School telehealth a crucial service

AUSTRALIAN school psychologists were among the fastest to respond to the pandemic, according to a new study lead by Monash University.

Kate Sculley, a school counsellor at Geelong College, said it became clear “very early” that she would need to evolve her services in line with the changing restrictions.

“Most of our counselling services were offered via telehealth as opposed to face to face,” she said.

“We needed to be flexible and accessible in how and when we met with students and families.”

The multi-country study, which involved 938 participants found that significantly more schoolbased psychologists in Germany and Australia provided telecounselling services.

The report revealed initial challenges associated with telehealth, including usability, security and confidentiality led to a delay in support services being available at a crucial time.

Ms Sculley said the new model of delivery was initially awkward for some families but ultimately became a vital lifeline.

“We received many new referrals during the pandemic, especially as it progressed into 2021,” she said.

“This most recent lockdown has seen the highest rate in access to our telehealth service … with students struggling with restrictions and isolation from friends, school, sport and routine.

“It increased our workload with not only our regular students, but also our engagement with students we hadn’t previously worked with.

“We also noticed an increased engagement with parents reaching out for support.”