Counsellor and Psychologist

The Townsville Catholic Education is seeking a dedicated and experienced Guidance Counsellor/Psychologist to support schools in the Mount Isa Region. The successful candidate will provide professional expertise, leadership, and support to the school community in the development, implementation, and evaluation of plans and programs to assist students in achieving positive educational, developmental, and lifelong learning outcomes.

• Facilitate proactive, preventative, and evidence-based practices and initiatives that promote student social, emotional, and educational development and the mental health and wellbeing of students.
• Facilitate effective working relationships and partnerships with parents, school staff, and external support agencies, involving a multidisciplinary approach, to provide a comprehensive support, case management, and referral service that optimises students' access and engagement in educational programs.
• Assess presenting issues and conduct activities such as intakes, student observation, and psychoeducational assessment to determine the nature of student learning difficulties, disability, developmental levels, or psychological and emotional status to make recommendations for educational adjustments and interventions.
• Provide recommendations and support to teachers and leadership, as part of tier one and two levels of a multi-tiered system of support, regarding supporting whole-school wellbeing planning, classroom support, and behaviour management that indirectly contribute to student wellbeing and learning at school.
• Manage the provision of counselling and consulting services for students (with personal, social, emotional, and educational needs) with a focus on prevention, intervention, and student learning.
• Ensure policy and procedures for student protection, educating students with disabilities, behaviour support, the containment of critical incidents, and mandatory record keeping are implemented.
• Balance the ethical issues of consent, privacy, and confidentiality for each student with the appropriateness of sharing information with others and maintain a comprehensive and professional record-keeping system that complies with policy and the legal requirements for access to these official records.
• Prepare and implement professional and personal skill development programs and in-services for teachers, school officers, and parents. Participate in regular professional supervision sessions and relevant professional development.
• Provide leadership and specialised support in response to student protection issues, critical incidents, and emergencies, including the development and implementation of responsive programs for school and student needs.
• Maintain standards of practice that are consistent with registration boards and membership of professional associations.

• Proven capacity to develop and implement counselling programs and associated strategies and services to support the needs of students with personal, social, and emotional needs.
• Demonstrated capacity to effectively respond to sensitive and complex student issues within an ethical framework.
• Capacity for effective counselling and individual case management involving a multidisciplinary approach, within an environment of competing priorities.
• Capacity to develop and implement student support programs and services for students with high support needs that reflect best practice and that align with relevant policies and procedures.
• Demonstrated strong interpersonal skills and the capacity to develop and sustain productive relationships within and beyond the school community.
• Capacity to work as a key contributor to a multi-tiered system of support within the school community to effectively engage students and staff.

• Current Working with Children Suitability Card.
• Current full registration or current provisional registration with eligibility for full registration, as a teacher in Queensland, and one year (minimum) full-time (or part-time equivalent coursework Masters, majoring in guidance and counselling).
• Full registration as a psychologist through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) Psychology Board of Australia or a fourth year qualification in psychology/or a fifth-year qualification in Psychology that will enable general registration as a psychologist through AHPRA Psychology Board of Australia following completion of the board approved internship or accredited sequence of study.
• Current Driver's Licence.
• Ability to travel from time to time within the Catholic Diocese of Townsville.
• Ability to perform the physical requirements of the role in a safe manner.
• Understanding of, and sensitivity to, the ethos of the Catholic School.

• Professional membership with the Queensland Guidance and Counselling Association (QGCA) or the Australian Psychological Society (APS).