Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader

**Overview**:
**Work Type**:Ongoing - Full-time

**Salary**: Salary not specified

**Grade**:Classroom Teacher

**Occupation**:Classroom teacher

**Location**:Melbourne - Northern suburbs

**Reference**:1490466

**Selection Criteria**:
**SC1** Demonstrated knowledge of the relevant curriculum, including the capacity to incorporate the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills. Demonstrated capacity to respond to student learning needs.

**SC2** Demonstrated capacity to implement high impact teaching strategies, guided by how students learn, and evaluate the impact of learning and teaching programs on student learning growth.

**SC3** Demonstrated capacity to monitor and assess student learning. Demonstrated capacity to use data to inform teaching practice and to provide feedback on student learning growth and achievement to students and parents.

**SC4** Demonstrated interpersonal and communication skills. Demonstrated capacity to establish and maintain collaborative relationships with students, parents, colleagues and the broader school community to support student learning, wellbeing and engagement.

**SC5** Demonstrated behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department values. Demonstrated capacity to reflect upon practice and engage in professional learning to continually improve the quality of teaching.

**SC6** 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.

**Role**:

- 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.
- DE piloted the Mental Health in Primary Schools -initiative in Victorian schools between 2020 and 2022 in partnership with the Murdoch Children's Research Institute and the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne. Evaluation of this pilot program showed that 95 per cent of Mental Health and Wellbeing Leaders consider the Mental Health in Primary Schools model improved their school's capacity to support students, mental health and wellbeing needs.
- Participating schools receive funding to employ a **Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader**, a qualified teacher, to work across the school to implement a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing for students, based on a broad knowledge of the needs of the school community.
- The role of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader is to:

- build capability of the whole school about 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 and 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.
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Leaders are provided training in mental health literacy, supporting emerging needs, and building school capacity and receive ongoing support and professional development through structured and regular Learning Communities. Training is developed and facilitated by the Faculty of Education at University of Melbourne, supported by Murdoch Children's Research Institute.

**Responsibilities**:

- Operating in collaboration with their school leadership teams, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader will:

- 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 school staff and classroom teachers to build their capabilities to embed mental heal