This PowerPoint presentation is part of a suite of initiatives produced through Mind Matters Plus. It is meant to be used in conjunction with supporting.

This PowerPoint presentation is part of a suite of initiatives produced through Mind Matters Plus. It is meant to be used in conjunction with supporting material.

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What helps students in mental health & wellbeing connect to school?

Perspectives from students & staff in the context of MindMatters

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What helps students with support needs in mental health & wellbeingconnect to school?

Section A:new learnings from MindMatters Plus

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Introduction to

MindMatters Plus

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Aimed to build upon the capacity of schools to improve outcomes in mental health and wellbeing

17 demonstration schools

Learnings to strengthen MindMattersresources & professional developmentfrom the perspective of students with support needs in mental health and wellbeing

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MindMatters Plus

What do we need from schools?

We need precision with individual students with additional and specific needs

We need to be able to guide all young people and adults in the decisions they make, specifically encourage a sense of optimism in the future and faith in themselves – autonomy (Assoc Prof L Rowling 2005)

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Connection

An established protective factor for health & education for young people

Likely to be more significant for students with support needs

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to school

MindMatters Plus - an opportunity to learnmore about connection to school: What can students with high mental health

support needs tell us? How do staff members see it & what do they do?

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Reflecting on connecting

Section B:

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Perspectives from students


Study 1:Student voices about school engagement

We could not locate any authoritative study that has specifically sought and reported the voices of young people with high support needs in mental health about engagement with school. Holdsworth and Blanchard 2005

Therefore titled Unheard Voices

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Messagesfrom young people

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“I only look forward to seeing my mates really.”1. Build & maintainstrong relationships “We gave the teacher respect from the start

because he respected & understood us too.”


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1. Build & maintainstrong relationships

“I was lucky to have a great school counsellor at my school. She helped me organise meetings with my teachers about my situation, got me involved in a support group & helped me find information on my illness.”

Messages

2. Be informed: Mental health literacy helps students with problems, staff & peers

from young people

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2. “We needed more people knowing what it was, noticing the signs & making you more aware of this kind of illness because I didn’t know anything about it. I just thought it was normal. If people could recognise the symptoms a bit then it could stop before it gets worse.”

“Sometimes the teachers expect me to be able to concentrate when at times it’s difficult.”

2. Be informed: Mental health literacy helps students with problems, staff & peers

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“It doesn’t need to be fun all the time, not fun, just worthwhile.”

3. Understand the importance of teaching & learning to students

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“She helps you with your ideas. She helps you make your ideas matter if that makes sense …”

3. Understand the importance of teaching & learning to students

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“If you’re enjoying something you’re doing, then maybe you’ll be more eager to do it more.”

4. Avoid stigma


“I think it’s good that most teachers here

recognise everyone’s

originality & personality…So we’re not all put in together.”

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4. Avoid stigma


“Schools need to be vigilant in addressing

all forms of bullying to prevent feelings of inadequacy that are manifested in problems such as eating disorders.”

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5. Involve students strongly in decision making & give them control

“I wanted everyone to stop organising my life for me.”

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“It’s nice to have a teacher who trusts you to do something on your own.”

5. Involve students strongly in decision making & give them control

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“The school is helpful by making sure I’m OK with everything at school.”

“Be sensitive to my needs as an individual. Treat me fairly – my needs may be different to others.”


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“Last week I got chucked out of my house, but the SWC was able to find me somewhere to go for the time being. I got a bit behind with my work, but the teachers have been pretty good about it, until I get things sorted out.”

6. Understand the wholeperson


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6. Understand the wholeperson

“It’s good when they know what

you’re having to deal with at home – what happens before you get to school each day.”

“Facilities are one of the most important things. If facilities are working and clean it makes you feel comfortable & it is easier to learn.”

7. Consider the quality of the school facilities & resources


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7.

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“The flexibility of this school makes a real difference. I have a young child, so the teachers don’t mind if I miss assembly or have totake time off if she is sick. It’s hard to find a school that doesn’t have a uniform & recognises that I have been out of school for a few years. It was really necessary for me to come back to complete Year 12.”

Section C:Perspective from Staff


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Study 2:about ‘connection to school’

Staff interviews

12 staff from four MM+ demonstrations schools:

What is connection to school? What about connection for students with support

needs in mental health? What do you do to help students connect to school?

Dynamic process influenced by factors within the individual, the school & the family

Important in the stabilisation of students experiencing problems

What ‘connection to school’?

is

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Often more complex for students with support needs

Social connection through 1:1 relationships between the student & a peer or staff member is very important

What‘connection to school’?

is

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Staff beliefs

Connection is the basis for engagement in further activities & learning

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Staff beliefs

“…the importance of relationships – that is the cementthat keeps this place going... The actual relationship is the outcome which is under recognised I reckon.” Ken

Staff beliefs

Shared belief:

A positive welcoming school community where there is mutual respect & care between people, is a platform for connection

for ALL students & staff

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Staff beliefs

“It works because people work together & support each other. Part of being a community… is that everyone has a say & everyone is equal. So even though we have a Principal & a DP, & they are there for disciplinary reasons if we need them, actually very rarely we need them because… everyone bands together & sorts it out.” Sandy

Staff beliefs

Students connect with different aspects of school

the identity of school the physical place a place for personal & social relationships a place to contribute, learn & be recognised a caring safe place

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Strong leadership Diverse staff work well as a team

& are supported The climate & curriculum in the school

is open & responsive to the real lives & aspirations of students

Elementsschool community

of the positive, welcoming

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Safety is the bottom line for everybody Pastoral care makes sure everyone is known There are many opportunities to shine &

develop identity There is a valuing of relationship building,

including through a range of informal activities

Elementsschool community

of the positive, welcoming

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“Reach out to your students with high mental health support needs”

Making‘people connections’ is a key

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Involve particular staff in the specific task of reaching out to students with high mental health support needs

Nurture strong collegial support amongst these staff

Provide multiple points of contact for students with high mental health support needs

Actively seek to build bridges for individuals from first meeting


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Search for a hook Close the distance between staff & students Help kids feel normal Add extra structure to help the students succeed


Share these

tips

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Share these

tips

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Promote a sense that school can be like a home & family in some ways

Be upfront about confidentiality Be prepared to persist

Section D:views for school practice


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Implications of student and staff

A positive, welcoming school community is a great platform

Caring, mutually respectful relationships across the school are important for connection to school

Students and Staff agree

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One positive relationship is a great start

Connection (for students & staff) is dependent on feeling safe and valued

The whole lives of students experiencing problems are particularly relevant to their experience of school


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Improving mental health literacy amongst staff & peers helps students & staff

Relevant curriculum is important & needs to be assessed appropriately


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Decision making & control for themselves at school

Avoiding stigma Confidentiality

Studentsplaced more stress on these

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Test:How well does this school affirm diversity every day & deal with bullying, harassment & violence?

Likely benefits in a particular focus on helping students with support needs in mental health to connect to school

Someimplications

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Someimplications

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An effective pastoral care system for everyone frees the resources needed for specific support staff to focus their time & effort on students who need it

Students value

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More chance to choose their staff mentors & advisors Approaches where students are supporting students Realistic expectations about rules and requirements

Opportunities to learn with their friends

Students value

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Being consulted & sharing in decision making about their learning & the nature & timing of support

Having someone who knows what’s going on for them Clean facilities

What did we learn about helping students connect?

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A school can build its capacity to help students with support needs to connect to school

Helps learning, mental health and wellbeing Promotes health and wellbeing for students and staff

“A boy has been sent home today & comes back tomorrow for a hearing to sort it out but it will be a new day - teachers don’t hold grudges…kids comment on it all the time…it is a new day, a new start…it is very important.” Sandy

Last words

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“When you’ve got five people beside you smiling, the one that’s not smiling is going to have to think ‘what’s going on’ & that’s when we invite them on board. Enthusiasm becomes contagious.” Liam

Last words

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“When students are connected – the main thing is a caring environment…It’s the kids listening to each other, the teachers listening to the kids & acting on the issues & calling …the small issues before they become big issues.” Ken

Last words

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This PowerPoint presentation is part of a suite of initiatives produced through Mind Matters Plus. It is meant to be used in conjunction with supporting.

Documents

school slide

young people schools

voices of young people

sense slide

person slide

students staff

individual students

mental health wellbeing