Mental Health in Primary Schools initiative

Setting the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader up for success

Leadership support is essential for successfully implementing the Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHiPS) initiative and the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader (MHWL) role. The below points will support school leaders to set up MHWLs for success:

• Ensure the MHWL is provided dedicated and protected time to perform the MHWL role and to attend the University of Melbourne core training and learning communities (staff login required), in line with the allocated FTE detailed in the SRP.
• Set realistic expectations for the MHWL and their workload, based on the needs and context of your school. Schedule regular MHWL support meetings with school leaders to review the role and the workload.
• Allocate time for the MHWL to deliver professional learning. MHWLs use learnings from the MHiPS training to build school staff capability to address student mental health and wellbeing needs.
• Clearly identify the role of the MHWL in wellbeing goals in school strategic planning, including the Annual Implementation Plan. Use the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO 2.0) and the Mental Health Planning Tool (PDF) (staff login required) to support planning.
• Ensure the role focuses on activities that support a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing, and Tier 1 – mental health prevention and promotion and Tier 2 – early intervention.
• Promote and integrate the MHWL role into your school context and community. Communicate about the MHWL role to staff and the school community through school newsletters, social media, and staff professional learning. Be clear that the MHWL does not provide clinical, one-to-one support for students, or counselling.
• Ensure school leadership attend and participate in the core training modules 1 to 3 alongside the MHWL, to build a strong understanding of the responsibilities of the MHWL.
• Establish systems and processes for safe information sharing between staff members, in line with the Schools' privacy policy.

Supporting MHWLs in multiple roles

MHWLs often work across multiple roles within a school. School leaders should consider the following points in addition to the advice above when a MHWL is working in multiple roles.

Communicate with the school community

• Clearly document and communicate the responsibilities and dedicated working days of each role the MHWL is performing, to support role clarity and build school community understanding. For example, outlining the responsibilities of the MHWL role versus the learning specialist role.
• Display the MHWL jigsaw infographic (staff login required) in the school for staff to review.
• Encourage the MHWL to include each role and the dedicated days/time in their signature block.

Provide dedicated time in each role

• Backfill principal class staff performing the MHWL role to ensure they have dedicated, protected time in both the MHWL role and their principal class role.
• Support the MHWL in identifying existing and potential barriers to performing multiple roles, and work together to address issues.
• Establish clear practice boundaries if the MHWL is working across the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support.
• Establish a process for monitoring the time spent in each role. Complete regular reviews of the implementation of the multiple role arrangement.

MHWLs working across campuses or schools

• Establish a shared agreement or protocol between school leaders to regularly review the implementation of the MHWL role (including dedicated days/time, timetabling, roles at each school/campus).
• Establish standardised processes and systems for safe information sharing between campuses or schools.
• Set up regular meetings with the leadership and wellbeing teams to promote work alignment.