The role of mental health practitioners in developing and delivering evidence based social-emotional and wellbeing programs in schools.

Our school environments are microcosms of society. Students are developing relationships in an increasingly complex time because they are navigating them in face-to-face and online worlds. The contemporary behaviours of students have seen us evaluate and update our pastoral care education developing a new program, WRAP. WRAP is an acronym for Wellbeing, Relationships, Agency, and Personal responsibility. The program covers complex topics in an age-appropriate way and develops young people’s social and emotional well-being and development, not covered explicitly in other curriculum areas.

Our Wellbeing team members have had an integral role in the development, and the ongoing implementation of the WRAP program. This presentation will discuss how the program has been developed using evidence and research to inform its content, the role of the wellbeing team in implementing the program, and the ongoing evaluation of the program.

An essential part of WRAP is we support students to navigate respectful relationships, which equips them to foster and maintain strong and healthy relationships with others. Understanding boundaries and consent form an integral component of this part of the WRAP program. Other vital aspects include students’ understanding of power, how to use their voice, and how to grow as leaders while also developing responsibility and understanding of their role within our community. The presenters will explore the role of school counsellors and wellbeing practitioners in relation to these elements of the program.

This presentation is targeted to all school counsellors, psychologists, social workers and mental health practitioners working in schools highlighting the role they can play in developing and/or delivering such wellbeing programs in their schools.

Michelle Brown (Co-Presentating with Jo Cains)

With qualifications in Social Work, Social Sciences, Family Mediation and Gender Studies, Michelle has had a 20 year plus career in the Human Services predominantly working with children, young people and their families in education and community settings. Michelle has taught at South Australian universities since 2013 in Social work and Human Services undergraduate and post- graduate Programs and Courses, however describes herself as a practitioner. Michelle continues to work 3 days a week with vulnerable children, young people and their families, while also being passionate about teaching future Human Services workers and Social Workers.