Cultural Safeguarding Specialist

• Full-time, 18-month contract position
• Not-for-profit salary packaging up to $15.9k/year
• Supported by a manager trained in cultural supervision
• Birthday Leave | 10 Days combined Ceremonial & Sorry Business Leave

Key Assets is a leading not-for-profit, children, family and community services agency, founded in Australia in 2007. We provide foster care and family services. Operating across all states, the ACT and Norfolk Island, our purpose is to achieve positive and lasting outcomes for children, families, and communities. To achieve that, we need people like you!

We pride ourselves on being inclusive and embrace and celebrate the diversity of all people within our communities. Our diversity helps us provide the best support possible to carers, families, children and young people and all of our external stakeholders.

At Key Assets Australia we are committed to embedding culturally safe practice across the organisation and ensuring our First Nations voices are central to the way we work.

As the Cultural Safeguarding Specialist, you will provide cultural leadership to ensure that safeguarding frameworks, policy, and practice are culturally safe, responsive and aligned with the rights, perspectives, and aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities.

Reporting to the Safeguarding Partner, you will work closely with jurisdictional leads, Chrysalis (our internal transformation hub) and therapists.

As a member of KAA’s national Cultural Practice Collective, you will join Cultural Practice Leads from across Australia to share knowledge, contribute to organisational initiatives and strengthen practice.

The Collective also provides you with opportunities for connection, collaboration and shared leadership, ensuring First Nations knowledge and perspectives continue to shape our organisation.

Some of the key responsibilities of this role include:

• Providing expert advice to ensure safeguarding frameworks, policies, procedures and practices are culturally safe.
• Ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice, cultural authority and participation are central to safeguarding decision-making, policy development and practice guidance.
• Work with the Safeguarding Partner to support the implementation and embedding of the Key Assets Child Safeguarding Framework and Action Plan, ensuring a consistent national approach.
• Support serious incident investigations and reviews, ensuring alignment between safeguarding, workforce and quality practice perspectives.
• Actively contribute as a member of the Cultural Practice Collective, ensuring cultural priorities, systemic issues and practice insights are elevated to the Director of Practice, Safeguarding & Marketing (DPSM) and relevant governance and operational forums.
• Contribute to continuous improvement by identifying, implementing and embedding quality improvement opportunities, informed by data, research, evaluation and stakeholder feedback.

This is a full-time contract position for 18 months and you can be based at any of our KAA offices, nationally!

You will come with demonstrated experience working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities, including supporting culturally responsive practice. You must also have a strong understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural frameworks, community governance and cultural safety principles.

You will also come with:

• Prior experience providing specialist advice and contributing to practice improvement initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience contributing to the development, implementation and improvement of policy, procedure and practice frameworks within child and family or community services.
• Experience working directly with children, young people, and their families.
• Knowledge of trauma informed, client centred child safeguarding practices.
• Experience in collating, analysing, interpreting and presenting data and the preparation of high-quality reports.
• A high level of consultation, communication and interpersonal skills, with a demonstrated capacity to work collaboratively with others

The below would be advantageous, however is not essential:

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology or related discipline.
• Post graduate qualification in or experience in policy development, quality improvement or practice leadership.

This is an Identified Position and being an Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person is considered a genuine occupational requirement for this role under applicable Commonwealth, State and Territory anti-discrimination legislation.

The health and wellbeing of our people is at the core of our employee and client experience. All employee offerings are intentionally curated with care, allowing you to bring your best self to work, every day. Knowledge sharing, ongoing learning and development, engagement and recognition are key pillars in our culture and values.

• Work-Life Balance: We are well equipped to support a hybrid approach to the future of work and have developed a flexible work framework to support these arrangements. We understand that work-life balance is important and accommodate flexibility for team members wherever possible. Flexible, family-friendly working arrangements and remote work – just ask us!
• Health and Wellbeing: We promote health and wellbeing for our people, just like we would for the children, families and communities we serve. We provide discounted health insurance memberships, confidential counselling services and offer 5 weeks’ of annual leave after 2 years’ continuous service with us!
• Professional Development: We provide both digital eLearning and ongoing face to face training as well as an online library. Your continual professional development is always top of our priority list - you’ll have access to apply to our Annual Learning fund for subsidised professional development opportunities!
• Salary Packaging: part of your wage is paid tax free each pay, saving thousands in tax each year!

• Applications close: 18 August 2026
• For further information, please contact Caroline Dunne, Safeguarding Partner at ***email_hidden***.
• Successful candidates will be required to undergo a National Police Check, and hold (or be willing to obtain) a valid Working with Children Check relevant to the State they are working in.

If you are seeking a role in an excellent, innovative, and supportive team, in a growing organisation, we would love to hear from you. Click Apply today!

Key Assets Australia is committed to Equal Opportunity, ethical practice and the principles of cultural diversity and social inclusion.

Key Assets is a Child Safe organisation, committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people.

While we're reviewing your application, get to know us by visiting our website and on social media at #WeAreKeyAssets.