Parent engagement, social disadvantage and school-based mental health interventions
Jan Nicholson
Centre for Health Research, Queensland University of Technology
Contact Email:   j.nicholsonqut.edu.au

Fewer than 25% of Australian children with significant mental health problems receive any form of mental health intervention. Schools have been identified as a setting that offers potential for facilitating access to mental health interventions. This paper presents findings from three studies conducted in Queensland primary schools exploring opportunities for mental health interventions. The first study collected qualitative data from teachers regarding barriers to school-based mental health interventions. The second collected quantitative data from teachers about the extent to which school-based mental health interventions were provided to children with mental health problems. The third study examined the association between parents’ level of engagement with their children’s school, socio-economic circumstances and children’s mental health. The results indicate that school-based mental health interventions are not provided equitably to all children who may benefit. Reach of interventions may be improved through the development of strategies to engage parents in their children’s schooling prior to the emergence of significant mental health problems. The implications of these findings for the prevention and treatment of children’s mental health problems in schools will be discussed.

Paper Download Information (if available):

Copyright © 2003 Social Policy Research Centre.