Student Wellbeing and Support

Victorian Government; Shire of Loddon; On-site; AUD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Echuca Twin Rivers Specialist School in Victoria is seeking applicants with an understanding of the learning and teaching of students with special needs, and a commitment to their profession. The school serves children aged 5-18 with intellectual and associated disabilities, with enrolment around 131 students, using the Victorian Curriculum and ABLES to tailor education to individual needs and abilities.

The role focuses on providing professional student support services, including therapy and

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in providing professional support and services to young people and families with wellbeing needs using counselling, mediation and group work.
• Ability to work effectively in a school setting and develop and implement school-based programs and interventions that help young people to be successful.
• Capacity to work with families, staff and external agencies to provide individualized support for vulnerable young people in the school setting.
• Experience building teachers' capacity in teaching social skills, self-regulation and understanding the impact of trauma to maximise inclusion.

Responsibilities

• In consultation with school leadership, contribute to the development, implementation and evaluation of student support processes, policies and structures across the school.
• Provide professional student support services e.g. therapist and counselling services
• Establish and maintain effective networks with external service providers, and assist staff, students and families to access those services
• Develop and implement processes which ensure effective communication of relevant information to staff and families
• Maintain accurate, detailed records on relevant students, and contribute appropriate information to the student learning database
• Provide professional support as part of the Program for Students with Disability

Skills

Counselling

Group work

Mediation

Wellbeing support

Job description

Occupation: Education and training

Location: Loddon Mallee - Campaspe

Reference: 1548164

Location Profile

Echuca Twin Rivers Specialist School is seeking applicants who display an understanding of the learning and teaching of students with special needs and who are committed to their profession.

Echuca Twin Rivers Specialist School is a rapidly expanding school, providing education for children ages 5-18 years with intellectual and associated disabilities. The school enrolment is approximately 131students. We follow Victorian Curriculum using ABLES to assist assessment. The curriculum is based on individual needs and abilities and designed to be motivating, challenging and flexible with a significant focus on life skills and personal development.

Our 2022 - 2026 Strategic Plan has a student learning focus on Literacy, Numeracy and excellence in Education. The major emphasis is on literacy with a focus on reading, developing oral language and social skills. We believe that all our students need to be given a voice and the staff are dedicated to making the most of the school resources to achieve this goal.

Family connections are vital and their continued support is greatly valued. Student wellbeing is a high priority and contact with most families on a daily basis provides holistic support not only to students but to caregivers. Our families come from a diverse background spread over a large geographical area.

Many of our students have high paramedical needs. Access to physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and psychologist services is provided as required. Specialised therapy and augmented communication equipment is available to support these programmes.

The school prides itself on having an open and welcoming environment that encourages parent and community participation. Links with the community are encouraged. The school plays host to students on work experience, or community service programmes as well as providing onsite training for staff from local mainstream schools. We recognise and appreciate the challenging nature of the job and are proud of the professional commitment of all our staff.

Our school offers:

• Excellence in Education - High quality teaching tailored to the individual
• A curriculum designed to allow students to develop to their full potential.
• Highly trained and dedicated staff, highly respected by the greater community.
• A safe and supportive environment catering for all physical, emotional and intellectual needs.
• A strong emphasis on assisting the students to develop interpersonal skills readying them for life beyond school.
• A strong student wellbeing culture, where each childs needs are of top priority.
• An outstanding team approach to teaching and managing the students.
• Strong partnerships with parents, local disability services and the broader community.

Selection Criteria

SC1 Demonstrated experience in the provision of professional support and service to young people and families
with wellbeing needs using counselling, mediation and group work.

SC2 Demonstrated capacity to work effectively in a school setting, to develop and implement school based
programs and interventions that that help young people to be successful.

SC3 Demonstrated capacity to work with the families, staff and external agencies to provide individualized support
for vulnerable young people in the school setting.

SC4 Demonstrated experience in building the capacity of teachers in teaching social skills, self-regulation,
understanding the impact of trauma and how to maximise inclusion.

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 employees 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

The responsibilities of this position will be:

In consultation with school leadership, contribute to the development, implementation and evaluation of student
support processes, policies and structures across the school.

Provide professional student support services e.g. therapist and counselling services

Establish and maintain effective networks with external service providers, and assist staff, students and families to
access those services

Develop and implement processes which ensure effective communication of relevant information to staff and families

Maintain accurate, detailed records on relevant students, and contribute appropriate information to the student learning database

Provide professional support as part of the Program for Students with Disability

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 (see Workplace 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 [e-mail]

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:

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:

• 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

Applications close Thursday 29 October 2026 at 11.59pm