Principal Consultant - Child Safety

Department of Education, Western Australia; Perth; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working arrangements

Generous leave entitlements

Professional development opportunities

Salary packaging access

Public transport access nearby

Job summary

Department of Education, Western Australia is seeking a Principal Consultant to join the Statewide Services team, supporting child safety, wellbeing and safeguarding across schools. The role is based with the WA Police CAIT in East Perth, with some on-site work at Padbury, commencing October 2026.

The successful candidate will provide practical policy advice, coordinate information exchanges, and build strong interagency partnerships to improve responses to child safety concerns across regions.

Qualifications

• Eligibility includes Australian or New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency or valid visa.
• Demonstrated ability to provide policy advice and information to support student wellbeing and child safety.

Responsibilities

• Facilitating exchange of relevant information for the wellbeing of children, as per the Children and Community Services Act 2004.
• Supporting schools/regions through consultations or information exchange/provision in responding to vulnerable students.
• Supporting schools and Interviewers with non-consent interviews on school grounds, including procedural guidance.
• Building and maintaining effective relationships with schools, regions, and other agencies including WAPF.
• Contributing to continuous improvement of child safety policies, procedures, and systems.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Policy advice

Interagency collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent in public policy/education administration

Job description

This is a permanent full-time position commencing in October 2026

The Role

We are seeking a dedicated and experienced Principal Consultant to join our Statewide Services team, primarily supporting critical processes relating to child safety and wellbeing. The Department of Education Liaison Officer (DELO) is an interagency initiative established in January 2024 between WA Police Force (WAPF) and the Department to support responses to child safety and wellbeing concerns.

The successful applicant will be instrumental in providing practical, accurate, and timely policy advice, information, and support to meet system requirements for schools regarding student support services, including child protection, safeguarding, and student wellbeing. They will also be required to work flexibly and independently within the integrated and collaborative structures of the Department, partner agencies and stakeholders. The position will be located with the WA Police Child Assessment and Interview Team (CAIT) in East Perth, with some on site work at Padbury.

Role Overview

• Information Exchange:
• Facilitating exchange of relevant information for the wellbeing of children, as per the Children and Community Services Act 2004.
• Supporting Student Safety and Wellbeing:
• Supporting schools/regions through consultations or information exchange/provision in responding to the needs of vulnerable students. This may involve following up on information provided by WAPF and sharing it with relevant school/region/business units.
• Supporting schools and Interviewers with non-consent interviews on school grounds, including providing procedural guidance and reassurance.
• Stakeholder Engagement:
• Building and maintaining effective relationships with schools and regions and other branches of the Department, other education sectors, WAPF, and various sections of Department of Communities.
• Systemic Improvement and Workforce Development:
• Contributing insights from practical experience to inform the continuous improvement of child safety and wellbeing policies, procedures, and systems within the Department and across interagency partnerships.
• Supporting workforce capability building by providing guidance, advice, and contributing to the development of resources for schools and regions to enhance their response to child safety and wellbeing concerns.
• Using the positive outcomes and learnings from the DELO project to advocate for best practices in ongoing responses to child safety.
• Reporting & Documentation:
• Maintaining accurate records and documentation related to child safety incidents and information exchanges.
• Preparing progress reports and tracking outcomes to ensure accountability and inform continuous improvement.

Professional Benefits

We are conveniently located in East Perth and our employees enjoy a range of benefits which include:

• 12% employer contributed superannuation.
• Flexible working arrangements are genuinely considered to create healthy work life balance including; working from home or remote, flexible working hours and part-time arrangements
• Generous leave entitlements including annual, personal, long service and parental leave
• Professional development opportunities and study leave/assistance
• Access to salary packaging (in accordance with relevant industrial instruments)
• Enjoy easy access to public transport with the Claisebrook train station just a 5-minute walk away or, take advantage of the free Yellow Cat bus service that stops outside our building entrance. Additionally, various CPP parking locations are within walking distance.

We are committed to building the leadership capability of our people (Building Leadership Impact).

Equity and Diversity

We are committed to an inclusive and culturally responsive workforce reflecting the diversity in our workplaces and the Western Australian community. We welcome and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, young people, people of diverse sexualities and genders, people with disability, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Explore our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Plan 2021-2025 for more details.

Eligibility

• be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, permanent resident or have a valid visa with relevant work rights for the term of the appointment.
• consent to a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check and obtain a current Screening Clearance Number issued by the Department of Education’s Screening Unit before you start.
• obtain or hold a current Working with Children Check.

More information about employment eligibility can be found on our website and in the attached Job Description Form (JDF).

Advertised Vacancy Number: DOE1062311

Applicants assessed as suitable may be considered for similar vacancies that arise in our branch within the next 12 months. This includes circumstances where this position becomes subsequently vacant should the successful applicant decline or vacate the advertised position.

The Department applies a four (4) day breach period to this selection process.

Applications close: 4.30pm (AWST) on Friday, 11 September 2026