Working together to strengthen communication, participation, wellbeing and independence through personalised, school-based support.
At Yarraville Special Developmental School, our Allied Health Department works alongside teachers, education support staff and families to help students participate meaningfully in learning and everyday school life. Support is guided by each student's strengths, communication preferences and individual goals.
Steps to Success is a school-based, intensive 10-week allied health initiative. It brings education and allied health professionals together to identify priorities, plan practical strategies and support students to develop skills that matter to them.
The program focuses on building opportunities for communication, movement, self-care, emotional regulation and social participation. Strategies are designed to be useful within familiar school routines, so students can practise and build confidence across different learning environments.
Progress looks different for every learner. It may mean expressing a choice, joining a group activity, moving more comfortably through a school space or taking a new step in a daily routine. We recognise and celebrate achievements that make a meaningful difference to each student.
Steps to Success draws on different professional perspectives to create practical, coordinated support around each learner.
The program follows a collaborative process that helps the team understand student needs, agree on priorities and provide support within everyday school experiences.
Allied health professionals observe students in classroom and playground settings to better understand their communication, movement, engagement and participation. These observations help identify strengths and areas where additional support may be helpful.
Where appropriate, individual assessments provide further information about a student's needs. The team works with teachers, families and support staff to develop meaningful goals aligned with the student's Individual Education Plan (IEP).
Strategies are selected according to student needs and may be provided at different levels:
Allied health professionals also provide coaching and professional learning to classroom staff. This helps embed useful strategies into everyday routines and supports consistent approaches across school settings.
Supporting students to communicate, move, connect and engage more confidently in school activities.
Developing practical skills and routines that help students participate in ways that are meaningful to them.
Sharing knowledge and practical strategies so classroom teams can respond consistently to individual learning needs.
Bringing families, educators and allied health professionals together around shared priorities for each student.
ABOUT THE ROLEThe role of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader (MHWL) is to build the capability of the whole school with regard to mental health and wellbeing (identification, promotion and prevention), provide support to staff to better identify and support students with mental health needs, establish clear pathways for referral for students requiring assessment and intervention, and monitor and evaluate student progress. The role was specifically established as a coordination function to support educators in the classroom and to provide a crucial link to resources external to the school.
Embeds evidence-based training and resources across the school to build the capability of staff to better identify and support students
Provides support to individual teachers in the classroom with students who have been identified as in need
Creates clear pathways for students who may need further assessment and intervention within the school and to external community-based services
Uses informed referral pathways to strengthen linkages between schools and community services
Works proactively with regional education department staff, school wellbeing teams and other health professionals to engage appropriate mental health support
Is responsible for implementing whole-school approaches to mental health and wellbeing
Contributes to the development of larger-scale reform, promoting what works to support students’ mental health and wellbeing.
Further information: Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHiPS).
Through teamwork, personalised support and a shared commitment to each student's potential, we celebrate progress in all its forms. Every new skill, connection and opportunity to participate is an important step forward.
