Agency Department of Children and Families Work unit NT Wide Services - Adoptions

Job title Senior Adoptions Practitioner Designation Professional 3

Job type Full time Duration Ongoing

Salary $114,199 - $127,898 Location Darwin

Position number 2353 RTF 353473 Closing 20/08/2026

Contact officer Leonie Warburton, Executive Director, NT Wide Services on 08 8995 5045 or [email protected]

About the agency https://families.nt.gov.au

Apply online https://jobs.nt.gov.au/Home/JobDetails?rtfId=353473

APPLICATIONS MUST INCLUDE A ONE-PAGE SUMMARY ABOUT YOU, A DETAILED RESUME AND COPIES OF YOUR TERTIARY

QUALIFICATIONS.

Information for applicants – inclusion and diversity The NTPS values diversity. The NTPS encourages people from all diversity groups to apply for vacancies and accommodates people with disability by making reasonable workplace adjustments. If you require an adjustment for the recruitment process or job, please discuss this with the contact officer. For more information about applying for this position and the merit process, go to the OCPE website

Primary objective

Manage, quality assure and coordinate Adoption Services in accordance with the Adoption of Children Act 1994 including administration of the role of the Northern Territory Central Adoption Authority.

Context statement

This role delivers services as the Northern Territory Central Adoption Authority to adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents through the provision of advice, advocacy, family finding information, and case management for domestic and international adoptions with a focus on safeguarding children’s best interests. It also delivers services in interstate liaison, placements of Central Intake team to support management of surge demand as required.

Key duties and responsibilities

1.



Provide a high level of professional expertise and demonstrated best practice in domestic and international adoptions as per the

legislation, international conventions and bilateral agreements.
- Respond to enquiries, provide information, education, conduct suitability assessments, deliver support and case management to

Northern Territory residents seeking to adopt or who have adopted a child.
- Receive family finding applications, locate and redact records, provide information and deliver counselling to persons eligible to receive adoption information.

1. Prepare, lodge, and monitor intercountry adoption applications and prepare post-placement reports.
2. Participate in national meetings and provide strategic advice, advocacy and feedback on a range of adoptions matters.
3. Submit legal documents to the court, attend planning meetings, and attend court as required.
4. Prepare reports relating to adoptions for internal and national bodies.
5. Review and update training, policies, procedures and processes to facilitate contemporary practice.
6. Deliver professional services in placements, interstate liaison or central intake team to meet surge demand as required.

Selection criteria Essential

1. A degree of an Australian tertiary institution, which gives eligibility for membership of the Australian Community Workers Association,

the Australian Association of Social Workers, or the Australian Psychological Society, or equivalent OR Diploma of Child,



Youth and Family Intervention AND Vocational Graduate Certificate in Community Services Practice (Statutory Child Protection) OR Graduate

Certificate in Secure Communities (Child Protection).

1. Significant working knowledge and understanding of approaches to the assessment of family, interpersonal and community dynamics

to prepare succinct reports of a persons’ suitability to adopt a child in accordance with local and international eligibility criteria.
1. Highly developed ability to apply legislation, policy and practice frameworks in the provision of casework, assessment and counselling

services.
1. Demonstrated high-level of communication and interpersonal skills to effectively work and liaise with people from diverse cultural

backgrounds.
1. Highly developed administrative skills with strong attention to detail, information privacy, exceptional organisation skills, with the

ability to work flexibly to prioritise and coordinate a high workload to achieve quality client outcomes.
1. Well-developed knowledge of presentation skills and experience in the delivery of training.
2. Highly developed decision making and time management skills and ability to work independently with minimal supervision to meet

deadlines.
- Demonstrated ability to liaise with internal and external stakeholders, provide advice and negotiate complex issues to reach agreeable outcomes to achieve outputs and outcomes.
- Current NT driver’s licence or the ability to obtain and ability to travel intrastate and interstate as required.

Desirable

1. Demonstrated experience in delivery of services relevant to adoptions.

Further information The selected applicant will be required to hold a current Working with Children Clearance notice and undergo a criminal history check (a criminal history will not exclude an applicant from this position unless it is a relevant criminal history).

📌 Senior Adoptions Practitioner (Darwin)
🏢 NT Government - Department of Children and Families
📍 Darwin