Did you know that all children have psychosocial support needs. These needs can vary depending on a child’s age, their life experiences, their family situation, gender, and even their individual personalities. According to Unicef, disruptions caused by COVID-19 have also had a profound impact on the mental wellbeing of children across the world, further making school psychologist services essential for the students’ wellbeing.
Psychosocial support is a need for all
According to the Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative (REPSSI), psychosocial wellbeing is a necessary condition for any human being to realise their full potential and to lead fulfilling, healthy and productive lives.
REPSSI is an organisation with a mission to lead in innovative Mental Health and Psychosocial Support interventions to transform policy and practise for girls, boys and youth in Africa to reach their potential
In an earlier edition of their Teacher’s Diploma in Psychosocial Care, Support and Protection Module, REPSSI states that people that have psychosocial support have shown a higher self-esteem than average, and thus show confidence in their ability to solve problems, make decisions, build positive social relationships, work together and resolve conflicts.
Psychologist supporting students
As schools across the world strive to provide healthy and positive learning experiences that promote the optimal development of the whole child, school psychologists have come to play an increasingly important role in promoting this development. School psychologist services at schools have become a necessity.
The mental health and wellbeing of children is recognised as a critical condition for optimal learning and development. School psychologists can help promote the mental and educational health and wellness of students in a number of different ways, including through the provision of individual and group therapeutic interventions and in the provision of preventive and health promoting group work.
Having psychologists on a school team gives students access to mental health care, including psychotherapy, which can often be difficult and sometimes very costly to access outside of the school.
Psychotherapy is a specialised and often scarce service
Nova Pioneer’s Psychosocial Team consists of educational and clinical psychologists, intern psychologists working under supervision, and registered counsellors. Each campus is provided with a team member, whose time on campus is proportioned according to the campus size.
We aim to provide quality psychological care to all students who are referred to us, and we strive to promote mental health and wellness in all aspects of the Nova Pioneer educational experience. Our interventions aim to optimise and enhance the social, emotional, behavioural and academic functioning and development of the students we work with. All team members have the training and skills to intervene immediately if a student has experienced trauma or is needing support in managing a crisis.
As mental health specialists and experts in childhood development, our team provides input and support to teachers and school leadership in the development of student support strategies, and in promoting whole-school wellness and inclusive educational practices. This involves supporting, accommodating and including students who have particular educational or mental health needs. In working alongside parents, our team also promotes health and wellbeing within families.
We encourage parents to reach out to their child’s teacher, or the Dean of Students if they feel their child is in need of support.
