If you or someone you know or work with are experiencing a mental health crisis, please contact one of these services available 24 hours, 7 days per week:
- Employee Wellbeing Support Services: 1300 291 071 (and press 2)
- Lifeline: 13 11 14
- Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467
- Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636
- MensLine Australia: 1300 789 978
- QLife: 1800 184 527 (3 pm to midnight daily) – this is LGBTQI+ support
- Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800
- 13YARN: 13 92 76
Resources
Supports
- Supporting student mental health – refer to the Mental Health in Schools page on PAL for more information on the role of schools in promoting the mental health and wellbeing of students
- Employee Wellbeing Support Services – free and confidential advice to proactively support the wellbeing of eligible department staff. Staff can make appointments to receive tailored support across 8 different service streams and 6 specialist helplines. Further information is available on the Employee Wellbeing Support Services Policy Advisory Library page
- Manager Assist – a phone service to support principals and school leaders, including advice and coaching on team and work challenges. Further information is available on the Employee Wellbeing Support Services Policy Advisory Library page
- Principal health and wellbeing services – a range of initiatives to promote a safe and supportive environment for school leaders to be their best
- Managing trauma resources – Managing Trauma Guide and Managing Trauma online modules to support schools with the effective management of trauma
Templates and guides
- OHS risk register – templates available on the OHS Risk Planning and Management resources page
- Psychological safety guide for schools – provides further guidance that outlines the OHS requirements for the management of psychosocial hazards and supports the psychological safety and risk management procedure
- Psychological safety foundations checklist for schools – assists school principals or their delegates in reviewing their current school environment, including strengths and areas for improvement, to proactively implement the foundations of a psychologically safe school
- Psychosocial risk assessment template – schools can use this template to assess and further understand psychosocial risk in the workplace
Useful external websites
- WorkWell – WorkSafe Victoria
- Resources and programs on workplace mental – Beyond Blue
- Evidence-based mental health resources and – The Black Dog Institute
- Head to – a free confidential service from the Australian Government to find information, supports, and wellbeing resources
- Preventing and managing work-related stress: A guidebook for – WorkSafe Victoria, April 2016
- VicHealth 2012, Reducing stress in the workplace (An evidence review: summary report) – Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, Melbourne, Australia
- provide further information on their website into psychosocial hazards contributing to work-related stress
‘Leading a culture of psychological safety in schools’ webinar series – November 2024
In November 2024, webinars were held to support the implementation of the updated Psychological Safety and Risk Management policy. The webinars covered identifying factors and psychosocial hazards that impact psychological safety in the workplace and new resources available to support schools in creating a psychologically safe culture. Access the recording and slides below:
Includes information on available supports, templates and guides and useful external websites
Reviewed 03 March 2025