Key Worker - Educator

Key Worker - Educator | Parkes/Forbes, NSW | Flexible Hours

In some parts of rural Australia, a child can wait years for their first therapy appointment, purely because of their postcode. We're slowly changing that, one day at a time. Kerin Health is looking for a passionate & experienced early childhood teacher or special education teacher to join our team in Parkes, Central West NSW, and help turn that around for local kids and families.

We're seeking a dedicated Key Worker to support children aged 0–7 and their families across Parkes and Forbes. As a Key Worker, you'll be the consistent, trusted point of contact for each family - coordinating therapy, building genuine relationships with children, and working alongside our Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists to deliver the NDIS “gold standard” of early intervention care. You can read more about the model of care here: https://www.kerinhealth.com.au/the-key-worker-model

This is more than a job - it's the chance to walk alongside families through a critical stage of their child's development, and to see first-hand the difference your consistency and expertise makes.

A few months ago, one of our little clients had waited months just to get through the door. After a single term of sessions, her mum pulled one of our reception team aside on the way out, with tears in her eyes. "She spoke her first sentence at dinner last night," she said. "She told us she played soccer." Then, quietly: "That means the world to our family. Thank you so much."

You'll be in the room, in the community, in the school classroom or on the floor of a preschool, seeing children & families week to week and watching the difference land in real time; because in a town like ours, one great educator can make a huge difference in a child's life.

What you'll be doing

• Acting as the primary point of contact between families, therapists, schools and early learning services
• Conducting home visits and in-home assessments for children aged 0–7
• Delivering therapy and support directly across homes, preschools, schools and clinic settings
• Developing practical daily routines and strategies for sleep, self-care, emotional regulation and school readiness
• Collaborating with a multidisciplinary team to plan and coordinate each child's care
• Supporting families to navigate NDIS planning, plan changes and goal-setting
• Educating and empowering teachers and carers with practical strategies to support each child
• Coordinating reports, care plans and diagnostic evidence
• Attending school meetings and guiding children through key transitions

What you'll bring

• A bachelor's degree (or higher) as an Early Childhood Professional, with current registration or membership with your relevant professional body
• Suitable backgrounds include Developmental Educator, Early Childhood Teacher/Educator, Occupational Therapist, Social Worker, Speech Pathologist, or another allied health/education qualification with professional registration
• A genuine passion for early childhood development and family-centred care
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills
• Confidence working independently across community, home and clinic settings
• A current driver's licence, for home visits across Parkes and Forbes

Why you'll want to stay

• Above-award pay, with your choice of full-time, part-time or contractor arrangements
• You set your own hours & days — no clearing school-concert leave with anyone or taking home reports to mark over the weekend!
• A dedicated admin team covering bookings, printing and client liaison, so your time goes to clients
• $500 a year toward your own wellness, plus up to $1,500 a year in paid professional development, as well as maternity leave packages and extra annual leave entitlements (yay!)
• A newly built, purpose-designed clinic (opened early 2024) with its own therapy rooms, a full gym, an early intervention space and an outdoor sensory playground
• A broad allied health team, including Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists and Physios around you for support and sounding boards
• Moving for the role? We've got rental housing options we can talk through with you

About Kerin Health

We've been building out allied health care for rural and remote NSW since 2016.

Our belief is simple: everyone deserves access to exceptional healthcare, no matter their postcode - and for us, that means putting passionate educators in the room, 1:1 with rural kids who'd otherwise may fall through the gaps.

We back that up with competitive pay, flexible arrangements, genuine professional support and room to grow, in a workplace people actually want to be part of.

How to apply

Send your resume and a cover letter to [email protected]. Want the inside scoop before you apply? Call reception on [0437 749 746](tel:0437 749 746) and we'll line up a chat with one of our current team members.

For more information about this role and our team please head to https://www.kerinhealth.com.au/hiring-key-worker

You can even read testimonials from our current team members on what it's like to work with Kerin Health.

Ready for a change? Come and join our incredible team and make a real difference in the lives of children and their families in our communities.