Student mental health
Mr RICHARDSON (Mordialloc) (13:45): We all know someone who has been touched by the struggles of mental ill health. As a parent and as the Parliamentary Secretary for Schools I know how important it is to ensure there is support for our secondary students and indeed our primary students facing these challenges. One in seven students will experience mental ill health across their journey in school, and the prevalence is higher for secondary students. That is why I was so proud to see the rollout of mental health practitioners and counsellors in our schools, which are really making a difference. I met Priya from Parkdale Secondary College and Annette from Mordialloc College. It was really inspiring to see the agenda that they will set forth to inspire students to take those necessary steps to support their mental health and wellbeing, whether they are experiencing depression, anxiety, OCD or other mental health and wellbeing challenges, or just to improve themselves and get through the struggles of school.
I was really proud to see the pilot announced by the Minister for Education—10 primary schools trialling the approach. This is on the back of a massive royal commission into mental health and wellbeing. It is a journey that we are all on to make sure that every Victorian, regardless of their age and regardless of their circumstances, gets the very best support in their mental health and wellbeing and to ensure less people suffer the consequences.