ForWhen National Perinatal Infant Mental Health Connect and Care Navigator – ACT

Reference Number: Tresillian 31/2025

Employment Status: Temporary Full time – 32 hours per week up to 30 June 2028

Award: Allied Health level 3 /Registered Nurse Level 2/Psychologist (Health Professional Level 3)

Vaccination Category: CAT A

Location: Tresillian Queen Elizabeth II (QEII) / 129 Carruthers Street, Curtin, ACT

The ForWhen National Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Navigation (ForWhen) Program is a transformative care and navigation system. This is a truly once in a lifetime opportunity to work with the ForWhen Connect and Care Team engaged in the implementation and ongoing development of a new, exciting and highly impactful care navigation service with a leading non-profit parenting support service provider and alongside experienced consortium members.

The team of Perinatal Infant Mental Health (PIMH) place-based navigators will triage and coordinate referrals from around the country, ensuring expansive local knowledge and subsequent location-specific support pathways. The ForWhen Program will provide a national comprehensive, stepped continuum of care for parents particularly those experiencing moderate/severe PIMH concerns, supporting these families to navigate the complex and fragmented PIMH service landscape. This model uses well-articulated triage criteria to bring national consistency, whilst maintaining place-based flexibility in an ecosystem characterised by numerous providers and services nationally.

ForWhen Navigators are based in every state and territory at an Australian Association of Parenting and Child Health (AAPCH) partner site. Navigators work collaboratively with each other, within their host organisation, and across the wider PIMH ecosystem in their state/territory to connect the full primary, universal, secondary and tertiary PIMH service system and policy landscape unique to each state and territory.

The intake service leverages existing pathways (“no wrong door” approach), using triage criteria to ensure parents are referred to the right intensity of services that best matches their support needs. The Navigator role aims to reduce barriers to service access and promoting help-seeking (connecting). For parents with moderate to severe PIMH needs, ForWhen Navigators provide active case coordination and holding to support the parent to access appropriate services, in a trauma-informed and culturally safe way.

This national service maximises the coordination and utilisation of existing PIMHS providers and enables stigma-free easy-entry, and establishment of a National PIMHS Navigator contact number. The ForWhen Navigators enable best practice models from different states to be widely shared, adapted and adopted and support identification of service and policy gaps to be addressed nationally. ForWhen Navigators will have a detailed understanding of available services in their relevant jurisdiction and established relationships with providers, awareness of new/emerging services, and ensure families can access support that best matches their specific needs.

KEY SELECTION CRITERIA:

1. Qualifications

Current Registration with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA) (Nursing, Midwifery, Child & Family Health Nursing, Occupational Therapist, Psychologist) or eligibility for membership with the peak professional association (Social Workers). Nurses/Midwives, Social Workers and Occupational Therapists additional qualifications in mental health are desirable.   

2.     Clinical Expertise in Perinatal and Infant Mental Health
Demonstrated knowledge and at least three years’ experience in perinatal and/or infant mental health, including assessment and care coordination for parents with moderate to severe mental health concerns.

3.     Trauma-Informed, Family-Centred, and Culturally Safe Practice
Proven ability to provide respectful, inclusive, and trauma-informed support to diverse families, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

4.     Screening, Planning, and Navigation
Experience in triaging referrals, conducting psychosocial assessments, and developing individualised support plans using a stepped-care approach. Ability to navigate complex service systems and reduce barriers to access.

5.     Risk and Crisis Management
Demonstrated ability to identify and respond to mental health crises, family violence, and child safety concerns, with knowledge of appropriate referral and escalation pathways in your local context.

6.     Effective Communication and Phone-Based Engagement
Strong communication skills with the ability to build rapport, provide support, and coordinate care via phone. Experience in phone-based service delivery or intake settings is highly desirable.

7.     Local Knowledge and Collaborative Practice
Detailed understanding of the local PIMH service system and established relationships with providers. Proven ability to work collaboratively across services and sectors to connect families with appropriate support.

About Tresillian:

The Royal Society for the Welfare of Mothers and Babies, trading as Tresillian, was formed in 1918 to coordinate early child and maternal health care services in New South Wales (NSW). Tresillian is now the largest early child and family health and parenting service in Australia, operating from four sites in metropolitan Sydney and numerous regional and rural sites supporting service provision to families across NSW, Victoria and ACT.

Prior to commencement successful candidates will be required to: Undergo a pre-employment National Police Check and obtain a Working with Vulnerable Peoples Check.  Comply with ACT Health Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination – Category A.  Provide evidence of COVID-19 vaccination or an approved exemption before commencement of employment.

What We Offer:

    Generous salary packaging up to $15,900 per FBT year and Meal & Entertainment on top of this amount utilising an additional $2,650 (as a Not-for-profit and registered Health Promotion Charity.  Opportunity to access a large range of clinical and non-clinical education programs, including access to study leave, extended child and family health practice skills for clinicians and a biannual Tresillian conference.  Access to our free and confidential Employee Assistance Program

How to apply:  Interested applicants need to email the following documentation directly to the contact person provided:  1) Cover letter addressing the selection criteria.  2)  Curriculum Vitae.  3) Name and contact details of two referees (phone and email).

For further enquiries regarding the position or a copy of the job description please contact:  Director Child & Family Mental Health & Wellbeing Services I Ms Tanya Crawford I Tresillian | Mobile: 0474 552 651 | Email: Tanya.Crawford@health.nsw.gov.au