Summary

• A competitive remuneration package is available, accompanied with salary packaging benefits
• Full Time position Located at our South Melbourne Campus,
• Must be able to travel between campuses as required 

Hester Hornbrook Academy is a school that does education differently, Elevate your career! Where passion meets profession,  join our team as an experienced School Psychologist to be part of a highly skilled and committed team driven to help young people realize their potential, delivering real skills and pathways.

About Hester Hornbrook Academy

Hester Hornbrook Academy is a Special Assistance School which provides flexible education and learning options, including VETiS (Vocational Education and Training in Schools), VPC (Victorian Pathways Certificate), VM (VCE Vocational Major), VCE and an extend program offering a variety of elective subjects. Recognising that mainstream education is not suitable for all young people, our programs are driven by the personal pursuits of students.  Our HOPE – Healing Orientated Program of Education informs our Practice model which ensures the integration of academic intervention and growth with wellbeing and life skills. Teachers, Youth Workers, and Education Support Officers (ESOs) work together in a collaborative manner to support students to reach their individual goals. Our students include those who have disengaged from mainstream education, are young parents, currently in or leaving out of home care, experiencing homelessness and those who may be experiencing mental health challenges or learning difficulties.

Each Hester Hornbrook classroom is supported by a multidisciplinary team comprised of a teacher, educational support staff and youth worker. The classroom team collaborates to provide a safe, respectful, and productive learning environment, where learning for wellbeing and wellbeing for learning go hand in hand.  The team works in partnership with the students to understand and address the barriers to learning, to set and achieve academic pathways and other life goals.  All staff bring different and overlapping skills and experience to the classroom and are required to role model effective teamwork in order to provide a holistic response to the students’ educational needs.

All roles within Hester Hornbrook will have a classroom allotment, this may include classroom instruction, the delivery of learning activities, the supervision of students, assertive outreach, and involvement in our other programs which support students to attain educational success.

About the Opportunity

The Hester Hornbrook Academy School Psychologist is responsible for providing psychological support and expertise to students, their families/carers/guardians and staff at Hester Hornbrook to support student wellbeing and educational outcomes. The school Psychologist will have expertise knowledge and experience to support students to develop positive social and emotional skills. 
The school Psychologist will have the ability to provide counselling sessions to students and conduct educational and psychological assessments as required. The school Psychologist will have a thorough understanding of the mental health and primary health care system across metropolitan Melbourne to support required referrals. The school Psychologist will have the knowledge and ability to address contemporary mental health and social issues facing our students and wider school community and provide psychoeducation to the Hester Hornbrook community. 

Our ideal candidate will be able to successfully demonstrate the following key skills and attributes:

• Provide psychological counselling, therapy, support and programs for individual students and groups for a range of mental health, emotional and family issues
• Liaise with parents,/carers/guardians, staff and external professionals/agencies as required to ensure care of students and appropriate case management
• Respond to referrals from parent/carers and members of staff and determine appropriate intervention
• Communicate student needs and case plan as required to parent/carers/guardians and relevant staff
• Assist the Leadership team in the development and implementation of programs addressing student needs (for example, developmental concerns, personal growth, resilience, transition, social and emotional growth, , stress management, and mental health issues)
• Provide consultative advice and support and inform classroom team regarding recognising and responding to youth mental health appropriately

Assessment

• Undertake psychological assessment and diagnosis. This will involve:
• Clear understanding of normal and abnormal adolescent development
• Knowledge and understanding of mental health disorders and their relationship to adolescent development
• Psychological assessment of mental health issues involving clinical measures, clinical interview, and observation and information from other sources
• Diagnosis requiring analysis and synthesis of acquired information 
• Communicate results from assessments and recommended interventions to parent/carers/guardians, classroom teams and campus leadership both verbally and in writing when appropriate and consent obtained
• Where necessary, prepare and undertake referrals to external clinicians or agencies.
• Undertake educational assessments and diagnosis. This will involve:
• Knowledge, experience and understanding of developmental disabilities and psycho-educational assessment involving intellectual and ability assessment tools, clinical measurement, clinical interview and observation
• Consultation with the Learning support staff about student needs and progress

GENERAL DUTIES

• Maintain appropriate confidential records. Collect, collate and maintain student information and records to meet legislative and system requirements. Maintain archived files
• Maintaining an awareness of school community issues and events which may impact on the school, and work with key staff as relevant/required
• Select, store and maintain appropriate psychological testing and therapy materials and equipment
• Develop and extend own professional skills and knowledge by attending related professional network and association meetings and conferences within the school’s allocated budgets
• Maintain professional competence and continued professional learning through: mandated APS Code of Ethics & Guidelines, continuing professional development and, peer consultation
• Attend Hester Hornbrook  meetings as per the meeting schedule
   

Note all applicants must be prepared to travel between all Hester Hornbrook Academy campuses. (please see the Position Description for more detailed information and the Key Selection Criteria)  
 

Benefits

• Hester Hornbrook Academy as an Independently Registered Secondary School with its own Enterprise Agreement. 
• A competitive remuneration applies to this role together with access to tax-effective salary packaging arrangements and supportive work/life balance provisions.
• HHA recognizes the importance of investing in the training, learning and development of our staff.

How to apply

Applications close on 8 December 2023. Address applications to – Sally Lasslett, Principal. Applications to include a Cover Letter and a current CV with referees and ensure that all Key Selection Criteria are addressed.

For more information, including a position description, closing date and how to apply, please click “apply for this job” to be redirected to our website.

For enquiries about this role, and assistance with application submission – [email protected].

We reserve the right to interview and appoint prior to the closing date.

Other Relevant Information

• Applicants must be an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or hold a valid work visa
• Must have a valid driver’s license
• Must have or be willing to obtain a WWCC
• Applicants will be required to undergo a pre-employment safety screening process as part of the HHA selection process. 

Our commitment to diversity

Hester Hornbrook is an inclusive and equal opportunity employer with a strong commitment to safety. Hester Hornbrook /MCM embraces differences because we know that diversity and inclusion help us to attract, recruit, engage and retain talented people. We are passionate about all our employees, with the skills that they bring, realising their full potential through ongoing learning and development and through embracing the positive impact that we make through our work and to the young people that we support. If you require specific support to apply for this position, please advise the recruiting manager listed in the advertisement. We will work with you to identify the best way to assist you. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to apply.

Our commitment to safety

Hester Hornbrook /MCM is committed to the safety of its clients and employees, taking a zero-tolerance approach to violence within the workplace and abuse, including child abuse and abuse of people with disability. All employees are required to comply with the Child Safe Standards.