The new Mental Health in Primary Schools website aims to keep schools, parents and policymakers informed about the program and provide resources to support children’s mental health and wellbeing in primary schools. 

The Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHiPS) program recognises that teachers and primary schools are uniquely placed to observe and respond to the emerging mental health needs of children.

MHiPS enables schools to employ a Mental Health and Wellbeing Coordinator and support staff to better understand and respond to mental health issues affecting their students, and build stronger connections with social care and health services.

This newly launched MHiPS website – www.mhips.org.au – aims to keep schools, parents and policymakers informed about the program and provide resources to support children’s mental health and wellbeing in primary schools.

MHiPS started as a pilot program with 10 schools in 2020, 26 schools in 2021 and will expand to include 90 government schools and 10 non-government schools in Victoria in 2022. In 2021, the MHiPS team provided training to 66 school representatives, including 26 health and wellbeing coordinators, their school leaders and school staff.

Feedback from schools has been overwhelmingly positive, and the MHiPS team have seen improved care pathways for children who may otherwise have slipped through the cracks. Learn more about the MHiPS research and training.

The Centre for Community Child Health at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), along with partners at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education (MGSE) developed the MHiPS project to help build the capacity of Victorian primary schools to support the mental health and wellbeing of students.

More information

For more information about the MHiPS program, visit www.mhips.org.au