Careers
Working or volunteering for Very Special Kids offers a unique, rewarding and fulfilling opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of children, young people and families facing childhood life-limiting illness. Our circa 100 employees and more than 600 volunteers provide essential, free-of-charge paediatric palliative care services across Victoria.
Culture at Very Special Kids
At Very Special Kids, we cultivate a nurturing and inclusive culture that prioritises the empowerment, support, and safety of our team members as they care for children and families.
We value teamwork, collaboration, and personal growth, creating a positive atmosphere that encourages professional development and wellbeing.
Our goal is for our workforce to reflect the diverse community we serve. We continually seek to employ people of any gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, with a disability, Aboriginal Australians and varied cultural backgrounds.
Why work at Very Special Kids
Learning and development – we are committed to providing programs and opportunities to develop and maintain a highly skilled workforce, including formal and on the job training, and professional development allowance.
Benefits – employees can access discounted health insurance, wellbeing support, an immunisation program, a very special discounts program and free onsite parking.
Careers – we offer generous study leave and study assistance to all employees, a learning and development allowance and annual performance reviews.
Compensation – as a not-for-profit organisation, all employees are entitled to salary packaging benefits including novated car leasing and generous leave entitlements. Service delivery staff receive added value through their enterprise agreement.
Meet some team members
Meg - family support team leader
Meg has been with Very Special Kids since 2013 and worked with us in the early 2000s. Meg is the Team Leader of our highly professional Family Support Team.
Meg has a Bachelor of Science Health from the University of Texas, San Antonio, a Bachelor of Social Work, and a Master of Social Work, both from the University of Melbourne. She is also undertaking a PhD at the University of Melbourne, researching the lived experiences of bereaved siblings aged 5years to 12years. Her specific areas of practice include grief and bereavement counselling and support, psychosocial support, advocacy, play-based counselling with children, children’s rights, community education and program development.
Meg facilitates the Very Special Kids Children’s Advisory Group, where members are responsible for sharing ideas, views, insights, reflections and providing input into the way Very Special Kids supports children within the organisation.
Meg is EPEC paediatrics trained and is a member of the International Work Group of Death, Dying and Bereavement.
Cat - donor relations lead
Cat joined Very Special Kids in May 2021 after many years working with children’s charities.
The former primary school teacher is now part of the team who raise the valuable funds that keeps Very Special Kids open and free to families. “Knowing that every dollar I am able to raise goes towards the crucial programs and services helping the very special children and families in our care, keeps me motivated.”
And on working with Very Special Kids, Cat says: “I feel grateful every single day to work for Very Special Kids – what a very special bunch of people! You’d be hard pressed to find a more rewarding and heart-warming organisation to work for. All our colleagues live and breathe the ethos, and as a result I get to work with such kind, caring and genuine people every day.”
Belinda - physiotherapist
Belinda joined the team in 2017, in a newly created physiotherapy role at our children’s hospice, Very Special Kids House.
Belinda has relished the opportunity to develop the therapeutic offering in the hospice, helping children to do the things that really matter to them and their families. “There are so many more experiences for children and young people in the new hospice. In particular the hydrotherapy pool has become a popular facility where they can have fun, relax, exercise and play”.
Belinda says “While there are moments of sadness, there are also many magical moments of joy and making the most of every day. Very Special Kids is without a doubt my favourite place to work and I am certain I have the best job in the hospice!”
Current vacancies
Family support practitioners – Bacchus Marsh
Permanent part time – three days per week
We currently have multiple roles available for experienced practitioners to join our inclusive team of professional staff, based throughout Victoria, responsible for the delivery of psychosocial support to families. With backgrounds in social work, psychology, family therapy and counselling, the team provides a range of child and family-centred programs including counselling, sibling support, trained volunteers, group work activities and bereavement support.
The roles will encompass support for families residing in Geelong, Ballarat and Baccus Marsh region as well as support for families throughout other parts of inner and outer metro Melbourne. Some services are delivered in person, and others over the phone or through telehealth outreach. Youwill be primarily based at an office within the region to be sourced with required travel to our central office in Malvern for onboarding/orientation and collaborative opportunities connecting you to the broader organisation. Option to negotiate flexible working arrangements.
The successful applicants will have:
– Tertiary qualifications in social work or psychology.
– Direct experience working with children and families in grief and bereavement.
– Experience working in paediatric palliative care will be well regarded.
– Demonstrated ability to provide trauma informed therapeutic intervention.
– Knowledge of current loss, grief and bereavement theory and practice.
– Demonstrated ability to undertake psychosocial assessment.
– Excellent interpersonal, written communication and problem solving skills.
– Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to working within the Victorian Child Safe Standards.
– A commitment to inclusive practice.
– Demonstrated capacity and experience working collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
– Current driver’s licence, good driving record and willingness to use own vehicle for work related travel.
Click here for position description.
Applications are open until Friday 18 April. Please include a cover letter, addressing the key selection criteria and an updated copy of your resume and send to jobs@vsk.org.au. We will review applications as they are received.
Family support practitioner – Hume
Permanent part time – three days per week
We currently have a role available for an experienced practitioner to join our inclusive team of professional staff, based throughout Victoria, responsible for the delivery of psychosocial support to families. With backgrounds in social work, psychology, family therapy and counselling, the team provides a range of child and family-centred programs including counselling, sibling support, trained volunteers, group work activities and bereavement support.
The role will encompass support for families residing in the Hume region as well as support for families throughout other parts of inner and outer metro Melbourne. Some services are delivered in person, and others over the phone or through telehealth outreach. The role will be primarily based at an office within the region to be sourced with required travel to our central office in Malvern for onboarding/orientation and collaborative opportunities connecting you to the broader Organisation. Option to negotiate flexible working arrangements.
The successful applicant will have:
– Tertiary qualifications in social work or psychology.
– Direct experience working with children and families in grief and bereavement.
– Experience working in paediatric palliative care will be well regarded.
– Demonstrated ability to provide trauma informed therapeutic intervention.
– Knowledge of current loss, grief and bereavement theory and practice.
– Demonstrated ability to undertake psychosocial assessment.
– Excellent interpersonal, written communication and problem solving skills.
– Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to working within the Victorian Child Safe Standards.
– A commitment to inclusive practice.
– Demonstrated capacity and experience working collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
– Current driver’s licence, good driving record and willingness to use own vehicle for work related travel.
Click here for position description.
Applications are open until Friday 18 April. Please include a cover letter, addressing the key selection criteria and an updated copy of your resume via jobs@vsk.org.au. We will review applications as they are received.
Quality officer
Permanent part time – three days per week
We have an opportunity for a Quality Officer to join the Clinical Services team for three days per week at Very Special Kids House in Malvern.
The role will support the management of clinical risk by monitoring and initiating improvements across the organisation. You will support organisational policy development, promote excellence in paediatric palliative care and ensure the organisation maintains NSQHS accreditation and ensuring regular audit activities are occurring.
To be successful you will ideally be APHRA registered, or degree qualified in health with a post graduate qualification in quality or risk management. You will have prior experience in similar role ideally in the community or a healthcare setting. Demonstrated experience and knowledge of quality management systems and with accreditation and quality improvement activities. You will have proven ability to work collaboratively and build strong relationships with multiple stakeholders within the organisation.
Click here for position description.
When applying, please include a cover letter, addressing the key selection criteria and an updated copy of your resume via jobs@vsk.org.au. We will review applications as they are received.
