More school psychologists will be introduced into Canberra's public school system.
$2.36 million will be set aside for the first five of a total of 20 school psychologists ACT Labor promised prior to last year's election.
Education Minister Yvette Berry said the extra mental health expertise would ensure Canberra schools were places that ‘not only teach students but also support them.’
‘These psychologists will be allocated to the areas of greatest need and will respond to our growing awareness of the need for a proactive approach to mental health and student wellbeing in our schools,’ she said.
‘The new psychologists will complement the existing number of school psychologists along with other support teams made up of speech therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and social workers to provide a thorough and robust support network for our students.’
The Australian Education Union and advocacy groups last year called on the ACT Government to increase the number of psychologists in Canberra's schools to 34 to meet the ratio of one school psychologist for every 500 students now enrolled in ACT public schools.