Goulburn Public School, Goulburn South, Goulburn High School and the Crescent School are among the first in NSW to welcome a highly trained School Wellbeing Nurse thanks to a NSW Government initiative, which will place more than 100 specialists across the state.
Member for Goulburn Wendy Tuckerman said the wellbeing nurse is an important addition to existing support in the school and community.
“I am so pleased to welcome the position of a new School Wellbeing Nurse. The position is currently being recruited but they will become an integral part of the four schools to help students dealing with mental health and medical issues as well as accessing services and get ongoing support,” Mrs Tuckerman said.
Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor said the new registered nurses will provide support to students and parents as part of a four-year expansion of the successful School Wellbeing Nurse pilot.
“Our children and young people can feel like they have the weight of the world on their shoulders as they try to make sense of an unpredictable, changing world and their place in it,” Mrs Taylor said.
“School nurses are another important part of the web of support we’re putting in place to make sure we can deliver the right healthcare, at the right place and at the right time.”
Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell said the nurses form part of a wraparound mental health and wellbeing service available to NSW school students.
“It’s so important that students in NSW have access to a range of health, mental health and wellbeing services to ensure they feel supported throughout their time at school,” Ms Mitchell said.
“Wellbeing nurses form part of this service and will play a crucial role in ensuring students and their families are connected with external health, mental health and wellbeing services available in their local community.”
An independent evaluation from Urbis of the pilot of Wellbeing Nurses from July 2018 to September 2020 found the nurses were successful establishing the model within schools, supporting students and families to achieve positive health and education outcomes, and linking school and community health and wellbeing interventions.
