Territory Families: An Analysis of Social Work in Northern Territory

This essay provides an in-depth analysis of the social work practices employed by Territory Families in the Northern Territory, focusing on their role in child protection and juvenile justice. It examines the skills and knowledge required of human service professionals within this field, highlighting the importance of cultural diversity and the ethical considerations involved in working with diverse clientele. The essay further explores potential ethical dilemmas, such as language barriers and religious practices, and how Territory Families applies professional codes of ethics to ensure fairness, transparency, and confidentiality. The analysis includes a discussion of the organization's commitment to ethical conduct, risk mitigation, and adherence to relevant laws and charters, ultimately demonstrating their dedication to uplifting community families while upholding the highest standards of professional integrity. Desklib provides access to similar assignments and study resources for students.

Running head: SOCIAL WORK
Social work of Northern Territory (Territorial families)
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

1
SOCIAL WORK
Introduction
Social work enhances the personality of the individuals. As a matter of specification,
social work reflects the approach of the individuals towards the suffering and ailments of
others. Social work involves the catering to the needs, demands and requirements of the
society people (Chenoweth & McAuliffe, 2017). Within this, upliftment of the neglected and
marginalized people enhances the personality of the people like Territory Families. For this,
the individuals need to apply appropriate skills, expertise and knowledge. This essay would
look into the ways and means adopted by the Territorial Families for enhancing the parameter
of corporate social responsibility.
Company profile
The Northern Territorial Government founded territory Families on September 2016.
The aim of the company is to indulge in partnership with the associate partners for enhancing
the cultural diversity within the society. These partners are: Children and Families, Youth
Justice, Youth, Multiculture Affairs and Seniors, Senior and Pensioner Concessions,
Domestic Violence Directorate, Offices of Women and Men’s Policy and Children’s Policy
Territoryfamilies.nt.gov.au, 2018). According to the annual report of 2016-17, the Northern
Territory Government adopted the project of upgrading the living standards of the children in
the vulnerable families. Planning were made towards establishing new structures for new
agencies.
Employment of the workers
According to the Strategic Plan of 2017-2020, the company had more than 300
employees. Along with this, there were 50 representatives from the key partners from the
non-government sector (Territoryfamilies.nt.gov.au, 2018). Planning was done in terms of

2
SOCIAL WORK
adding to the workforce. This is through the means of campus selections from the universities
in and around Australia. Their special focus is on the students involved in social work,
especially, working with the community families and having child protection and juvenile
justice as specialization.
Recruitment and selection
Job vacancies are advertised on the websites. Along with this, various career
development programs are organized for the candidates intending to establish their career in
the social work. The selection is merit based, which helps the personnel to assess the skills,
capabilities and competencies of the candidates. The candidates are asked to demonstrate
their abilities, which help the board to decide whether to select the candidate. Trainings are
offered to the candidates, so that they can adjust within the workplace environment
(Territoryfamilies.nt.gov.au, 2018).
Role of the human service professionals
Catering to child safety is the main function of Territory Family personnel. Along
with this, management of the cases related to the care of the children is also one of the
important functions of the Territorial Family personnel. However, providing support to
families of the children is accounted as one of the main responsibilities of the personnel.
Organizing safety programs for the children falls within the crucial functions of the
Territorial Family personnel. Involving the families and the children in the programmes helps
the personnel in ensuring the safety, security and privacy of the families residing in the
territories (Territoryfamilies.nt.gov.au, 2018).
Skills needed in the domain of practice

3
SOCIAL WORK
Bachelor of Science in Child Protection and Juvenile Justice is a crucial degree,
which the candidates need to possess. This degree is an answer if the candidates intend to
shine their careers in the field of child safety (Lewig & McLean, 2016). Pursuing this degree
helps the candidates in enriching their preconceived skills, expertise and knowledge on the
subject matter. The candidates possessing similar interests are grouped together, as they need
to undertake practical projects. Along with this, Masters of Arts in Human Services is also
important for pursuing career in this field (Territoryfamilies.nt.gov.au, 2018).
Competency
The competencies needed for child protection and juvenile justice is spontaneity and
flexibility towards providing the required support related to child safety (Fernandez, 2014).
Knowledge
Knowledge about the protocols related to child safety is important in terms of
working with the clients of diversified backgrounds.
Knowledge, skills and values, which supports the cultural diversity of the clients
Cultural diversity is an important component within the workplace activities of
Territorial Families. According to the annual report of 2017, 73% of the workforce is female.
Among this, 69% hold prestigious posts. 19% of the staffs belong to Aboriginal, from which
5% hold senior and executive post (Territoryfamilies.nt.gov.au, 2018). The staffs hail from
different backgrounds, which enhances the workplace culture. However, they share the
common goal of upgrading the standards of living for the families residing in the
communities.
60% of the staffs belong to the administrative stream, 31% of the staffs belong to the
professional stream and 7% in the physical stream. Along with this, 2% is reserved for the

4
SOCIAL WORK
staffs of executive stream. Even in the location, cultural diversity prevails. 60% of the
employees hail from Darwin, 16% comes from Alice Springs. Apart from this, 6% of the
employees are from Katherine and 2% from Nhulunbuy. Similarity is maintained in this
percentage in case of the employees from Tennant Creek and remote areas of the major
outside centres (Territoryfamilies.nt.gov.au, 2018).
In order to work with these clients, the personnel are well acquainted with the culture
of the clients. Along with this, the clients’ views, opinions and suggestions are taken into
consideration while taking decisions. This respect proves beneficial for the personnel in terms
of achieving trust, loyalty and dependence from the clients. For this, the personnel organize
frequent counselling sessions for gaining an insight into the issues and sufferings, which they
are facing while executing the business activities (Territoryfamilies.nt.gov.au, 2018).
Potential ethical dilemmas of working with the clients
The employees of the workplace of Territorial Families hail from different socio-
cultural background. This results in the difference of opinions, giving rise to conflicts,
discriminations and harassments. If the conflicts increase in its intensity, the employees
encounter dilemmas in working with their colleagues. Here, ethics play an important role in
determining the approach of the employees towards maintaining the workplace culture.
Negligent attitude towards the modification of the conflicts compel the employees to
encounter dilemmas while working with the clients (Rda.gov.au, 2018). Typical example of
this can be language barriers and religious practices.
As a matter of specification, language barrier is a crucial issue in the workplace of the
Territorial Families. The foreign clients fail to understand the narratives of the native
personnel. This is a difficulty in terms of fulfilling the identified and the specified objectives.
Failing to understand the language generates the feeling of seclusion and neglect within the

5
SOCIAL WORK
foreign clients. At this stage, it is a dilemma for the clients in terms of adjusting within the
workplace environment (Banks, 2008).
Along with this, religious practices also fall within the ethical dilemmas. For example,
if an employee wears a scarf, it is her religious symbol. She cannot be instructed to stop
wearing it, as it is against the workplace norms. Delving deep into the aspect, the employee
encounters ethical dilemma regarding complying with the workplace norms or religious
symbols. The major drive behind this dilemma is incapability to make a decision for self-
development as well as the development of the organization (Rda.gov.au, 2018).
Risk Managing and Auditing Committee plays an important role in mitigating the
intensity of the ethical dilemmas. This is through the means of private counselling, which
helps in maintaining the privacy, security and safety of the responses provided by the clients.
This committee needs to be praised for their functionality in terms of ensuring the wellbeing
of the clients.
Professional code of ethics in practice
Code of Ethics is an important document in the workplace. This is in terms of
maintaining the decorum. Ethical approach reflects the personality of the personnel in terms
of fulfilling the needs, demands and requirements of the clients and the customers. All these
aspects prove true for the workplace of Territorial Families, where Ethical Code of Conduct
is highly followed. Mention can be made of Regional Development Australia (RDA), who
help Territorial Families in the application of the Ethical Code of Conduct (Rda.gov.au,
2018). Specifically, the committee members cater to the fact that the employees expose
appropriate workplace behaviour for the enhancement of their professional development.
Fairness and Equity

6
SOCIAL WORK
Transparency in the activities is one of the crucial aspects of Territorial Families. The
staffs are obliged to cater to the code of conduct for exposing ethical approach towards the
needs, demands and requirements of the clients. Herein lays the appropriateness of the
principles: relevance; fairness; non-discriminatory approach and reasoned action before
taking any decision (Rda.gov.au, 2018)
Use of Information
Confidentiality needs to be maintained while sharing any private information with the
members of the RDA committee. The personnel of Territorial Families ought to ensure that
privacy of the information shared by the community family members is maintained.
Disclosure of information Clause of the Funding Agreement is implemented in terms of
ensuring that the confidentiality of the private information is properly maintained. Even the
members of RDA ought to abide by the principles in terms of preventing leakage of private
information (Rda.gov.au, 2018). Sometimes, the statutory body of law needs the private
information for providing the verdict in case of the ethical dilemma. Right to Information is
one of the other grounds on which the private information can be released. Apart from this,
when the Commonwealth, local government or state government provides the permission,
private information can be shared.
Along with this, the Ethical Code of Conduct consists of the mission, vision, values
and principles, which the personnel need to follow. Specifically, it guides the staffs about the
decision-making process. Adherence to the identified codes enhances the professionalism of
the personnel in terms of catering to the upliftment of the community families (Banks, 2008).
The purpose of the Ethical Code of Conduct is compliance with the workplace norms;
marketing and risk mitigation. Complying with Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 helps the
personnel to take appropriate decisions for the betterment of the organization and the clients.

7
SOCIAL WORK
This adherence assists in the exposure of appropriate behaviour towards the needs of the
clients. Ethical code of conduct specifies the standards of marketing, which the professionals
need to reach for the adding to the stock of customers.
Government assistance in terms of the executing the activities helps the personnel in
preventing the illegal acts and scandals. Herein lays the appropriateness of the risk mitigation
templates and the exercises, which enhances the awareness of the personnel regarding the
extent to which the risks have been mitigated (ACWA, 2011). This evaluation is also
assistance in terms of evaluating the necessary steps needed for upgrading the ethical conduct
within the workplace.
Mention can be made of the Charter of Rights, which exposes the liberal approach of
the personnel towards the clients. The personnel are instructed to secure the Right to
Information for the clients. Consulting the clients and taking their consent is vital before
taking any decision. Respecting the views and opinion of the clients is accounted as one of
the essential aspects of the ethical code of conduct. The staffs are prompt towards the services
needed by the clients and the customers (O’Connor, Wilson & Setterlund, 1998). Fair and
equal treatment is needed for enhancing the cultural diversity, which is one of the
predominant factors in the social work done by Territorial Families. However, maintaining
safety, security, privacy and confidentiality of the clients’ information is vital for exposing
ethical approach to the clients’ need (Territoryfamilies.nt.gov.au, 2018). During the process
of interviews and surveys, liberal approach is maintained. This is in terms of respecting their
individual sentiments and values. The families are assured that their responses would be used
only for seeking growth and development rather than commercialization.
Conclusion

8
SOCIAL WORK
This assignment proves successful in providing an insight into social work done by
Territorial Families. The specialization of Child Protection and Juvenile Justice enlivens the
ways and means in which the safety of community children is assured. In order to assure this
safety, the personnel need to possess a master degree in the respective field. Adherence and
compliance to the standards and protocols of Charter of Rights is crucial in terms of catering
to the needs, demands and requirements of the clients. Herein lays the appropriateness of
Ethical Code of Conduct, which reflects the approach of the personnel towards uplifting the
living standards of the communities.

9
SOCIAL WORK
References
ACWA (2011). ACWA Code of Ethics. Retrieved 8th May 2018 from Downloadable from the
ACWA website at: http://www.acwa.org.au/resources/ethics-and-standards
Banks, S. (2008) Ethics and social welfare: The state of play. Ethics and Social Welfare,
2(1), pp1-9.
Chenoweth, L., & McAuliffe, D. (2017). The Road to Social Work and Human Service
Practice with Student Resource Access 12 Months. Cengage AU.
Fernandez E. Child Protection and Vulnerable Families: Trends and Issues in the Australian
Context. Social Sciences. 2014; 3(4):785-808.
Lewig,K&McLean,S. (2016). Caring for our frontline child protection workforce (CFCA
Paper No. 42). Melbourne : Child Family Community Australia Information
Exchange, Australia Institute of Family Studies.
https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/publications/caring-our-frontline-child-protection-workforce
O’Connor, I., Wilson, J. &Setterlund, D. (1998), Social work, welfare work and social
arrangements: An introduction to a framework for practice. In Social work and
welfare practice (3rd ed) (Chap 1, pp. 1-18) . South Melbourne, VIC: Longman.
Rda.gov.au (2018), Code of Conduct, Retrieved 8th May 2018 from https://rda.gov.au/join-
your-rda/code-of-conduct.aspx
Territoryfamilies.nt.gov.au (2018), About Us, Retrieved 8th May 2018 from
https://territoryfamilies.nt.gov.au/about