Student Support Services

Policy last updated

27 February 2025

Scope

Schools

Date:: February 2020

Policy

This policy sets out how schools access Student Support Services and how this service works as part of the department’s Health, Wellbeing and Inclusion Workforces to support schools and students to achieve their learning and wellbeing goals.

Summary

Student Support Services (SSS) are multidisciplinary area-based teams of allied health professionals
Access to SSS as part of response to critical incidents is managed through eduSafe Plus.
Access for all other types of SSS support is managed through a referral process by a student’s school after discussion with the school’s SSS Key Contact or Health and Wellbeing Key Contact (HWKC). This process is outlined in the Student Support Services referral process.
The school must obtain informed consent from the student’s parent/carer where the referral is for direct support to a student or group of students prior to SSS delivering the service. The consent form is available on the Health Wellbeing and Inclusion Workforces Resources tab.

Details

SSS teams are comprised of allied health professionals including:

psychologists
speech pathologists
social workers
occupational therapists
behaviour analysts.

They work closely with other health wellbeing workforces, school improvement workforces and school staff to support schools in assisting children and young people facing barriers to learning to achieve their educational and developmental potential.

SSS staff work as part of an integrated health and wellbeing team within each area, focusing on providing:

workforce capability building for school staff
group-based and individual support
the provision of specialised services.

Relevant legislation

SSS contacts

Contact the assigned area SSS Branch Manager, Health Wellbeing Key Contact (HWKC) or SSS Key Contact for information. These are listed on the Regional Maps contact list (staff login required).

Guidance

Introduction

Student Support Services (SSS) assist children and young people faced with learning barriers to achieve their educational and developmental potential. They provide strategies and specialised support at individual, group, school and area levels.

This guidance contains the following chapters:

The role of SSS
Services provided by SSS
Other professional support available
Student Support Services Key Contact
Accessing Student Support Services
SSS statewide service priorities

1. The role of Student Support Services

Student Support Services (SSS) comprise a broad range of allied health professionals including psychologists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, behaviour analysts and social workers.

They work as part of a multidisciplinary area team to support schools in the provision of integrated health and wellbeing, providing group-based and individual support, workforce capacity building and the provision of specialised services.

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 and 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 in order 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.

2. Services provided by Student Support Services

2. Services provided by student support services

Psychologists

Support schools to recommend adjustments
Provide learning and teaching advice to schools
Offer support on what is needed for the Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD) and Disability Inclusion Profile
Provide support during/following critical incidents in schools where appropriate

Speech pathologists

Support schools to recommend adjustments
Provide advice and support to schools relating to communication (comprehension, expressive language, written language, speech sounds/articulation, social communication/social skills) and development of literacy skills
Offer support for principals, school staff and parents on what is needed for the PSD and Disability Inclusion Profile and how to carry out the Language and Learning Disability Support Program

Support schools to recommend adjustments
Offer support to students, families and schools through involvement in individual, group and family work
Provide support during/following critical incidents in schools where appropriate

Occupational therapists

Support schools to recommend adjustments
Support school staff to build on existing skills and knowledge, including coaching and modelling, in order to enhance their confidence in supporting children’s social and emotional self-regulation, physical development and sensory processing

Behaviour analysts

Support schools to recommend adjustments
Coach school staff and develop processes to respond to behaviours of concern
Carry out direct behavioural assessments such as functional behaviour assessment and provide intervention to individual students

Schools may also have access to other allied health professionals such as mental health practitioners or school nurses. They may be employed by the school, area or region.

3. Other professional support available

Schools may also access support from other health, wellbeing and inclusion workforces. These workforces work with SSS teams to address school and students’ wellbeing needs.

Visiting teacher service

4. Student Support Services Key Contact

Every school has access to Student Support Services. The Student Support Services Key Contact (SSS KC) assists schools to make appropriate referrals to SSS. This person will be an allied health professional who is part of the SSS team. They may discuss the need for:

consultations
capability building for staff
student and/or broader cohort or school wellbeing issues.

Sometimes the Health and Wellbeing Key Contact (HWKC) function will be provided by your SSS KC in a dual service delivery model. Please refer to the HWKC guidance for further details.

Schools can identify their SSS KC through the Regional maps contacts list (staff login required) page.

5. Accessing Student Support Services

The Student Support Services (SSS) referral process identifies students with the greatest needs and matches these with the expertise of SSS members.

Note: In the event of a critical incident schools can access SSS support by lodging a direct report via eduSafe Plus or directly contacting their SEIL, or SSS Team Leader.

It is recommended that schools consider the spaces available for SSS team members when they are performing SSS duties on school sites. Refer to the SSS Handbook 2025 (PDF) for key considerations.

If you need help or have questions about the SSS referral process you can:

talk to your SSS Key Contact Officer or Health and Wellbeing Key Contact
discuss further concerns with the SSS Branch Manager or senior education improvement leader.

6. Student Support Services statewide service priorities

A statewide approach to SSS priorities is critical to ensuring consistency across service delivery and priorities. When a referral is received, the SSS team prioritise it according to the SSS statewide service priorities. It is then allocated to the most appropriate SSS team member to action. Across Victoria, as a workforce, SSS have the following 4 statewide service priorities.

1. Critical incidents

Emergency management, imminent risk of serious injury students or staff, acute emotional trauma
Response to school and/or Area emergency management plan
Youth suicide (Headspace to be involved)

2. Acute issues/complex cases

Support schools with immediate strategies as a result of a new or changing student presentation (for example, escalating behavioural issue, a changed disability, mental health or medical presentation, Child Protection matters and so on) or a time sensitive decision
Support to schools with Out-of-Home Care Educational Needs Analysis
Support to schools with complex cases relating to emotional trauma, extreme challenging behaviour or serious mental health issues
Support for teachers to support student engagement and learning outcomes

3. Prevention/capability building

Professional learning for teachers, for example, language development, learning difficulties, behaviour management group programs – for example, social/emotional/behavioural
Student engagement/attendance support to schools
School Wide Positive Behaviour Support

4. Short to medium term intervention

Support schools to develop reasonable adjustments for students over time as part of ongoing student support planning
Learning difficulties – assessments/reports/strategies
Speech pathology intervention
Wellbeing issues

Resources

Referral process

The Student Support Services referral process outlines the steps required to access support from Student Support Services (SSS).

To lodge a referral, use the following:

Student information form (DOCX) – this form supports the SSS referral process by providing information about the student and their needs
Student Support Service and Visiting Teacher Service consent form (DOCX) – this form provides signed consent from the parent/carer or mature minor for the student to access support from SSS and/or VTS
Student Online Case System (SOCS) (staff login required) – all referrals to SSS must be lodged on the SOCS platform. The student information form and the SSS and VTS consent form are uploaded on SOCS as part of the referral.