Teaching Assitant / Clincial Support Assistant

[Guest jlr248]

Hi , I am a qualified (City & Guilds SEN Learning Support and NVQ 3 Supporting teaching and learning ) and experienced Special Needs Teaching Assistant however it would appear that this job is almost non exisitant in South Australia. I have heard Teachers Aides are used but they are unqualified and low paid, is this correct? Also I have heard of other job titles ie Educational Support Officer, Integration Aides and School Officer... can anyone offer any advice regarding availablily of work and the different roles available, preferably within primary / nursery school age. Also are UK qualifications recognised in SA?

 

I also do additional hours in UK working on bank supply as Clinical Support Worker in a hospital setting, however I am unqualified in this as it is posible to work on bank in UK without qualifications. I believe this role may be called a Personal Care Assistant or enrolled nurse? Is it possible to gain employment in this role without qualifications in SA, either contracted or bank work equivilent ?

 

Am feeling quite concerned because although I have other experience in administration and catering, I have been a TA for 12 years and worry about my job prospects.

 

Is there plenty of work around, I would do anything. What areas (as in type of job and location) offer the most work availablilty.

 

Would really appreciate any info.

Thanks Jane

[Guest spready]

The role you are looking for is a School Support officer. In Australia, whilst a qualification is not needed, if you have one you are looked on more favourably. I would recommend emailing the 'special needs' units in the area of Adelaide you are looking to move to as each school seems to have diferent criteria for this role.

[Guest jlr248]

Thanks for your help, will do that.

[Lazy Cow]

Hey Jane,

 

I work as an SSO (School Services Officer) with, like you, kids with disabilities although an SSO can specialise in reception, as a groundperson, in accounts...yada yada it's a pretty broad catagory!

 

To work as an SSO you need to get a number from DECS and that can be a stumbling block because there are already a fair few of us about. There are some lucky SSOs who have permanent positions but -and specially for those of us that work with kids- many of us are on casual, termly appointment. Which totally sucks lol! Anyhow, to get a number you need to get your skills verified by a principal, then they need to justify needing you over an already-registered SSO. I was very lucky and a principal offered to do that for me and I just volunteered in their Unit for a while.

 

I don't know anything about transferring your UK qualifications but I'm sure someone will. i would recommend trying somewhere like Ashford Special School, Anzac Highway because they have kids with more profound disabilities and therefore need more SSOs. The hourly rate is reasonable but I don't remember what it starts at. There are different levels of pay according to the particular role - no surprise there!

 

Since the end of last year, SSOs have to be registered on the DECS website and have a letter of aknowledgement. Here's their address in case you want to take a look at the ancilkary/support positions on offer:

 

Employment Opportunities

 

Don't be disheartened cos it can be a bit grim after the summer break. You do need to have a current police check plus proof that you've completed what used to be a Mandatory Notification Certificate but is now Child Safe Environments.

 

It's a fab job and I am so lucky to be paid for having fun! Don't give up hope because you appear to have more specialised skills that are more in demand. I would recommend getting any of your employers to give you letters that state precisely what you have been doing - you know, any feeding, working with kids with ASD or behavioural problems, challenging behaviours, slings etc because that might excite a prospective employer lol!

 

Hope I haven't rambled on too much (though I think I have!) and it makes sense.

LC

[Guest jlr248]

Hi LC, Thanks so much for all that detailed info ( I have copied and pasted it and put it in Aussie file to refer to - hopefully in the very near future). Will google DECS and Ashford Special School, have also been told Alberfoyle has a fairly large SEN unit. Guess a bit of volunteering is the way to go to prove myself initially (hope the bank balance will be able to cope with that!). Am hoping to work with Primary children as I always have but will keep an open mind. Jobs are getting harder to come by here at the moment too with all the cut backs on SEN support so think that permanent contracts may become a thing of the past here too. Thanks again x

[Lazy Cow]

Lol Jane, you are welcome

 

It is a popular misconception that Aberfoyle Park has an SEN unit because they don't. Hamilton and Pasedena are both nearby and they do. They also have some kids who join mainstream classes and both are (or were cos I haven't worked in either for about three years now) really nice places to work.

 

Primary schools are always an option but perhaps a bit harder to get in...probably no different to the UK. I know Aberfoyle Hub Primary have a couple of dedicated SEN classes and I think pretty much most schools have a few kids who need support.

 

I think volunteering is a good way to go. I reckon it can be easier to get a job when you make some contacts. I have been amazingly lucky cos I was offered contacts by teachers I met whilst volunteering or covering illness or temporary vacancies. Mind you,I wasn't prepared to travel too far because, like maniy people with littlies, I wanted to stay close to them! (Does that sound sad lol?)

 

Volunteering, whether in class or in the canteen, is such good fun I would totally recommend it anyway. Perhaps you could take any job, even if not what you'd normally do, just to make the money whilst building up contacts at school. There always seems to be work cleaning or aged care or childcare/kindy and even if you need to take a couple of quick courses to be able to do them.

 

Interesting to hear about the jobs in the UK. Almost defies belief when there seem to be more kids who need that extra support than ever before. Grr to governments hey!

 

Nice talking to you!

LC

[Guest jlr248]

Hi LC Thanks again!

 

Am going to start googling all the info you have given me and look at schools "down south" Hallet cove, Alberfoyle hub etc . I would prefer primary but am open to anything, I also do Clinical Support here in UK and am presently getting far more work doing that ( think broken bones on icy roads , flu and all those other nasty winter infections in good old Uk) so could hopefully get similar work in Oz. I am still trying to find out about that too, believe there is a similar role but not sure if unlike Uk you need to be qualified. Would seem to make more sense to do what Im qualified in but only if the works there. Like you I would prefer not to travel too far to work but guess a half hour commute would cover quite a broad area and that would be fine (not cos i got littlies - mine are 14 now just cos i'd rather not!). You're right about UK jobs grrr - get all the kids in mainstream school and then leave them floundering with very little support, in Cumbria at least but I think the problem is becoming nationwide with all the recent cut backs. Just get me to Oz!!! Anyway thanks again x Jane

[tina&steve]

I got my Decs number to be a SSO through a special school they helped get my number really quickly, so maybe getting in touch with a few in the area you want to live would be a good start, as Lazy Cow has already said there are a lot out there, If not you could always work in childcare, would bring in the pennys and something to put on your Ozzie resume.

 

Good luckxx

 

Tina x

[Guest jlr248]

Thanks Tina, Did you work at the special school first or volunteer before you got your number? I have started looking and have found a few schools down south where I think we will want to be. Don't suppose I can really do much more until we get there and decide for definate where we will live. Still, its good to get as much info as possible. Thanks Jane x