to other roles at the same classification such as Child Protection Caseworker within the Department’s Community Service Centre for organisational or capability development reasons.

There may be opportunities to support the After Hours Response Team for applicants applying who may have previous field experience.

The After Hours Response Team provide assessment and assistance to children and young people who are at risk of significant harm outside of business hours. After Hours Caseworkers will undertake assessment in response to children and young people who are at immediate risk of significant harm and/or families who are requesting urgent assistance, such as housing and food provisions. The team will work closely with other agencies including NSW Police, NSW Health, Non-Government organisations and Interstate Agencies to keep children and young people safe after hours.
 

Why work for us?

As Australia’s top public sector employer, we offer competitive benefits and opportunities including: 

• Rewarding salary from $87,315 – $113,562pa plus superannuation and annual leave loading 
• Opportunities to work flexibly  
• 17 weeks of industry leading training in the Caseworker Development Program 
• Customised career development and support for your personal and professional growth 
• Generous leave entitlements
• Positive culture for wellness including Fitness Passport, tailored health app and mental health support 

Click here to view the role description and the assessment process

 
Click here to hear from our Caseworkers. 

What we’re looking for  

To be a Helpline Caseworker you need to be confident, curious and resilient. The essential requirements include:  

• Completed Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Social Work, Social Science and Welfare. Other related degrees are considered, if you can demonstrate your knowledge skills and experience working with vulnerable children, young people and families  
• Minimum of two (2) years’ relevant experience in child protection, or provision of casework in another setting
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, and the ability to build positive working relationships  
• A valid driver’s licence (P1 or above)
• A paid working with children clearance number 
• The ability to work from our Liverpool office as required.

Closing Date: Sunday 27th April 2025 at 11.59pm AEST.

Are you ready to join us? 

Click apply, attach a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) as well as an up-to-date résumé (maximum 5 pages). 

Got a question?

For any role-specific enquiries please email Tony Lahoud at tony.lahoud@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 (including an alternate method submission of the application), please call Vanessa Tran on (02) 9765 5049 or via vanessa.tran@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 Your recruitment journey on the DCJ website.

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