Jeremy Rockliff,Minister for Education and Training
The Hodgman Liberal Government has identified student wellbeing as critical in ensuring Tasmanian children become successful learners. Wellbeing is also vital in enabling us to lead the nation in education.
This is why we are putting a spotlight on mental wellbeing and to increase support for addressing this important issue, we are launching the Mental Wellbeing Action Plan.
This action plan demonstrates a collective effort, including broad consultation with students, staff, parents, and representatives from Youth Network of Tasmania, Commissioner for Children and Young People, Mission Australia, TASSO, Headspace, Life Without Barriers and the Department of Education.
We are concentrating our efforts on key areas of concern, as highlighted by students and staff, including cyber-safety, resilience, depression and anxiety, and respectful relationships.
The Action Plan identifies 16 actions that promote the Government’s ongoing commitment to wellbeing and the focus mental wellbeing.
Each Action has been designed to ensure a universal approach to wellbeing for all learners is achieved.
Some of the key actions include developing a wellbeing webpage, which will host a number of useful resources and provide principals a platform to share information and experiences in using wellbeing resources.
Professional learning opportunities for teachers will also be a feature of the Action Plan.
Key to all this work is the student voice, and that is why, through Action 1, the Department will be surveying all students in years 4-12 on their wellbeing in 2019.
This survey will provide schools and the Department with vital data on the wellbeing of students.
This data will be used to plan and implement programs and professional learning.
This Plan has been designed to be responsive to improving the wellbeing and lives of our students, and it will go a long way in supporting our students wellbeing, both today and into the future.
Subsequent action plans in 2020 and 2021 will target physical health and the environment, and wellbeing in the voice of the student.
