Company Reviews

    Working at Aboriginal Family Support Services

    2.030 ratings in total
    5
    2
    4
    2
    3
    5
    2
    5
    1
    16
    94%
    Rate salary as high or average
    20%
    Employees recommend this employer to friends
    Work/Life balance
    2.4(30 ratings)
    Career development
    2.1(30 ratings)
    Benefits & perks
    2.1(29 ratings)
    Management
    1.6(29 ratings)
    Working environment
    2.0(29 ratings)
    Diversity & equal opportunity
    2.1(30 ratings)
    Ratings for Aboriginal Family Support Services are shared as-is from employees in line with our community guidelines

    Reviews

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    1.0
    Case Manager
    Apr 2026
    Adelaide SA 50001 to 2 years in the role, former employee
    DONT BE TEMPTED BY THE $$$ ITS NOT WORTH YOUR MENTAL HEALTH.
    The good thingsWorking with ground staff and clients
    The challengesDO NOT WORK HERE: The reviews point to a consistent issue—micromanagement driven by control rather than leadership. Tools like the hand scanners for clocking in and out are positioned as improving payroll accuracy, but in practice they reinforce a surveillance-heavy environment. Instead of fostering trust and accountability, staff are treated like metrics to be managed, not professionals to be respected. The result is low morale, limited autonomy, and a workplace culture that prioritises oversight over performance.
    5.0
    Human Resources Role
    Apr 2026
    Adelaide SA 5000Less than 1 year in the role, current employee
    Values driven organisation
    The good thingsProud to be of AFSS, a value driven organisation with a genuine commitment to community, cultural respect and doing things the right way.
    The challengesLike most growing organisations balancing priorities can be a challenge but their is support available to achieve your role.
    1.0
    Caseworker
    Apr 2026
    Adelaide SA 50003 to 4 years in the role, former employee
    Absolutely soul destroying work place. Way too clicky. The stuff ppl get away with is, is insane.
    The good thingsThe clients are incredible.
    The challengesToxic workplace culture. So clicky and unprofessional. Higher management are useless. Workplace gossip is rife.
    1.0
    Team Leader
    Mar 2026
    Adelaide SA 50004 to 5 years in the role, former employee
    It's not worth the burn out and getting treating like rubbish
    The good thingsThe YP are amazing, when you find the right kids and build relationships with them it makes working in such a toxic environment worth it because you are the only person that's advocating for them.
    The challengesNot child focused, toxic, management is all clicky and in a group that works against you and not with you, gossip never gets shut down, its all about who you know and not what you know. You get given so many tasks with a near impossible deadline unless you work on your own time, your burn out so fast and the only way you get to refill your cup is by spending time with the YP but when you do that you get judged for not doing your job 24/7
    1.0
    Upper Management
    Mar 2026
    Adelaide SA 50004 to 5 years in the role, current employee
    Do not work in this Organisation. Stay away!!
    The good thingsSome of the people and teams. I put one star because you have too, otherwise it would be no stars. Stay away!
    The challengesThe CE, some executives and Board are the biggest risk to this organisation. Intimidation from the top down is astounding. The processes and procedures are outdated. Compliance is out of date and the level of unsafe psychological practices is astonishing. Even when raised to board nothing happens. CE must approve every bit of the business, down to what font is used in emails.
    1 person found this helpful
    1.0
    Case Manager
    Mar 2026
    Riverland & Murray Mallee SA3 to 4 years in the role, former employee
    Damaging and soul destroying, they need to operate with a focus of "do no harm" and not the opposite
    The good thingsWorking with the clients, some beautiful Aboriginal people and some of the incredible services, programs and community members.
    The challengesThey have lost touch with their service mandate and intent due to poor and inept leadership from the middle upwards, and ultimately damaging to their core client group.
    1 person found this helpful
    1.0
    Management / Leadership
    Feb 2026
    Adelaide SA 50002 to 3 years in the role, former employee
    Systemic mismanagement, a toxic culture, and leadership that consistently fails!
    The good thingsFrontline staff often pulled together under pressure, creating pockets of teamwork despite the wider organisational issues.
    The challengesStay away unless you want to know how dysfunctional and toxic a workplace can be. Leadership requires a complete overhaul. The current culture of favouritism, unqualified promotions, and personal alliances over professional competence severely undermines the organisation’s purpose. Management structures lack clarity, accountability, and basic organisational consistency, leaving staff unsupported and often carrying responsibilities far beyond their roles. A safe and transparent process for raising concerns is urgently needed. At present, staff have no meaningful avenue to report issues without fear of repercussions or being ignored. The workplace culture is deeply unhealthy, driven by gossip, poor communication, and a lack of genuine concern for staff wellbeing or the welfare of the young people the organisation is meant to serve.
    1.0
    Youth Support Worker
    Dec 2025
    Salisbury SA 51084 to 5 years in the role, former employee
    Toxic workplace, badly managed and they don't care about client outcomes.
    The good thingsClients are largely good to work with.
    The challengesToxic leadership culture and disregard of workplace safety and oversight. Poor organisational justice and lack of oversight by management. Deep disregard for clients welfare!
    2 people found this helpful
    2.0
    Case Manager
    Feb 2025
    Salisbury SA 51081 to 2 years in the role, former employee
    Great pay no idea about what community services and support are all about.
    The good thingsThe people on the ground are mostly good people
    The challengesToxic workplace toxic incompetent upper managers, senior staff who have inflated egos and no idea what they are doing. Lack of knowledge for the staff on the ground, their roles or the community in which they work.
    6 people found this helpful
    1.0
    Caseworker
    Jan 2024
    Yorke Peninsula & Clare Valley SA1 to 2 years in the role, former employee
    Wouldn’t go back, but so happy with the people I got to work with.
    The good thingsThe staff in the rural offices and my own office were supportive and nice.
    The challengesEverything else. Upper management have their fingers in too many pies that they spread themselves so thin and have some power trip where they can’t handle being questioned about anything that affects their pride or ability. No support or room for growth at all from management. AFSS systems feel like it’s based from the 80’s and won’t budge to improve anything. There is absolutely no trust for their staff and it is felt amongst the organisation. Staff don’t feel like their worthy or valued at all.
    8 people found this helpful
    4.0
    Community Support Worker
    Apr 2023
    Salisbury SA 51081 to 2 years in the role, former employee
    Find the right area and you will love it (disability/SILS was great)
    The good thingsGetting to work in a role I am passionate about and giving back to community. There are roles and leaders who are wanting to do the right thing by clients and services and who taught me a lot. I am leaving ready to take on my first post graduate role with good experience.
    The challengesSome senior management is very out of touch and abrasive. The organisation itself runs like it’s the 1980’s lots of unnecessary paperwork and processes.
    2 people found this helpful
    1.0
    Caseworker
    Feb 2023
    1 to 2 years in the role, former employee
    Highly rewarding working with community, however, would not recommend working in such a toxic environment.
    The good thingsCase manager was so supportive and encouraging. Good salary. Overall loved helping the community!
    The challengesUpper management is not supportive at all, they micromanage and do not trust their staff at all. Unfair and inappropriate treatment by upper management and no room for growth. Highly toxic work environment and no work/life balance.
    4 people found this helpful
    1.0
    Caseworker
    Jul 2022
    The role itself was great for practice development and good to support community. Toxic work dynamics and management was challenging to navigate.
    The good thingsFlexible working hours. Learnt a lot working with other services. Supporting clients was what kept me in the role for so long.
    The challengesManagement value numbers and funding over staff and client safety. Toxic work environment. Management didn't like questioning of practice. Innovative practice wasn't encouraged.
    5 people found this helpful
    1.0
    Youth Worker
    May 2022
    former employee
    Traumatic. Management have no concern for their employees despite working in a crisis driven workplace.
    The good thingsBeing part of the young people's lives and sharing good experiences.
    The challengesManagement show little concern for the needs of their staff and do not action or even respond to feedback. Stressful and emotionally exhausting working environment.
    3 people found this helpful
    1.0
    Human Resources Coordinator
    Jan 2022
    Less than 1 year in the role, former employee
    A miserable place to work
    The good thingsThe company does wonderful thing for the community
    The challengesToxic work culture amongst corporate services management, in particular HR.
    5 people found this helpful
    4.0
    Team Leader
    Sep 2021
    Less than 1 year in the role, current employee
    Will continue to work for them
    The good thingsI feel supported by my management and feel like I have strong opportunities for career growth. I have had numerous personal moments come up where management have checked in regularly with me to make sure I was supported. I didn’t have this same experience working for the Government
    The challengesTaking on vicarious trauma and managing this. Management give a lot of training and support and check in. Realistically working in areas of trauma the role can be challenging at times but when the organisation supports you it makes it better.
    5.0
    Youth Support Worker
    Sep 2021
    3 to 4 years in the role, former employee
    Love it!!!!!!
    The good thingsAmazing staff, young people, supportive management.
    The challengesTraumatised young people display behaviours that can be challenging
    2.0
    Youth Support Worker
    Sep 2021
    1 to 2 years in the role, former employee
    Disappointing. I hoped that I would of been mentored and nurtured in my career development.
    The good thingsThe young people I got to work with were beautiful.
    The challengesNo chance of career development unless you are friends or family with Management. If management don't like you they will put care concern on you to force you out. Staff are always given negative feedback, not much (if any) constructive or positive feedback. Children in houses miss out on good carers due to lack of support for good workers.
    5 people found this helpful
    1.0
    Various
    Oct 2020
    I would not recommend this as a positive workplace.
    The good thingsFlexible working arrangements are available, and working with clients.
    The challengesVery poor management. In particular, management struggle to manage conflict and support their staff with professional development and growth. The organisation is resistant to change, therefore continuous improvement within the programs is poor.
    5 people found this helpful
    1.0
    Youth Support Worker
    May 2020
    1 to 2 years in the role, former employee
    Terrible
    The good thingsYoung people that we service
    The challengesPoor processes, outdated, non-progressive, hierarchical, high staff turn over, unsupportive of professional development, often refused overtime entitlements
    6 people found this helpful
    2.0
    Youth Worker
    Nov 2019
    3 to 4 years in the role, former employee
    will not go back again
    The good thingskids are good, flexible
    The challengesmanagement is arrogant, not taking care of workers, not considering your contribution at all,
    6 people found this helpful
    2.0
    Support Worker
    Nov 2019
    5 to 6 years in the role, former employee
    Understanding of family commitments
    The good thingsWonderful to work for
    The challengesNo opportunity for career development
    1 person found this helpful
    3.0
    Support Worker
    Nov 2019
    Great kids but poor management creates difficult times for support workers
    The good thingsThe young people are great and supporting them and seeing their growth is very rewarding even when there are really hard shifts
    The challengesWorking with traumatised young people means many challenges but seeing them grow and overcome makes up for the tough days. Management aren’t great at following up after hard shifts, if you need to debrief you have to follow that up on your own which can lead to burnout. Management also make significant changes without listening to the feedback their given which feels pretty disempowering for the staff it really affects.
    4 people found this helpful
    2.0
    Caseworker
    Sep 2019
    former employee
    No worth the emotional pain
    The good thingsFlexible work hours which you could accumulate to take days off or finish early
    The challengesVery poor management and senior leadership pick on lower staff No one respects CEO and CEO is not respected by wider Aboriginal communities so undermines work being done by frontline workers
    3 people found this helpful
    3.0
    Placement Officer
    May 2019
    Less than 1 year in the role, former employee
    I'd work there again, if certain people weren't there. Its a good organisation, heart very much in the right place.
    The good thingsLots of heart and soul, bright and cheerful office, very valuable work
    The challengesTall poppy syndrome and reverse prejudice if you don't identify as Aboriginal
    2 people found this helpful
    3.0
    Youth Support Worker
    May 2019
    1 to 2 years in the role, former employee
    The kids were great, the management suck.
    The good thingsThe young people I supported were amazing kids.
    The challengesManagement never listened and are not Child focused.
    4 people found this helpful
    3.0
    Various roles
    May 2019
    3 to 4 years in the role, former employee
    Terrible place to work, and I would never go back.
    The good thingsWorking with amazing clients.
    The challengesPoor management, no support and little opportunity for advancement.
    3 people found this helpful
    1.0
    Community Support Worker
    Feb 2018
    Traumatising experience.
    The good thingsThe clients and work colleagues.
    The challengesManagement and lack of support, not valued and made to feel dispensable.
    4 people found this helpful
    1.0
    Therapeutic support worker
    Sep 2017
    Less than 1 year in the role, former employee
    Dont waste your time
    The good thingsThe children are awesome
    The challengesWork environment is terrible. Staff have no patience to work with trauma affected children.
    5 people found this helpful
    3.0
    community wdjjadgmg facilitatorr
    Sep 2015
    family support service that have ed a hard time about time off due to daughter in hospital with serious illness
    The good thingsFreedom
    The challengesManagement
    2 people found this helpful
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