Supporting students experiencing child abuse or who have been using harmful behaviours is stressful and hard.
It is important that you make time to care for your mental health and wellbeing. Seek help if you need to. This helps prevent secondary or vicarious trauma. It also helps you best support students.
You can get help from your school leadership team. You can also access confidential wellbeing support.
Government schools
Employee Wellbeing Support Services. This service is delivered externally by Converge International. It offers free and confidential wellbeing support for government school staff.
- Staff can make appointments to get tailored support.
- Principals and people managers can use the Manager Assist service. It provides coaching advice on topics like staff wellbeing, hard conversations, and other people management issues.
- To use these services, call 1300 291 071. You can also book online through the Converge portal or mobile app. Use the code ‘mywellbeing’.
- Immediate family members aged 18 and over can use the Family Assist stream.
Cogent Thinking supports government school staff in specialist and small schools. It also helps all principal class staff through the Early Intervention Program. It provides free and confidential help for early health and wellbeing concerns. This helps prevent problems getting worse.
The program can help with work issues and personal matters. It does not cover workers’ compensation claims. It offers comprehensive professional services, including:
- dedicated care coordinator: up to 15 hours of phone support per case
- psychology
- physiotherapy
- exercise physiology.
Sessions can be in person, over the phone, or via secure video conferencing.
Principal class, specialist and small school staff can contact the Early Intervention program at Cogent Thinking. Call 1300 090 924 or email eiprogram@cogentthinking.com.au.
For more information, email the Employee Wellbeing Response team on employee.wellbeing.response.team@education.vic.gov.au.
Catholic schools
Employee support services are available to Catholic school staff via external providers. School leadership teams can advise you on using the Employee Assistance Program.
Independent schools
Contact Independent Schools Victoria for support and advice.
- Call: 03 9825 7200
- Email: enquiries@is.vic.edu.au.
School staff can access support and information on child abuse at Services, helplines and websites.
Your GP can connect you to psychologists, counsellors and other health specialists.
Government schools
The department supports staff experiencing family violence. For information, visit Family Violence – Information for Employees.
Help is available for former staff members of Victorian government schools who need support related to child abuse. They should contact the department’s Restorative Engagement, Information and Support team. The team will arrange access to Employee Wellbeing Support Services.
- Phone: 03 9057 4500
- Email: REIS@education.vic.gov.au.
Catholic schools
Help is available for Catholic school staff experiencing family violence. They should contact their school’s governing body. This is the first step to getting support through an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
Independent schools
Contact Independent Schools Victoria for support on child safety matters.
- Call: 03 9825 7200
- Email: enquiries@is.vic.edu.au.
Support your wellbeing
To support your wellbeing:
- Know the limit of your role. Identifying and responding to child abuse means understanding your obligations. Work with subject matter experts. They can investigate, assess risk and provide counselling.
- Maintain your boundaries. Keep interactions with the student and their parents or carers professional. Ensure your engagement is respectful, sensitive and safe.
- Be aware of referral options to support your mental health and wellbeing.
- Monitor your safety. Report any threats in line with your school’s policies and procedures.
- Identifying risks to your mental health and wellbeing can be hard. A proactive approach is best. Look out for your colleagues’ wellbeing. Encourage them to seek support.
Practice regular self-care. You can:
- do an activity you find relaxing
- maintain your friendships – ask friends for help
- exercise regularly
- have a nutritious, balanced diet
- be kind to yourself
- take quiet time for yourself – even 15 minutes a day can help
- plan something to look forward to
- get good sleep.
Government schools
The Managing Trauma Guide helps schools and department staff. While it may not fit every child abuse situation, it provides valuable information for schools.
It has recovery tools and resources to help schools respond to an incident. This aims to reduce trauma for everyone affected.
The guide is part of the Managing and Reporting School Incidents (Including Emergencies) Policy.
Catholic and independent Schools
The Managing Trauma Guide can be used by Catholic and independent schools via the same link.
Catholic and independent schools might need to adapt the guide’s processes to their policies.
If you need help with child safety incidents at school, see Support and advisory services for school staff.
The page includes supports for all schools and sector-specific contact details.
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