Mental Health and Wellbeing through Schools: The Way Forward - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0415745187 ISBN 13: 9780415745185

Publisher: Routledge, 2016

Synopsis

Mental Health and Wellbeing through Schools brings together international experts from various disciplines to identify and address a range of current challenges in this rapidly-developing field of endeavour.

The opening chapter details lessons learned from research and practice, outlining some emerging challenges for the effective implementation of mental health initiatives in schools. Subsequent chapters take up the various issues, exploring problems and proposing solutions. Topics fall within four broad areas:

Organisational and leadership issues such as dealing with 'wicked' or ‘hard-to-tame’ (complex and resistant) problems and taking a broad public health approach;

Teacher-related issues, such as how to integrate programs successfully into schools, and teacher skills and professional learning;

The challenges and opportunities of new technologies, including cyberbullying and the use of online, multimedia and mobile resources for both student and teacher learning and support;

The need for a greater focus on targeted interventions for at-risk students, such as those with disabilities; also addressing ‘hard-to-tame’ problems such as bullying, youth suicide and depression.

Mental Health and Wellbeing through Schools will be of interest to those involved in researching, developing, evaluating and implementing mental health initiatives in schools, including academics, practitioners, educators and educational and Mental Health policy makers. It will also be of use to professionals, such as nurses and social workers, concerned with the wellbeing of children and adolescents. The book will have international appeal, with contributors from around the world, experienced in a range of contexts.

Rosalyn H. Shute is Adjunct Professor of Psychology at both Flinders and Federation Universities (Australia). Her research expertise lies broadly in clinical child psychology and paediatric psychology/child health and wellbeing. She is an experienced teacher of Developmental Psychology, educational and clinical child/paediatric psychology.

Phillip T. Slee is a Professor in Human Development in the School of Education at Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia. He is a trained teacher and registered psychologist. His main areas of interest include childhood bullying/aggression, mental health and wellbeing, stress and teacher education. He has a particular interest in the practical and policy implications of his research. He and Shute recently co-authored Child Development: Theories and Critical Perspectives.

About this title

About the Author:

Rosalyn H. Shute is Adjunct Professor of Psychology at both Flinders and Federation Universities, Australia. Her research expertise lies broadly in clinical child psychology and paediatric psychology/child health and wellbeing. She is an experienced teacher of developmental psychology, educational and clinical child/paediatric psychology.

Phillip T. Slee is  Professor in Human Development at the School of Education at Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia. He is a trained teacher and registered psychologist. His main areas of interest include childhood bullying/aggression, mental health and wellbeing, stress and teacher education. He has a particular interest in the practical and policy implications of his research. He and Shute recently co-authored Child Development: Theories and Critical Perspectives.

Review:

"This is a timely, well-written and researched book, which has tremendous positive implications for the future mental health and well-being of children world-wide, and will be of special interest to the whole school community." - Dr Marilyn Campbell MAPS, Professor, School of Cultural and Professional Learning, Queensland University of Technology

"A growing number of children and young people struggle with a range of mental health issues in today’s complex and changing world. This book provides compelling evidence for the value of programmes that promote emotional health and well-being on a large scale in schools. The international team of authors, each one widely-respected in the field, explores critical aspects involved in the implementation of such programmes across nations and addresses the many challenges that face educators and healthcare professionals in the task. This timely book is essential reading for researchers, practitioners, managers and policy-makers." – Helen Cowie, Emeritus Professor, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey

"Now that schools are taking a more central role in the promotion of mental health and wellbeing of children and young people, this book is a timely invaluable resource for educational authorities, teacher educators, school leaders, teachers and other educators and researchers. Through the varied contributions of key researchers and practitioners in the field, this book discusses the various challenges faced by those working in this area and suggests how such challenges may be turned into opportunities for the promotion of mental health and wellbeing through schools." - Prof Carmel Cefai PhD (Lond.),CPsychol FBPsS Head, Department of Psychology, Director, Centre for Resilience & Socio-Emotional Health, University of Malta

Many guides focus on the prevention of school bullying. Few have been designed to take the challenge the other way round, that is to promote mental health for children through schools. Mental health and wellbeing through schools: the way forward is THE indispensable guide to improve the school experience and beyond of students and to implement interventions effectively. It provides a sound analysis of what works and most importantly under which conditions. Prompted by the Student Wellbeing and Prevention of Violence (SWAPv) at Flinders University, this book is an invaluable contribution to a sensible evidence-based approach for intervention in schools and will no doubt be a source of inspiration and effectiveness for policy makers, school staff and researchers towards children’s wellbeing. - Pr. Catherine Blaya, Chair of the International Observatory of Violence in Schools.

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 0415745187
• ISBN 13: 9780415745185
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 206
• Editor: Shute Rosalyn H., Slee Phillip T.