Projects

Projects - Welfare Needs of Victorian Catholic Schools

This research study, commissioned by Catholic Education Commission of Victoria, investigated the nature, range and impact of the welfare issues that Principals are called upon to deal with in their role as leaders of Catholic school communities. The research was conducted in Victorian Catholic primary and secondary schools by Helen Cahill, Professor Johanna Wyn and Dr Graeme Smith.

The range of welfare problems schools are dealing with was distinguished through a series of focus group interveiws with Principals. A statewide survey was then used to gather quantitative data about the frequency with which schools deal with these problems and the level of impact of those problems. The survey also collected data about the Principals' perceptions of the adequacy of current resources to assist with effective management of these problems. Case studies provided an opportunty to describe the impact of student welfare issues in particular school contexts.

This study distinguished that schools respond to a very broad range of welfare problems, with the five key priority issues of learning problems, student mental health, staff wellbeing, family distress, and student social health being of major concern.

Contact: Helen Cahill

Contact: h.cahill@unimelb.edu.au