Clinician, Support After Sexual Harm (SASH)

The Hospital:

The Royal Children’s Hospital’s (RCH) Vision is “A world where all kids thrive”.

RCH is a cornerstone member of the Melbourne Children’s Campus, partnering with Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, The University of Melbourne Department of Paediatrics and The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation.

RCH has cared for the children and young people of Victoria for more than 150 years since it was founded in 1870. A full range of paediatrics and adolescent health services are provided plus tertiary and quaternary care for the most critically ill and medically complex patients in Victoria, Tasmania, southern NSW and other states around Australia and overseas. The Hospital has more than 6,000 staff, a budget of $850M, 12 wards and 350 beds. Annually, the RCH has 300,000+ Specialist Clinic appointments, 90,000+ Emergency Department presentations and 20,000 elective surgeries.

The RCH is committed to the Child Safe Standards. 

RCH enjoys high employee engagement and is committed to staff safety and a positive culture through enactment of our Compact.

For further Information on RCH is available here.

Job Title:

Clinician, Support After Sexual Harm (SASH) – Community-Based Team

• Western Melbourne Location
• Excellent employee benefits including salary packaging
• Friendly and supportive team environment

About the role

Are you a dedicated counselling and social services professional looking to make a significant impact to the lives of children and families? Have you ever wondered what working in a specialist sexual assault service might be like? Join SASH’s Sexual Assault Support Services community-based team in a full-time, ongoing position working 80 hours per fortnight.

In this role, you will provide vital therapeutic and support services within a trauma model of recovery, for children and young people who have experienced sexual harm and their non-offending family members. Beyond direct clinical counselling work, you will also have opportunities to contribute to   SASH’s Intake function, supporting access to our service for those who need help the most. This involves receiving and responding to referrals for service providing professional secondary consultation regarding child sexual abuse and harmful sexual behaviour and providing sexual assault crisis responses. You will also be required to participate in the after-hours sexual assault crisis response roster.

What you’ll achieve:

• Delivery of quality and evidence-based assessment, therapeutic interventions and support for children/young people who have experienced sexual harm and their family members.
• Promotion of a rights-based, trauma-focused model of recovery for children and their families through collaboration and consultation within RCH departments and external agencies including Child Protection, education, mental health, courts and other community services.
• Contribution to a culture of open and effective communication, teamwork and lifelong learning.

Classification for this position will range from Social Worker Grade 2, Years 1-4 (SC21 – SC24), Psychology Grade 2, Years 1-4 (PK1 – PK4), Occupational Therapy Grade 2, Years 1-4 (VF6 – VF9) or Registered Psychiatric Nurse Grade 3, Year 1 to Year 4 (NP81 – NP74).

Your skills and experience:

• Recognised qualification in relevant discipline with current Board registration/eligibility for membership with professional body
• Satisfaction of relevant discipline’s continuing professional development standards
• A commitment to ethical practice

If this sounds like you, click here to view the position description.

About SASH

SASH is a department of the Royal Children’s Hospital and a specialist sexual assault service.

SASH provides:

1. Sexual Assault Crisis Response ​

• For all children and their families​
• Following child sexual harm (recent experience or disclosure)​
• Face to face support available at all times, every day and night, at The RCH​

2. Counselling ​

For children and families living in metro west Melbourne​

• Sexual harm – Counselling and advocacy for children who have experienced sexual harm, and their families​
• Harmful sexual behaviour - Therapeutic interventions for children who have engaged in harmful sexual behaviours, and their families​

Counselling services are provided at SASH’s community-based service in Werribee as well as at the RCH.

3. Consultation ​

To enhance capacity, confidence and capability in the community for the safety, rights and recovery of children after sexual harm. Specialist support for services regarding drivers, risk, indicators, impacts, dynamics and recovery after child sexual harm. This may include secondary consultation, professional development, or supervision and reflective practice. 

Services are provided at community-based sites in Western Melbourne and at the RCH.

What we offer:

• Salary Packaging – Increase your take home pay!
• Professional development and special events 

Other requirements:

• Current National Criminal Record Check, or willing to obtain
• Valid Working with Children Check
• Compliance with RCHs “Staff Immunisation - Prevention of Vaccine Preventable Diseases” procedure
• Participation in after-hours sexual assault crisis response roster

Application process

To apply, please upload your resume and a tailored cover letter outlining your qualifications, skills, experience, and suitability for the position in line with the requirements of the position description.

Shortlisting for this position will commence immediately, we encourage you to apply promptly!

For more information about this position please contact Fran Hardcastle, Workforce and Service Development Lead Ph: 0435260947 Email: fran.hardcastle@rch.org.au

Why work at the RCH?

RCH enjoys high employee engagement and is committed to staff safety and a positive culture through enactment of our Compact. We offer the opportunity to work in world-class facilities, surrounded by Royal Park and only a short tram trip from the heart of Melbourne city.

We also offer discounted staff parking, salary packaging, and an award-winning health and wellbeing program.

The RCH is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from culturally and/or linguistically diverse background, all members of the LGBTQI community and people with disability.

It is a requirement of your employment that you be vaccinated against Influenza annually for Category A and B roles, in compliance with any public health orders in place at the relevant time, unless you have a medical exception in line with those public health orders, which has been accepted by The Royal Children’s Hospital.  Applicants will be required to provide their Australian Government Immunisation History Statement, it is a requirement of the RCH to collect, record and hold vaccination information.

It is also a requirement of your employment that you comply with any direction given by The Royal Children’s Hospital that you be vaccinated against, or prove immunity to, any other disease, unless you have a relevant exemption, and offers of employment are conditional on successful completion of background checks including reference checks. 

Are you ready to join our team? 

 Apply online by clicking on the “Apply” button

Applications close 10 December 2025