Job Description:

• Location: Craigieburn Secondary College
• Classification: Ed Support Level 1-Range 4
• Position Description: Mental Health Practitioner
• Subject/Duties: Mental Health Practitioner
• Secondary Years 7-12
• Begin Date: 23/11/2020 negotiable
• Regular/Temporary: Ongoing
• Hours: 38.00
• Job Reference #: 1205256

Location Profile:

Craigieburn Secondary College is situated 25 kilometres north of the city centre and is set on large, picturesque grounds shared with Craigieburn South Primary School. The College enjoys excellent grounds and facilities including a 300 seat Performing Arts Centre, Industrial Kitchen and a State of the Art Science Centre. The grounds include lawn and passive areas and astro-turf playing fields that incorporate basketball, volleyball, rugby, soccer, cricket and a running track. Traditional sporting facilities include a gymnasium, asphalt basketball courts and grassed football and soccer fields.

Knowing that education makes a significant difference to the lives of young people, our vision is 'to be an environment in which every student achieves their highest potential'. In this pursuit we have high expectations of students, teachers and parents and we provide structures and processes that facilitate the implementation of a consistent and rigorous student learning program.

Values fundamental to the College are Respect, Responsibility, Achievement and Community. The College provides a learning environment that is safe and supportive and encourages purposeful work, equal access to, and opportunity to achieve success in a challenging comprehensive curriculum at years 7 to 10. The School Wide Positive Behaviour Support framework guides our practices across the college, ensuring positive relationships are established and nurtured between students, teachers and parents.

Demographics

The College has an SFOE of 0.6097. The current enrolment is 1165 students and growing steadily. There are five Principal class members, ten leading teachers and EFT eighty eight teaching staff and thirty three education support staff.

Craigieburn Secondary College has over forty different language backgrounds represented in our school community. We have an excellent EAL program and a multicultural aid in order to best assist second language students in their learning.

Other significant factors

There are numerous enrichment and support programs;

1. Select entry enrichment and acceleration program (CEAP) that offers places to a limited number of highly capable and committed students who meet the academic rigours set by the program.
2. Craigieburn High Achievers Club where aspirational and determined senior students can meet with each other and their teachers on a weekly basis to improve their study habits and achievement results.
3. Literacy and Numeracy Fluency programs running for all Year 7 students
4. Leadership programs including School and House captaincies, SRC, Advance program and the Alpine School.
5. Student Engagement and Wellbeing programs such as Breakfast Club, a Homework club running four nights, Sporting teams and a Student Advisory Team which participates in College decision making.

Craigieburn Secondary College expects its students to work to the best of their ability, respect the rights of all others, to strive for excellence and to take pride in their work and their school.

Selection Criteria:

1. Demonstrated experience in assessing, conceptualising and analysing wellbeing issues, and providing evidence-based direct counselling for a range of mental health issues.
2. Demonstrated experience in planning and implementing evidence-based intervention strategies for clients with complex needs.
3. Demonstrated ability to input into the development, implementation and evaluation of policies and strategies relating to mental health and wellbeing.
4. Highly developed communication, networking and interpersonal skills including the ability to liaise effectively with a wide range of people.
5. Ability to provide leadership and professional learning that informs and influences the work of others involved in the engagement and wellbeing of children and young people.
6. Clear understanding of legislative requirements regarding privacy of health information.

Role:

The Mental Health Practitioners (MHP) initiative provides for a suitably qualified mental health professional in all government secondary school campuses.

Operating in collaboration with the Department of Education and Training's Area-based multi-disciplinary teams, this role will have the following functions:

• provide direct counselling support and other early intervention services for individual students and groups identified as at-risk and/or experiencing or demonstrating mild to moderate mental health needs;
• coordinate supports for students with critical needs both within and external to the school, including proactively working with regions and other health professionals to engage further support as required; and
• enhance promotion and prevention activities in the school by contributing to whole school health and wellbeing plans, building the capability of teaching staff and school leadership to manage student health and wellbeing, and helping to embed mental health promotion and prevention programs and strategies in the school.

Education Support Class Level 1 Range 4:

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 programs 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 click here.

Responsibilities:

1. Deliver professional support service/s in a school/s, including the direct counselling for students with a range of mental health issues, applying sound theoretical knowledge and practical expertise.
2. Plan and implement evidence-based intervention strategies for students with complex needs including collaborating with families, other professionals and agencies when appropriate, and manage the associated risks.
3. Work collaboratively with the school to contribute to policies and operational practices that will guide the work of others, including other school wellbeing staff and teachers.
4. Provide leadership and professional learning to others, such as teachers and other school wellbeing staff, to build the capacity of schools to improve students’ learning and developmental outcomes.
5. Liaise with other Department areas (including secondary school nurses and Student Support Services staff) and external service providers where necessary to provide support to students.
6. Maintain professional competence and continued professional learning, including attending professional development activities throughout the year.
7. Meet relevant policies and legislative requirements in relation to student health information privacy.

Please note:

• The relevant enterprise agreement underpinning this position is the Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2017.
• Continued professional learning 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:

• Hold a Bachelor qualification or specialist/post graduate qualification where applicable in:
  • Social Work
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Nursing with a mental health specialisation
  • Psychology.

• Have demonstrated direct counselling experience.
• Have a current Working With Children Check.

For Mental Health Nurse, Psychologist and Occupational Therapists, applicants must hold full registration with the requisite professional body.

For Social Workers, applicants must be eligible for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers.

Desirable

• For Social Work applicants, hold membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers and an Accredited Social Worker Trade Mark.
• For Mental Health Nurse applicants, hold a Mental Health Nurse Credential and membership with the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses
• For Occupational Therapist applicants, hold a Better Access to Mental Health endorsement.
• For Psychology applicants, specialisation in education and/or developmental psychology.

EEO AND OHS Commitment:

The Department values diversity and is committed to workforce diversity and equal opportunity in schools and all education workplaces. The Department recognises that the provision of family friendly, supportive, safe and harassment free workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work, diversity and safety across all schools and Department workplaces.

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.

DET Values:

The Department’s employees commit to upholding DET’s Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. DET’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 DET values is available here.

Other Information:

Time fraction is negotiable between 0.8 - 1.0 .

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.

Please make all applications for this position through the Recruitment Online (jobs in schools) via the apply now button below, search the Job Reference #: 1205256 and attach your answers to the below selection criteria questions.