Written answers

Tuesday, 28 June 2016

Department of Education and Skills

Schools Mental Health Strategies

Photo of Jim DalyJim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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44. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to consider developing and issuing a circular to primary schools in order to incorporate weekly discussions on the issue of mental health and well-being in the classroom; to encourage the roll-out of basic awareness strategies such as story-telling and question and answer sessions, to promote a positive sense of health and well-being; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18217/16]

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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My Department is strongly supportive of the promotion of positive mental health awareness in both primary and post-primary schools as part of an overall healthy lifestyle for our young people. The Department adopts a holistic and integrated approach to supporting the work of schools in promoting positive mental health and to supporting those with a broad range of problems, behavioural, emotional and social.

My Department issued a circular to all primary schools in February this year promoting and encouraging Healthy Lifestyles for their pupils. Schools and the wider education sector have a vital role to play in contributing to the Government's 'Healthy Ireland' agenda that is being led by the Department of Health and is supported by my Department. It is acknowledged that positive mental and psychological wellbeing are a key aspect of healthy lifestyles. Schools are contributing to the overall physical, mental health and wellbeing of our young people but this must be done in collaboration with their families and their community.

Creating a healthy lifestyle spans the curriculum in schools, whole-school ethos, quality of teaching, learning and assessment, pupil support, pastoral care and the provision of professional development for teachers. It also involves other supports such as educational psychological services and the interface with other agencies, both nationally and locally. Schools support these areas also through their implementation of their anti-bullying, substance misuse, attendance policies and through the delivery of the SPHE curriculum.

It is also important that work in this area commences when pupils are at an early age. To this end, Wellbeing Guidelines for Primary Schools were published by my Department in January 2015. These guidelines were developed, along with guidelines for post-primary schools, following a process of wide consultation, by a working group with representation from the Teacher Education Section/Inspectorate, SPHE Support Service, National Psychological Service (NEPS), Department of Health and the Health Service Executive/National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP).

The guidelines provide practical guidance to schools on how they can promote positive mental health and well-being in an integrated school-wide way. They also provide evidence-based advice on how to support young people who may be at risk of suicidal behaviour.

The Guidelines are for all members of the school community, boards of management and in-school management teams who play a central leadership role in positive mental health promotion. They are also useful for parents' associations, student councils, health and other personnel who are seeking an understanding of how to work in and with schools.

Specific attention is drawn within the Guidelines to the identification of pupils with mental health difficulties, the support process and referral pathways available to schools to provide for their needs and where the difficulties result in absences from school support mechanisms are suggested to ease the pupils re-integration.

My Department, in collaboration with the Department of Health and the HSE, provides support to schools to implement this agenda. At Primary school level the HSE's Health Promotion Officers and my Department's NEPS service respectively support school staff delivery of programmes such as Zippy's Friends and the Friends for Life which promote children's resilience and coping skills which enable them better to manage anxiety.

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