Working in the Child, Youth and Family Sector
Making a difference
The child, youth and family sector in Queensland plays a vital role in creating safe, caring and inclusive environments for children, young people and families. Whether you're just starting your career or seeking a meaningful change, and whether your passion lies in direct support, advocacy, research, program design, or management, there is a role in this sector that fits your skills and aspirations. Working in this sector means making a real difference in people’s lives every day.
Roles in the sector
Who could you be?
There are a diverse range of organisations that contribute to child youth and family support in Queensland. You may find yourself working for a non-profit/for purpose service provider which could have hundreds of staff or a small, local bespoke organisation working to support families with a specific challenge. There are also many roles that are exclusively delivered by state-government departments, usually within the Department responsible for Child Safety. You can find more about government-based roles on the Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety website. Many service delivery roles also value lived experience, offering unique perspectives and contributions to service delivery and systems change.
Explore examples and workforce trends in our Insights and Opportunities Report, which outlines sector growth, workforce challenges, and the expanding need for qualified and passionate professionals.
The child, youth and family sector offers a diverse range of roles. These include frontline, leadership, policy, and support roles such as:
Direct Support & Casework
- Child and Family Support Worker
Provides in-home or community-based support to families experiencing vulnerabilities, helping them strengthen parenting capacity and maintain family unity.
- Family Intervention Practitioner / Case Manager / Child Safety Officer
Works with families subject to child protection orders to reduce risks and support safe reunification or prevent child removal.
- Family Support Practitioner (Early Intervention)
Engages with families at risk of entering the child protection system, offering short- to medium-term support and referrals.
- Intensive Family Support Worker
Offers high-intensity, wraparound support to families with multiple and complex needs, often as part of a multi-agency response.
- Child and Youth Case Manager
Supports children and young people in out-of-home care or on intervention with parental agreement (IPA) pathways.
- Kinship and Foster Care Support Worker
Supports kinship and foster carers with placement stability, child care planning, and system navigation.
- Family Preservation and Reunification Worker
Works to prevent placement breakdowns or assist children to return safely to their families from care.
Cultural and Community-Centred
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Support Worker / Connector
Delivers culturally responsive, strengths-based support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, often through ACCOs (Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations).
- Cultural Advisor (Child Protection)
Supports case planning and cultural connection for First Nations children involved in the statutory system.
Therapeutic & Specialists
- Family Therapist / Counsellor
Provides trauma-informed counselling and therapeutic interventions to support parenting and child wellbeing.
- Domestic and Family Violence Family Support Worker
Supports non-offending caregivers (often mothers) and children in navigating DFV risks and child safety concerns.
- Parenting Program Facilitator (e.g. Triple P, Circle of Security)
Delivers evidence-based parenting education and skill-building programs.
Leadership & Coordination
- Family Support Team Leader / Coordinator
Manages frontline practitioners, oversees casework, and ensures quality of service delivery aligned with child protection and wellbeing goals.
- Practice Leader (Child and Family)
Provides practice supervision, risk assessment guidance, and supports fidelity to evidence-based models like Signs of Safety or Safe & Together.
Qualifications
What do you need to know?
Minimum Qualification Standards - Residential Care
Minimum qualification standards are set by the Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety, and are designed to ensure all workers have the foundational knowledge and skills needed to support children and young people.
To learn more about these standards, view you can find the Minimum Qualification Standard Information Sheet on the Licensing resources page on the Department's website.
You will also need to complete your Hope and Healing training, this is usually done via your employer, within the first few weeks of your first role in the sector.
Qualifications for Other Roles
Other roles in the sector may require tertiary education such as degrees in Social Work or Psychology, particularly in case management roles. For more information about becoming a qualified social worker visit the Australian Association of Social Workers website. If roles in psychology or other allied health professions are of interest visit Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency for more information.
Holding a Working with Children Check (Blue Card)
Roles withing the child youth and family sector require you to hold or have an exemption to holding a working with children check, called Blue Card in Queensland. For more information about how to apply, what exemptions there are and rules around holding the clearance visit Blue cards for working with children - Queensland Government.
Training and professional development
Where can you learn?
Continuous learning is essential for working effectively in this complex and evolving sector.
Hope & Healing
Completion of Hope & Healing - Residential Care is a requirement for some roles in residential care. This trauma-informed framework supports understanding of child development, attachment, trauma and cultural connection.
- Find out more about Hope & Healing
External opportunities
PeakCare and sector partners offer a variety of professional development opportunities throughout the year, including:
- Workshops and webinars on practice issues
- Cultural capability and trauma-informed care training
- Leadership and supervision skill development
- Specialist training in areas like youth mental health and preventing child sexual exploitation
To stay informed, check our Events Calendar
Find a job
Where can you work?
There are several ways to find job opportunities in the child, youth and family sector:
Job advertisement platforms
Reputable job advertisement platforms such as:
- For public sector roles visit SmartJobs
Follow sector updates
Subscribe to PeakCare eNews and follow us on LinkedIn for updates about emerging roles and new sector initiatives.
Member job pages
Many of PeakCare’s member organisations advertise job vacancies on their websites. Use the links below to connect directly with their careers pages.
