LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of Principals
Emotional Well-being at the heart of school communities PAT GOFF
IPPN DEPUTY CEO
On the 4th November 2015 a one-day symposium set out to challenge current thinking on how emotional wellbeing is handled in the education sector and to build on existing work in this area. It was designed to raise awareness of the importance of primary and post-primary schools embracing emotional wellbeing of both pupils and staff as a key measure of success. We wanted to establish and embed a culture whereby all children feel safe to express their anxieties and can develop emotional resilience to meet the challenges they will face as they go through life. For staff this means acknowledging that they may be experiencing difficulties themselves and how important it is to look after themselves and support their colleagues. Five hundred attended on the day to hear speakers including Conor Cusack Wellbeing ‘Ambassador’, Dr Niall Muldoon - Ombudsman for Children, Gordon Jeyes - CEO, Túsla - Child and Family Agency, Dr Rosaleen McElvaney – Dublin City University, Margaret Grogan - Regional Director, NEPS, Suzanne Dillon, DES Inspectorate, Colma Nic Lughadha - Children & Young People’s Services Committee, Angela Lynch – IPPN Principal Advice Manager, Pat Goff - Deputy CEO, IPPN and Clive Byrne - CEO, NAPD. WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE? A small committee made up of Conor Cusack, Ombudsman for Children Dr Niall Muldoon, Teaching Council Director Tomás Ó Ruairc, as well as representatives of the DES, IPPN and NAPD have held four meetings and set about drawing up Terms of Reference. The Group is named Well-being for Teachers & Learners (WTL) and its objectives are: 1. To agree a definition of well-being for teaching and learning for Irish education so that the well-being of teachers and learners is supported 2. To promote a shared understanding of this definition amongst stakeholders in Irish education 3. To enhance co-operation between member organisations, and 14
between the Group and stakeholders, to support an enhanced and sustainable approach to well-being for all learners in our education system, teachers and students alike. The Group will agree a work-plan with a clear timeframe and feasible goals within 3 months of its formal incorporation. The group is very clear that this is not a new initiative, rather it is attempting to get every school to focus on well-being so that it becomes part of their culture. All aspects of emotional well-being need to be included – so that children who are on any part of the spectrum of anxiety/ill health (from apathy to perfectionistic) can be identified and supported, not just those who are suicidal/ have depression. Schools can be the one place where children can feel safe. They can also be the very place where they feel very vulnerable. This group aims to raise awareness among all primary teachers about the need to really listen to children and, crucially, to create an environment, a
culture and a ‘space’ where children can look for help and know they will really be listened to. Teachers have a pastoral responsibility as part of their role (within their professional code of conduct) but cannot and should not try to act as therapists/ counsellors/ psychologists etc. However, they can support the child by listening and potentially referring them/the family to professional services. If teachers are to do this properly, they need training and support, which are not in place at the moment. Never has there been such pressure on schools. Pupils reflect their families, their homes and their communities. Very often these pupils reflect the stress that families are under. School staffs are trying to cope with this as well as dealing with a raft of new initiatives. There are already some great publications to do with well-being in schools produced by NEPS and others. Perhaps it is time for schools to stop and examine their own culture, if we are serious about looking after the wellbeing of pupils and staff alike.