1. Sarah Brandt
49a Konini Road, Titirangi
Auckland New Zealand
0278483008
Sehrahb@hotmail.com
nz.linkedin.com/pub/sarah-brandt/62/8ab/25b/
Summary
In 2006 I began my Journey to become a Social Worker; Istudied atUnitec full time and completed my
Bachelor ofSocial Practice in 2010. My Introduction to Social Work began when I did my first
placementwith Child Youth and Family Youth Justice, this was working with the Young People ofNew
Zealand that have offended butare not old enough to go through the Adult judicial System, and a
majority ofthe youth offenders are dealtwith by creating an alternative action plan.
Nearing the end ofmy studies Icompleted my lastplacementwith the Child Health and Disability
Service through the Auckland District Health Board, I worked within a Multi-Disciplinary Team of
Medical Professionals providing assessmentand intervention to promote rehabilitation outcomes for
children and young people.
In January 2011 I began my Career as a Registered Social Worker, after my placementwith Youth
Justice I felt that I wanted to work with Youth so I became a partof the fantastic team at TYLA Youth
Trust which began as an initiative through the New Zealand Police, the work was very similar to Youth
Justice however itwas a Non-GovernmentAgency. After nearly two years I felt it was time for a
challenge and became partofthe team at Child Youth and Family as a GovernmentCare and
Protection Social Worker, Iwas in this position for 2 years.
I am now a Child Health Social Worker for the Waitemata District Health Board.
Qualifications/Skills
 Bachelor ofSocial Practice
 Full New Zealand Social Work
Registration
 Certificate in Foundation Studies
 Commitment to the Treaty of Waitangi
 Youth Justice and Youth Work Skills
 Advocating Skills
 Care and Protection Skills
 Experience in both Governmentand
Non-GovernmentAgencies
 Working with young woman
 Planning Intervention and Investigation
Skills
 Networking
 Preparation ofCourt Documents
including affidavits

2.  Good task management
 Experience in Bi-Cultural Practice
 Organisational Skills
 Facilitation Skills
 Resilience
 Liaison skills
 Conceptual Thinking
 Analytical thinking
 Health
 Interpersonal understanding
 Achieving tasks
 Relationship building
 Information gathering and
interpretation
 Role clarity
 listening and responding
 Team work and Co-operation
 Service orientation
 Assessmentskills
 Safety and risk management
 Communications
 Social Media
 Caregiver assessments
 Strengths based practice
Accomplishments
 During my time at my first place ofemployment, Imanaged and facilitated the Nga Ma Wahine
program. This group was focused on looking atissues around Self-esteem, drugs and alcohol,
teen pregnancy, safe sex, bullying,sexual orientation, self-care and other issues that young
girls face today. I would getto together with a group ofgirls once a month, each session
focusing on different subjects. Prior to the group meeting Iwould contact a guestspeaker to
join us i.e. Family Planning and CADS.
We would have discussions around what issues they were dealing with and all come up with a
plan to help the person through their problem. The girls were encouraged to ask questions and
help each other. A joint decision made by the group was that they would take what they had
learned into their schools, communities and to their friends to promote the well-being ofyoung
girls in Aotearoa. The main incentive for the girls was that they took ownership oftheir
knowledge and shared itamongsttheir peers which would getdistributed even further.
The girls were very proud oftheir knowledge and were proud to be promoting the well-being of
young girls. They engaged well and were actively involved in the process.
 I have had the pleasure ofbeing a group leader in the Prime Ministers Holiday program two
years in a row. Groups ofyoung people across New Zealand were selected to take partin this
Holiday Program which was funded by the Ministry. My role was to selectyoung people who
were involved in our agency and submitan application for them to be considered.In order for
them to be considered the young person musthave achieved well in school and within the
agency.
 In early 2014 I received personal acknowledgmentfrom the Minister ofSocial Developmentfor
my achievements in working with a difficult Home for Life case that I was the lead Social
Worker for.

3. Professional Experience
Child Health Social Worker August 2014- Current
 Providing client/whanau centred, safe, responsive, and effective and outcome focused social
work service to both in-patient and outpatient areas of child woman and family services.
 Working with other health professionals on both the ward and in the community.
 Assessing care and protection and family violence
 Case management in/reach our/reach model
 Managing the Social Work newsletter for the Waitemata DHB
Child Youth and Family – Government Care and Protection Social Worker
September 2012- July 2014.
 Information gathering and analysis at intake and investigation phases
 Planning, implementation and review ofappropriate interventions, in conjunction with the
supervisor, and where appropriate, an assigned co-worker.
 Preparing reports as required, based on extensive and accurate information gathering and
analysis
 Using existing professional practice tools and those which may from time to time be introduced
by the service
 Providing appropriate information to clients, professionals, colleges and others in order to
maximise good decision making processes.
 Participating in the processes ofthe Family Group Conference (FGC) and those tasks which
follow the FGC.
 Completing tasks associated with the Family and Youth Court, including preparing and
presenting a range of reports for court.
 Providing case managementin conjunction with the Supervisor and other relevantparties.
 Keeping factual and timely formal records through the use of computer based and other
information systems.
 Co-operating with any agreed quality assurance process operated by Child Youth and Family.
 Worked as a Duty Social Worker
 Facilitated Multi-agency meetings.
 Presented atan FGC.

4. As a GovernmentCare and Protection Social Worker I work under the New Zealand, Children, Young
Persons and their Families Act1989.
TYLA Youth Trust – Youth Social Worker
January 2011-September 2012
TYLA works within local communities in New Zealand to deliver tailor-made programs thathelp inspire
at-risk youth to turn their lives around.
The purpose ofthis role was to address and promote the reduction ofchild and youth offending, by
working with youth at risk between the ages of nine and fifteen.
My core duties:
 Working with children and their families using a case managementapproach including:
identification ofrisk factors, assessment, plan developmentand monitoring.
 Addressing and identifying the needs ofthe young person and their families by conducting
interviews and building relationships.
 Developing a plan ofaction for all parties to help them achieve their goals.
 Advocating for the young person, representing them and encouraging them.
 Working Cross-culturally and implementing Bi-cultural Practice.
 Establishing and maintaining working relationships with schools, governmentagencies and
community based social services.
Child Youth and Family – Supervised Access
2008
I worked part time on the weekends proving transportation for Children in the custody ofChild Youth
and Family. The purpose ofthis job was to ensure that children in care arrived to the destination
arranged by court orders and that there was a safe environmentduring the supervised access with their
parents/caregivers.
Education
Unitec New Zealand 2007-2010
Bachelor of Social Practice
 A professional qualification for a career in a wide range of social, community, disability, mental
health and education services.

5.  Industry recognition: the Bachelor ofSocial Practice (Social Work) is recognised by the Social
Workers' Registration Board for registration.
 A critical focus on social justice.
 Use of narrative ideas in social practice.
Unitec New Zealand 2007
Certificate of Foundation Studies (Entry to University)
 Develop the skills and confidence for further study at certificate or diploma level
 A pathway into the Certificate of University Preparation, if you want to enter a degree program.
 Guidance designing a learning pathway that gets you where you want to go.
 Completed Certificate with Merits
Professional Training
Waitemata DHB 2014
 Family Violence Training
 Care and Protection Training
 Non ViolentCrisis Intervention
Child Youth and Family 2012
 Safe Strong Practice -Completed 15 weeks ofintensive training - Training included Social Work
Values and Ethics, Knowledge Base skills, Practice Tools, AdolescentAssessmentPackage,
Care and Protection Law, Analytical Skills, Practice Skills, Group Consult, Child Centered and
Young Person Focus Practice, Abuse Neglectand Violence in Families, Case Management,
Family Group Conferencing, Cultural Responsive Casework, Bi-Cultural Practice.
Safety Organized Practice – February 2013
 Describe the importance ofsafety organised elements in relation to assessment.
 Understand and use each of the six safety organised elements in their work with children,
young people and their families.
 Understand how to incorporate critical reflection in their practice.
Te Puaruruhau – March 2013
 Identify Child Abuse from a DHB Perspective.
 Translate information aboutthe diagnosis and managementofphysical abuse, sexual abuse
and neglect.
 Analyse the effects offailure to thrive and developmental delay.
 Explain the shaken baby syndrome.
 Summarise inducted illness.

6. Assessment and Analysis – March 2013
 Have gained a common understanding ofassessment.
 Be able to discuss the purpose ofassessment.
 Be able to locate analysis in the assessmentprocess.
 Have a working knowledge ofthe elements ofquality assessment.
 Have a working knowledge ofhow analysis assists effective decision making
Recording a Childs Story – April 2013
 Record case notes that reflectthe child’s needs and are fair, accurate, transparent, neutral and
non-judgmental.
TYLA Youth Trust 2011-2012
 External – Youth Violence and Anger: Whatcan be done? – Professional Development
Seminars
External – SACs – Alcohol and Drug Screening and BriefIntervention Training – Youth
DevelopmentTraining via New Zealand Police
Internal (TYLA) – Intervention Models (Circle ofCourage, Mana Potential
Youth Justice conference
 Care and Protection New Zealand
Personal Information:
DOB: 03/05/1985
Personal Interests: I enjoy being outdoors and Iam actively involved in sports and exercise,Ialso enjoy
reading, Photography, Travelling and cooking.
I like to getinvolved in the community and give back when and where I can, I really enjoy fun runs and
would like to start getting involved in fundraising events.
I have signed up to complete my firstvolunteer abroad Programme in May 2015, travelling to Delhi to
teach English to children living in the slums, this Programme runs for 3 weeks and I am fundraising the
money.
Additional Information:
 Full New Zealand Driver’s License
 Full Social Work Registration
 Refereeson request.