This week I spoke to the National Affairs Editor for the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age about why the Federal Government needs to make a commitment in next month’s budget to fund a new national benchmark of one school-based psychologist for every 500 students.
About one in seven school-aged children experience a mental health disorder each year. Schools don’t have the resources and skills to manage this alone, and they need our help.
For you, our members, and for the government, this is not news. We have been actively advocating for this for years. But what is new is that there seems to be a growing focus from the Department of Health on how to address the mental health needs of Australians, including children.
It costs the Federal Government around $200 billion a year to deal with the effects of poor mental health and suicide. Approximately 50 per cent of adult mental illness begins before 14 years of age. Making this investment early on, to stop things snowballing into adulthood, quite simply just makes sense, both economically and socially.
Principals also back the call, noting the need for the support of qualified experts, whilst research shows that parents and young people don’t always know when or how to seek help.
The May budget is an opportunity to make the financial commitment needed to put psychologists in schools across the country, and the government needs to make that commitment. We will keep up the pressure.
Tamara Cavenett FAPS GAICD
APS President