Work Type: Fixed-term - Part-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Classroom Teacher - Range 2
Occupation: Health and allied health
Location: Melbourne - Eastern suburbs
Reference: 1549631
Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader
Where Every Child Thrives!
At Dillbadin Primary School, we believe that children learn best when they feel safe, connected, understood and supported. We don't see student wellbeing as separate from learning; it is fundamental to everything we do.
We are seeking a passionate, knowledgeable, and proactive Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader to join our school in 2027 and help shape and strengthen our approach to student wellbeing and inclusion.
We genuinely value this position. We recognise that supporting students' increasingly complex wellbeing and learning needs requires dedicated leadership, strong relationships, and a coordinated whole-school approach. We are committed to providing the time, support and opportunity for the successful applicant to make a meaningful difference.
About Our School
Dillbadin Primary School is an inclusive and welcoming school in Boronia, where every student is known, and relationships are at the heart of our work.
In 2027, our school will operate four classrooms, with small class sizes, modern learning spaces and a dedicated team of teachers and Education Support staff.
Our size allows us to respond to individual student needs, work closely with families and build strong connections across our school community.
We have high expectations for student learning, engagement, and behaviour, alongside a genuine commitment to understanding each child's individual needs.
Our school values, Be a Learner, Be Respectful and Be Safe, underpin our approach to School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) and guide how we work together.
About the Role
This is a 0.8 FTE position, working Tuesday to Friday, with a two-hour teaching allocation each week.
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader will be a key member of our school team, working closely with the Principal to strengthen and coordinate our whole-school approach to wellbeing, engagement and inclusion.
We are looking for someone who can see the bigger picture while also working alongside staff, students and families to put effective supports into practice.
A key part of this role is ensuring wellbeing and inclusion are shared responsibilities across the school, supported by consistent practices, clear processes, and a collaborative team approach.
The role will include, but is not limited to:
Why This Role Matters at Dillbadin
We know that the right support, provided at the right time, can make an enormous difference to a child's experience at school.
We also know that teachers and Education Support staff need strong leadership, practical guidance, and opportunities to work together to support students with diverse and complex needs.
That's why this role matters to us.
We don't see our Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader as someone who simply responds when things go wrong. We want someone who will help us be proactive, strengthen what we already do well, identify opportunities for improvement and build a school-wide culture where wellbeing and inclusion are everyone's responsibility.
The successful applicant will have a genuine opportunity to influence school practices, strengthen staff capability, and make a lasting difference to our students' experiences and outcomes.
Who Are We Looking For?
We are looking for someone who:
What We Offer
At Dillbadin PS, you won't be working in isolation. You will be part of a committed team that values professional discussion, shared responsibility and working together to achieve the best outcomes for students.
We offer a school environment where your expertise will be respected, your contribution will be valued and your leadership will have a genuine impact.
We are continuing to develop and strengthen our wellbeing and inclusion practices, and we want the successful applicant to be an active part of that journey.
If you are passionate about student wellbeing, believe in the importance of inclusive education, and want a role where you can genuinely influence and improve outcomes for children, we would love to hear from you.
Interested applicants are encouraged to contact the school to arrange a tour and learn more about our school community and the opportunities this role offers.
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.