June 2003

Mental health promotion project brings understanding to schools

A ground-breaking program is supporting primary school children in the eastern suburbs who live with a parent with a mental illness.

SKIPS—Supporting Kids in Primary Schools—is a mental health promotion project of Eastern Access Community Health.

SKIPS aims to give:

• Teachers a better understanding of mental illness and to increase their confidence in supporting children and families when a parent has a mental illness; and

• Grade five and six pupils an understanding of mental health and illness and an appropriate vocabulary for talking about mental illness.

It consists of two workshops for teachers and three classroom sessions for Grade five and six pupils.

The teacher workshops provide information about the range, nature and treat-

ability of mental illness and the impact on families, look at signs in children and families and discuss strategies for supporting children and engaging families.

The classroom sessions aim to increase knowledge and to reduce stigma.

The pupils look at mental illness in the context of physical health as a progression from illness to wellness.

The sessions are interactive, lively and informative and the children are involved in a range of activities.

They give students an appropriate language to use when talking about mental illness and allow them to meet ‘the person behind the illness.’

Consumer consultant Sandy Jeffs has addressed all types of audiences about mental illness but had not spoken to primary aged children before SKIPS.

‘The most insightful questions I get from any group are from Grade five and six children,’ Ms Jeffs said.

The program also resulted in parents and teachers becoming more willing to discuss the subject of mental illness among themselves.

• For more information on the SKIPS program contact Julie Malmborg on 9871 1800 or email jmalmborg@each.com.au.