Wellbeing at LPS

Mental Health in Primary Schools

The Department of Education and Training has partnered with the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and the Melbourne Graduate School of Education to deliver a Pilot to provide more mental health support in primary schools. This is a result of the Victorian Royal Commission into Mental Health.

What this means at L.P.S.

L.P.S joined the pilot program in 2022 and were provided funding to appoint a Mental Health and Wellbeing Coordinator (MHWC) to promote a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing.

The MHWC role differs from allied health wellbeing roles as it is not intended to provide one- to-one counselling to students. The purpose of this role is to:

  • Promote a whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing in students, staff and families

  • Increase school-wide knowledge of mental health and wellbeing and minimise stigma

  • Promote a whole school approach to the prevention and promotion of wellbeing in students, staff and families

  • Support teachers and school staff to expand their capacity to embed evidence- based mental health strategies, interventions and programs and build mental health literacy to identify and support primary school students

  • Understand and apply knowledge of the mental health continuum including how children may present behaviourally, socially and academically at different points along the continuum

  • Help staff identify children with mental and wellbeing concerns and discuss support needs with staff and families

  • Have a sound knowledge of internal and external referral pathways for primary school students with mental health and wellbeing needs

  • Support the school to provide individualised wellbeing support to students

  • Advocate for and value student voice and agency in their wellbeing and mental health needs

  • Recognise risk and protective factors for primary school children regarding mental health and wellbeing

Schools Mental Health Fund Menu

The Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System highlighted the important role of education settings in promoting positive mental health and wellbeing.

Schools were recognised as environments where early intervention could take place to elevate positive mental health and wellbeing. Providing awareness, skills, strategies and supports for our students.

As a result, schools across Victoria will have access to funding to use on the Schools Mental Health Fund Menu.

L.P.S will be involved in the rollout from Term 3 2022.

What is the Schools Mental Health Fund Menu?

  • the Menu includes evidence-based programs, staff and resources

  • it helps ensure schools have access to a range of supports to meet the needs of students- as a whole school approach to individualised supports

  • the menu provides opportunities for Victorian government schools to purchase support to bolster whole-school initiatives that promote mental health and wellbeing

Disability Inclusion

In 2022, L.P.S have transitioned from a PSD (Program for Students with a Disability) to a (DIP) Disability Inclusion Profile School.

What does this mean at L.P.S?

We have a Disability Inclusion Coordinator (part time) who works with teachers, students and families to identify the strengths, needs, and educational adjustments we can make at school and support the needs of our students.

Part of this role is to facilitate a profile meeting that involves all stake holders- parents, students, teachers, other professionals working with the student to provide ongoing support for the student around their learning. This meeting is run by a trained facilitator and focuses on the strengths of the student.

The Disability Inclusion Profile captures:

• a student’s strengths and educational aspirations

• their needs across a range of education related activities

• adjustments required to enable participation and engagement at school.

Tutor Learning Initiative

Lancefield Primary School's Tutor Learning Initiative (TLI) Program is funded by the Department of Education and Training and coordinated, up until the conclusion of 2023.

Our program is coordinated and run by an experienced teacher, with the support of school leadership and all classroom teachers. Students are selected for the program through the collection of academic and wellbeing data, and teacher-based judgements.

Each student that partakes in the program has individual learning goals developed for them based on their point of need. Our TLI Coordinator provides explicit small-group learning across the areas of reading, writing and maths, both within and out of the classroom and assessment data is used to closely track every student’s progress. Our TLI program has shown growth in academic achievement for the students that have been involved in this wonderful initiative.