The Supervisor role within the Kinship Care Program at St Marys offers a rewarding leadership opportunity where your expertise directly supports kinship carers, families and communities. You will lead a skilled team, shape practice standards and influence positive outcomes for children in care. This is a role where professional judgement, collaboration and strong values come together to deliver meaningful impact and strengthen kinship care services across South Australia.

Make Your Qualification Go Further

Same degree, more reward. At DCP, social workers receive the highest pay in the SA Government, supported by an exclusive 4% allowance permanently secured in the Enterprise Agreement. Combined with strong professional development support, clear pathways for advancement and the opportunity to make a lasting impact in child protection, your qualification goes further here than anywhere else.

Why Work with DCP

At the Department for Child Protection, you will build a career where your skills are valued, your impact is meaningful and your work helps keep children, young people and families safe, strong and connected across South Australia.

Why you’ll love it here, DCP benefits that matter

We know a great career is about more than the work you do. It is also about feeling supported, valued, and able to thrive. At DCP, you will enjoy:

• A collaborative team environment, working alongside people committed to best practice and meaningful impact
• Flexible work options, tailored arrangements to help you balance work and life
• Recognition and growth, celebrating achievements and supporting development opportunities across DCP
• Generous leave, including leave loading to help you rest and recharge
• Paid parental and partner leave, providing additional paid time to support you and your family
• Health and fitness perks, including discounted Fitness Passport memberships and free flu vaccinations
• Wellbeing support, confidential Employee Assistance Program services for you and your family

Essential Qualification

• AHP (Allied Health Professional) positions are designed for applicants who hold a Social Work qualification and are eligible for full membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).

AHP Position

Income & Benefits

• AHP3: $108,347 to $116,216 per annum plus 12% superannuation
• Exclusive Allowance: Extra 4% for child protection social workers, permanently enshrined in the Enterprise Agreement, making DCP the highest paying government employer in SA
• Professional Development: A $1,000 annual professional development allowance, plus reimbursement of approved professional development expenses up to $1,500
• Additional Qualifications Allowance
• Support: free counselling and wellbeing services for you and your family.
• Recognition: annual DCP Recognition Awards celebrating staff excellence.

In this role, you will

• Lead and support a multidisciplinary kinship care team
• Model and promote professional social work practice
• Oversee performance, supervision and staff development
• Build strong partnerships with carers and stakeholders

To be successful

You will be an experienced social work leader with a strong commitment to kinship care and child focused practice. You bring a proven ability to lead teams, manage competing priorities and apply sound professional judgement within a legislative and policy framework.

You will be skilled in supervising staff, supporting professional development and embedding social work methodologies that encourage reflective practice and quality outcomes. Your experience includes managing performance, monitoring compliance and reporting against key indicators to achieve positive results.

You will be collaborative, culturally responsive and values driven, with the ability to build strong relationships with carers, communities and partner agencies. You communicate clearly, act with integrity and contribute to a safe, inclusive and supportive work environment.

If this sounds like you, we encourage you to apply.

Persons of Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, who have the appropriate background and skills but do not have the essential qualification, may apply for and be engaged/assigned to the role of Social Worker and will be entitled to apply for any Allied Health Professional roles requiring a qualification in Social Work within the Department for Child Protection (DCP).

To find out more about this role, including the key selection criteria and special conditions, please read the attached role description.

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Kinship Care is a type of family-based care provided to children and young people under the Guardianship or Custody of the Chief Executive, or another order of authority. Kinship carers may be relatives, extended family members, kin, or individuals who had an existing relationship with the child or young person.

In South Australia, kinship carers are supported by both the DCP Kinship Care Program and the Aboriginal Kinship Care Support Program, which is operated by Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs). These programs provide ongoing support, information, and training to identified kinship carers.

The DCP Kinship Care Program:

• Provides a state-wide program offering targeted support, information, and training to kinship carers based on their needs.
• Includes support to Aboriginal carers and carers of Aboriginal children and young people who wish to be supported by the DCP Kinship Care Program.
• Is delivered through eight teams aligned to North and South locations.