Mental Health

Location: Melbourne | Eastern Metropolitan

Job type: Full time / From 28/01/2025 - 26/01/2026

Organisation: Schools (Government)

**Salary**: Salary not specified

Occupation: Education and Training

Reference: 1446535

**Selection Criteria**:
**SC1**:
Demonstrated expert knowledge of the relevant wellbeing curriculum. Demonstrated ability to lead and manage the implementation of school wellbeing priorities.

**SC2**:
Demonstrated ability to lead the planning and implementation of high impact wellbeing strategies that respond to student learning needs. Demonstrated ability to support teachers to evaluate the impact of high impact wellbeing strategies and programs on student learning growth and wellbeing.

**SC3**:
Demonstrated exemplary ability to monitor and assess student wellbeing at a class, cohort or whole-school level and use this data to lead improvement initiatives.

**SC4**:
'Interaction with the school community¿.
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, engagement and inclusion.

**SC5**:
Demonstrated ability to model behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department values and support colleagues to adopt these behaviours and attitudes. Demonstrated ability to reflect upon their own, others and whole-school practice and contribute to the provision of whole-school professional learning.

**SC6**:
Demonstrated capability to provide strong leadership in inclusive practices, student health and wellbeing; and the ongoing implementation of the DI reforms to support effective tiered interventions.

**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 program 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.

The Department of Education and Training has been piloting the Mental Health in Primary Schools program in Victorian schools since 2020 in partnership with the Murdoch Children's Research Institute and the Melbourne Graduate School of Education at the University of Melbourne. Evaluation of this pilot program has shown that 95 per cent of Mental Health and Wellbeing Leaders consider the Mental Health in Primary Schools model has 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, staff and families 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 with regard to 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 Communities of Practice. Training is developed and facilitated by the Melbourne Graduate School of Education at University of Melbourne, supported by Murdoch Children¿s Research Institute.

**Responsibilities**:
**This is a Full-Time out of the classroom Role**
- Developing whole school curriculum documentation and overseeing the implementation of the school wellbeing program that incorporates Respectful Relationships, The Resilience Project, Kids Hope and other school wellbeing programs.
- Implementation of Tier 1 wellbeing programs and strategies across the school.
- Monitor and manage area budgets to ensure teachers and students have adequate resources
- Coordinati