AddressAdvertised Vacancy Number: DOE885178
This is a nine (9) month fixed term, full-time position commencing Term 2, 2024 with possible extension and/or permanency
About the Southwest Education Region
Located only a few hours south of Perth the Southwest is a small and more densely populated region of WA, home to some of Australia’s best beaches, wineries and forests.
With kilometres of picturesque coastline, beautiful native forests, and relaxing scenic drives, the Southwest is the most visited region in Western Australia outside of Perth. The Southwest Education Region encompasses parts of the Great Southern including Albany, Denmark, and surrounds.
Covering the south-west corner of the country, the region is known for its natural attractions, laid-back lifestyle and diverse business and employment opportunities. There are many places to sight-see, camp, hike, or taste the local produce. The Southwest region’s population is around 190,000 and fluctuates during harvest and holidays when many city-dwellers and seasonal workers from Perth and beyond head south.
The region offers 100 public schools which service 31 329 students from large state-of-the-art facilities to very small school settings with multi-aged classrooms. Working in our schools provides an opportunity to make a difference in the education and wellbeing of children living in the region, balanced with a regional lifestyle that is well supported by the close-knit communities.
About the School Psychology Service
School psychologists play a key role in supporting students, parents, teachers and school administrators.
With more than 630 School Psychologists in public schools across Western Australia, we are the largest employer of psychologists in the state. We are also a growing service, with a commitment to increase our services and provide support for students and promote positive mental health.
School psychologists are registered health practitioners who support the work of schools in enhancing student achievement, engagement, and wellbeing. They apply their expertise in mental health, learning, human development, behaviour, and school systems. School psychologists work in a range of diverse education settings with students, school leaders, staff, parents, the community, and interagency partners and are professionally accountable in each region to a Lead School Psychologist.
About the Lead School Psychologist role
As a Lead School Psychologist in the Southwest education region, you will be based in the Busselton area and directly accountable to the Director of Education. You will also be professionally accountable to the Department’s Chief Psychologist, with your practice guided and directed by Department policies and guidelines and the Psychology Board of Australia’s (Board) professional standards.
This position will require you to lead and manage school psychology services to schools in the Capes and Warren Blackwood school networks, covering towns near the coast such as Busselton and Margaret River, and extending east to inland towns such as Manjimup, Bridgetown and Pemberton. You will ensure effective deployment of School Psychologists and access to specialist school psychology resources. You will encourage and initiate consultative and collaborative intra and interagency partnerships ensuring consistency of work through unified and productive networks and interconnected systems of support with other regional office personnel.
As a Lead School Psychologist, you will work collaboratively with three other Lead School Psychologists, based in Bunbury (2) and Albany respectively and at times may be required to assist psychologists and principals across the wider Southwest education region.
The Lead School Psychologist leads in the provision of contemporary psychological practice. Broad experience and capacity to provide leadership across all core areas of the service (mental health, learning, behaviour, cultural responsiveness, educational continuity and incident management) will be advantageous. You will quality assure the practice of the school psychology team to ensure practice meets Department and school needs in accordance with the professional standards of the Department, the Psychology Board of Australia (Board), and standards outlined in the Competency Framework for School Psychologists.
You will provide leadership and access to professional support and learning for School Psychologists and ensure professional supervision for provisionally registered psychologists. Approval and experience as a Board approved supervisor will be considered favourably.
Advanced Skills School Psychologist (ASSP) status is required for permanent appointment to a Lead School Psychologist position. Candidates with and without ASSP status are encouraged to apply to this position – if there is no suitable candidate with ASSP status identified, a candidate without ASSP status will be appointed for the advertised fixed-term period.
The Lead School Psychologist provides direct advice to the Director of Education, principals and the system in assessment, response and critical evaluation of complex issues and situations, including emergency and critical incident management to uphold the regional provision of timely and agile responsiveness to address current and emerging needs of all schools and networks in the Southwest.
This selection process will initially be used to fill the above vacancy. Applicants assessed as suitable during this selection process may be considered for other similar vacancies that occur throughout our school for up to 12 months following this initial appointment. This includes circumstances where this position becomes subsequently vacant should the successful applicant decline or vacate the advertised position.
To be suitable for this role, you will need to demonstrate the following work-related requirements (selection criteria):
This selection process will initially be used to fill the above vacancy. Applicants assessed as suitable during this selection process may be considered for other similar vacancies that occur throughout our region for up to 12 months following this initial appointment. This includes circumstances where this position becomes subsequently vacant should the successful applicant decline or vacate the advertised position.
To be suitable for this role, you will need to demonstrate the following work related requirements (selection criteria):
The criteria align with Phase 3 described in the Competency Framework for School Psychologists.
- Demonstrated highly-proficient skills and the application of scientific practitioner models that contribute to system-level understandings and decision making.
- Demonstrated application of exemplary specialist knowledge and skills and the provision of leadership in the development of programs and interventions.
- Demonstrated ability to clarify and communicate complex concepts and provide feedback and critical evaluation on the school psychology profession, system policy, direction and operation.
- Demonstrated leadership of strategic partnerships to build capacity, influence systemic policy and undertake interventions and prevention programs.
- Demonstrated leadership and engagement in a variety of professional activities that indicate critical self-reflection, flexibility, exemplary practice and the development of learning communities
Applications will be assessed against these work related requirements (selection criteria) of the position. The business needs of the region may also be considered. It is therefore recommended that you consider all information contained in the advertisement and any other related information before applying for the vacancy.
The Department is an equal opportunity employer and encourages people with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and persons from culturally diverse backgrounds to apply.
For further job related information:
Please contact Sue Cuneo, Director of Education, by telephoning (08) 9791 03***or emailing *********@education.wa.edu.au
Application Instructions
All applications are submitted online. Select “Apply for Job”, at either the top or bottom of this screen and follow the instructions on your screen.
Your application should include:
- A five (5) page statement addressing the Work Related Requirements (selection criteria), in context of the role and business needs of the school
- A CV of up to three (3) pages outlining your employment history and professional learning summary relevant to this position
- The contact details for two (2) work related referees who can attest to the claims made in your written application, preferably one being your current line manager.
It is recommended you have these documents completed and ready to attach before selecting “Apply for Job”.
You are asked to complete an online application form and attach your documentation, please allow enough time to complete this process as applications cannot be accepted after the closing date and time.
After you have submitted your application online, you will receive an email confirming lodgement. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please telephone (08) 9264 4***
If you are having difficulty submitting your online application, please telephone (08) 9264 86***for assistance.
ELIGIBILITY AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
Employees will be required to:
Employees will be required to:
- complete the Department’s induction program within three months of commencement
- complete the Department’s training in Accountable and Ethical Decision-Making within six months of appointment and every three years thereafter.
- complete the Department’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural awareness online course within 3 months of commencement; and
- complete any training specific to this role required by Departmental policy
- provide evidence of eligibility to work in Australia for the term of the vacancy;
- consent to a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check and obtain a current Screening Clearance Number issued by the Department of Education’s Screening Unit prior to commencement of employment
- obtain or hold a current Working with Children Check if required
- hold or be eligible for general registration with the Psychology Board of Australia.
Employees are required to have achieved Advanced Skills School Psychologist status for permanent appointment to this position.
Information about registration with the Psychology Board of Australia can be obtained by calling 1300 419 495 or by visiting www.psychologyboard.gov.au. Please see the Department’s Careers website for the support provided to graduate School Psychologists undertaking provisional registration with the Psychology Board of Australia.
The Department applies a four (4) day breach period to this selection process.
Applications must be submitted before 4.30pm (WST) on Monday, 25 March 2024
APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED ONLINE
PROFORMA, FAXED, HAND DELIVERED, POSTED, EMAILED AND LATE APPLICATIONS ARE NOT ACCEPTED.
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