SSS Social Worker

About the Department

The department provides a wide range of learning and development support and services.

The department provides policy leadership, plans for the future of education in Victoria and leads key cross-sector collaboration. The department plays an important system steward role by providing support, guidance, oversight and assurance across early childhood and school education systems, as well as directly providing school education and 50 new early learning centres.

About the Division

The purpose of Student Support Services (SSS) is to assist children and young people facing a range of barriers to learning to achieve their educational and developmental potential through the provision of a range of strategies and specialised support at individual, group, school and Area levels.

SSS comprise a broad range of Allied Health professions including psychologists, speech pathologists, social workers and visiting teachers. SSS staff work as part of multi-disciplinary health and wellbeing team within Areas, focusing on providing group based and individual support, workforce capacity building, and the provision of specialised services.

SSS do vital work in supporting students' health and wellbeing - particularly our most vulnerable students - and SSS are critical to building an excellent education system that reduces the impact of disadvantage.

The SSS workforce use the Department's Student Support Services Handbook to guide their work and practices

Additional information is also available on the Departments website via this link DET Allied Health Careers

About the Role

An opportunity for a passionate qualified Social Worker who wants to help school aged children and young people to reach their full potential. This is a full-time opportunity to work in a collaborative multidisciplinary allied health team in the Department of Education, Brimbank Melton Area, Keilor St Albans location, in Student Support Services.

Seeking an exciting opportunity to work in a multidisciplinary support team, with flexibility, hybrid working conditions, and the opportunity to build and share your skills and knowledge across a variety of experiences and activities? Join our Student Support Services (SSS)Team at the Department of Education. Our SSS team work closely, together and with our schools to enhance and enable successful student wellbeing and educational inclusion across their educational experience. This is an opportunity to guide your own work and work directly with students across ages, in your area of interest, such as disability, neurodiversity, inclusion and be part of a team that works to enhance positive outcomes for students.

The Student Support Services (SSS) Social Worker role is to manage the delivery and quality of student wellbeing support services to improve student learning outcomes. In collaboration with schools, undertakes advanced wellbeing interventions that support students and school educational programs, including the identification of broad wellbeing issues and effective strategies to address these within the school and community. Developing and implementing strategies for the delivery of student support services within schools. Providing consuktative service and intervention for schools to respond effectively to critical incidents. Provide professional leadership that supports the work of others and their professional development. Develop programs that support schools, teachers and students that improve learning, particularly in respect to students with additional needs. Provides authoritative professional advice to management, school leaders and team members, including strategies on how to build student resilience and positive mental health. Advises and direct team members in respect to complex cases, particularly in relation to breaking the link between socio-economic disadvantage and student achievement. Assesses needs and implements professional development for team members.Liaises with community service organisations, DHS, hospitals, specialist programs and other professionals regarding the support needs for students and schools.

Attributes

Extensive experience in the initiation, development and implementation of wellbeing support programs that foster resilience in children and young people and address their social, emotional and educational needs. Capacity to provide leadership to professional team members. Strong communication skills and the ability to influence others involved in the wellbeing of children and young people. Capacity to broker, design and deliver professional learning within a student support services team and other professionals, such as teachers. Capacity to manage the delivery of student wellbeing services. Highly developed capacity to assess, conceptualise and analyse more complex student wellbeing issues that translate to improving student support services.

Desirable Qualifications and Experience

A graduate or post-graduate degree in social work or equivalent with Eligibility for membership of the Australia Association of Social Workers with a minimum of 3 years social work experience.

Further Information

For more details regarding this position please see attached position description for the capabilities to address in application.

The department values diversity and inclusion in all forms - gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. For more information about our work, working for the Department, diversity and inclusion, and our employment conditions visit the Department website and our Diversity and Inclusion page

Applicants requiring adjustments can contact the nominated contact person.

Information about the Department of Education's operations and employment conditions can be located at www.education.vic.gov.au.

For further information pertaining to the role, please contact Claire Appleby, SSS Team Leader, Keilor-StAlbans, claire.appleby@education.vic.gov.au.

Preferred applicants may be required to complete a police check and may be subject to other pre-employment checks. Information provided to the Department of Education will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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