Racheal Donlan
Woody Point,QLD
Summary
Invested Social Worker dedicated to forming trusting relationships and advocating for the best interests of clients. Expertise in Early intervention, Reunification and Foster Care and Child Protection. Respectful and compassionate professional offering a 17-year background serving the community by guiding clients in need. Dedicated and well-versed in liaising with clients to foster access to community resources, treatment and assistance programs. Strong background in supporting client treatment plans. Compassionate and driven with unfailing work ethic and passion for helping others. Organized and dependable candidate successful at managing multiple priorities with a positive attitude. Willingness to take on added responsibilities to meet team goals.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Social Work Student
Child And Youth Mental Health Services
2024.02 - Current
- Enhanced client well-being by conducting comprehensive assessments.
- Improved family functioning by providing supportive counselling and connecting them with community resources.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to create comprehensive treatment plans that addressed clients' physical, emotional, and social needs holistically.
- Supported clients experiencing mental health crises with crisis intervention techniques, averting potential harm or hospitalization.
Family Intervention Service
Anglicare Southern Queensland
2023.08 - Current
- Provide therapeutic assistance to families with social, emotional, and financial difficulties to improve positive well-being by educating and supporting them to work toward goals
- Initial assessments, ongoing support, and referral to relevant service providers
- Educated parents on effective parenting strategies, leading to improved parent-child relationships and reduced conflict.
- Reduced instances of child removal from homes by providing stability-focused interventions for at-risk families.
- Provided crisis intervention services to de-escalate tense situations within families and prevent further harm or conflict.
- Providing information and assistance to families to receive the best support to suit their individual needs
- Engage clients in a range of therapeutic, trauma recovery, parenting programs, intervention tools, and community resources.
- Maintained detailed case notes and documentation, contributing to accurate reporting of program outcomes and efficacy measures.
- Designed creative therapeutic activities that encouraged self-expression for both children and adults within the family unit.
- Promoted self-sufficiency in families by teaching problem-solving skills and empowering them to address future challenges with confidence.
- Monitored progress of families through regular check-ins and evaluations, adjusting intervention plans accordingly for optimal results.
- Coordinated with community organizations to connect families with additional support services and resources as needed.
- Built solid and trusting rapport with children and families, fostering trust and communication to meet case needs.
- Conducted outreach to families and other community partners to identify ways to address social, emotional and behavioural needs.
Lead Practitioner
Flourish Community Solutions
2022.12 - 2023.08
- Providing case management to families and children, liaising and being the key connection for the Department of Child Safety, Stakeholders, and service users
- Professional ethical practice and sound decision-making, risk and incident reporting, progressive case coordination, and direction in all interactions within the case management principles
- Engage clients in a range of therapeutic, trauma recovery, parenting programs, intervention tools, and community resources
- Provide supervisory guidance and providing a level of mentoring support to contractors when required.
- Established strong relationships with key stakeholders through effective communication and collaboration efforts.
Specialist Placement Case Worker
UnitingCare Queensland
2020.10 - 2022.12
- Providing case management to children in the Intensive Foster Care Program
- Supported clients and families with empathy and compassion during difficult times.
- De-escalated stressful situations through individual and family crisis interventions.
- Maintained accurate case documentation, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and facilitating informed decision-making by team members.
- Advocated for clients' rights, navigating complex systems to secure necessary resources and benefits.
- Implemented evidence-based therapeutic interventions for clients struggling with mental health challenges or behavioural concerns.
- Completed regular visitations to check on children, families and home environments.
- Advocated for foster children by facilitating access to community resources and services to maximize safety and well-being of child.
- Provided in-home training and support to foster parents during weekly meetings to help mitigate problems arising from child behaviour.
Foster Care Coordinator
Catholiccare Social Services
2017.01 - 2020.10
- Resolved conflicts swiftly among team members through effective mediation techniques, fostering an amicable working environment conducive to collaboration.
- Improved team productivity with regular communication and progress updates, fostering a collaborative work environment.
- Accomplished multiple tasks within established timeframes.
- Onboarded new employees with training and new hire documentation.
- Established team priorities, maintained schedules and monitored performance.
- Provided crisis intervention support to struggling families, working closely with mental health professionals when necessary.
- Increased awareness about the importance of permanency planning by organizing workshops and informational sessions on adoption processes within the community.
- Collaborated with other agencies to provide a wide range of services for foster families and their children.
- Enhanced the well-being of foster children by providing ongoing support, resources, and guidance to foster families.
- Contributed to a positive work environment by actively participating in staff meetings, sharing ideas, and offering constructive feedback on program initiatives.
- Monitored the progress of children in placements, adjusting care plans as needed for optimal outcomes.
- Advocated for the best interests of each child during court proceedings and family meetings.
- Streamlined the case management process for better efficiency and communication among team members.
- Advocated for foster children by facilitating access to community resources and services to maximize safety and well-being of child.
- Completed regular visitations to check on children, families and home environments.
- Completed comprehensive assessments of families to identify needs and develop treatment plans.
- Built solid and trusting rapport with children and families, fostering trust and communication to meet case needs.
- Documented data and completed accurate updates to case records.
Out of Home Care Case Manager
Catholiccare Social Services
2014.01 - 2017.01
- Conducted thorough assessments of both physical and psychosocial factors impacting a child's well-being.
- Provided in-home training and support to foster parents during weekly meetings to help mitigate problems arising from child behaviour.
- Safeguarded children''s rights by advocating for their best interests in court hearings and collaborating closely with legal representatives.
- Enhanced family stability by conducting comprehensive assessments and developing individualized service plans.
- Promoted cultural competence within the agency through diversity training programs and inclusive practices in case management.
- Supported continuous improvement efforts by participating in quality assurance initiatives and offering insights on areas for growth in case management services.
- Increased placement success rates by matching children with suitable foster families based on their needs and preferences.
- Enhanced community partnerships by building relationships with local schools, mental health providers, and other supportive services for children in foster care.
- Contributed to the development of new policies, procedures, and training materials that improved overall case management practices within the agency.
- Monitored foster home compliance with state regulations and conducted regular home visits to ensure safe environments for children placed in care.
- Strengthened child-parent relationships through facilitating supervised visitations and providing support during reunification processes.
- Facilitated successful transitions to independent living for older youth aging out of foster care through life skills training and resource coordination.
- Participated in community events to promote services and engage with public.
- Completed regular visitations to check on children, families and home environments.
- Advocated for foster children by facilitating access to community resources and services to maximize safety and well-being of child.
Family Preservation Case Worker
Catholiccare Social Services
2012.01 - 2014.01
- Conducted comprehensive assessments to identify children's strengths and needs, informing the creation of targeted intervention plans.
- Conducted regular progress monitoring to identify areas of improvement in each child''s development, leading to timely adjustments in intervention strategies.
- Promoted family engagement in the early intervention process by providing resources, education, and guidance on supporting their child''s development at home.
- Supported families in navigating complex systems of care by offering information on available resources and facilitating connections with appropriate providers.
- Conducted child assessments during intervention visits.
- Liaised with other support providers and attended training and case coordination meetings.
- Established strong relationships with families, fostering trust and open communication for effective collaboration.
- Coordinated care among multidisciplinary teams comprising therapists, educators, and medical professionals to ensure comprehensive support for each child.
Mental Health Case Manager
Catholiccare Social Services
2009.01 - 2012.01
- Enhanced collaboration with interdisciplinary teams for better service delivery and client support.
- Collaborated with community organizations to enhance available mental health resources for clients in need.
- Implemented evidence-based practices to improve overall effectiveness of mental health services provided to clients.
- Conducted home visits when necessary, assessing living environments for safety concerns or potential triggers that could impact a client''s mental wellbeing negatively.
- Supervised In-Home Support Counselor on clinical issues, casework issues and written reports for each case.
- Managed caseloads effectively, prioritizing urgent cases and ensuring timely followups.
- Maintained accurate case records, ensuring confidentiality and compliance with relevant regulations.
- Improved client outcomes by conducting comprehensive assessments and developing tailored treatment plans.
- Monitored client progress through regular evaluations, adjusting treatment plans as needed for optimal results.
- Worked collaboratively with other mental health professionals to provide consistent care and minimize diversion.
- Supervised busy caseload, managing clients, balancing workload and prioritizing client needs.
- Developed goal-oriented psychoeducational and activity therapy groups to improve clients' level of functioning.
Family Support Worker
Campbelltown Family Support Services
2007.01 - 2009.01
- Facilitated family meetings to ensure communication and collaboration between family members.
- Intervened in crisis situations and counseled children experiencing emergencies and disruptive incidents.
- Conducted outreach to families and other community partners to identify ways to address social, emotional and behavioral needs.
- Developed and implemented programs to support children's mental health and well-being.
- Monitored the progress of families under my supervision, adjusting interventions as needed to achieve desired outcomes.
- Completed comprehensive assessments of families to identify needs and develop treatment plans.
- Community involvement and support with attending appointments.
- Enhanced family stability by providing comprehensive support and resources tailored to individual needs.
- Connected families with community resources such as housing assistance, financial aid programs, and educational opportunities.
- Strengthened families'' resilience through crisis intervention, counselling, and referral services.
- Implemented evidence-based interventions designed to reduce risk factors associated with child abuse or neglect.
- Led support groups for parents experiencing stress related issues or dealing with mental health concerns.
- Provided ongoing guidance to at-risk youth, helping them develop essential life skills and coping strategies.
- Promoted healthy communication within families by mediating conflicts and facilitating open discussions.
- Promoted community integration by providing extensive physical, emotional and social support.
- Facilitated successful reunification of families by diligently working towards resolution of underlying challenges.
- Assisted families in navigating the social services system, including applying for benefits, accessing resources and connecting with other family support services.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to ensure the provision of holistic care for families in need.
- Assisted families in navigating complex social service systems, advocating for their rights and accessing essential services.
Education
Master of Arts - Social Work
Charles Sturt University
Wagga Wagga, NSW06.2024
Bachelor of Arts - Social Sciences
Charles Sturt University
Wagga Wagga, NSW10.2016
Skills
- Professional boundaries
- Self-awareness
- Motivational Interviewing
- Professional ethics
- Case records management
- Crisis Intervention
- Empathy Development
- Crisis Response
- Trauma Informed Care Framework
- Family reunification specialist
- Structured Decision Making (SDM) tools knowledge
- Case Management
Certification
- Schema Therapy training, ongoing
- Aspires Suicide Prevention training
- Facilitator training, Crossroads Domestic Violence.
- Parenting Program Facilitator, Bringing Up Great Kids
- Carer Assessment Writing Training
- CARE Training, Uniting Care
- Three Pillars, Uniting Care
- Therapeutic crisis intervention, Uniting Care
- Child Protection Training
- Structured Decision Making tool, Restoration, CatholicCare
- Being Here: Mindful Approaches in the Work with Children and Young People who have been abused.
- Understanding Autism and ADHD
- Outside the Counselling Room: Supporting Children and Youth to stop problem sexual behaviour.
- Legal issues for NGO providers in OOHC: Regional Partners
- Neurobiology of Childhood Trauma
- Loss and Grief Work with Adults
- Leadership Training, Becoming a Leader.
- Working with Paranoia and unusual beliefs. Understanding and working with voices.
- Working with Women with dissociative identity disorder
- Managing aggressive and violent behaviour
- Dealing with Challenging behaviours, Dual Disability: Mental illness and Intellectual Disability, Mental health first aid Training
- Community Welfare Diploma
- Certificate 4 Community Welfare Services
Additional Information
References:
Brianna Park- Student Placement Supervisor
0439 779 946
Mark Cotterill- Anglicare, Family Intervention Services Coordinator
0494 039 351
Timeline
Social Work Student
Child And Youth Mental Health Services
2024.02 - Current
Family Intervention Service
Anglicare Southern Queensland
2023.08 - Current
Lead Practitioner
Flourish Community Solutions
2022.12 - 2023.08
Specialist Placement Case Worker
UnitingCare Queensland
2020.10 - 2022.12
Foster Care Coordinator
Catholiccare Social Services
2017.01 - 2020.10
Out of Home Care Case Manager
Catholiccare Social Services
2014.01 - 2017.01
Family Preservation Case Worker
Catholiccare Social Services
2012.01 - 2014.01
Mental Health Case Manager
Catholiccare Social Services
2009.01 - 2012.01
Family Support Worker
Campbelltown Family Support Services
2007.01 - 2009.01
Master of Arts - Social Work
Charles Sturt University
Bachelor of Arts - Social Sciences
Charles Sturt University
- Schema Therapy training, ongoing
- Aspires Suicide Prevention training
- Facilitator training, Crossroads Domestic Violence.
- Parenting Program Facilitator, Bringing Up Great Kids
- Carer Assessment Writing Training
- CARE Training, Uniting Care
- Three Pillars, Uniting Care
- Therapeutic crisis intervention, Uniting Care
- Child Protection Training
- Structured Decision Making tool, Restoration, CatholicCare
- Being Here: Mindful Approaches in the Work with Children and Young People who have been abused.
- Understanding Autism and ADHD
- Outside the Counselling Room: Supporting Children and Youth to stop problem sexual behaviour.
- Legal issues for NGO providers in OOHC: Regional Partners
- Neurobiology of Childhood Trauma
- Loss and Grief Work with Adults
- Leadership Training, Becoming a Leader.
- Working with Paranoia and unusual beliefs. Understanding and working with voices.
- Working with Women with dissociative identity disorder
- Managing aggressive and violent behaviour
- Dealing with Challenging behaviours, Dual Disability: Mental illness and Intellectual Disability, Mental health first aid Training
- Community Welfare Diploma
- Certificate 4 Community Welfare Services
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