Work Type: Ongoing - Full-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Learning Specialist - Range 3
Occupation: Learning specialist
Location: Melbourne - Northern suburbs
Reference: 1496801
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:
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.
Operating in collaboration with their school, leadership and wellbeing team where relevant, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader will:
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.
The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, 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 safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and diversity across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for staff with disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).
Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via [email protected]
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.
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
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
To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class:
Details of qualification requirements as updated from time to time can be found at Recruitment in Schools.
School Vision
The vision of the Rosanna Golf Links Primary School community encompasses a commitment to excellence and inclusivity in education. Our school recognises the strong link between home and school. This partnership is encouraged and valued. We aim to be a family friendly school where every individual¿s learning needs are valued and respected. We value positive, challenging and rich learning experiences that develop creative thinkers, with achievement, engagement and wellbeing the fundamental pursuits of our school. We aspire to engage our students, with the support of the greater community, to develop the requisite skills and strategies to become confident, resilient and socially responsible learners.
School Values
The values which form the basis of the actions of the whole school community are: Respect, Responsibility, Kindness, Persistence
Environmental Context
Rosanna Golf Links Primary School opened in 1957 and has a current enrolment in the range of 500-600 mainstream students and 25 Deaf Facility students. The school is located on an expansive, well-landscaped and attractive site. The suburb is currently undergoing regeneration and many new, young families are making Rosanna their home with a SFOE index of 0.183. The school staffing profile in 2024 includes: 3.6 Principal Class; 2.6 Learning Specialists (Numeracy, Literacy and Deaf Facility Coordinator; 40 full time teaching staff, including 7 Teachers of the Deaf; and 12 non-teaching staff.
The school philosophy has a strong focus on all children being provided with opportunities to achieve their full potential, with an emphasis on the development of Literacy, Numeracy, Sustainability and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) competencies. Our school prides itself on our commitment towards inclusive education and an undertaking to provide differentiated learning programs which are designed to cater to individual children¿s point of need and learning styles. Our school philosophy is based on the belief that all students have the ability to achieve their full potential.
Student Welfare has a high priority with a whole school approach to discipline that emphasises anti-bullying, the principles of restorative justice, SWPBS, promoting high levels of tolerance and caring. Many opportunities are provided for student leadership, with a strong focus on students being responsible for their learning and their behaviour.