On a daily basis, schools deal with a range of social, emotional and behavioural problems that impact on student learning. Promoting the health and wellbeing of children and adolescents is part of improving educational outcomes in schools, and building happy, motivated and resilient young adults.

Supporting students at educational risk

Local and national research has found that as many as one in five students may be experiencing one or more mental health problems including:

• attention difficulties
• aggressive behaviour
• anxiety
• depression
• withdrawn behaviour

Such problems impact on the capacity of students to engage in opportunities provided by schools and on the educational outcomes students achieve. If left unresolved, these problems increase the likelihood that students will develop more significant mental health problems as adults.

Evidence supports the effectiveness of promotion and prevention strategies. By implementing evidence-based approaches during the formative years, mental health and wellbeing is enhanced, social problems are reduced and financial savings are made.

Schools are important settings for these strategies. School staff foster resilience and reduce mental health problems in students through:

• building healthy relationships
• encouraging a sense of belonging
• promoting meaningful participation
• teaching life skills
  

Promoting positive learning environments

The mental health and wellbeing of the school community is central to key Department of Education and Training policies and initiatives.

The approach being adopted for the school-based promotion of health and wellbeing and the prevention of mental health problems has the following features:

• Health Promoting Schools Framework
  provides students with positive experiences and structures that promote and protect their health
  

• risk-focused prevention
  helps schools determine the specific factors in the school environment that might be targets for intervention
  

• prevention-treatment spectrum
  identifies the different levels or types of interventions that schools might consider.
  

The Pathways to Health and Wellbeing in Schools: a focus paper advocates for a whole school approach to promoting mental health and wellbeing. Adoption of this approach will see increased protective factors and reduced risk factors, resulting in improved mental health and wellbeing for all members of the school community.