Social Worker

**Overview**:
**Work type**:Full time

**Salary**:Salary not specified

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

**Occupation**: Health and Allied Health

**Location**: Shepparton

**Reference**: 1466241

**Selection Criteria**:
1. Experience in (or capacity to demonstrate) the development and implementation of programs, procedures and policies that foster resilience in children and young people and address their social, emotional and educational needs.

2. Ability to deliver a comprehensive social work support service to students and families in an educational environment.

4. Capacity to work as part of a collaborative, multidisciplinary professional team and contribute significantly to the achievements of the team.

5. Well-developed communication, networking and interpersonal skills.

**Role**:
Social Workers work in partnership with individuals, groups and communities to help them reach their full potential by addressing barriers to health and wellbeing. These barriers may include social and economic disadvantage, individual differences resulting from cultural, language and sexual preferences, bullying, grief and loss, substance abuse, domestic violence, and mental illness.

Social work in schools is a specific field of social work that encompasses direct practice, service management, organisational development and system change, policy, research and education and professional development. School social work requires the ability to work with individuals, groups and communities at the interface between the student, school organisation and curriculum, peers, family, neighbourhood and wider society.

Social Workers develop and implement programs and strategies that foster resilience in children and young people and address their social, emotional and educational needs. Social Workers address individual functioning related to the whole system around a child and intervene at these levels. Social Workers also undertake psychosocial assessments and mental health tests/assessments. They work as part of multidisciplinary teams in schools and networks to support students and teachers.

**The Social Worker will work as part of a Student Wellbeing & Engagement team and the broader Student Services team by**:

- Providing direct support to students and families that addresses social and emotional needs, such as psycho-social assessment, critical incident response, advocacy and support for students and families and liaison with external community service providers.
- Contributing to the delivery of student support services within our multi-disciplinary team.
- Contributing to the development and implementation of student wellbeing policy across the school.
- Supporting the school and staff in the development of educational programs, particularly in respect to students with additional needs.
- Providing advice to the leadership of the school about student support service needs.
- Liaising with community service organisations, DFFH, hospitals, specialist programs and other professionals as directed by the team.

**Responsibilities**:

- Work as an integral part of the wellbeing team, providing collaborative support to this multi-disciplinary professional team that provides wellbeing support to students.
- Provide a social work service that includes conducting individual psycho-social assessments; reviewing assessment reports and providing advice about relevant teaching and learning strategies; undertaking individual, group and family work; and be a key member of the wellbeing during critical incidents.
- Provide professional advice and support to the wellbeing team, the principal team, school staff and the school community that will enhance the learning, development and wellbeing of students, particularly those who are most vulnerable.
- Contribute to the development of interventions that support student learning, engagement and wellbeing.
- Support the establishment and strengthening of links and referral pathways between relevant departments, services, community organisations and the school to optimise support of vulnerable children, young people and their families.
- Participate in staff support, supervision, learning, development and knowledge sharing activities as a member of the school team.

**Who May Apply**:
**Required**
- Applicants must be qualified as a psychologist, social worker, mental health nurse, occupational therapist or counsellor of a prescribed class. Specifically:

- For Psychologists, applicants must hold full registration with AHPRA
- For Mental Health Nurses, applicants must hold full registration with AHPRA and hold a postgraduate qualification in mental health
- For Social Workers, applicants must be eligible for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers
- For Occupational Therapists applicants must hold full registration with AHPRA
- For Counsellors applicants must have completed a Bachelor or Master of Counselling and be a practising member of either the Australian Counsel