Mana Ake – Stronger for Tomorrow An overview of the well-being in primary schools initiative in Canterbury
Our Context We know that there are long term impacts from natural disasters: Young children are most vulnerable • They may experience long-lasting negative effects into adulthood • There is evidence of intergenerational transmission of experiences related to • disaster And…. we know that there is an increasing focus on mental health concerns in children and young people and their families/whānau around the world
What is Mana Ake? A multi-agency initiative established in March 2018 • Collaboratively developed by health, education, police, non-government • organisations and consumers Three key elements: 80 additional roles (FTE) made available in schools • Changing the way we work: improving and supporting collaboration and • enhancing existing resources in schools A web-based tool: Leading Lights – co-designed to support consistent • navigation through the pathway of support for a child or young person Aims: To promote wellbeing and positive mental health for students in years 1-8 • Focuses on early-intervention (early in the life of the problem) •
Mana Ake – 80 additional FTE Workers (kaimahi) have a diverse range of skills and include psychologists, • social workers, Whānau Ora kaimahi, counsellors and youth workers Employed directly by 13 non-government organisations (NGOs) who make • up the provider network Operate as a virtual team – kaimahi don’t have a single office and are not • all from any one location or organisation Can support individual children and groups of children and provide advice, • guidance and support for teachers and parents/ whānau Mixed skill set to quickly respond to the needs of a child as wellbeing • concerns arise
Mana Ake – changing the way we work Mana Ake, alongside the Learning Support delivery approach, promotes • collaboration to enable clusters of schools, kura and early childhood education (ECE) to work with support services ensuring that resources are targeted most effectively to those who need them Working with and through school communities by complementing and • enhancing existing pastoral care support to intervene early means we can stop some children’s needs escalating In doing this, we hope to see an increase in the capacity and responsiveness of • specialist services so when it’s appropriate for children to be referred, they can be seen by the right specialists sooner
Mana Ake Leading Lights: www.leadinglights.org.nz A website designed specifically for teachers and education professionals • Helps to identify children with specific health, learning or wellbeing needs and • provide ideas and strategies of about how these children are best supported within schools Leading Lights guidance includes: • Recognising and responding to a child’s mental and physical health, o behavioural or learning needs Advice and resources for supporting individual children, the class, the o family/whānau, and support agencies How to request specialist and support services in the local education and o health systems
Intent of Mana Ake To build on the good things that are in place and enhance them by: Strengthening collaboration across the support network; • Working together to understand where the need is and how best to use the • resources we have to address it; Being clear about available support pathways and when to use them, so that we • minimise wait times; Providing additional mental health workers to support children and families • early, when mental health concerns arise; Learning where there are gaps in the system and highlighting these so that they • can be addressed.
The role of Werry Workforce Whāraurau Governance : Part of the Service Level Alliance • Design : Chairing and leading development of the Practice Framework and the • Assessment Framework Implementation : Provision of induction training and ongoing professional • development Clinical Advice : Consulting into all aspects of development and implementation • of the initiative
What we’re seeing so far • The issues arising are what we expected - children who need more support and self-esteem building • Universal themes – anxiety, support for grief, loss e.g. parents separated or students who have issues with regular attendance • Good outcomes – more students engaging with the service, improved relationships between kaimahi and existing school supports, increased awareness in parents and some early positive feedback from families
Evaluation • Children : Children supported by family/whānau to connect to school and community – presence, participation and learning/achievement. • Whānau : Healthy, safe, strong families – community services supporting children to stay well, child health equity, nutrition, community connectedness. • School : School community strengthens wellbeing for children and family/whānau – child wellbeing and school connection with whānau and community, building confident teachers that know where to go for assistance and support. • System : Better connection and collaboration across the system – easy to navigate, fit-for-purpose, right child, right time, right place, no wasted time, services working together
Mana Ake – the roll out schedule • April 2018 7.5 FTE, 15 schools in two clusters • July 2018 11.5 FTE, 23 schools in three clusters • October 2018 21 FTE, 60 schools in seven clusters • February 2019 21.5 FTE, 65 schools in seven clusters • April 2019 19 FTE, 55 schools in seven clusters
For further information: Bronwyn Dunnachie Senior Advisor b.dunnachie@auckland.ac.nz
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