Student Counsellor/Social Worker

Department of Education Victoria; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Brentwood Park Primary School in Berwick, VIC, is seeking applicants to provide professional student support services, including therapist, psychological and counselling services, and to contribute to wellbeing planning under the School Strategic Plan. The role emphasises safety, inclusion and proactive welfare for students.

Applicants should demonstrate teamwork, collaboration with families and external agencies, and the ability to maintain case notes and engage in ongoing professional

Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to deliver 1:1 counselling, utilising a range of therapeutic approaches including play therapy and providing proactive small group support as appropriate
• Demonstrated ability to support children with high needs and undertake safety planning and contribute to risk assessments as required
• Capacity to undertake classroom observations and provide recommendations for teachers regarding appropriate adjustments from a wellbeing perspective, particularly for students for being profiled for Disability Inclusion
• Ability to plan and organise and facilitate professional development for staff (e.g. regulation strategies for students)
• Outstanding teamwork and interpersonal skills - to be able to liaise with the Wellbeing Leadership Team and communicate effectively with families and external agencies including child protection, as appropriate
• Keep case notes, maintain external supervision and ongoing professional learning appropriate to maintain registration with the appropriate governing body (e.g. ACA)

Responsibilities

• Provide professional student support services, e.g. therapist and psychological and counselling services.
• Provide strategic advice on specific support services and their impact on students, school curriculum and services.
• Manage the use of and access to school resource and reference material.

Skills

1:1 counselling

wellbeing planning

risk assessments

child safety

teamwork

family engagement

Job description

Department of Education Victoria – Berwick VIC

1d ago , from Department of Education & Training Victoria

Brentwood Park Primary School is situated in the south-eastern growth corridor in the residential suburb Berwick. The school is well situated within the local community. The local pre-school and Kambrya College are adjacent on the school¿s northern and southern borders, respectively. A medical centre and the community centre are in close proximity. Brentwood Park Primary School has a current enrolment of1005 students.

Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our school actively promotes 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 the child safe standards. The school¿s Statement of Commitment to Child Safety and Child Safety Code of Conduct is available on the school¿s website.

The whole school community of Brentwood Park Primary School is committed to the needs of the children, fostering their self-esteem and enabling them to work towards achieving their personal best in a positive, challenging and supportive environment. In all cases the welfare of the child is our prime concern. All teachers accept responsibility for the provision of a safe and caring environment for all children.

Staff, parents and children are jointly involved in decision making. Parents, as part of the school team, are encouraged to become involved in our programs. The school strongly emphasises the importance of the home-school partnership with a high level of co-operation between parents, staff and children. Parent support is high, with parents responding to the learning team concept promoted and practised by the school. This emphasis is reflected in the daily involvement of parents in a range of school activities such, School Council, fundraising team, camping program and excursions. All members of the school community feel valued and welcome.

Staff are committed to professional development to ensure the provision of high-quality programs at Brentwood Park Primary School. Personal professional development planning for teachers is consistent with school aspirations detailed in the School Strategic Plan and Annual Implementation Plan.

Student Wellbeing is an intrinsic component of the ethos of Brentwood Park Primary School. Our student Codes of Conduct are unique and integral to the daily programs in each classroom, with the children being responsible for the design of these and class consequences, with the guidance of the teacher.

As a school, we are in the process of developing and implementing School-wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS), the evidence-based framework that helps schools build safe, inclusive, and positive environments by clearly teaching and reinforcing good behaviour with the key benefits of:

Decreasing low-level classroom disruptions and bullying.

Increasing the amount of time teachers can spend on actual instruction.

Improving overall student attendance, safety, and academic performance.

Fostering respectful, strong relationships between students and staff

SWPBS focuses on proactive systems that improve both social and academic outcomes. Accordingly, our school values are:

Respect

Responsibility

Persistence

Cooperation

Safety

Facilities

The school has been architecturally designed with its central core accommodated in seven distinct buildings, connected by covered walkways. This core comprises an administration area; with staffroom and first aid room, a multi-media centre, eighteen modern carpeted classrooms; each with its own teacher resource room, a physical education facility, an art/craft facility, a performing arts centre; and canteen, STEM room and music room. A new pod facility has recently been added. Features of the classroom design are their flexibility in allowing connecting walls to be opened to facilitate team teaching approaches, if desirable, and the provision of additional student learning areas in the form of smaller adjoining rooms. Relocatable classroom units currently provide the required number of additional generalist classrooms. All classrooms are air-conditioned. In our commitment to and use of information technology, the multi-media centre houses 30 networked computers, with internet access, in an adjoining laboratory.

The permanent core design and the location of additional classrooms lend itself to the cluster arrangement at year levels, promoting close planning and teaching amongst staff. All facilities have an abundance of natural light integrated within the overall design.

The grounds are spacious and consist of grass playing areas, two full size basketball/netball courts; with a full shade structure over one, three sets of playground equipment and a sandpit; all with shade structures overhead. A free-standing gazebo is a central feature of the established gardens. School council ensures the ongoing development and maintenance of the school grounds in the provision of a safe and attractive environment for the students.

Brentwood Park Primary School staff are expected to:

Assist in the implementation of School Strategic Plan and accompanying Annual Implementation Plans.

• Be prepared to become involved in activities beyond regular school hours.
• Accept a support role in the implementation of the school's welfare and discipline procedures.
• Play a role in continuing the established team approach of the staff.
• Maintain accurate and comprehensive records of programs and evaluation in line with School Policy and Victorian Curriculum F-10 Guidelines.

Other responsibilities as negotiated with the principal.

Selection Criteria

SC1 Demonstrated ability to deliver 1:1 counselling, utilising a range of therapeutic approaches including play therapy and providing proactive small group support as appropriate

SC2 Demonstrated ability to support children with high needs and undertake safety planning and contribute to risk assessments as required

SC3 Capacity to undertake classroom observations and provide recommendations for teachers regarding appropriate adjustments from a wellbeing perspective, particularly for students for being profiled for Disability Inclusion.

SC4 Ability to plan and organise and facilitate professional development for staff (e.g. regulation strategies for students).

SC5 Outstanding teamwork and interpersonal skills - to be able to liaise with the Wellbeing Leadership Team and communicate effectivelywith families and external agencies including child protection, as appropriate

SC6 Keep case notes, maintain external supervision and ongoing professional learning appropriate to maintain registration with the appropriate governing body (e.g. ACA)

Role

Range 3 is distinguished by the introduction of management responsibility and accountability for the delivery of professional support services. The role will usually impact beyond the work area or professional field. It seeks to gain cooperation of other staff members or members of the school community to achieve specific objectives, such as in school administration, operations or educational programs.

Direction on targets and goals is provided but the position will have some degree of latitude in determining how they are achieved. This latitude will generally be limited by standard procedures and school policy.Deviation from standard procedures and school policy will require guidance and direction from senior management.

The provision of business management responsibilities becomes a feature at range 3.Management of staff to achieve the expected outcomes is a key responsibility.Staff management issues will be resolved with minimal reference to senior management, although guidance will be required in more complex cases.Senior management will be provided with timely reports and advice, although this will generally be confined to matters relating to the immediate work area, service provision or educational program and is unlikely to impact substantially on whole of school operations.

This is the minimum range for positions that carry a mandatory qualification requirement of not less than four years.Professional student support positions become a feature at range 3 (e.g. therapists, psychologists) where standard professional services are delivered.Professional support and guidance will be close at hand and deviation from standard procedures and school policy will require guidance and direction from senior management.

An education support class position supports the educational services being provided to students, but must not include duties of teaching as defined in clause 2.6.1 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic) or its successor.Supervision of students cannot be required except where it is an integral part of the employee¿s position or involves supervision of students individually or in small groups, in controlled circumstances, where the responsibility for students remains clearly with a teacher.

Responsibilities

• Provide professional student support services, e.g. therapist and psychological and counselling services.
• Provide strategic advice on specific support services and their impact on students, school curriculum and services.
• Manage the use of and access to school resource and reference material.

Who May Apply

Individuals with the aptitude, experience and/or qualifications to fulfill the specific requirements of the position.

Diversity and Inclusion

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 (seeWorkplace 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*******@education.vic.gov.au

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.

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

Conditions of Employment

• All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
• 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