Mental Health & Wellbeing Leader

Overview

Work type: Full time

Salary: Salary not specified

Grade: Classroom Teacher Range 2

Occupation: Education and Training

Location: Western Metropolitan

Reference: 1480333

Location Profile

Jacana School for Autism currently caters for 224 students and is located off the Western Ring Road close to public transport, Broadmeadows Shopping Centre, Broadmeadows Leisure Centre and the Hume Global Learning Centre/Library. The school commenced operation in January 2013 as a specialist school that exclusively addresses the educational and social needs of students with an autism spectrum disorder. Many students also present with a range of associated disabilities and conditions. Students are aged between 5 and 18 years and travel to the school from a wide geographical area.
The site has a range of well-maintained, secure and engaging playgrounds. Students also access local parks, playgrounds and indoor play centres under staff supervision. Facilities include a multipurpose room, occupational therapy rooms, visual arts room, music room and two student kitchens.
The school is divided into 3 sub schools; Primary, Middle and Secondary. Each sub school is led and managed by a Leading Teacher. Classes generally comprise of small flexible groups of 8 to 14 students, according to age (stages of schooling), ability and the individual needs of the students. Each class is taught by combination of teachers and teacher aides. Teachers and teacher aides work in partnership for the benefit of the students. Teachers are responsible for the development, delivery and evaluation of all classroom activities and individual student programs while maintaining an autism friendly classroom.
The school employs four Learning Specialists who support the effective implementation of tier 2 intervention and well as deliver Science or Personal and Social Capabilities. Specialist programs include Health & Physical Education; The Arts (Visual and Music); The Technologies (Food Technology and Design), and are provided across the school. A therapy team of 3.0 EFT speech pathologists,2.4 EFT occupational therapists and a wellbeing team including, MHP, MHWL & Mental Health and Wellbeing Officer supports the work of the classroom team.
Jacana School for Autism currently has 3.0 principal class, 5.6 EFT leading teachers, 4.0 Learning Specialists, 31.4 EFT teacher class staff, 50 EFT education support staff, 4 EFT speech pathologists, 3.0 EFT occupational therapists and 0.4 social worker.
Jacana School for Autism has an administration team of 6.4 which supports the day- to - day running of the school, and a maintenance staff member who ensures that the grounds and buildings are well maintained. Staff are encouraged to belong to professional network groups. Close relationships have been developed between network schools and nearby mainstream schools into which our students are integrated.

Selection Criteria

• SC1 'Content of teaching and learning' Demonstrated ability to inform and influence the work of others involved in the engagement, mental health, wellbeing or learning of children and young people.
• SC2 `Teaching practice¿. Demonstrated ability to input into the development, implementation and evaluation of processes and strategies relating to mental health, wellbeing or learning.
• SC3 `Assessment and reporting of student learning¿. Demonstrated ability to support a students mental health, wellbeing or learning by developing and maintaining connection with external services.
• SC4 `Interaction with the school community¿. Demonstrated high level interpersonal skills and communication skills. Demonstrated high level of capability to establish and maintain collaborative relationships with students, parents, other employees and the broader school community to focus on student learning, wellbeing and engagement.
• SC5 Professional requirements' Demonstrated ability to influence and negotiate by gaining buy in and ownership for ideas, gaining agreement to proposals, or involving experts or other third parties.

Role

The Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System highlighted that primary schools provide opportunities to identify children with mental health and wellbeing challenges, who can then be referred to treatment, care and support.

The Mental Health in Primary Schools initiative is being expanded to every government and low-fee non-government primary school in Victoria. Scaling up across the state from 2023, by 2026 every primary school will be able to employ a Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader to implement a whole-school approach to wellbeing.

The Department of Education has been piloting the Mental Health in Primary Schools initiative in Victorian schools since 2020 in partnership with the Murdoch Children's Research Institute and the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne. Evaluation of this pilot initiative has shown that 95 per cent of Mental Health and Wellbeing Leaders consider the Mental Health in Primary Schools model has improved their school's capacity to support students' mental health and wellbeing needs.

Participating schools receive funding to employ a Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader, a qualified teacher, to work across the school to implement a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing for students, staff and families based on a broad knowledge of the needs of the school community.

The role of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader is to:

• build capability of the whole school with regard to mental health and wellbeing (identification, promotion and prevention),
• provide support to staff to better identify and support students with mental health needs,
• establish clear pathways for referral for students requiring assessment and intervention, and monitor and evaluate student progress.

The role provides a proactive focus for the promotion and prevention of mental health and wellbeing through assessment and implementation of context-relevant programs, approaches and initiatives based on a broad and extensive knowledge of the needs of the school.

The Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader role is not a clinical role and is not designed for direct intervention. The role is seen as a key conduit in creating referral pathways once a teacher or other staff member identifies a concern in the classroom.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Leaders are provided training in mental health literacy, supporting emerging needs, and building school capacity and receive ongoing support and professional development through structured and regular Learning Communities Training is developed and facilitated by the Faculty of Education at University of Melbourne, supported by Murdoch Children's Research Institute.

Responsibilities

Operating in collaboration with their school, leadership and wellbeing team where relevant, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader will:

• Promote a whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing to students, staff and families
• Support teachers and school staff to expand their capacity to embed evidence-based mental health strategies, interventions and programs and build mental health literacy to identify and support primary school students with mental health concerns.
• Collaborate with school staff to inform, influence and provide input into teaching and learning relating to mental health and wellbeing. Provide support to schools staff and classroom teachers to build their capabilities to embed mental health into the classroom.
• Work with school leadership and wellbeing teams to embed whole school approaches to mental health into school planning and strategic processes. Coordinate clear referral pathways internally (within school) and externally (to community services) for students identified as requiring further assessment and intervention.
• Proactively work with and support regional staff, school wellbeing and leadership teams, teachers, parents/carers and other external agencies to coordinate targeted mental health support for primary school students.
• Contribute to the school's existing wellbeing team.

Who May Apply

Teachers currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching and qualified to teach and/or have demonstrated experience in the curriculum area(s) specified for the position.

EEO AND OHS Commitment

Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.

The Department of Education is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, and diversity and inclusion for all. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department. The Department recognises that the provision of family friendly, supportive, safe and harassment free workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work, diversity and safety across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for persons with a disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).

Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via [email protected]

Child Safe Standards

Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:

https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy

DE Values

The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees, including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:

https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview

Other Information

• All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
• Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
• A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
• Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx

Conditions of Employment

• All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
• Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
• A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
• Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx

VIT LANTITE

To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class a person must have provisional or full registration from the Victorian Institute of Teaching. In addition, from 3 August 2020, to be eligible for employment in the principal class or teacher class, a person who graduated from a Victorian Initial Teacher Education program after 1 July 2016, must demonstrate that they have passed the literacy and numeracy test for initial teacher education (LANTITE) requirements. This condition is satisfied where the LANTITE requirement is part of the Victorian Initial Teacher Education program completed by the person.