Es 1-4 Mental Health Practitioner Inclusive Ed/ Main Stream Secondary

**Overview**:
**Work type**:Part time

**Salary**:Salary not specified

**Grade**:Ed Support Level 1-Range 4

**Occupation**: Health and Allied Health

**Location**: Seymour

**Reference**: 1473019

**Location Profile**:
Seymour College is a vibrant school located one hour from Melbourne that is dedicated to creating an inclusive environment across the three sectors of education, primary, secondary and special education. With access to modern facilities, we offer teachers the space and opportunity to create exciting teaching and learning experiences for their students. All of our teachers, from early career graduates through to Leading Teachers, are provided with support and opportunities, with all having access to leadership opportunities, induction, mentoring and coaching.

The College encourages collaboration with the students, as well as their parents and carers throughout their learning. As part of our commitment to life-long learning, we are implementing the new Vocational Major and Vocational Pathway Certificate from 2023, have a Trade Training centre located on-site, and offer comprehensive careers and pathways planning for all students. Our commitment to student success is reflected in our NAPLAN data, which shows significant student learning growth from Years 3 to Year 9. This carries on into VCE, with our VCE outcomes sitting above all regional neighbouring Government schools.

The College prides itself on being a hub for the Seymour community in our education and wellbeing services from birth through to graduation. This includes a co-located Family and Children's Centre with kindergarten and maternal and child health services on site. The college is also involved in a ten-year partnership with the Colman Education Foundation, Kids First Australia, Mitchell Shire Council, Department of Family, Fairness and Housing to implement the 'Our Place' approach.

**Selection Criteria**:

- Ability to implement a range of small group and whole-school mental health prevention and promotion activities aimed at improving student mental health and wellbeing, including the delivery of capability building and awareness raising activities for staff and/or students on key mental health and wellbeing issues affecting the school's student population.
- Demonstrated ability to input into the development, implementation and evaluation of processes and strategies aimed at enhancing mental health and wellbeing prevention, promotion and early intervention.
- Demonstrated experience in assessing, conceptualising and analysing wellbeing issues, and providing evidence-based direct counselling support to clients with a range of mental health needs.
- Demonstrated experience in coordinating supports for young people with complex needs including referrals to a range of specialist services as appropriate.
- Highly developed communication, networking and interpersonal skills including the ability to liaise effectively with a wide range of people.
- Clear understanding of legislative requirements regarding privacy of health information.

**Role**:
The Mental Health Practitioners (MHP) initiative was announced by the Minister for Education in late 2018 to expand mental health and wellbeing support in government schools. The initiative provides for a suitably qualified mental health professional in all government secondary school campuses and specialist school (with secondary-aged enrolments) settings.

Operating in collaboration with the relevant Department of Education Regional Mental Health Branch, this role has the following functions:

- Enhancing mental health prevention and promotion activities in the school by contributing to whole-school health and wellbeing plans, building the capability of teaching staff and school leadership to address matters relating to student mental health and wellbeing, and helping to develop and deliver appropriate programs and strategies in the school according to specified school priorities
- Providing early intervention services (including short-term counselling) for individual students and groups identified as at-risk and/or experiencing or demonstrating mild to moderate mental health concerns; and
- Coordinating supports for students with complex needs both within and external to the school, including proactively working with regions, local mental health service providers and other health professionals to engage further support as required.
- 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 mínimal 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