I commend the representatives of Comhairle na nÓg County Roscommon for supporting this important wellbeing and mental health initiative at their Annual Youth Conference in October 2022.
The area of wellbeing and the promotion of positive mental health is a priority for the Department of Education. This includes promoting emotional wellbeing and resilience and positive coping skills, which support children and young people to manage the complexities of modern life.
The Department of Education’s approach to supporting wellbeing and mental health is set out in its Wellbeing Policy Statement and Framework for Practice. A dedicated wellbeing portal has also been developed bringing together all the wellbeing supports and resources that have been developed by the Department and the Department’s support services. The approach proposed is a whole school and preventative approach, which has multiple components that provide children and young people with opportunities to:
• Build core social and emotional skills and competencies through the use of evidence-informed practice.
• Experience supportive relationships within the school setting.
• Be part of a school environment and culture that feels both physically and psychologically safe, in which they feel a sense of belonging and connectedness, that their voice is heard, and they feel supported.
It is important that any wellbeing initiative is aligned with the principles of the Wellbeing Policy. Schools may choose wellbeing resources that suit their own particular needs and context.
Schools are encouraged to use a reflective, school self-evaluation approach to identify and prioritise the needs of its own school community in relation to the promotion of wellbeing and mental health, and to respond to meeting those needs. To support schools in this work the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) is currently providing training to schools to ensure that the promotion of wellbeing will be at the core of the ethos of every school and support schools in implementing the Wellbeing Framework.
The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) has developed training for school staff on the promotion of wellbeing and resilience in schools, which includes upskilling school staff on the use and implementation of therapeutically-informed and evidence-based approaches in schools. These include trauma-informed approaches, approaches based on the principles of cognitive behaviour therapy, and attachment-aware approaches. The approaches outlined in the training are based on research findings, on the experience of experts in their fields and on the experience of practicing psychologists working in schools. The training builds on the capability of school staff in both primary and post-primary settings, including school leaders, teachers and SNAs. NEPS also provides training for school staff on the FRIENDS social, emotional and resilience building programmes to help reduce anxiety and support emotional wellbeing and resilience in children and young people.
The Department of Education works closely with the Department of Health, who have compiled a suite of resources, support agencies, self-help information and apps to support positive mental health in adults and young people. This is available at hse.ie/mental-health
