Behaviour Support Practitioner (Relocation to Australia)

This position is open in South Africa for relocation to Australia

Hours : Monday to Saturday, 08 : 00am - 5 : 00pm AEST - Time zone in Sydney NSW, Australia (GMT+10)

Salary : Australian Award Rates

Scope of the Role :

Our client is seeking a dedicated Behaviour Support Practitioner to join their growing team in the Health and Disability industry. Persons working within this role are responsible for more complex, specialised, or intense support activities, including health and allied health practitioners and other specialists. Behaviour Support Practitioners provide a lead role in the holistic assessment and interventions for participants with challenging behaviours - assessing, designing, and evaluating behaviour support plans in line with their NDIS plan, individual needs, and goals. The Behaviour Support Practitioner must apply the Child Safe Standards (in line with South Africa's Children's Act and Child Protection Policies) in their practices. All practices are participant-focused and promote their choices, rights, and decisions. Due to the variable nature of participants, this role requires the worker to promote participants' voices, choices and report any areas of concern.

Key Responsibilities :

Behaviour Support Practitioners are required to follow all policies and procedures and report to management :

• Feedback from participants (positive, constructive, and complaints)
• Changes in participant circumstances or environment
• Work health and safety issues and concerns
• Need for resources to undertake the role
• If you think that the participant is experiencing discrimination, exploitation, neglect, abuse, or violence
• When unsure of actions that should be undertaken
• Stressed or anxious feelings

Main Duties (General) :

• Always check the participant's support plan before service provision
• Implement personal hygiene and infection control procedures (in line with South African Department of Health guidelines)
• Be alert if you notice the participant is distressed or apathetic (uninterested or listless)
• Record strategies and practices as per the organisation's requirements

Work Practices

Behaviour Support Practitioners must :

• Assess both current and prospective service users using the principles of positive behaviour support as a methodology.
• Use a problem-solving approach to undertake functional assessments to ascertain the function behind the behaviour.
• Assist staff in formulating and implementing intervention strategies that are person-centred and both proactive and reactive. Ensure that these plans of care are regularly evaluated and revised as required, maintaining appropriate records at all times.
• Work proactively as well as working reactively should situations require this.
• Prioritise participant's needs.
• Liaise and work closely with multi professionals as required, and refer on where necessary.
• Work with the relevant others to develop crisis intervention plans where required.
• Work alongside the multidisciplinary teams during times of changes in participants' behaviours to identify potential causes and develop person-centred solutions that are sustainable over time.
• Develop systems and processes alongside the Clinical Advisor for recording, monitoring, and analysing behaviour which can be used to evidence change and demonstrate measurable outcomes for service users.
• Attend Psychiatry outpatients appointments with service users and staff where deemed necessary due to behavioural concerns.
• Participate in reviews for participants on the current caseload where required, and provide clinical reports as requested.
• Ensure the participant's health, safety, and welfare are monitored and maintained whilst ensuring participants have opportunities to take planned risks.
• Empower colleagues and staff by providing coaching, teaching, and personal development opportunities.
• Work alongside the Senior Management Team to develop innovative practices across the services.
• Perform initial evaluations of participants' needs and develop customised plans, including behaviour support plans.
• Educate relevant staff on implementing behaviour support strategies.
• Occupational Health and Safety : Ensure practices align with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA).

Requirements

• NDIS registered Behaviour Therapist or ability to obtain registration against the NDIS Positive Behaviour Support Capability Framework – at least a Core level (Equivalent to the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) framework for Social Services and the relevant professional guidelines provided by the SACSSP).
• Relevant degree in Psychology and full Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) registration (equivalent to Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) registration).
• Experience and/or knowledge of state restricted practice authorisation process.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation, policies, and procedures impacting the delivery of services to people with a disability in South Africa.
• Current Worker Screening (equivalent to a South African Police Clearance).
• Completion of a similar induction module to the NDIS Induction Module (for example, local orientation and training on relevant South African regulations and standards).
• Current membership with the Psychology Board of Australia (highly recommended) (equivalent to the Psychological Society of South Africa (PsySSA)).

Experience and Skills :

• Experience writing assessments and reports to monitor participant progress.
• Experience working with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability, and other complex diagnoses.
• Understanding and practical application of relevant legislative regulations and NDIS Standards and Rules (equivalent to the South African National Health Act and other relevant regulations).
• Ability to train and work with support workers implementing behaviour support strategies.
• Demonstrated Continuing Professional Development (must be aligned with HPCSA CPD requirements in South Africa.)
• Demonstrated ability to manage a caseload efficiently and effectively.
• Experience delivering therapy services to children, young people, and adults.
• Knowledge of continuous quality improvement principles.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to work in a team-oriented and collaborative environment.
• Advanced written and verbal communication skills with an ability to develop a professional rapport with a diverse range of people.
• Ability to empathise with participants.
• Ability to handle crises.
• Excellent problem-solving and conflict management skills.
• Incident response and reporting procedures and protocols to ensure the participant's safety, self, and others (align with South African Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) requirements and Children's Act for safeguarding).
• Techniques and communication skills to take notes and prepare reports that provide objective information free of judgments or assumptions.
• Ability to work independently.
• Infection prevention and control, including personal protective equipment (PPE) and waste handling practices.
• The principles and processes of the NDIS, such as the steps and support required for a participant to access, use, and review their plans, and where to find further information (equivalent to understanding the South African disability support systems and frameworks, such as services provided under SASSA (South African Social Security Agency) and the Department of Social Development).
• Reflective practices and processes.
• Working within current best practice tools, approaches, and expectations about disability and related support.
• Strategies and tools to manage work stress and manage personal wellness.

About the Company :

Our client specialises in disability support services aimed at empowering individuals to sustain their independence within the comfort of their own homes. From the outset, our client has been driven by a single, overarching mission: to cater to the unique needs and aspirations of each of their clients. Accessibility and affordability are at the forefront of their operations. Our client's team takes the time to offer the most effective support tailored to individual circumstances. Quality isn’t something our client compromises on, and provides timely, as-requested services to meet their clients' specific requirements.