About the Teacher's Guide

Evidence base

Each of the recommended interventions in this Teacher's Guide has a strong evidence base. Interventions were selected via a comprehensive literature search of health and educational electronic databases (CINAHL, Medline, Embase, PsychInfo, Cochrane and ERIC: Education Resources Information Centre). Articles were limited to English-language. Interventions that required teachers to undergo additional training, utilised specialised resources were excluded.

Acknowledgements

This resource was inspired by the 2006 resource ‘The Impact of Mental Health Disorders on Learning - A Teacher's Guide’, a NSCCH (Northern Sydney Central Coast Health) School-Link imitative supported by staff of the CYPMH - NSCCH (Children and Young People's Mental Health - Northern Sydney Central Coast Health). The original resource was updated in 2007 by NSCCH School-Link and CYPMH - NSCCH staff with input from the Behaviour Department of Education & Training Hunter/Central Coast Region and Lake Munmorah Public School.

Resource study

A July 2019 study: Fostering positive mental health in primary school classrooms. Australian teachers’ perceptions on the role of education and training in becoming primary preventative mental health champions. Confirmed the hypothesis that: Access to the Teacher’s Guide resource will enable primary school teachers to confidently implement evidence-based strategies, and adopt a primary-preventative approach, resulting in increased resilience, educational opportunities, and occupational engagement for students in the classroom.

Authors: Cooksley, R.1, Bunder, D.2, Sneddon, J. 2, Chen, Y.3, Nunn, H.3, Yee, H.4, Tang, J.4, Farrar, G.4, Szeto, C.3, Hardie, K.5, Chu, A. Y. L.3 & Singh, R.2

  1. Got It! Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, Sydney Local Health District, New South Wales, Australia.
  2. Child, Adolescent and Youth Mental Health Service, School-Link Program, Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, New South Wales, Australia.
  3. Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.
  4. School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, NSW, Australia
  5. Department of Occupational Therapy, Western Sydney University, NSW, Australia.

For more information

Email: David.Bunder@health.nsw.gov.au