Samantha - Jane Edwards

• Provided comprehensive assistance customized for individual needs.
• Empowered families through connections to financial aid programs, educational opportunities, and housing resources.
• Delivered referral services to support families in need.
• Developed strong rapport with clients, fostering trust necessary for effective intervention.
• Assisted families in navigating complex social service systems, advocating for their rights and accessing essential services.
• Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to ensure the provision of holistic care for families in need.
• Maintained accurate case documentation, ensuring timely reporting to supervisors and compliance with agency requirements.
• Implemented evidence-based interventions designed to reduce risk factors associated with child abuse or neglect.
• Reported child abuse in accordance with legal standards of mandatory reporters.
• Conducted thorough assessments of family dynamics and needs, developing detailed case plans to address challenges effectively.
• Contributed significantly towards client success stories by implementing customized support plans based on individual strengths.
• Empowered parents to create nurturing home environments by sharing best practices in positive discipline techniques.
• Monitored progress of families under my supervision, adjusting interventions as needed to achieve desired outcomes.
• Visited home environments to help clients develop comprehensive life, technical, and job skills.
• Coordinated services for children with special needs by collaborating closely with healthcare providers and school personnel.
• Conducted outreach to families and other community partners to identify ways to address social, emotional and behavioural needs.
• Assisted families in navigating the social services system, including applying for benefits, accessing resources and connecting with other family support services.
• Built solid and trusting rapport with children and families, fostering trust and communication to meet case needs.

Professional Summary: Working with Perpetrators and Supporting Victim-Survivors of Family Violence

I am an experienced professional in the field of family violence intervention, with a strong commitment to both supporting victim-survivors and working with perpetrators to address and reduce harmful behaviours. My approach is rooted in trauma-informed, strengths-based practices, with a focus on safety, empowerment, and accountability. I possess comprehensive knowledge of the dynamics of family violence, including its psychological, emotional, physical, and social impacts, and I am adept at navigating the complexities of supporting individuals and families in crisis.

Supporting Victim-Survivors
In my work with victim-survivors of family violence, I provide emotional support, advocacy, and practical assistance to empower individuals to regain control over their lives. This includes:

- Safety planning and risk assessment: Ensuring that victim-survivors understand their rights and options, creating individualized safety plans, and connecting them with emergency housing, legal, and financial support.
- Crisis intervention: Responding to immediate safety concerns while providing emotional validation and assistance in navigating complex systems such as law enforcement, courts, child protection, and health services.
- Therapeutic support: Offering or facilitating access to trauma-informed counselling to help survivors process their experiences and begin the healing journey.
- Empowerment and advocacy: Assisting individuals in rebuilding self-esteem and resilience, advocating for their rights, and facilitating access to long-term services, including legal aid, housing, and social services.
- Cultural competence: Understanding the unique needs of diverse communities, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, CALD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse), and LGBTIQ+ individuals, and tailoring services to be inclusive and culturally safe.

Working with Perpetrators
In working with perpetrators of family violence, I take a restorative justice and behavioural change approach, focused on promoting accountability, increasing awareness of harmful behaviors, and facilitating long-term change. My work includes:

- Risk and needs assessment: Conducting assessments to understand the underlying factors contributing to abusive behaviour, including power imbalances, control tactics, and potential trauma history.
- Behavioural change programs: Referring perpetrators to behaviour change programs that focus on building empathy understanding the impact of violence, and developing non-violent conflict resolution skills.
- Motivational interviewing: Engaging perpetrators in dialogue that promotes self-reflection, accountability, and a willingness to take responsibility for their actions.
- Interdisciplinary collaboration: Working closely with legal, health, social, and community services to ensure perpetrators receive appropriate interventions and support while also ensuring the safety of their victims.
- Adherence to legal frameworks: Understanding and adhering to domestic violence laws and policies, including reporting obligations, intervention orders, and coordination with law enforcement to ensure compliance and accountability.

Key Skills and Expertise:
- Trauma-informed practice: Utilizing a deep understanding of trauma to guide interventions and ensure that both survivors and perpetrators are treated with dignity and respect.
- Crisis management: Skilled in managing high-stress situations, de-escalating potential violence, and providing immediate safety support.
- Advocacy and case management: Advocating for survivors within legal, community, and social services settings and coordinating comprehensive case management plans.
- Cultural sensitivity: Respecting and integrating cultural norms and practices in support strategies, ensuring services are accessible and non-judgmental for people from diverse backgrounds.
- Interdisciplinary collaboration: Effective collaboration with law enforcement, legal professionals, social services, and healthcare providers to create a holistic support network for both victims and perpetrators.

Personal Philosophy:
I am deeply committed to creating safer communities by breaking the cycle of family violence through prevention, intervention, and education. I believe in the importance of supporting victim-survivors as they reclaim autonomy and rebuild their lives while also working with perpetrators to interrupt patterns of abuse and create lasting change. By providing both support and accountability, I strive to contribute to an environment where all individuals can live free from violence and fear.

-Maintained high level of confidentiality in all client cases, following polices and procedures

-Actively engage children, youth and families to the program via home visits, telephone contact, care team meetings and professionals meetings.

-Conduct child, youth and family need and risk assessments using the Best Interests Case Practice Model on a regular basis. -Work in a strengths-based, child-centred, family-focused way where the wellbeing and safety of children and young people remains paramount.

-Support families in creating a Child and Family Action Plan that aims to improve outcomes for children, youth and families. Conduct regular reviews of Child and Family Action Plans and assessments, and celebrate positive change with families.

-Provide case management and case work to families to achieve goals identified in the Child and Family Action Plan.

-Support families in their understanding of child development and enable them to develop positive parenting skills.

- Provide support to parents struggling with individual issues that impact on their parenting such as mental health, drug and alcohol issues, family violence, disability, unstable housing and poverty.

- Assist families to improve their relationship, communication and problem solving skills.

- Advocate for the needs of children, youth and families in promoting access to services and resources.

- Develop collaborative working relationships with government and community agencies to best meet the needs of clients. -Consult with Child Protection and actively participate in managing risk to children and young people.

-Consult with the Aboriginal Liaison Worker for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families regarding cultural connection and identity.

-Fulfil the program requirements regarding case records, statistics and other data collection.

-Participate in meetings, training and forums relating to professional and program development.

-Make an active commitment to the development and maintenance of a cohesive, multi-disciplinary team and participate in staff meetings, team meetings and staff development.

-Participate in reflective supervision and annual performance reviews.