Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 53 and 61 together.

The Department plans to launch the guidelines on mental health for post-primary schools this year. The guidelines will provide practical support for post-primary schools in addressing mental health promotion and suicide prevention. They are intended to build on the existing good practice in many schools. They highlight the need for all schools to adopt a whole-school approach in the promotion of mental health and well-being. A co-ordinated whole-school approach involves building and integrating school self-evaluation processes, together with the effective implementation of the SPHE curriculum which is mandatory at primary level. Operationalising the guidelines will be supported by my Department's support services, including the NEPS, in collaboration with other relevant services. It is not planned at this point in time to develop guidelines on mental health for primary schools.

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