Students lacking support

Our schools missing out on mental health help

A SURVEY of Geelong teachers has revealed far fewer local schools have psychologists than those across the state, amid growing concerns about students’ mental health.

Only 32.3 per cent of Geelong schools employed a psychologist compared to 45.1 per cent of all Victorian schools, the survey revealed. Of staff in small regional towns 32.9 per cent reported their schools employed a qualified psychologist or counsellor compared to 51.3 per cent of metro schools.

The Australian Education Union surveyed Victorian members to inform its submission to Victoria’s mental health royal commission.

AEU Victorian branch president Meredith Peace said the results showed the burden was particularly felt in regional and rural Victoria. “Mental health issues can significantly affect a student’s short-term and long-term success,” Ms Peace said.

The data found students who face disadvantage are most likely to need mental health support, and least likely to receive it, the union said.

Only 30.7 per cent of nonmetro principals indicated their students had access to appropriate mental health services when required, compared to 41.9 per cent of metro principals.

More than three quarters (77 per cent) of large schools (with more than 600 students) had a student welfare co-ordinator compared to 24.3 per cent of schools with 80 students or less.

Respondents reported issues affecting mental health in large regional cities across Victoria were significantly higher than in Melbourne.

Education Minister James Merlino said teachers, students and parents told him mental health was among their greatest concerns.

“That’s why we’re rolling out mental health practitioners in all government secondary schools, from term 3 of this year,” Mr Merlino said.

“This is in addition to our $65.5 million mental health and wellbeing package.”

The Mental Health Practitioners in Schools initiative means all secondary schools will receive between one and five days per week of support from a qualified practitioner.

It aims to enable schoolbased mental health services to be embedded into the fabric of each secondary school and allow further integration with existing health and wellbeing workforces and programs.