Page 2126 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 6 June 2018
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strategies in the classroom, not just attend a personal development event and then go back to the classroom and not be supported to implement what they have learnt or not have the means to implement it. Whole-school approaches to improving and changing pedagogical practices are better. We need to acknowledge that there is not just one type of pedagogy. It is about taking the best and most effective pedagogies and using them at the right time and in the right way to help children learn in the way that is most suitable to that individual child.
We note that there is educational research that points to evidence about what does work with children. As politicians we need to support teachers and educational systems to respond to that research and implement it into teachers’ daily practice to ensure we are giving students their best chance at success. That is what this measure is about.
Providing the best possible safe and supportive learning environment is critical to being a truly inclusive school community. Supporting students’ mental health and wellbeing is essential to ensuring that every student, no matter which school they go to, can get the help they need. The funding of 15 additional school psychologists is an item that was spoken about extensively in the last election and is reflected in the parliamentary agreement between Labor and the Greens. Certainly, as the mental health minister, I am very pleased to see that this commitment has been funded.
The requirement for school psychologists has been identified by a number of players. It is a vital support for kids who are struggling with a range of mental health concerns. Providing this additional support will enable them to seek that support, to have the courage to come forward, knowing that there is capability within the school environment to support them to overcome their personal challenges so that they can be more focused on their education.
We know that if a child is struggling with mental health conditions they are less capable of learning. If they are distracted, if they are not getting the support they need, they are unlikely to progress as well as they might otherwise with their education. And they will miss out. Having this investment in school psychologists will assist in providing that strong foundation. While this announcement is welcome, I want to reiterate that there is still work to be done to implement a streamlined referral process between schools and community mental health services. This is another item reflected in the parliamentary agreement. A crucial aspect of this additional work will be increasing coordination between staff in health and education directorates.
The minister for education and I will be working, over the coming months, to improve that coordination. We need to make sure that if someone does go to the school psychologist and needs further support it is a seamless transition and that they move between one part of the mental health support system and another with the greatest possible ease. This is an area that I am pleased to work with the minister on.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I welcome the additional funding to support children with a disability and complex health needs in the public school system in this year’s budget. This funding is vital to ensuring there is equity of outcome for those students who
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