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Child protection student placement program

Child Protection Student Placement program

We are accepting applications for 2024 Student Placements, apply via the careers.vic portal.

Each year, the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing hosts over 200 students across the department, with majority securing a placement in child protection. All DFFH offices throughout Victoria participate in this program, providing placements for students from a variety of universities and TAFE’s across Australia.

The Child Protection Student Placement program offers students the opportunity to gain broad knowledge of the child protection industry while applying theory to practice. Placements are high quality, supervised and professionally challenging. Students are placed in divisional child protection teams with a qualified Child Protection Practitioner supervisor who sets and assesses the tasks the students observe, participate in and undertake during their placement.

Students on placement in child protection are allocated selected tasks and experiences which will provide learning opportunities appropriate to developing their skills, knowledge, and competency. Whilst on placement with child protection, students can:

  • read case notes, court reports and paper files
  • attend relevant meetings, both internal and external
  • act as a secondary practitioner in some situations
  • attend client visits with another practitioner
  • complete case notes and assessments
  • complete risk assessments with guidance
  • liaise with other government departments and community services professionals
  • transport clients accompanied by another practitioner
  • undertake contact visits accompanied by another practitioner
  • access to employee assistance and wellbeing programs where necessary

To find out more about this program or apply for a placement, please read the fact sheet for details.