Student Counsellor (2027 - Part-time 0.4FTE)

Department of Education Victoria – Fitzroy VIC

Fitzroy Primary School is an inner-city primary school committed to fostering excellence, inclusion, and lifelong learning. Our vision is to empower every student to be a confident, capable, and compassionate learner, guided by our values of respect, empathy and courage

In 2026, the school had an enrolment of 210 students. Our staffing structure allows for strong relationships, individualised support, and high-quality teaching and learning across all year levels.

Fitzroy Primary School is located in the heart of Fitzroy, providing students with access to rich cultural, artistic, and community resources. The school serves a diverse student population, with a range of social, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds. All students undertake aFrench bilingual program, with 40% of their learning delivered in French, fostering bilingualism, intercultural understanding, and global citizenship.

Notable features of the school include a strong emphasis on student wellbeing, evidence-based teaching practices, and programs designed to support both academic growth and social-emotional development. Our broad and balanced curriculum encourages creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration, while targeted interventions ensure the needs of all learners are met.

Through a shared commitment to our vision, values, and strategic priorities, Fitzroy Primary School continues to provide a safe, inclusive, and engaging learning environment that empowers every student to thrive.

Selection Criteria

1. Counselling, assessment and early intervention

Demonstrated knowledge and experience in providing developmentally appropriate counselling, assessment and early intervention to primary-aged children experiencing emotional, behavioural, social, relationship or mild to moderate mental health concerns, including the ability to develop appropriate goals, formulations and intervention plans.

2. Child-centred therapeutic practice

Demonstrated ability to establish safe, trusting and therapeutic relationships with children and use a range of developmentally appropriate, evidence-informed approaches, including play, art, psychoeducation, emotional regulation, mindfulness, relaxation, role play and problem-solving.

3. Culturally responsive practice and family engagement

Demonstrated ability to work respectfully and effectively with children and families from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, recognising the impact of culture, language, family context and lived experience on mental health and wellbeing. Demonstrated capacity to engage parents and carers collaboratively and build family capability to support children's emotional and social wellbeing.

4. Collaboration and coordination of support

Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with students, families, teachers, school leadership and external professionals to develop and coordinate appropriate supports, including the ability to identify when referral or additional specialist intervention is required.

5. Professional practice, autonomy and whole-school wellbeing

Demonstrated capacity to work with a high level of professional autonomy and sound professional judgement, maintain appropriate professional boundaries and contribute to whole-school mental health and wellbeing through prevention, promotion, early intervention and building staff capability.

Role

The School Counsellor provides skilled, student-centred counselling and early intervention to primary-aged students experiencing emotional, behavioural, social, relationship or mild to moderate mental health concerns.

The role contributes to the school's whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing through student counselling, family engagement, staff capability building and coordination of support with relevant internal and external services.

The School Counsellor works with a high level of professional autonomy within their professional discipline and in accordance with Department of Education policies, legislation and relevant professional standards.





This position is classified as Education Support Class Level 1, Range 4

The successful applicant will be an experienced professional who carries out duties relative to their professional discipline with a high level of autonomy and minimal reliance on professional supervision. The position involves the development and implementation of professional support programs within an educational environment, including guidance to other professional staff.

As an Education Support Class position, this role supports educational services provided to students but does not include duties of teaching as defined in clause 2.6.1 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic).

Child Safety

The School Counsellor is required to promote and protect the safety and wellbeing of students and comply with all relevant Victorian Government and Department of Education child safety, mandatory reporting, information-sharing, privacy and professional conduct requirements.

This version is probably the strongest format for a school recruitment advertisement/position description: it retains the elements that establish the professional nature and ES1 Range 4 responsibilities without making the document unnecessarily long.

Responsibilities

Student Counselling and Early Intervention

- Provide individual and small-group, short-term counselling and early intervention.
- Support students experiencing concerns including anxiety, depression, grief and loss, bullying, anger, separation anxiety, friendship difficulties, trauma and school-related issues.
- Develop purposeful, developmentally appropriate counselling interventions using approaches such as play, art, psychoeducation, role play, problem solving, relaxation, breathing and mindfulness.
- Assist students to recognise and express emotions, identify helpful and unhelpful thoughts, understand body sensations and develop emotional regulation and coping strategies.

Assessment and Intervention Planning

- Undertake appropriate student and family assessment.
- Develop formulations, counselling goals and intervention/treatment plans.
- Monitor student progress and review interventions as appropriate.
- Maintain appropriate professional records and identify when referral or additional specialist support is required.

Family and School Collaboration

- Work collaboratively with parents and carers to establish goals and strategies to support students.
- Build family capability to respond to children's emotional and mental health needs using culturally responsive and strengths-based approaches.
- Work with teachers, school leadership and wellbeing staff to support student wellbeing and engagement.
- Provide professional advice and guidance to staff within the scope of the role.

Whole-School Mental Health and Wellbeing

- Contribute to school mental health and wellbeing planning, prevention and promotion activities.
- Contribute to programs and strategies aligned with school priorities.
- Support staff capability in recognising and responding appropriately to student mental health and wellbeing concerns.

Coordination of Support

- Coordinate support for students with complex or emerging needs.
- Liaise with Department of Education regional services, mental health providers, allied health professionals and community agencies as appropriate.
- Facilitate appropriate referrals and coordinated support where student needs extend beyond the school counselling service.

Essential Capabilities

The successful applicant will demonstrate:

- Relevant professional qualifications and experience in counselling, psychology, social work or a related discipline.
- Experience providing counselling or mental health support to children and families.




- Knowledge of child-centred, developmentally appropriate and evidence-informed therapeutic approaches.
- Ability to undertake assessment, formulation, goal setting and intervention planning.
- Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively with students, families, school staff and external professionals.
- Capacity to work autonomously and exercise sound professional judgement.
- Commitment to culturally responsive, inclusive and strengths-based practice.
- Commitment to child safety and student wellbeing.

Who May Apply

Individuals with the aptitude, experience and/or qualifications to fulfil the specific requirements of the position.

Diversity and Inclusion

The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, 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 safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and diversity across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for staff with disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).

Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via*******@education.vic.gov.au

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.

Child Safe Standards

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

DE Values

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

Other Information

- 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

Conditions of Employment

- 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

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📌 Student Counsellor (2027 - Part-time 0.4FTE) (Melbourne)
🏢 Department of Education Victoria
📍 Melbourne