Thursday, 23 March 2023

 Natalie HUTCHINS (Sydenham – Minister for Education, Minister for Women) (14:19): I rise to update the house on the government’s rollout of mental health support in our primary schools. We know that good mental health and wellbeing is essential to the development of our children in order for them to succeed. When kids are happy and engaged, they do well. And at the heart of this program we are delivering those supports. I am sure that when we look back in 20 years time we will see that this is one of the big game changers of reform, where we are supporting students’ wellbeing and lifting their educational outcomes as a result. The Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System certainly told us that primary schools can play a key role in identifying the needs that children have and also help with the challenges that they may be having in regard to needing to refer them to treatment, care and support.

That is why we are investing $200 million over the next four years and $93 million ongoing to ensure that the mental health in primary schools program is rolled out in every government school and low fee paying non-government schools across the state. This has started in Barwon, Brimbank, Melton, Goulburn, Hume, Merri-bek and outer Gippsland. They are all now receiving funding to employ a mental health and wellbeing leader, and by 2026 every primary school will have someone leading this work.

On Monday of this week I was at Debney Meadows Primary School in the electorate of the member for Essendon, who I know is working really hard to improve student outcomes for kids in his area. This school is rich with inclusivity and diversity. I did manage to get to see the mental health and wellbeing leader in action calming down kids, working with kids and implementing real change. Can I thank the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and Melbourne Graduate School of Education for their partnership in delivering these initiatives that are changing our schools for the better.