Women, Youth, and Children Community Health Programs provide essential, community-based primary health care services for women, children, and families. The Maternal, Child, and Family Health (MACH) team, delivers universal and targeted support, including an intake and triage service, and initial home visits for families after discharge from ACT and surrounding NSW maternity services. Our universal services offer nine key child health contact points from birth to five years of age, ensuring a comprehensive approach to promote infant growth and development, breastfeeding, early identification of child health concerns, and support for parenting wellbeing.

Nurses and midwives in MACH play a pivotal role in the lives of families, guided by the National Framework for Universal Child & Family Health Services and the seven standards in the National Standards of Practice for Maternal, Child, and Family Health Nurses in Australia (2017). MACH is at the forefront of early intervention, offering critical support that promotes healthy development, strengthens family dynamics, and enhances overall well-being.

Working within a Family Partnership Model, MACH collaborates with a multidisciplinary team to provide holistic, family-centered care. Supporting families, parents, and carers to build skills and confidence in their parenting role is a core element of the ACT Children and Young People Plan 2015-2025. MACH service extends beyond individual families to benefit the wider community through, health promotion, breastfeeding advocacy, child safety education, immunisation and emotional wellbeing support for parents, influencing a healthier community and brighter futures.

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following.

Under limited direction of the Clinical Nurse/Midwife Manager you will perform your role collaboratively across the ACT.

You will:

1. Provide high quality direct clinical care to clients in the child and family health context in accordance with primary health care principles and practices, while incorporating the role, vision and values of Canberra Health Services.
2. Effectively communicate with children and their families to accurately assess health needs to plan, implement and evaluate interventions in accordance with existing practice standards, health promotion and illness/injury prevention strategies.
3. Assume responsibility for professional self-development in accordance with AHPRA requirements and demonstrate commitment to life-long learning. Actively participate in professional activities and forums related to clinical nursing practice and decision making, health promotion, quality improvement, education and the development of maternal and child health policy.
4. Ensure a sound evidence base for clinical practice through appraisal and utilisation of contemporary research findings.
5. Demonstrate a commitment to, and an understanding of the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards and ensuring a positive patient experience. Practice in accordance with the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council’s Code of Professional Conduct, Code of Ethics for Nurses in Australia and relevant, validated professional practice competencies.
6. Demonstrate leadership and autonomy, foster collegial relationships and role model professional behaviours within the WYCCHP and across CHS, as well as demonstrating a commitment to proactively seeking solutions when issues arise.
7. Actively contribute to education, support, clinical supervision and preceptorship of new staff and students in the maternal and child health care context.
8. Undertake other duties appropriate to this level of classification which contribute to the operation of the organisation.

Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to the following.

To be successful in this position, it is expected that the successful candidate will have the following attributes:

• Strong organisational skills with a high degree of drive and able to contribute positively to team culture.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrates kindness to colleagues and clients.
• Adaptability and flexibility to accommodate change and provide responsive services to meet clients’ needs.

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following.

Essential

• Be registered or be eligible for registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
• Hold the relevant post graduate qualifications in Child and Family Health, with one to two years’ experience working professionally in a maternal child and family health settings.
• Hold a current Australian driver’s license.

Desirable

• Additional tertiary qualifications, including midwifery, paediatrics and education.
• Family Partnership Model and/or Circle of Security Training.
• International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant.
• Have an understanding of how the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) indicators align with this role.

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following.

Essential

• Minimum of four years’ fulltime experience working professionally in nursing/midwifery - full time equivalent.

AND

• Minimum of one (1) to two (2) years working in maternal child and family health specialty organisation/service.

Desirable

• Prior experience in midwifery, paediatrics and education
• Experience in advanced lactation and breastfeeding
• Experience or knowledge of the CHS Exceptional Care Framework, Clinical Governance Framework, Partnering With Consumers Framework and all other related frameworks.

Appointment to this position is conditional on being granted and retaining appropriate clearances.

• Undergo a pre-employment National Police Check.
• Comply with Canberra Health Services Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination policy.
• Provide the names of two referees, including a current manager.

All employees are required to:

• adhere to the Canberra Health Services Values and the ACT Public Service Code of Conduct
• act in accordance and comply with all relevant Safety and Quality policies and procedures.
• Comply with all relevant clinical and/or competency standards.

CHS is leading the drive to digitally transform health service delivery in Australia through the implementation of a territory wide Digital Health Record. Computer literacy skills are required which are relevant to this role as you will be responsible for completing required documentation and becoming a proficient user of the Digital Health Record and/or other Information Technology systems; once proficient, you will need to remain current with changes, updates, and contingencies.

These are the key selection criteria for how you will be assessed in conjunction with your resumé and experience.

1. Demonstrated knowledge, experience and competence at an advanced level of practice within the speciality of Child and Family Health, in primary health care using Family Partnership skills to achieve positive health outcomes for clients.
2. Proven ability to communicate effectively to foster a positive workplace culture and demonstratedability of using a collaborative and solution-focused approach in a multidisciplinary setting to deliver optimal health outcomes.
3. Demonstrated commitment to delivering evidence-based clinical care by providing examples of conducting quality improvement initiatives, utilising evidence informed practice, that enhance professional practice, improve health outcomes, and contribute to the development of policies and audit processes.
4. Demonstrated competence in utilising health information technology, including electronic health records, to enhance service delivery. contributing to informed decision-making within the healthcare system.
5. Demonstrates understanding of, and adherence to, safety and quality standards, work, health and safety (WH&S) and the positive patient experience. Displays behaviour consistent with CHS’s values of reliable, progressive, respectful and kind.

The following work environment description outlines the inherent requirements of the role and indicates how frequently each of these requirements would need to be performed. Please note that the ACT Public Service is committed to providing reasonable adjustments and ensuring all individuals have equal opportunities in the workplace.

Administrative	Frequency
Telephone use	Frequently
General computer use	Frequently
Extensive keying/data entry	Occasionally
Graphical/analytical based	Occasionally
Sitting at a desk	Frequently
Standing for long periods	Occasionally

Travel	Frequency
Frequent travel – multiple work sites	Frequently
Frequent travel – driving	Frequently

Physical demands	Frequency
Distance walking (large buildings or inter-building transit)	Occasionally
Working outdoors	Occasionally

Psychosocial demands	Frequency
Distressed People e.g. Emergency or grief situations	Occasionally
Aggressive & Uncooperative People e.g. drug / alcohol, dementia, mental illness	Occasionally
Unpredictable People e.g. Dementia, mental illness, head injuries	Occasionally
Restraining e.g. involvement in physical containment of clients/consumers	Never
Exposure to Distressing Situations e.g. Child abuse, viewing dead / mutilated bodies; verbal abuse; domestic violence; suicide	Never

Specific hazards	Frequency
Working at heights	Never
Exposure to extreme temperatures	Never
Operation of heavy machinery e.g. forklift	Never
Confined spaces	Never
Excessive noise	Never
Low lighting	Never
Handling of dangerous goods/equipment e.g. gases; liquids; biological.	Never
Slippery or uneven surfaces	Never

Manual handling	Frequency
Lifting 0 – 9kg	Occasionally
Lifting 10 – 15kg	Never
Lifting 16kg+	Never
Climbing	Never
Running	Never
Reaching	Frequently
Kneeling	Occasionally
Foot and leg movement	Occasionally
Hand, arm and grasping movements	Frequently
Bending/squatting	Frequently
Bend/Lean Forward from Waist/Trunk twisting	Frequently
Push/pull	Frequently
Sequential repetitive movements in a short amount of time	Occasionally