EXAMPLES OF WORK
L OUISE THOMAS
0414 444 555 louise-thomas@hotmail.com
Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Having achieved exceptional results as a Social Worker at Alice Springs Hospital, I am eager to progress my career and undertake new challenges as a Senior Social Worker, with proven expertise in the provision of timely, clinically and culturally appropriate Social Work services within a multidisciplinary framework. Demonstrating a track record of achievement in the provision of quality client support and resilience, I am committed to assisting the Social Work Manager in the management, coordination and delivery of a high quality, culturally appropriate, effective, efficient and contemporary Social Work assessment and intervention service, meeting the needs of Alice Springs Hospital inpatients and outpatients, their families and significant others. Dedicated to continuous improvement, I dedicated to initiating, implementing and completing continuous quality improvement and service development activities at a local or regional level to ensure delivery of contemporary Social Work services. Fostering a positive workplace culture, I am skilled in providing strong team leadership practices and role modelling behaviour in accordance with the TEHS Organisational Culture Charter.
QUALIFICATIONS & TRAINING
2020 Graduate Certificate in Developmental Trauma Australian Childhood Foundation
2018 Certificate IV in Mental Health Mental Health Coordinating Council, NSW
2016 Bachelor of Social Work University of Sydney
2014 Certificate IV in Disability Verto, NSW
2006 Diploma in Community Welfare TAFE, Nirimba NSW
2020 Graduate Certificate in Developmental Trauma Australian Childhood Foundation
2018 Certificate IV in Mental Health Mental Health Coordinating Council, NSW
KEY SKILLS & COMPETENCIES
Experience in providing contemporary high-level clinical Social Work services to patients and families/carers within a clinical social work setting and demonstrated ability to facilitate and support team functioning in a pressured environment.
Proven ability to initiate, implement and complete continuous quality improvement and service development activities.
Extensive experience in clinical supervision of students and staff and a commitment to professional development.
Understands aboriginal culture and works with patients and families from diverse cultural and social backgrounds.
Capacity to develop and maintain collaborative relationships with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders.
Demonstrated skills and experience in implementing effective individual and team professional development strategies.
Skilled in applying culturally sensitive child protection practice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and community from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.
Experience in case management including complex needs assessment, experience working with clients with a disability.
Highly developed written and verbal communication skills, liaising with external stakeholders to ensure appropriate referrals
Experienced in developing and implementing individualised service plans and the provision of holistic case management.
Skilled in building alliances in the organisation and across the public, private and community sectors, promote the organisation’s position with authority and credibility cross-government, cross-jurisdictionally and outside of government.
Well organised and efficient, taking responsibility for managing, planning and prioritising work projects and tasks.
ACCREDITATIONS & TRAINING
NSW Justice of the Peace | Australian Association of Social Workers | Working with Children Check (WWC0231933E)
Predict, Assess & Respond to Aggressive Behaviours Training | Assessment Practice with clients from CALD Backgrounds
Core Concept & New Developments in Working with Survivors of Torture and Trauma | First Aid Certificate | Police Check
Food & Safety Supervisor | Street Smart Youth Outreach Program Volunteer Course | Mental Health First Aid
Administration of Naloxone in a Community Setting | Safe and Secure - Child Protection Workshop
Effective Case Work & Case Management | Drumbeat Therapeutic Music Program
Emergency Medication for Seizure Midazolam| Epilepsy Awareness Training
Jul 2022 - Current DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH | ALICE SPRINGS HOSPITAL
Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Social Worker
Emergency Department, Orthopaedics Rehabilitation Ward, Intensive Care Unit, Renal Ward Inpatient/Outpatient RESPONSIBILITIES:
Provide a culturally appropriate, timely and efficient Social Work inpatient and outpatient services, meeting the needs of patients, their families and others, including psychosocial assessment, development of appropriate interventions; discharge planning, Family Work, counselling, advocacy with other health staff to achieve optimal health outcomes.
Ensure the continuity of care for patients through participation in discharge planning, liaison with the multi-disciplinary treatment teams and networking with other community service providers.
Ensure patients receive culturally appropriate services through liaison with Aboriginal Liaison Officers, the use of interpreters and a demonstrated commitment to cultural education and communication.
Actively foster a positive workplace culture through exemplary leadership practices and role modelling behaviour.
Contribute to the Continuous Quality Improvement activities and review of Departmental Policies and Procedures.
Ensure records are maintained through accurate data collection, appropriate recording and file keeping.
Ensure quality Social Work service is provided through professional development and participation in clinical supervision, undergraduate fieldwork education, Performance Development Program and attend continuing education.
Understand and follow defined service quality standards, Workplace Health and Safety policies and procedures relating to the work being undertaken in order to ensure high quality, safe service and workplaces.
Jul 2018 - Jul 2022
TERRITORY FAMILIES
Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Child Protection Practitioner - Professional 2 (Dec 2018 - Jul 2022)
Child Protection Practitioner - Professional 1 (Jul 2018 - Dec 2018)
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Responsible for the delivery of complex case work and case management services to clients, including the management of more complex cases requiring liaison with other Agency and non-Government Organisations.
Mentor, coach and support Child Protection Practitioners - Professional 1 and provide guidance in case management.
Travel interstate including South Australia, Canberra and Queensland, working with aboriginal families and communities, providing support, conducting assessments and reporting any relevant issues for follow-up action as appropriate.
Travel locally and through Northern Territory to remote aboriginal communities, case managing families, addressing issues, referring clients to services such as cleaning, collaborating with service providers and ensure families are safe.
Ensure availability of reliable data through the accurate, timely recording of information on the Territory Families systems.
Manage clients with NDIS plans eligible to sign up for NDIS, assist with completing paperwork, following up status, creating an application and take the carer on behalf of the client through the end to end application process
Undertake statutory responsibilities and exercise delegations under Care and Protection of Children Act to policies.
Work closely with Local Area Coordinators for NDIA, attend planning meetings on how to best use the NDIS plan.
Maintain a high level of service to clients through the provision of professional expertise and demonstrated best practice in the delivery of statutory welfare services and participate in the After Hours Service.
Support and train to staff on program and practice issues to enhance their skills and knowledge of programs.
Nov 2017 - Jul 2018 THE WAYSIDE CHAPEL
Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Twilight Team Leader & National Disability Insurance Scheme Coordinator
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Deliver and oversee programs to improve quality of life, remove barriers and reduce isolation of vulnerable people
Manage operations of the Community Service Centre, Café, Twilight Programs and staffs on shift to optimise operations
Transition a range of cross-cultural clients to the National Disability Insurance Scheme in a timely and effective manner.
Manage different programs such as Café, Community Service Centre and Twilight Program and supervise staff on shifts
Support and assist a broad range of cross-clients during the transitioning to the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Provide engaging activates to clients, supporting their development the engagement of community members.
Jun 2017 - Oct 2017 LOU’S PLACE
Potts Point, New South Wales
Senior Case Manager (Temporary Contract)
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Oversaw the running of the service, including the efficient case management of client’s files, ensuring accuracy.
Assisted the Community Coordinator and Case Manager in an effective and efficient manner throughout all operations
Liaised with the Chair of the Board and other key internal and external stakeholders to support overall servicer delivery.
Supported daily activities such as kitchen and support groups to ensure the effective delivery of services and client support.
Provided case management to clients, delivering client-centric services and the optimisation of overall undertakings.
Built effective working relationships with clients, assisting them to be empowered, and to advocate for themselves, by providing and enabling them with the knowledge of how to navigate current support services
EARLIER WORK HISTORY
2016 - 2017 Catholic Community Services Coordinator (Temporary Contract)
2015 - 2016 Housing NSW Project Client Service Officer
2010 - 2015 Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care Residential Support Worker
2010 - 2015 Department of Juvenile Justice Youth Officer
2008 - 2010 Auburn Youth Centre Community Project Officer
2005 - 2008 Links Youth and Disability Services Case Worker
2002 - 2005 Rainbow Home & Respite Out-of-Home Care Team Leader
2000 - 2002 Rainbow Home & Respite Out-of-Home Care Support Worker
R EFEREES AVAILABLE ON REQUEST
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities
I am confident that my skills, knowledge and experience in office administration in the legal industry would be well utilised as Executive Assistant at the Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities. Having recently relocated to the Northern Territory from Melbourne with 20 years’ experience working in law firms, I am confident in my ability to perform all position requirements to a high standard and contribute to organisational goals and objectives. A clear, concise and persuasive communicator, I am experienced in liaising with diverse groups and am able to effectively tailor my communication style to my audience. My experience includes successful communication with both private individuals and commercial operations in the course of my work.
I have demonstrated proven experience in providing administrative support as a Personal Assistant, Paralegal, Conveyancing Clerk, Legal Assistant and Probate Clerk with a high attention to detail, sound judgement, the ability to maintain confidentiality and a clear understanding of the need for tact and diplomacy. I have a demonstrated track record of confidentiality and discretion with a practical understanding of legislation and statutory guidelines such as the Privacy Act and Code of Conduct, managing confidential and sensitive information appropriately. I always maintain paperwork, departmental records and correspondence consistent with requirements.
As a Personal Assistant in law firms, I have maintained strong prioritising skills, supporting management with tasks and assisting with handling customer enquires throughout the busy work day. As I often worked across many functions at one time, I use a variety of tools to prioritise and organise my work, and schedule my time. I used a diary and task list to track my daily activity requirements and the accuracy of the information contained is crucial for tracking productivity information and reporting against personal and team key performance indicators. It also helped me to prioritise tasks against approaching deadlines and can highlight bottlenecks in timelines. By identifying conflicting deadlines, I have successfully prioritised the most important tasks to ensure that timelines are not compromised.
Well organised and efficient, I am experience operating in a fast-paced environment with strong organisational and time management skills with the ability to prioritise tasks, work independently with minimal supervision and work under pressure. Self-motivated with a high level of initiative, I have the ability to meet changing priorities and deadlines. Capable of exercising good judgement and strong organisational skills, I ensure that my work is prioritised and completed in a timely manner. In my recent role as Personal Assistant/Paralegal/Conveyancer at Nicholson Ryan Lawyers over the past nine years, I maintained an organised approach whilst providing comprehensive administrative support to executives and lawyers such as diary management, appointment scheduling, telephone management, stationery orders, records management, accounts management, arranged travel and clerical support. In this role, I operated under limited supervision with responsibility for managing my own workload with minimal direction. Furthermore, I managed workflow through the use of the Microsoft Outlook calendar, including daily targets and goals which I tracked In this role, when speaking with clients with outstanding accounts, one of my responsibilities was to make notes that record everything we have spoken about and enter that information into computerised systems.
Computer and technology savvy, I am proficient using various computer systems including Microsoft Word, Microsoft Publisher, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel, Leap, Infotrack, PEXA, Actionstep and Probate/Estate Administration with the ability to acquire new skills and knowledge quickly and easily. I have been required to utilise the range of Microsoft Office Software in the provision of high quality administrative assistance which includes the presentation of information in a variety of formats such as report writing, database management, management of statistical information, electronic calendar management and the full complement of executive level administrative support. I have utilised advanced computer skills to perform a range of responsibilities including typing of minutes, letters and correspondence, sending and receiving emails, researching information and legislation using internet and intranet, maintaining and updating of records, database management, creating spreadsheets, creating reports and preparing documentation.
I am highly experienced in the use of records management and business systems which has been important in administration support roles in law firms. I have gained a high level of exposure to records and electronic document management principles, procedures and best practice. In all positions that I have held, I have managed documents and information in both hard copy formats, as well as in an electronic environment using the electronic document and records management system. I am able to capture and preserve electronic records, track the location of hard copy records, maintain secure access of all records and manage disposal of records, in addition to applying actions to manage workflow.
As an articulate, confident and highly experienced communicator, I accurately present information with a high level of proficiency translating complex information coherently and concisely for a range of audiences. Demonstrating exceptional interpersonal skills, I have been commended on many occasions for my clear speaking manner, understanding attitude and commitment to working as a collaborative and supportive team member. I possess highly developed written communication skills with the ability to produce a diverse array of documentation with the capacity to express facts clearly and concisely with information presented professionally to the targeted audience. Promoting a strong client service focus and a commitment among others to providing quality client service, I am adept in managing a high level customer service delivery and ensure client satisfaction and expectations are given high priority.
The opportunity to contribute as at the Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities in The Community Participation and Inclusion Division would be the realisation of a long standing goal which I embrace with enthusiasm with a commitment to liaising in a discreet and confidential manner with a wide range of people.
TRANSITION FROM CARE OFFICER
Department of Territory Families, Housing & Communities
Demonstrating key contributions as a Social Worker, Child Protection Practitioner, Team Leader & NDIS Coordinator, Senior Case Manager, Residential Support Worker and Youth Officer, with extensive experience in the Northern Territory over the past six years, I am eager to make a valuable contribution as a Transition from Care Officer. Tertiary qualified, I have attained a Bachelor of Social Work, Graduate Certificate in Developmental Trauma, Certificate IV in Mental Health, Certificate IV in Disability and Diploma in Community Welfare and I am a member of the Australian Association of Social Workers. I am confident that my knowledge and experience in contemporary child and family welfare practice, principles and service delivery trends which includes the area of transition from care would be well utilised by the Department of Territory Families, Housing & Communities.
I possess strong experience and knowledge of contemporary child and family welfare practice, principles and service delivery trends particularly in the area of transition from care. Highly skilled in case management including complex needs assessment, I was tasked to prepare a response to child protection reports at Territory Families, case manage a family in a remote community in Alice Springs with AOD and DVO who caused risk and detrimental effects on their children, then mitigate the risk. Dedicated to protecting the children, I case managed the family, working with other external services, maintaining a collaborative approach to mitigate risk to their children. As a result, I successfully case managed the family and coordinated a collaborative response which effectively mitigated risk to the children. My ability to mitigate the risk was achieved by working with the family using tools and risk assessments such as Safe and Together Model, Sign of Safety, Safety Planning whilst working together with services in the community. As a Child Protection Practitioner at Territory Communities, I have worked with culturally and linguistically diverse communities, where I case managed 12 to 21 year old young people who have been in Australia less than two years. I was tasked to case manage and provide a community response to youth in Auburn LGA, NSW and proceeded to connect them to community services to meet their needs in the areas of welfare and wellbeing needs. Positive outcomes were achieved as I supported displaced clients to navigate local, state and federal government services to meet their specific needs.
As a confident and influential communicator, I have gained high-level oral, written and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to effectively negotiate outcomes. As a Case Manager at Links Youth and Disability Services, I worked with a multidisciplinary team to execute statutory care for children in care. This entailed case conferencing with Social Workers, Psychologists, Psychiatrists and other specialists regarding statutory care of children to execute instructions and recommendations in terms of medication, behavioural plans and other requirements. I ensured that the recommendations were implemented in the group home i.e. appointments attended, medication administered, behaviour management plans implemented and oversaw all stakeholders were kept up to date to ensure the utmost safety and well-being of the child.
In my current and previous roles, I have effectively developed and maintained collaborative relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders. Previously as a Community Project Officer at Auburn Youth Centre (AYC), I worked closely and collaboratively with external agencies and implemented a program to improve outcomes for the community relating to youth disengagement and crime. Based on the evidence that I collated, I recommended that AYC take a two-pronged approach, conducting an after-school Capoeira martial arts group at the centre and running a Drumbeat group within local schools. I observed that one stakeholder was not meeting deadlines or providing updates as required, hence I engaged the service provider representative in courteous and open communication, to ensure that service delivery was not impacted. As a result, the program was effectively completed on time and we successfully worked with the young people to comprehensively address the identified issues.
Maintaining a high level of initiative, I have reviewed and developed systems, processes and programs/services to address identified needs. I achieved positive outcomes for NDIS participants and the Scheme in remote regions across Alice Springs with the capacity to respond to and prioritise competing and often urgent requests in a calm and efficient manner while also maintaining high work standards and accuracy, readily managing confidential and sensitive information. In my work as a Team Leader for the Wayside Chapel, I was delivered and oversaw programs to improve quality of life, remove barriers and reduce isolation. It was my responsibility to ensure that services we provided were within budget, balancing the need to ensure sufficient staffing levels without overspending in terms of materials or human resources. In addition to managing our onsite café, showers and caseworkers, I ensured that there were around four different activities underway during each shift to engage our clients. I utilised community resources such as counselling and community welfare students and our volunteer list, whilst balancing the needs of the clients with available resources.
Throughout my work in community services environments, I have demonstrated experience in implementing individual and team professional development strategies. As Team Leader for the Wayside Chapel, I was required to deliver and oversee a range of programs to improve quality of life, remove barriers and reduce isolation. Persuasive, confident and capable, I have held numerous lea dership responsibilities with a high level of competency in leading, managing, training, mentoring and coaching team members to achieve optimal results and service standards. It was my responsibility to ensure that services we provided were within budget, balancing the need to ensure sufficient staffing levels without overspending in terms of materials or human resources. In addition to managing our onsite café, showers and caseworkers, I ensured that there were around four different activities underway during each shift to engage our clients, I utilised community resources such as counselling and community welfare students and our volunteer list, whilst frequently drawing upon my own creativity to keep things lively and fresh, thus balancing the needs of the clients with the resources available to provide quality services. Previously as a Child Protection Practitioner, I mentored and supported Child Protection Practitioners - Professional 1 and other colleagues, especially when travelling interstate and act as Team Leader as required. Moreover at Wayside Chapel, I managed around fifteen staff and volunteers, overseeing the entire service afterhours. Additionally in my work as a Senior Case Manager at Lou’s Place, I managed the entire service including staff of five people whilst ensuring smooth operations. Moreover, I oversaw the daily running of the service, including the effective and efficient case management of client’s files, ensuring accuracy at all times.
SENIOR SOCIAL WORKER
Position No: 50708 | Alice Springs Hospital
As as a tertiary qualified and highly experienced Social Worker at Alice Springs Hospital, I am eager to undertake new challenges as a Senior Social Worker. I am confident in my ability to manage, coordinate and deliver high quality, culturally appropriate, effective, efficient and contemporary Social Work assessments and intervention services, meeting the needs of inpatients and outpatients, their families and significant others. I have completed a Bachelor of Social Work and I am eligible to be a member of the Australian Association of Social Workers, with a willingness to work after-hours Social Work Services including weekend shifts.
Since working as a Social Worker at Alice Springs Hospital in July 2022, I have gained extensive experience working with patients and their families. For example, I have worked as part of case coordination in relation to meet patient’s needs with families and other services, attending family meetings in relation to end of life, goals of care, amputations and child protection issues relating to the removal of a child Moreover, I ensure the continuity of care for patients through participation in discharge planning, liaison with the multi-disciplinary treatment teams and networking with other community service providers. Furthermore, I ensure patients receive culturally appropriate services through liaison with Aboriginal Liaison Officers, the use of interpreters and a demonstrated commitment to cultural education and communication.
I possess considerable postgraduate experience working in and leading teams within a clinical social work setting and demonstrated ability to facilitate and support team functioning in a pressure environment. I was awarded the opportunity to act up as P3 when the Manager was away, during which time I demonstrated the ability to manage the team effectively. Whilst working in Territory Families Housing and Communities (TFHC), I was living in Yuendumu and managed the women’s shelter, working as Senior Child Protection Practitioner and working with different community services. At this time, I performed different leadership roles such as TFC Welfare Response Coordinator, Chair Child Safety Committee as part of Multi-Agency Community and Child Safety Meeting (MACCS) in Yuendumu, Wilowra and Nyirripi, Yuendumu Family Safety Framework (FSF).
Self-motivated and resilient, I work effectively independently with the ability to plan and prioritise tasks a high volume complex workload within ever-changing work environments. Upon my commencement as a new Social Worker at Alice Springs Hospital, we were understaffed, therefore we needed to cover a few more wards to complete all tasks. This taught me how to prioritise important cases to attend to and plan my working days. I learned that communication is important to work alongside colleagues I am experienced in the clinical supervision of students and staff with a strong commitment to professional development. In my capacity as a P2 at Alice Springs Hospital and TFHC, I have managed and supervised a 4th year Social Work Student and a P1 colleague with limited experience working in remote settings. Prioritising and resolving team and individual performance issues, I recognise performance issues that need to be addressed and work towards resolving issues. Modelling and encouraging a culture of continuous learning, I provide strong leadership that values constructive feedback in order to improve and upskill.
Possessing an in-depth understanding of Aboriginal culture, I work effectively with patients and families/carers of diverse cultural and social backgrounds. Whilst working in Territory Families, Housing and Communities, I always consulted with our Aboriginal Community Worker to ensure I was working culturally appropriately and currently consult with the Aboriginal Liaison Officer as a Social Worker I have lived and worked in rural or remote settings including my previous work as a Senior Child Protection Practitioner in Yuenedumu, Willowra and Nyirripi remote communities in Northern Territory which has been challenging and rewarding. Additionally, I have successfully managed Women’s Safe House in Yuendumu, 293 kilometres northwest of Alice Springs. I am highly experienced in applying culturally sensitive child protection practice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Communicating with influence, I possess high-level communication and interpersonal skills, including well developed negotiation and conflict management skills, with significant experience working in a team environment to achieve positive health outcomes In my current work at Alice Springs Hospital, I have gained knowledge and experience in working in multi-disciplinary medical team. I gained an understanding of patience needs, with the ability to advocate and negotiate with other colleagues. As a Social Worker, I utilise high-level communication skills to gather information, share information and communicate the needs of patients to achieve the best possible outcomes for them and their family. Previously as a Child Protection Practitioner, I cased manage 12 to 21 year old young people who have been in Australia for less than two years. I was tasked to case manage and provide a community response to youth in Auburn LGA, NSW and proceeded to connect them to community services to meet their needs in the areas of welfare and wellbeing needs. Positive outcomes were achieved as I supported displaced clients to navigate local, state and federal government services to meet their specific needs.
Committed to driving improvement, I am adept in initiating, implementing and completing continuous quality improvement and service development activities. In my previous work as a Team Leader for the Wayside Chapel, I delivered and oversaw programs to improve quality of life, remove barriers and reduce isolation. I was tasked to ensure that services we provided were within budget, balancing the need to ensure sufficient staffing levels without overspending in terms of materials or human resources. In addition to managing our onsite café, showers and caseworkers, I ensured that there were around four different activities underway during each shift to engage our clients. I utilised community resources such as counselling and community welfare students and our volunteer list, whilst balancing the needs of the clients with available resources. Whilst working in TFHC, I have managed to implement a streamline referral pathway from different services, undertaking regular discussions with children and families during the Child Safety Meeting that requires TFHC attention. As a result we achieved lower child protection notifications. I provided effective leadership as a P3 for 3 weeks, mentoring and directing others in a team environment. In my previous work as a Representative of Territory Families, Housing and Communities (TFHC) in the community, I provided leadership and enhanced working relationships with other services. We discussed how could we support families with open cases with TFHC and delegated task to appropriate services, then implemented a streamline referral system in the community by utilising child safety meeting. At Wayside Chapel, I successfully managed around fifteen staff and volunteers, overseeing the entire service afterhours.
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