Access and Pathways Officer - Thriving Kids

Department-of-Education-1; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 70,000 - 90,000; Part time

Job summary

Department of Education Victoria is seeking Access and Pathways Officers to support families as they access Thriving Kids allied health supports. You will be the first point of contact, listening to families and guiding them to the most appropriate pathway based on needs.

Based in Coburg, you will work across face-to-face, phone and digital channels, undertaking intake conversations, triage, and referrals while collaborating with allied health practitioners and the broader team to ensure timely

Qualifications

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to engage families from diverse backgrounds.
• Experience in intake, assessment, triage, service navigation or related field.
• Ability to gather and interpret information to identify appropriate pathways.
• Collaborative skills to work within a multidisciplinary team.

Responsibilities

• Provide welcoming, family-centred intake across face-to-face, phone, and digital channels.
• Conduct intake conversations to understand needs and priorities and perform service-level triage.
• Identify the most appropriate Thriving Kids pathway and connect families to supports.
• Offer information, referrals, and navigation to health, education, and community services when needed.
• Collaborate with allied health practitioners and multidisciplinary teams for timely responses.
• Build relationships with early childhood services, schools, health and local government.
• Recognise when clinical input is required and escalate risks appropriately.
• Contribute to ongoing development of intake, triage and pathway processes.

Skills

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Intake experience

Triage

Job description

About the ProgramHelp shape a new way of supporting children and familiesThriving Kids is a new system of disability supports that is changing how children and families access support across Victoria.We're looking for Access and Pathways Officers to join us at this exciting stage of implementation to help families to access the right support at the right time.The reform will establish a coordinated and accessible model of support, with a strong focus on prevention, early intervention and responding to needs as they emerge.Thriving Kids will bring together education, health and community services to provide families with accessible and developmentally appropriate support, including information and advice, developmental assessment, support to build parents' and carers' skills and confidence, and targeted, time-limited allied health supports.This is an opportunity to help shape a new service model and make a meaningful difference to children, families and the professionals who support them.About the RoleAs an Access and Pathways Officer, you'll be the welcoming first point of contact for children and families seeking access to Thriving Kids allied health supports. You'll listen, understand what matters to each family and help identify the most appropriate pathway based on their needs.These three fixed term roles will be based out of Coburg.You will:Provide a welcoming, responsive and family-centred first point of contact across face-to-face, telephone and digital channels.Undertake intake conversations to understand children and families' strengths, needs, circumstances and priorities.Apply sound judgement to undertake service-level triage and determine the most appropriate pathway within established frameworks.Connect families with Thriving Kids supports, including family supports and targeted intervention with allied health practitioners.Provide information, service navigation and referrals to health, early childhood, education and community services when Thriving Kids is not the most appropriate pathway.Work closely with allied health practitioners and the broader multidisciplinary team to support timely and coordinated responses.Build strong relationships with services including early childhood education and care, kindergartens, schools, Maternal and Child Health, health and community services and local government.Recognise when clinical, specialist or other professional input is required and facilitate appropriate consultation or escalation.Contribute to the ongoing development and improvement of Thriving Kids intake, triage and pathway processes.The role is primarily focused on intake, engagement, triage, access and service navigation. Depending on service demand and workforce priorities, you may also contribute to direct discipline-specific intervention within your professional scope and governance requirements.About YouYou're a confident and compassionate professional who enjoys working with children, families and a broad range of services. You can listen, ask the right questions and use sound judgement to help people find the support they need.You will bring:Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build rapport and engage families from diverse backgrounds.A strong understanding of child development, family needs and the importance of early intervention.Experience in intake, assessment, triage, service navigation, community services or a related field.The ability to gather and interpret information, identify appropriate pathways and recognise when further professional or clinical advice is required.Strong collaboration skills and the ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team.A practical, strengths-based and family-centred approach to working with children and families.The ability to manage sensitive or complex enquiries, exercise professional judgement and escalate risks appropriately.Strong organisational skills, including accurate record keeping and the ability to work across digital systems.About the TeamYou'll join a new, multidisciplinary Thriving Kids team working alongside allied health practitioners and other specialists to deliver a coordinated service for children and families.Together, the team will help make it easier for families to access the right support, build their confidence and capability, and respond early when children need additional help.This is an opportunity to be part of a new service from the ground up - helping shape how families experience the Thriving Kids front door and contributing to a more accessible and connected system of support across Victoria.About the DepartmentThe Department of Education provides a wide range of learning and development support and services. The department provides policy leadership, plans for the future of education in Victoria and leads key cross-sector collaboration. The department plays an important system steward role by providing support, guidance, oversight and assurance across early childhood and school education systems, as well as directly providing school education and 50 new early learning centres.Important InformationFor more details about this role, please refer to the attached position description.If you have further questions, please contact Brooke Streatfeild at [e-mail] or phone: [phone].The Department values 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 more information about our work, working for the Department, diversity and inclusion, and our employment conditions, visit our website.Preferred applicants may be required to complete a police check and may be subject to other pre-employment checks. Information provided to the Department of Education will be treated in the strictest confidence.If you require any adjustments to ensure your full participation in the recruitment process or if you need the advertisement or any attachments in an accessible format (e.g. large print) due to any viewing difficulties or other accessibility requirements, please get in touch with the contact person listed on this advertisement.Applications close 11:59 pm Australian Eastern Standard/Daylight Saving Time on 4th November 2026.