Schools are complex and busy places charged with the responsibility of teaching an increasingly complex and overcrowded curriculum to a diverse range of students. This means that ‘softer’ skills such as relationship development, wellbeing pedagogy, and socio-emotional regulation tend to occur reactively, if at all. Or, they are relegated to add-on programs rather than deeply embedded in the pedagogy of the school.
Health and Wellbeing is a key focus area because we know that school connectedness, positive school cultures and teacher-student relationships are key protective factors. However, schools are also places where young people experience bullying and peer/teacher conflict. Mental health problems are of increasing concern for school communities with impacts for students, teachers, and principals. Student and staff voices are vital to understanding and improving wellbeing at school.
Researchers in C4IE’s Health and Wellbeing Program investigate the many varied components that contribute to positive school environments, including:
- Children’s rights, student voice, participation and representation,
- Intersection between digital technologies, student safety and wellbeing, including cyberbullying, social media, mobile phones in schools,
- Connectedness between students, teachers, school, community and culture,
- Safety, protection, and risk at school including bullying, restraint, seclusion, school violence, restorative and restrictive practices, classroom management, school climate, absenteeism, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and suicide,
- Programs and interventions including; School wellbeing and mental health initiatives, Positive Behaviour Intervention Supports, resilience programs, and trauma-informed practices, and
- Teachers’ emotional management, burnout and wellbeing.
Voice and Wellbeing Program Co-Leaders
Current projects
Recent publications
Polydrug use in Australian 12-14 year olds from 2006 to 2017 : An examination of drug use profiles, emotional control problems, and family relationship characteristics
Kelly, Adrian, Munnings, Andrew, Zhao, Xiang, Roland, Bosco, Laurens, Kristin R., Campbell, Marilyn, Williams, Joanna, Bailey, Jennifer A., Killingly, Callula, Abimanyi-Ochom, Julie, et al. (2023) Polydrug use in Australian 12-14 year olds from 2006 to 2017: An examination of drug use profiles, emotional control problems, and family relationship characteristics Australian Journal of Psychology, 75 (1), pp.Article number: 2174705.
citations on Web of Science
citations on Scopus
Out-of-home care characteristics associated with childhood educational underachievement, mental disorder, and police contacts in an Australian population sample
O'Hare, Kirstie, Tzoumakis, Stacy, Watkeys, Oliver, Katz, Ilan, Laurens, Kristin R, Butler, Merran, Harris, Felicity, Carr, Vaughan J, Green, Melissa J (2023) Out-of-home care characteristics associated with childhood educational underachievement, mental disorder, and police contacts in an Australian population sample Child Abuse & Neglect, 139, pp.Article number: 106120.
- citations on Scopus
Self-harm and suicidal ideation among young people is more often recorded by child protection than health services in an Australian population cohort
O'Hare, Kirstie, Watkeys, Oliver, Dean, Kimberlie, Tzoumakis, Stacy, Whitten, Tyson, Harris, Felicity, Laurens, Kristin R, Carr, Vaughan J, Green, Melissa J (2023) Self-harm and suicidal ideation among young people is more often recorded by child protection than health services in an Australian population cohort Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry.
Conditions of Birth and Early Childhood Developmental Risk for Mental Disorders
Harris, Felicity, Dean, Kimberlie, Watkeys, Oliver J, Laurens, Kristin R, Tzoumakis, Stacy, Carr, Vaughan J, Green, Melissa J (2023) Conditions of Birth and Early Childhood Developmental Risk for Mental Disorders Child Psychiatry and Human Development.
- citations on Scopus
Self-harm and suicidal ideation among young people is more often recorded by child protection than health services in an Australian population cohort
Kirstie O’Hare, Oliver Watkeys, Kimberlie Dean, Stacy Tzoumakis, Tyson Whitten, Felicity Harris, Krisin R Laurens, Vaughan J Carr, and and Melissa J Green (2023) Self-harm and suicidal ideation among young people is more often recorded by child protection than health services in an Australian population cohort. SAGE Journals.
Conditions of Birth and Early Childhood Developmental Risk for Mental Disorders
Felicity Harris, Kimberlie Dean, Oliver J. Watkeys, Kristin R. Laurens, Stacy Tzoumakis, Vaughan J. Carr & Melissa J. Green (2023) Conditions of Birth and Early Childhood Developmental Risk for Mental Disorders. Springer.
Responsibilities of speech-language pathologists in supporting children’s rights: more than listening
McAllister, L., Carroll, C., Gillett-Swan, J. and McGill, N. (2023) Responsibilities of speech-language pathologists in supporting children’s rights: more than listening. .
Cumulative comorbidity between neurodevelopmental, internalising, and externalising disorders in childhood: a network approach
Watkeys, Oliver J., O'Hare, Kirstie, Dean, Kimberlie, Laurens, Kristin R, Harris, Felicity, Carr, Vaughan J., Green, Melissa J. (2023) Cumulative comorbidity between neurodevelopmental, internalising, and externalising disorders in childhood: a network approach European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
- citations on Scopus
Student voice and teacher voice in educational research: a systematic review of 25 years of literature from 1995–2020
Gillett-Swan, J., & Baroutsis, A (2023) Student voice and teacher voice in educational research: a systematic review of 25 years of literature from 1995–2020. Oxford Review of Education.
Comparing the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Secondary School Students at Mainstream Schools, Alternative (Flexi) Schools and Unemployed School-Aged Youth
Wright, Nicole, Campbell, Marilyn, Sia, Surendra Kumar, Crane, Lauren S., Jain, Ajay K., Bano, Shabana (2022) Comparing the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Secondary School Students at Mainstream Schools, Alternative (Flexi) Schools and Unemployed School-Aged Youth Understanding Psychology in the Context of Relationship, Community, Workplace and Culture, pp.107-119.
School-Based Mental Health Promotion and Early Intervention Programs in New South Wales, Australia: Mapping Practice to Policy and Evidence
Laurens, Kristin R., Graham, Linda J., Dix, Katherine L., Harris, Felicity, Tzoumakis, Stacy, Williams, Kate E., Schofield, Jill M., Prendergast, Traci, Waddy, Neale, Taiwo, Mary, et al. (2022) School-Based Mental Health Promotion and Early Intervention Programs in New South Wales, Australia: Mapping Practice to Policy and Evidence School Mental Health, 14 (3), pp.582-597.
- 1 citations on Web of Science
- 1 citations on Scopus
Amplifying children’s voices: Sustainable Development Goals and inclusive design for education and health architecture
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