The Department of Education is set to offer additional mental health support to children in bushfire-declared communities with school counsellors to be deployed to affected areas.
The Minister for Education, Sarah Mitchell said the Government would work directly with principals and their school communities to ensure tailored short and long term support was available and met student needs.
“Many schools have been impacted since November last year, with some staff and students losing their homes, seeing communities in distress and witnessing extreme evacuation efforts, which would be very upsetting for anyone to experience,” Ms Mitchell said.
“So far, we’ve identified 113 schools where increased counselling services will be rolled out,” she said.
“Seventy-seven of which will need intensive support that we’ll deliver in consultation with the school communities.”
Ms Mitchell said students who were holidaying on the South Coast during the fires would also be feeling the effects of the fires and the Department would ensure they were supported upon their return to school.
She said principals, parents and carers, along with other members of all school communities, received advice to ensure they could identify signs of stress in children, with principals encouraged to request additional counselling services if needed.
The Minister for Mental Health, Bronnie Taylor said appropriate and timely support could prevent more serious problems.
“We will also be drawing expertise from counselling organisations such as Centacare, Marathon Health, Royal Far West, Family Services Illawarra and MAX solutions,” Ms Taylor said.
