More than 400 group dynamics and activities have also been carried out to promote emotional well-being in educational centres
This pioneering initiative of the Regional Ministry of Education and the Regional Ministry of Health, with the support of the College of Psychologists, was launched at the beginning of the school year.
More than 1,500 secondary school and vocational training students in the Balearic Islands have been attended individually by the educational psychologist at their school. This pioneering measure was launched at the beginning of the school year and more than 400 group dynamics and activities have already been carried out to promote emotional wellbeing in public and state-subsidised educational centres.
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More than 1,500 pupils have been assisted by educational psychologists in secondary and vocational training centres
A meeting was held this morning to assess the first results of this initiative, which was launched by the Regional Ministry of Education and Universities and the Regional Ministry of Health, together with the Official College of Psychologists of the Balearic Islands (COPIB). Present at the event on behalf of the Department of Education were the councillor Antoni Vera, the director general of Early Childhood, Attention to Diversity and Educational Improvement, Neus Riera, and the director of the Institute for Coexistence and School Success (Convivèxit), Antoni Vich. The Director General of Mental Health, Carme Bosch, attended on behalf of the Regional Ministry of Health. The dean of the Official College of Psychologists of the Balearic Islands, Javier Torres, and the member of Educational Psychology, Marta Huertas, also took part.
In addition to providing personalised attention to the students and carrying out group dynamics and activities, the educational psychologists have facilitated coordination with the Health Service and the COPIB to carry out follow-ups.
The Regional Minister of Education and Universities, Antoni Vera, has made a very positive assessment of the introduction of educational psychologists in schools, a figure whose aim is to attend to and detect the needs of students and help them in their management. For her part, the Director General of Mental Health, Carme Bosch, highlighted the quantitative and qualitative leap that the introduction of psychologists in secondary schools represents and stressed that they are here to stay.
This academic year 2024-2025, public and state-subsidised educational centres will have a staff of 76 psychology professionals, 40 in the public network and 36 in the state-subsidised network. The Conselleria d’Educació i Universitats has invested 2 million euros in this initiative with the aim of educational psychologists working closely with students, offering listening, support, guidance and psychological intervention in situations of risk or emotional distress.
In the area of families, the psychologists will provide accompaniment, listening spaces and, if necessary, psychological intervention. They also collaborate with the centre’s guidance services to develop proposals for training and information activities aimed at the prevention of mental health and the promotion of positive coexistence.
Concerning the relationship with the educational team, they establish fluid coordination mechanisms with the guidance services to guarantee an adequate exchange of information. They also actively participate in the design and implementation of preventive programmes focused on emotional management and healthy coexistence, as well as proposing training activities for teachers, to promote mental health and emotional well-being within the educational centre.
Finally, another of its objectives is to train students in emotional and social skills, such as the positive management of emotions, conflict resolution and other relational techniques, thus contributing to their personal and social development.