Work Type: Fixed-term - Full-time
Salary: $103,885 - $123,905
Grade: Grade not specified
Occupation: Health and allied health
Location: Melbourne - Western suburbs
Reference: 15263
Position: Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner - Behaviours of Concern project, RCH Campus Mental Health Strategy
About the Role
This is a Fixed Term Part Time or Full Time (0.5 - 1.0 FTE) position until 30/06/2027 at 80 hours per fortnight (ability to create 2 positions with job share flexibility)
Classification for this position will range from:
$103,885.60 - $123,905.60 per annum pro rata
What You will Achieve:
Reporting to the ISAID (Improving Support for Autism and Intellectual Disability) Clinical Lead, this role works with the broader BOC project team to support clinical staff across the hospital to adopt evidence-based behaviour support practices to improve quality of care, reduce BOCs and reduce/eliminate restrictive practices.
The role develops behaviour support plans, and provides education, training, supervision, mentorship, consultation, and capacity building to embed positive behaviour support practices in routine care.
As a member of the BOC project team, the Behaviour Support Practitioner will contribute to this key project by providing subject matter expertise on evidence-based behaviour support approaches and liaise with nursing/allied health/medical/psychology education and interprofessional learning teams to develop education programs to support staff to confidently apply behaviour support approaches in routine practice.
Role Context
Launched in 2021, the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) Campus Mental Health Strategy coordinated a comprehensive program of integrated, evidence-based approaches to mental health research, education, and care. The RCH Campus Mental Health Strategy is in its final stage of delivery.
Children and adolescents who present with behaviours of concern (BOC), and children and adolescents who are neurodivergent can experience preventable distress, fear, and trauma during healthcare encounters because hospital systems, environments, and models of care do not consistently anticipate, recognise, and respond to their individual developmental, emotional, sensory, communication, behavioural, and psychosocial needs. This can compromise the care experience, contribute to avoidable behaviour escalation, and negatively impact health outcomes, future engagement with healthcare, and the wellbeing of patients, families, and staff. This project aims to improve patient and family experiences by enabling early identification and documentation of behavioural support needs in relevant children and adolescents presenting with BOC, and children and adolescents who are neurodivergent, within the EMR, enabling proactive care planning, tailored coping strategies, and trauma-informed approaches.
The Behaviour Support Profile (BSP) Tool in the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system documents and addresses the emotional needs of patients, including communication preferences, sensory sensitivities, and distress coping strategies. The BSP helps staff tailor care to each patient, reducing distress and enhancing their sense of safety and wellbeing whilst receiving medical care.
The Strategy’s final phase of work will deliver sustainable reform by building staff capability and embedding behaviour support resources within the EMR, as part of a comprehensive approach comprising fit-for-purpose digital infrastructure, people-centred workflow redesign, clinical leadership, workforce enablement and culture change.
Your skills and experience
Essential:
Desirable
For Social Work applicants:
For Occupational Therapy applicants:
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For Psychology applicants:
If this sounds like you, click here to view the position description
What we offer:
Other Requirements
Application process
To apply, you will need a resume and a tailored cover letter outlining your skills, experience, and suitability for the position in line with the requirements of the position description.
Shortlisting for this position will commence immediately, we encourage you to apply promptly!
For more information about this position please contact Dr Gayani Hettiarachchi Senarath, Program Manager - RCH Campus Mental Health Strategy on (03) 9345 5505 or [email protected].
Why work at the RCH?
RCH enjoys high employee engagement and is committed to staff safety and a positive culture through enactment of our Compact. We offer the opportunity to work in world-class facilities, surrounded by Royal Park and only a short tram trip from the heart of Melbourne city.
We also offer staff benefits such as discounted staff parking, salary packaging, and an award-winning health and wellbeing program.
The RCH is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from culturally and/or linguistically diverse background, all members of the LGBTQI community and people with disability.
It is a requirement of your employment that you be vaccinated against Influenza annually for Category A and B roles, in compliance with any public health orders in place at the relevant time, unless you have a medical exception in line with those public health orders, which has been accepted by The Royal Children’s Hospital. Applicants will be required to provide their Australian Government Immunisation History Statement, it is a requirement of the RCH to collect, record and hold vaccination information.
It is also a requirement of your employment that you comply with any direction given by The Royal Children’s Hospital that you be vaccinated against, or prove immunity to, any other disease, unless you have a relevant exemption, and offers of employment are conditional on successful completion of background checks including reference checks.
Are you ready to join our team?
Apply online by clicking on the “Apply” button
Applications close 27 August 2026