Welfare Manager Ed Support Level 1 in Mildura

Demonstrated ability to inform and influence the work of others involved in the engagement, mental health, wellbeing or learning of children and young people.

Demonstrated ability to input into the development, implementation and evaluation of processes and strategies relating to mental health, wellbeing or learning.

Demonstrated ability to support a student's mental health, wellbeing or learning by developing and maintaining connection with external services.

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.

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.

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 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.
• 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.

Responsibilities:

• 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.

Essential qualifications include current registration as a Registered Nurse with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Authority, current Victorian Working with Children Check, and current Victorian Drivers Licence.

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.

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 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.

Swan Hill College is located 350 kilometres north west of Melbourne on the Murray River and is situated within the CBD of the rural city of Swan Hill. The College has continued to work on facilities development to a point where it now boasts some of the best facilities in the State.