Department of Families Fairness and Housing Victoria

About forensic disability services work

Forensic Disability Services supports people with cognitive disability and who are involved in the criminal justice system. We work with people who need access to specialist forensic support and treatment, or require additional supports so they can benefit from mainstream forensic services.

People with a cognitive disability are more likely to experience disadvantages, challenges and vulnerabilities. This can lead to their repeated contact with the criminal justice system. Forensic Disability Services assist these individuals.

Forensic Disability Services provides an alternative pathway for people which allows them to receive specialist forensic disability support and potentially divert them from further involvement with the criminal justice system.

Every member of our team plays an important role across our services. This allows us to best support people who need our services throughout their entire interaction with the criminal justice system and in the community.

We also work closely with the National Disability Insurance Agency, so people with disability and their families receive the supports they are entitled to.

Working with Forensic Disability Services means:

a choice of full-time, part-time and casual positions, all with a competitive salary
training is provided throughout employment to help you continue to grow in your role and expand your career pathway
significant opportunities for career progression into management, case work or clinical roles
employee wellbeing and support programs available to all employees.

Who we’re looking for

If you’re searching for a career that allows you to change people's lives for the better, there are job opportunities for you.

We're looking for employees who are:

committed to delivering high quality outcomes for clients
passionate about making a difference
well organised and good communicators
honest and have integrity.

Working with Forensic Disability Services can give you a sense of purpose. You can help make a real impact by supporting people with disability and keeping the community safe.

Apply now

If you're looking for a change, are interested in a role that is never the same on any given day and provides challenges and opportunities for training and growth, apply now via the Careers in the Victorian government public sector website.

About our services and the roles on offer

Find out more about the wide range of roles and career opportunities available across Forensic Disability Services.

There's a role for you

The following videos offer more information on the roles available, with insights from employees within the different program areas.

Forensic Disability State-wide Access Service

Forensic Disability State-wide Access Service (FDSAS) operates as a triage and intake entry point for referrals into our forensic disability treatment and supports. The service assesses clients for eligibility for services and provides initial advice on forensic disability supports, including through a disability prison services coordinator who assists staff within prison in identifying options for supports for people with a cognitive disability.

Roles available include:

Advanced Practitioner
Senior Practitioner
Disability Prison Services Coordinator
Psychologist
Management roles.

About the Forensic Disability Services video

In this video, the Director Forensic Disability Services describes the role of forensic disability services in supporting clients as well as common reasons for clients offending. The staff describe the key skills needed for people working in this field and mention some of the challenges of working with people with a disability who have offended. They also refer to the diverse background of people who work in the service, and the qualities that help them in the role and in understanding how to best assist clients.

View transcript

Video Transcript

About the Forensic Disability Services – video transcript
[Opening title card: Victoria State Government – Department of Families, Fairness and Housing]
[Music plays in the background throughout the video]
Male staff member 1: Forensic disability services is essentially about supporting people with a cognitive disability, so generally that's people with an intellectual disability or acquired brain injury, and it's about supporting them through the criminal justice system.
Female staff member 1: So I am a senior disability justice co-ordinator with the forensic disability program. So our role is essentially to coordinate services for people with an intellectual cognitive disability.
Male staff member: What we really want to do is get, get an understanding and acknowledge what our client's goals are and use them to motivate the person to work in more pro-social ways.
We all want the best in our lives, and unfortunately, often offending is a way of trying to get reasonable needs met, done in a poor fashion and what we want to do is work with them, work on their goals so they're able to live independently, get their needs met but at the same time, doing in a way that makes the community safer.
Female staff member 2: You're here to make a difference in people's lives so in order for you to make that, you also have to really work on yourself.
Male staff member 1: The key skills we need are people skills, people who work well with others, who are able to problem solve, who see the best of our clients.
Male staff member 2: Every day is a different day. Every day is unique and you know, sometimes you do a lot of fun things with the clients.
Male staff member 1: Our best people in this field come from areas where you wouldn't anticipate, have been tradies, or who've been truck drivers. But it is those soft skills, and it's people who are able to relate to other humans and be able to get on with them, they're the people who do best in this field.
Male staff member 3: I'm a tradie by background. So many years ago, I was in the trades.
Male staff member 1: You know, there's no question that this is a group of people who have done some horrible things. But, our goal there is to prevent that from happening in the future.
Male staff member 4: We always talk about how we can best support the client in moving towards their goals and reaching whatever they need to do and obviously stopping any risks that may come up for them.
Male staff member 1: That's one of the things I love about this space is that I can work with an individual and see them develop and become happier, but the ripple effect of that is massive.
Female staff member 3: Every day I go to work and you do feel accomplished at the end of every day.
Male staff member 1: I generally anticipate most people who'd be coming into these roles have not had any experience at all in this background at all. But that's the system we're set up for.
We know that's what we're expecting people to come in to see. So we are eager to make sure that we provide a lot of training.
Female staff member 4: If you're willing to not give up on clients, if you're willing to put in 100%, I think, you know, you will make a difference to the clients and you will do your job well.
Male staff member 1: You need to work with someone and understand their offending, where that comes from and then how to manage those risks and support them to go down a path where they're not likely to do that. You also need to have an understanding of the justice system, you need to be able to work with government, you need to work with non-government organisations.
Female staff member 5: I think it's really rewarding getting to work with this clientele and trying to make a difference in the community.
[Closing title card: Victoria State Government – Search for jobs in Forensic Disability Services at www.careers.vic.gov.au]

Forensic Residential Services

Forensic Residential Services (FRS) is a network of secure and non-secure state-wide houses and units that provide accommodation for a person with forensic disability treatment and support needs, who will also benefit living in a supported environment. These services integrate supports for daily living skills building and positive behaviour provided through a multidisciplinary team. These services aim to provide a therapeutic environment, to support the achievement of beneficial treatment outcomes and goals.

Roles available include:

Disability Support Worker
Advanced Disability Support Worker
Unit Manager
After Hours Coordinator
Liaison Officer
Management roles.

About the Forensic Residential Services video

In this video, Forensic Residential Services staff describe the type of work they do in the service, as well as how they were able to find work in the department with their qualifications and experience. They mention the challenges they face and how they address those challenges through upskilling and training opportunities. They also refer to the flexibility in the workplace, which allows them to balance their work and personal lives. Staff reflect on how the skills they have developed also benefit them outside of the job and say that their work makes them feel they have the opportunity to make a difference.

View transcript

Video Transcript

About the Forensic Residential Services – video transcript
[Opening title card: Victoria State Government – Department of Families, Fairness and Housing]
[Music plays in the background throughout the video]
Male staff member 1: What brings me back is the uniqueness of the job, it's not a very typical nine to five sitting in front of a computer job.
Female staff member: I have studied psychology and forensic science as an undergrad. I've also got a cert four mental health, and I was basically like, where am I going to get a job that's in forensics that's going to hire me without experience?
Male staff member 2: I'm a tradie by background. So many years ago, I was in the trades, so I'm now in a completely different field that I never thought I would end up in so it's quite good.
Male staff member 3: This is more, more complex, more challenging and more involved. And you are involved in people's daily lives.
Female staff member: Some of the challenges we face every day are fitting the residents, the staffing group and the operational needs all into one to create the best outcomes possible in a day.
Male staff member 1: How we work through those challenges is, you know, upskilling the staff members, mentoring a lot of training.
Male staff member 3: To become a part of the team, they gave me a number of training. Training involving culture background, how to support people with a different culture background to communication, and justice system.
Female staff member: My workplace has been extremely helpful with you know, allowing me to study and work full time, very flexible in that aspect.
Male staff member 2: You know, I have a better relationship with my own kids now than what I think I would have if I wasn't in this field.
Male staff member 1: Skill development has really developed my confidence in dealing with the situation that I wasn't able, you know, I was really afraid to deal with when I started off. Now I'm really comfortable and I can walk in and I can think on my feet in the right, you know, and make the right decision.
Female staff member: We have a massive team, which is great because I've got lots of resources.
Male staff member 2: Knowing that you can have an opportunity to make a difference and make someone a valued member of society and keeps bringing ya back.
[Closing title card: Victoria State Government – Search for jobs in Forensic Disability Services at www.careers.vic.gov.au]

Disability Justice Coordination

This service assesses and coordinates forensic disability supports for a person based on their needs, risks and goals and advocates for any other supports they require through other universal service systems. Disability justice coordinators support the forensic disability client to understand the court process, conditions of bail, parole and/or their order and coordinates access to interventions to reduce their risk of reoffending and any behaviours of concern that contribute to that risk, improve their quality of life and support community safety.

Roles available include:

Disability Justice Coordinator
Senior Disability Justice Coordinator
Team Leader
Liaison Officer
Management roles

About the Disability Justice Coordination video

In this video, disability justice coordination staff describe their role, as well as the opportunities the role can provide to allow them to grow and move within the service. They describe the opportunities they’ve been given to continue to learn through the job, including further education through university that was funded by the department. They also describe the skills that are needed to best support clients.

View transcript

Forensic Disability Clinical Service

This service provides offence-related and offence-specific assessment and treatment programs which are targeted to people with cognitive disability. The programs aim to address criminogenic behaviour – which is both challenging and rewarding, as well as other behaviour of concern related to disability, to reduce risk of offending. This service also provides behaviour support planning and consultancy to other services and providers about the person’s forensic disability treatment and support needs.

Roles available include:

Psycho-educational trainer
Clinician
Practice Leader
Management roles.

About the Forensic Disability Clinical Services video

In this video, forensic disability clinical services staff describe what their role involves, and the team that they work with. One staff member details how they were able to find employment in the department, and the opportunities they’ve had that allowed them to develop and progress in the role. They further describe how their team works together in order to best assist clients, making their work rewarding and allowing them to make a difference in the community.

View transcript

Questions and answers

Common questions and answers about working in the Forensic Disability Services environment.

Your questions answered

Salary

We want to attract the best of the best to work with us, and our salaries reflect this. We also offer a multitude of government employee benefits.

Find more information about employee benefits.

Requirements

The department offers a host of roles that are available to graduates, people transferring from the private sector, individuals who are only just starting their career, and people who are looking for a career change.

We look for the best quality candidates at all levels, and our career structures ensure that you have the best chance possible to develop and grow within your role.

We offer unique roles that are suited to a range of abilities, whether you prefer team or independent-based work, working in an office or directly with clients, there is a position suitable for everybody.

Find more information about the diverse roles we offer.

Career progression

To ensure our workforce is as strong as it can be, we commit to providing training and developmental opportunities to help you upskill in your role and progress in your talents. These opportunities can include further study and educational qualifications, conferences and seminars, and programs to further grow your knowledge.

Work-life balance

We understand that your life can't revolve around your work and that a proper work-life balance is essential. We offer various supports to assist staff in achieving that balance, such as part-time roles, and home-based work. These arrangements are subject to your managers approval.

Employee support

Our employees’ mental and physical wellbeing is highly important to us. Our Employee Wellbeing and Support Program provides services and resources to help you manage your wellbeing.

Our confidential and professional services can assist you with your relationships and family, work-life balance, emotional wellbeing, career stress, physical health, addictions, legal or financial concerns, and more.

More information

Find out more about the benefits of working within the public sector on the Victorian Government website.

Explore how a fulfilling role in Forensic Disability Services in the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing can work for you: