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 student's 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 to strengthen a case.

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.

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

important information

• Applicants should keep a copy of the position description as it cannot be accessed once the job has closed.
• Candidates are advised that the key selection criteria must be addressed. Visit http://www.careers.vic.gov.au/vacancies/tips-for-applying for guidelines and tips for applying for government positions and addressing key selection criteria.
• All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
• Successful applicants are subject to a satisfactory criminal record check prior to employment. New DET employees are required to meet the cost of the criminal record check.
• If appointed from outside DET, successful applicants will be required to complete a pre-employment health declaration.
• Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
• 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
• To support DET's commitment to its Environmental Management System, DET employees are expected to act in an environmentally responsible manner at all times.

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.

Location Profile

The Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHiPS) initiative has created an opportunity for a classroom teacher to work between two schools in a full-time capacity. Carrington Primary School in Knoxfield and Fairhills Primary School in Ferntree Gully have collaborated to create this unique position.

PROFILE:

Carrington Primary School is located in Knoxfield, within the City of Knox, approximately 27 kilometres from the Melbourne Central Business District. The school was opened in 1994 after a merger between Knoxfield PS and Scoresby Heights PS. As a small school we provide our students with a safe, engaging and inclusive environment where everyone is valued and respected and where everyone knows they belong. This connectedness to school and community is the cornerstone of our positive learning culture here at Carrington. The school provides an educational environment where students strive to achieve their personal best in all learning areas; academically, physically, socially and emotionally. We place an extremely high priority on providing our students with the skills, understandings and behaviours to be able to establish and sustain, positive and respectful relationships with their peers, parents and teachers

The school grounds include an indoor multi-purpose hall, two main buildings including the Building the Education Revolution building. The grounds include two separate adventure playgrounds, a basketball court, netball court and an oval. There are three separate play areas. The school also has a chicken coup.

• Carrington Primary school aims to provide a dynamic and engaging learning environment that promotes the growth of socially competent students who perform to their personal best.

MISSION:

• Carrington Primary school will provide: optimal academic and personal learning experiences to meet the demands of the 21st century, quality teaching, connectedness to the wider community and authentic experiences to develop the knowledge and appreciation of living sustainably.

VALUES:

• At Carrington Primary School we value:

School Profile

Fairhills Primary School is a small, safe school situated in Ferntree Gully within the city of Knox, Victoria. Fairhills Primary School opened in 1965 and is conveniently located on Manuka Drive near Fair Park Reserve.

With an enrolment of 140 students which includes families who represent the wide cultural and social diversity of Knox including international students. Fairhills Primary School provides a learning environment that nurtures resilience and wellbeing in all students. The school recognises that students are life-long learners with a need to be socially adept, environmentally responsible and are encouraged to realise that they are part of a wider global community.

The recent Strategic Plan has a focus on improving English and Mathematics through the implementation of a student facing Instructional Model and establishing effective processes around the analysis and use of data to maximise student outcomes.

Wellbeing is an important part of the school community at Fairhills Primary School with the STARR Values imbedded in everyday practice and present around the school.

The school has large, beautiful classrooms and buildings that have been recently renovated and these spaces are connected by The CORE, our information and research centre.

Large well-maintained grounds, that include four playgrounds and a recently installed covered basketball court, are part of the school environment.

Our staff is nurturing, dedicated and highly trained and work in partnership with families to meet the challenges of 21st century learning. We are committed to providing the best education for our students through focus on quality teaching and learning, and continual improvement in student learning outcomes.

Who May Apply

Applicants should be currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching and qualified to teach.

A qualification in student wellbeing or mental health is desirable but not required.

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]