AddressBarwon Valley is a Special Developmental School situated in Belmont for students from Foundation to Year 12. It is a purpose built facility which provides a friendly, stimulating, caring and secure environment for students with moderate to profound disabilities. We implement School Wide Positive Behaviour Support to promote positive behaviour, using our school values of TEAMWORK, RESPECT, FUN, DIGNITY and SUPPORT. Our vision is to provide maximum opportunities for all students to access and be involved in a comprehensive education based on the Victorian Curriculum. Teaching programs support students to reach their maximum potential in both school and community settings. Our educational environment is comprised of Junior and Senior Learning Communities. Internal and external work experience programs are provided for students across the Senior Learning Community and strong links with local agencies and businesses support us with this program. An excellent staff/student ratio ensures that class groups have approximately 9 students. Students are actively involved in setting their learning goals in consultation with parents and other relevant personnel. We employ a diverse range of Allied Health Specialists including therapists, wellbeing personnel and nurses who support students to access their educational programs and support classroom staff in the delivery of these programs.
SC 1 Demonstrated highly developed interpersonal skills and communication skills.
SC 2 Demonstrated capability to establish and maintain collaborative relationships between people with disability and their parents and carers, other organisations or agencies and the wider community.
SC 3 Demonstrated understanding of issues facing students with disability and their parents/carers.
SC4 Experience in building the capacity of others to navigate complex systems.
SC 5 Demonstrated knowledge of the operations of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and operations of specialist schools.
Children and young people with disability can require a greater degree of parental or family involvement in their education and care than their peers without disability. Parents and carers of children with disability play several supporting roles, including as advocates and as people who can provide valuable insight into their child's specific needs for services such as the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and the broader health and community services system.
The Victorian Government is introducing new NDIS Navigators from 2023 in government specialist schools to provide support to parents and carers to help them navigate and understand the NDIS, enabling them to get the most out of the supports available. They will also provide support to schools, parents and carers to better understand the interface between the education system and the NDIS.
The NDIS Navigator will carry out the following with a high level of autonomy (within broad guidelines), professional leadership and minimal day-to-day direction:
· provide support and advice for parents and carers to build their capacity to understand, advocate for and access appropriate NDIS fundEd Support services available to their children
· develop and maintain relationships with parents, carers, school staff and local services to enable productive working relationships between schools, parents, carers and the NDIS
· support collaborative practices between NDIS funded services and the school including by providing appropriate information, documentation and/or logistical support for approved NDIS-funded therapist on-site visits. (School to edit/amend if they do not allow NDIS therapists to delivery therapy on school site)
· working collaboratively across their school, the NDIS Navigator will support families and carers to resolve issues experienced with the NDIS through appropriate channels.
The NDIS Navigator will not:
· contact the National Disability Insurance Agency or NDIS funded agencies on behalf of families or carers except in limited circumstances, following consultation with the principal
· act as an advocate for families, carers and students in matters that are the responsibility of the school.
The NDIS Navigator role is not a teaching role or a clinical role and is not designed for direct intervention, individual student case management or crisis management. The role will not implement or perform supports and adjustments in schools.
In some circumstances the NDIS Navigator may need to consult with the principal to prioritise families that have more complex needs that require additional support.
Relevant experience in the NDIS, disability, youth or education sectors is desirable but not essential.
Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.
The Department of Education is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, and diversity and inclusion for all. We value 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 roles within the Department. The Department recognises that the provision of family friendly, supportive, safe and harassment free workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work, diversity and safety across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for persons with a disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).
Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via *******@education.vic.gov.au
Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy
The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees, including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview
· Applicants should keep a copy of the position description as it cannot be accessed once the job has closed.
· Candidates are advised that the key selection criteria must be addressed. Visit https://www.careers.vic.gov.au/how-to-apply for guidelines and tips for applying for government positions and addressing key selection criteria.
· All staff employed by the department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
· Successful applicants are subject to a satisfactory criminal record check prior to employment. New department employees are required to meet the cost of the criminal record check.
· If appointed from outside the department, successful applicants will be required to complete a pre-employment health declaration.
· Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
· A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided. Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the department¿s Human Resources website at https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal
· To support the department¿s commitment to its Environmental Management System, department employees are expected to act in an environmentally responsible manner at all times.
- All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
- Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
- A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
- Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx
