Disabilities Co Ordinator

**About the Department**

The role of the Department of Education is to support Victorians to build prosperous, socially engaged, happy and healthy lives. It does this by supporting lifelong learning and healthy development, strengthening families and helping to equip people with the skills and knowledge for a 21st century economy and society.

**About the Group**

Schools and Regional Services (SRS) offers central, regional, and local expertise to enhance learning and development outcomes, supported by a diverse and geographically dispersed workforce. It comprises 17 areas within 4 regions, backed by 5 central office divisions, all collaborating to deliver improved outcomes for early childhood services, schools, communities, and learners, in line with Education State commitments. SRS regions serve as a bridge between the central office, schools, and service providers, ensuring smooth transitions for learners and achieving the department's ambitious targets. Each region includes divisions specialising in school performance, student wellbeing and early childhood support, working with area-based teams to tailor local interventions and practices. The 17 areas provide crucial insights into local trends and issues, facilitating effective policy and program development and driving child and learner outcomes across all services and programs.

This role is located in the Health, Wellbeing and Specialist Services Branch, Bayside Peninsula Area, South Eastern Victoria Region, SRS. The role reports to the Health, Wellbeing and Specialist Services Branch Manager.

**About the Role**

**The ongoing 1.0FTE**_'Senior Program Advisor - Disabilities Coordinator'_ position is available for a tertiary qualified Education, Nursing, Disabilities Services or Allied Health professional who understands the legislated rights of students with a disability as well as having a sound understanding of broad educational policies and school based operational requirements.

The primary responsibility of this role is to lead the implementation of programs designed to improve the educational outcomes for students with disabilities and additional learning needs, including strategies that ensure inclusive practices and effective educational programs to support student with disabilities in schools from Foundation until year 12 and can work as part of a multidisciplinary team to ensure this.

The role contributes to and supports the inclusive education agenda by performing all roles required of the Disabilities Coordinator. Working within the Health, Wellbeing and Specialist Services branch, the role will work closely with other area staff, divisional staff and central staff. The Disabilities Coordinator will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team within and across the area.

The role requires an excellent understanding of disability, inclusion and the legislated rights of children and students with disabilities.

The position works with schools and families in a way that promotes competency, strengthens families and schools and encourages collaborative planning for student learning needs.

The Disabilities Coordinator develops, builds and maintains close working relationships with regional staff and schools and develops effective linkages with relevant health and wellbeing service providers in the area. This includes finding innovative solutions to stakeholder issues, overcoming barriers, garnering support and negotiating appropriate outcomes in highly complex individual cases along with preparing high quality correspondence and briefings, whilst liaising with a range of stakeholders and management as required.

The position provides training and support for inclusive education and the effective implementation of the Program for Students with Disabilities and Disability Inclusion. The position also provides opportunities to develop and manage projects to drive change for schools to deliver effective educational outcomes for students with disabilities.

**Attributes**
- has an excellent understanding of disability, inclusion and the legislated rights of children and students with disabilities within the department policy and school context.
- identifies innovative solutions to stakeholder issues, overcoming barriers, garnering support and negotiating appropriate outcomes in highly complex individual cases.
- demonstrates effective interpersonal, verbal and written communications skills to support stakeholder understanding of inclusion within schools and prepare high quality reports, briefing and correspondence.
- effective project delivery inclusive of planning, engaging stakeholders, implementing, evaluating and reporting on outcomes.
- an ability to work with multiple stakeholders to support inclusion within schools
- develops inclusion capability by improving the knowledge, skills, and ability of others.

**Qualifications and Experience**
- Essential: A relevant tertiary qualification in a related field (E.g. Education, Nursing, Disabiliti