| CODE | IAL3011 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Preventing and Responding to Mental Health Issues in Schools | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Inclusion and Access to Learning | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Mental health issues are increasing among children with one in five children being affected. This study-unit will deal with mental health in schools where many students with developmental disabilities are easily affected by anxiety, depression, trauma and may develop into challenging behaviours including self-injurious behaviour. Study-Unit Aims: This study-unit aims at introducing mental health issues in schools as being "essential to addressing barriers to learning and not as an agenda separate from a school's instructional mission" (Centre in Mental Health in Schools and student/learners support). "Half of mental health difficulties begin before the age of 14, underlining the need for early intervention and mental health promotion from an early age" (Cefai and Cooper, 2017, p.3). Learners with developmental disabilities are prone to anxiety, depression and challenging behaviour when confronted with a segregating environment. This study-unit will help students explore the field of mental health in schools; labelling, screening and over-pathologizing, evidence based practices in schools based on wraparound services in collaboration with community based mental health resources; the creation of trauma sensitive schools; social control versus engagement in learning; listening to the voices of the various stake holders (students, teachers, parents/caregivers and other stakeholders), and moving forward through policy and systemic change. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: • Define and analyse the field of mental health in schools based on wraparound services in collaboration with community based mental health resources; • Recognize the effects of labelling, screening and over-pathologizing; • Describe and discuss evidence based practices in schools; • Recognize the essential elements for the creation of trauma sensitive schools; • Describe the pros and cons of dealing with adverse childhood experiences; • Describe and discuss the effects of social control versus engagement in learning; • Recognise the voices of the various stake holders (students, teachers, parents/caregives and other stakeholders); • Review policies which facilitate the implementation of school-based mental health programmes; • Identify the need for systemic change. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: • Document the field of mental health in local schools; • Highlight the effects of labelling, screening and over-pathologizing; • Verify which evidence- based practices are implemented in local schools based on wraparound services in collaboration with community based mental health resources; • Implement the essential elements for the creation of trauma sensitive schools; • Critically analyse the adverse childhood experiences checklist; • Implement strategies for students' engagement in learning as opposed to social control; • Highlight the main issues aired by the voices of the various stake holders (students, teachers, parents/caregivers and other stakeholders); • Interview various stakeholders on mental health issues in school; • Select policies which facilitate the implementation of school-based mental health programmes within an Universal design for learning framework; and • Raise awareness for the need for systemic change in the school. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: • Adelman H.S., Taylor L. (2015) . Mental Health in Schools Engaging Learners, Preventing Problems, and Improving Schools. Sage Publishing • Cefai C., Cooper P. (2017) . Mental health in schools: Cross cultural narratives and perspectives. Sense Publishers. Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Supplementary Readings: • Mental Health in Schools: an overview. (n.d.) Centre in Mental Health in Schools and student/learners support. http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/aboutmh/mhinschools.html • Mental Health In Schools: A Hidden Crisis Affecting Millions Of Students http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/08/31/464727159/mental-health-in-schools-a-hidden-crisis-affecting-millions-of-students • WHO (2012) Mental health and well-being: why pay attention to this issue during adolescence? Retrieved on August 12, 2017 from http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/163514/HBSC-Fact-sheet-mental-health-revised.pdf?ua=1 • WHO (2012) Mental health and well-being: 10 facts on mental health. Retrieved on August 13, 2017 from http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/mental_health/mental_health_facts/en/ • WHO (2014) Health for the World’s Adolescents A second chance in the second decade. WHO Document Production Services, Geneva, Switzerland, retrieved on August 13, 2017 from http://apps.who.int/adolescent/second decade/files/1612_MNCAH_HWA_Executive_Summary.pdf |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Claire Francica |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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