General News
21 July, 2022
More mental health support headed to local schools
Local primary schools are set to employ professional mental health support staff in the next four years in a bid to improve wellbeing in young people, news welcomed by local schools. The Victorian Government recently announced it would invest $200...
Local primary schools are set to employ professional mental health support staff in the next four years in a bid to improve wellbeing in young people, news welcomed by local schools.
The Victorian Government recently announced it would invest $200 million to expand the Mental Health in Primary Schools program to every government and low-fee non-government primary school in the state, a total 1800 schools.
The expansion will mean that from next year, mental health and wellbeing leaders will start to be employed in schools to implement whole-school approaches to wellbeing, with the rollout to be completed by 2026.
According to the government, the expansion will support individual students, help teachers better identify and support at-risk students and build relationships and referral pathways to mental health services.
Timor Primary School principal Andrew Tatchell welcomed the initiative, which he said would have a positive impact on students.
“This is a really important initiative to support students,” he said.
“This allows primary schools to tap in early and we know that early intervention is key when it comes to mental health.
“If we can engage students with services or impact their wellbeing through school earlier, that’s going to mean great outcomes.”
Mr Tatchell said the program would build on the work of the Schools Mental Health Fund, which was already making a positive impact in the school community.
“Central Goldfields was identified as one of the pilot areas for the mental health fund this year and the pandemic has really highlighted the wellbeing needs for students in schools,” he said.
“It is important funding is available to support students’ mental health and this is certainly a positive initiative the department have put out.
“That fund has already benefitted us and moving forward, the fund is based on need and we’re going to see lots of mental health workers and practitioners working in not only secondary schools but also primary schools.
“We know there’s a real lack of service with mental health workers and service in our area so this will also help attract professional people to our area that we can engage.”
The Victorian Government has already overseen the employment of mental health workers in government secondary and specialist schools, with the rollout to primary schools something Carisbrook Primary School principal Chrissy Drummond said is needed.
“I think this is a fabulous initiative from the State Government,” she said.
“We’re already part of the Schools Mental Health Fund and we already receive funding as part of that which we’re really excited about, but having a mental health coordinator in our school is really important.
“Mental health is something we’ve seen we really need to work on as a community around our students and families and we’ve certainly noticed that more through COVID.
“The early intervention and support as well as the preemptive things we can do so students are supported and have the practical skills and abilities around managing their mental health which in turn sets them up for life.”