Mental Health & Wellbeing

I am thrilled to continue in the position of Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader at Birregurra Primary School in 2025. The  position highlights and recognises the importance of sound Mental Health and Wellbeing in children.

The Mental Health in Primary Schools initiative supports schools to employ a Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader, a qualified teacher, to implement a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing.

The program is based on a pilot that commenced in 2020, developed in partnership with the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, The University of Melbourne and The Department of Education.

The program aims to build the capability of the whole school in developing knowledge, awareness and skills about mental health and wellbeing, improving student mental health outcomes, and social and emotional development skills. These skills and attitudes support academic engagement.

The program builds the capacity of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader to support student mental health and wellbeing by:

• implementing effective mental health strategies aligned to social and emotional learning in the curriculum, and whole-school approaches to health, wellbeing, teaching and learning initiatives
• embedding evidence-based training and resources across the school to build the capability of staff to better identify and support students
• developing clear referral pathways internally (within school) and externally (to community services) for students identified as requiring further assessment and intervention
• improving school connections with local health services to better navigate the service sector.

The role of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader is to focus on the promotion and prevention of mental health and wellbeing through implementation of programs, approaches and initiatives based on the needs of the school. This includes:

• promoting a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing to students, staff and families
• supporting teachers and school staff to expand their capacity to embed evidence-based mental health strategies, interventions and programs and build mental health literacy to identify and support primary school students with mental health concerns
• embedding evidence-based training and resources across the school to build the capability of staff to better identify and support students
• collaborating with school staff to inform, influence and provide input into teaching and learning relating to mental health and wellbeing
• coordinating clear referral pathways internally (within school) and externally (to community services) for students identified as requiring further assessment and intervention
• proactively working with school wellbeing and leadership teams, teachers, parents/carers and other external agencies to coordinate targeted mental health support for primary school students.

The role involves a significant amount of online and face to face training. The training requires a commitment to engaging with peers in professional discussions leading to facilitating professional development for the staff at Birregurra P.S and the willingness to work with other Mental Health and Wellbeing Leaders [MHWL] in a Community of Practice.

- Mr King