Allied health careers in education and training

Student Support Services (SSS) allied health professionals make a difference in the lives of our most vulnerable children and young people.

The work of our SSS teams is driven by a desire to help children and young people facing barriers to learning, achieve their educational and developmental potential.

There are plenty of rewarding opportunities to grow, and if you’re prepared to take it on, you will work with fellow Psychologists, Speech Pathologists or Social Workers as part of a multi-disciplinary team, passionate about making a difference in the lives of our most vulnerable children and young people. If you share this passion, then a career in Student Support Services is for you.

Choose a career in the Student Support Services

SSS supports schools in assisting children and young people facing barriers to learning to achieve their educational and developmental potential. Working in SSS is deeply meaningful, highly rewarding, challenging, and dynamic and allows you to make a positive contribution to the lives of children, their families, schools and communities.

You’ll work with a diverse group of people who share a common goal, and you will be well supported to use your professional skills and knowledge to provide specialised support at the individual, group, school and area levels. There will be days where, with the support of your team, you will overcome challenges to make a genuine difference in the lives of children and young people within our schools.

There is a range of opportunities in Student Support Services (SSS), including team leaders, expert professionals, as well as SSS professionals from ranges AH2 to AH4.

The work we do

Our SSS support schools to address the barriers that impact student access, participation, and progress to achieving their educational goals and developmental potential. SSS services include capability building, consultation, group-based and individual support, specialised services and collaboration with schools on primary prevention and early intervention activities.

SSS are embedded in area-based multi-disciplinary teams to:

  • support the delivery of quality universal services for all students, with extra effort directed to ensuring education, health and wellbeing services are accessible to and inclusive of, the most vulnerable and disadvantaged
  • target the delivery of individual support services to those who require specialised expertise, assessment and intervention to overcome barriers to learning, develop the capability of schools to design health, learning, development and wellbeing strategies that focus on improving education and health and wellbeing outcomes
  • collaborate with multidisciplinary professional practice teams and build partnerships with community services to meet the needs of schools and students and their health, wellbeing and learning goals
  • respond to critical incidents involving students, staff and school communities

The work of SSS is broad, has plenty of variety and is impactful. For more information see Student Support Services in the Policy and Advisory Library.

How our SSS work

SSS staff are part of Area-based multi-disciplinary health, wellbeing, and inclusion team and, together with the Area school improvement team, help build the capability of schools to support student achievement, engagement, and wellbeing.

SSS provides services as part of multidisciplinary teams with health and wellbeing professionals, and other Department specialist services. This enables SSS to work with a group of staff committed to a geographic area to identify opportunities and challenges for different cohorts and build close working relationships with local community organisations and other services to develop innovative approaches to meet demand.

SSS particularly support collaboration between schools and Area teams, to deliver better student outcomes at the local level. SSS has an important role to play in supporting schools to achieve this by building the capability of teachers and school leaders and providing support to students.

What we can offer you

As an employee of the Department of Education and Training, you will have the opportunity to contribute to the bigger picture, to the future of our children and our State. The work we do matters greatly and provides opportunities to shape the lives of children and young people for the better.

As a Department employee, we can help you to achieve work-life balance through agreed flexible working arrangements, support you to contribute to the community through the emergency services, local government, and participate in important cultural and ceremonial obligations. You’ll be able to access professional development and learning opportunities to help you achieve your career aspirations and support you as your life changes.

You’ll benefit from a competitive salary, access to a range of salary packaging options, generous leave entitlements, salary progression, a dedicated Employee Assistance Program and access to opportunities across the Victorian Public Service.

We know that the success of our State depends on the success of our people. If you are driven by a desire to contribute to the big picture, and the future success of our children and our State, then a career working in our SSS allied health workforce is for you.

For a list of current vacancies see Careers.Vic

For more information regarding working in a regional area visit the Regional Careers page.

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