Lismore MP Janelle Saffin says more students across the Lismore electorate will have access to vital wellbeing support at school, after the state government committed $60 million over four years to continue the Wellbeing and Health In-reach Nurse (WHIN) Coordinator program.
Ms Saffin said she welcomed the continuation of this program, announced recently by NSW Premier Chris Minns, NSW Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car, and NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park.
‘I’m really pleased the NSW Government is continuing our investment in this incredibly successful wellbeing program,’ Ms Saffin said. ‘Participating schools are carefully chosen to make sure that wellbeing nurses are available to the communities who need them most.’
Schools to benefit
Wellbeing nurses are based at the following schools: Murwillumbah High School, The Rivers Secondary College (Richmond River High Campus), The River Secondary College (Kadina High Campus), and Kyogle High School.
Nurses also provide support at the following outreach schools in the electorate: Murwillumbah East Public School, Murwillumbah Public School, Lismore South Public School, Lismore Public School, Goonellabah Public School, The Rivers Secondary College (Lismore High Campus), Bonalbo Central School and Tabulam Public School.
Around 100 wellbeing nurses are spread across rural and regional Local Health Districts, and in metropolitan areas, working in about 400 public schools, potentially giving 150,000 students access to this important service.
The WHIN Coordinator program is a joint initiative of NSW Health and the NSW Department of Education, establishing wellbeing nurses in public primary and secondary schools to coordinate appropriate early intervention, assessments and referral to health and social services.
The NSW Government said this is part of their commitment to improve student and teacher wellbeing in schools, which includes a plan to increase the number of counsellors in schools, ensuring an extra 250 counsellors are recruited.
