Supporting Student Mental Health Through Telepsychology in Regional, Rural and Remote NSW Schools – an Innovative New Service
Tracks
Ballroom 2 - In Person Only
| Wednesday, March 20, 2024 |
| 1:30 PM - 1:50 PM |
Overview
Katrina Worrall & Stephanie Lade, NSW Department Of Education
Details
Presentation Key Learnings:
1. How the model was designed and set up
2. The outcome of the evaluation
3. Online tools and therapeutic interventions in action
Speaker
Ms Stephanie Lade
Senior Psychologist Education
NSW Department of Education
Supporting Student Mental Health Through Telepsychology in Regional, Rural and Remote NSW Schools – an Innovative New Service
Biography
Stephanie is a registered psychologist and a Senior Psychologist, Education in the School Counselling and Telepsychology Rural and Remote Schools (SCATRRS) team at the NSW Department of Education. Stephanie began working with rural and remote students and families in 2019 through the Royal Far West School and NSW Centre for Effective Reading, before joining the SCATRRS team in 2021. Stephanie is passionate about working with rural and remote students, schools, and communities, and utilising tele-psychology to provide reliable and flexible service.
Ms Katrina Worrall
Psychology & Wellbeing Coordinator
NSW Department of Education
Supporting student mental health through telepsychology in regional, rural and remote NSW schools – an innovative new service
Abstract
The School Counselling and Telepsychology Rural and Remote Schools (SCATRRS) service is a new, innovative blended service of telepsychology and in-person support for public school students living in rural and remote NSW.
The service model was co-designed by schools, Department of Education staff, students, parents, local community members and external agencies. The model provides a mix of personalised student interventions, capacity building for staff and school communities and emergency responses to support school communities managing serious incidents.
SCATRRS has been operational since the beginning of 2021 and has supported over 3,700 students in 146 schools.
In November 2022, an independent evaluation of the service was undertaken. Information, including opinion as to the effectiveness of the service was gathered through surveys, interviews and program data. Some insights include:
• Principals agreed SCATRRS improved support for student mental health (with 92% strongly agreeing or agreeing), student learning (87%) and following a serious incident or natural disaster (86%).
• Students who had had three or more sessions were surveyed. At session 3 or more, 88% students agreed meeting with the SCATRRS Counsellor was helpful.
• Parents interviewed were satisfied with the service blended model. Parents also cited the benefit of online mode for themselves, rather than the need to come into the school or to “see” a psychologist.
The success of this model can be attributed to time taken to build relationships with schools; the procedures put in place to create safe spaces and efficient processes for students to access their counselling remotely, and to the use of creative online tools and an interactive platform to engage students.
This session will be co-presented by Katrina Worrall, Psychology and Wellbeing Coordinator and Stephanie Lade, a member of the SCATRRS team.
The service model was co-designed by schools, Department of Education staff, students, parents, local community members and external agencies. The model provides a mix of personalised student interventions, capacity building for staff and school communities and emergency responses to support school communities managing serious incidents.
SCATRRS has been operational since the beginning of 2021 and has supported over 3,700 students in 146 schools.
In November 2022, an independent evaluation of the service was undertaken. Information, including opinion as to the effectiveness of the service was gathered through surveys, interviews and program data. Some insights include:
• Principals agreed SCATRRS improved support for student mental health (with 92% strongly agreeing or agreeing), student learning (87%) and following a serious incident or natural disaster (86%).
• Students who had had three or more sessions were surveyed. At session 3 or more, 88% students agreed meeting with the SCATRRS Counsellor was helpful.
• Parents interviewed were satisfied with the service blended model. Parents also cited the benefit of online mode for themselves, rather than the need to come into the school or to “see” a psychologist.
The success of this model can be attributed to time taken to build relationships with schools; the procedures put in place to create safe spaces and efficient processes for students to access their counselling remotely, and to the use of creative online tools and an interactive platform to engage students.
This session will be co-presented by Katrina Worrall, Psychology and Wellbeing Coordinator and Stephanie Lade, a member of the SCATRRS team.
Biography
Katrina is a registered psychologist employed in the NSW Department of Education.
Katrina has served 30 years in the NSW School Counselling Service - as school counsellor, team leader of school counsellors, Principal Psychologist and now, Psychology and Wellbeing Coordinator.
Katrina has a strong affiliation with regional, rural and remote communities and is privileged to have had a significant role in developing the School Counselling and Telepsychology Rural and Remote Schools (SCATRRS) service. This innovative new service supports student mental health in regional, rural and remote NSW public schools through a blended service of face to face and telepsychology.
