Overview
The Mental Health Practitioners (MHP) initiative was announced by the Minister for Education in late 2018 to expand mental health and wellbeing support in government schools. The initiative provides for a suitably qualified mental health professional in all government secondary school campuses and specialist school (with secondary‑aged enrolments) settings.
Role
Operating in collaboration with the relevant Department of Education Regional Mental Health Branch, this role has the following functions:
* Enhancing mental health prevention and promotion activities in the school by contributing to whole‑school health and wellbeing plans, building the capability of teaching staff and school leadership to address matters relating to student mental health and wellbeing, and helping to develop and deliver appropriate programmes and strategies in the school according to specified school priorities.
* Providing early intervention services (including short‑term counselling) for individual students and groups identified as at‑risk and/or experiencing or demonstrating mild to moderate mental health concerns.
* Coordinating supports for students with complex needs both within and external to the school, including proactively working with regions, local mental health service providers and other health professionals to engage further support as required.
The successful applicant will be an experienced professional who will carry out their duties and responsibilities, relative to their professional discipline, with a high level of autonomy and with minimal reliance on professional supervision. The successful applicant will be responsible for the development and implementation of professional support programmes within an educational environment, including guidance to other professional staff.
As an education support class position, this role supports the educational services being provided to students, but will not include duties of teaching as defined in clause 2.6.1 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic).
For more information on the responsibilities of an Education Support class level 1 range 4 employee, please visit the Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2022:
Selection Criteria
* Ability to implement a range of small group and whole‑school mental health prevention and promotion activities aimed at improving student mental health and wellbeing, including the delivery of capability building and awareness raising activities for staff and/or students on key mental health and wellbeing issues affecting the school's student population.
* Demonstrated ability to input into the development, implementation and evaluation of processes and strategies aimed at enhancing mental health and wellbeing prevention, promotion and early intervention.
* Demonstrated experience in assessing, conceptualising and analysing wellbeing issues, and providing evidence‑based direct counselling support to clients with a range of mental health needs.
* Demonstrated experience in coordinating supports for young people with complex needs including referrals to a range of specialist services as appropriate.
* Highly developed communication, networking and interpersonal skills including the ability to liaise effectively with a wide range of people.
* Clear understanding of legislative requirements regarding privacy of health information.
Responsibilities
* Providing advice and professional learning to others, including teachers and other school wellbeing staff, to build the capacity of schools to improve students wellbeing, learning and developmental outcomes.
* Delivering professional support services in a school, including mental health prevention and promotion activities and early intervention activities (including short‑term counselling) for students with a range of mental health needs, applying sound theoretical knowledge and practical expertise.
* Planning and implementing evidence‑based intervention strategies for students with complex needs including collaborating with families, other professionals and agencies when appropriate to effectively manage risk.
* Working collaboratively with the school to enhance mental health prevention and promotion across the school by contributing to policies and operational practices that will guide the work of others, including other school wellbeing staff and teachers.
* Liaising with other department areas (including secondary school nurses and Student Support Services staff) and external service providers where necessary to provide appropriate support to students.
* Maintaining professional competence and continued professional development, including attending professional development activities throughout the year.
* Meeting relevant policies and legislative requirements in relation to student health information, privacy and consent.
Please note: Continued professional development is a registration requirement under the National Law, which governs the operations of the National Boards and Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
Who May Apply
Required
* Applicants must be qualified as a psychologist, social worker, mental health nurse, occupational therapist or counsellor of a prescribed class. Specifically:
o Psychologists – hold full registration with AHPRA.
o Mental health nurses – hold full registration with AHPRA and a postgraduate qualification in mental health.
o Social workers – be eligible for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers.
o Occupational therapists – hold full registration with AHPRA.
o Counsellors – have completed a Bachelor or Master of Counselling and are a practising member of either the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) or the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA).
* Demonstrated direct counselling experience.
* A current Working With Children Check.
Desirable
* Psychology applicants – specialisation in educational and/or developmental psychology.
* Mental Health Nurse applicants – holding a Mental Health Nurse Credential and membership with the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses.
* Social Work applicants – membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers and an Accredited Social Worker Trade Mark.
* Occupational Therapy applicants – a Better Access to Mental Health Endorsement.
* Counselling applicants – Level 3‑4 registration (ACA) or a Registered Clinical Counsellor endorsement (PACFA).
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).
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:
DE Values
The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. Information on the department values is available at:
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 programmes provided.
* Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at
Location Profile
Charlton is a rural town serving a farming community situated 240 km north‑west of Melbourne and 110 km north‑west of Bendigo. The township is located on the Calder Highway and the Avoca River. The College's vision is to empower students to become successful, confident and creative global citizens. This is achieved by providing all students with a high‑quality education to enable them the opportunity to succeed in a safe and supportive learning environment. The College Values include:
* Respect: for ourselves, each other, the environment and our community
* Honesty: act morally and ethically with consistency between words and deeds
* Learning: embrace learning opportunities through being responsible, active and independent
* Optimism: being enthusiastic, persistent and resilient
The school currently has a student population of 124 drawn from farming and town areas.
Charlton College manages the North Central Trade Training Centre (NCTTC), located on the Davies Street campus, on behalf of the 7 schools that make up this network. The NCTTC provides technology subjects to all network schools in years 9‑10, VCE and VET and delivers a shared VCE‑VM programme to participating schools. This facility provides expanded VET options for network students including Hairdressing, Beauty, Animal Studies and Allied Health Services. The College curriculum offerings are expanded by cooperation between schools in the North Central Network through video conferencing links and other provision through the NCTTC.
Charlton College manages the North Central Network Re‑Engagement Program (FLO). A FLO coordinator manages the program where young people are identified to support their re‑engagement back into mainstream school or to provide a longer‑term alternative learning pathway depending on their age and stage of learning. Young people are enrolled at either a home school or Charlton College and enrolled in a VCE, VET or VCE‑VM programme. The FLO program operates out of Charlton College.
Victorian curriculum operates across years P‑10. Early Years literacy and numeracy programmes operate in P‑6, while VCE, VET and VCE‑VM subjects are offered to Year 10‑12 students. The College operates a learning neighbourhood structure, P‑6, 7‑9 and 10‑12. The College has an extensive netbook programme, including all students in Years 4‑12. Students in P‑4 access both iPads and netbooks. The College utilizes relatively new facilities including, P‑6 using the Building Education Building (BER) and the Science and Language Centre (SLC) is used for science, senior student's subjects and for video conference delivery.
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