Clinician to help student teachers

The University of Stirling has appointed a full-time clinician to help student teachers learn about and support mentally healthy classrooms and schools.

The partnership with children’s mental health charity Place2be will see the clinician working with students to equip them as they begin their career in teaching.

Aisling Vorster brings a wide range of expertise, including child and adolescent mental health, care experienced children and young people, and children with additional support needs.

Aisling will help student teachers to understand the communication underlying young people’s behaviours and responses, and to manage the challenges of a classroom, working towards mentally healthy teachers and classrooms.

The move, announced during Mental Health Awareness Week, comes amid rising numbers of children and young people experiencing mental health conditions.

Aisling said: “It’s important that teachers learn how to support young people’s mental health at the earliest opportunity, and having Place2be and its concepts embedded in the University of Stirling makes this part of their learning from the outset. Having worked in this area in schools, I am delighted to be bringing my expertise to the University of Stirling’s teacher education programme in partnership with schools.”

Place2be provides in-school support and expert professional development to improve the emotional wellbeing of children and young people, families, teachers, school staff and communities.

Fiona Mcfarlane, Director for Scotland with Place2be, said: “This partnership is about valuing teachers and their vital contribution to the lives of children across Scotland.”