AHISA SUBMISSION

Productivity Commission

23 January 2020

Inquiry into Mental Health – Response to draft report

The Productivity Commission’s draft report makes a number of recommendations to government regarding early childhood education and care provision and schooling. 

Concerned by the prescriptive nature of some of the recommendations and their potential impact on schools, AHISA issued a brief survey to members in November-December 2019 to gather information for its submission to the Productivity Commission. 

Drawing on survey responses, AHISA’s submission notes that the way independent schools choose to make their financial commitment to student health and wellbeing depends on a range of factors, including school size and location and the unique needs of their school communities. The submission advocates for the autonomy of schools to decide how they use available resources – including financial and human resources – to achieve the best outcomes for their communities. 

AHISA recommends that, before firming its draft recommendation regarding the appointment of a Director of Wellbeing role in schools, the Commission undertake further investigation into the staffing loads of a range of health and wellbeing roles in schools and into the various functions of current school leadership appointments relating to student health and wellbeing across all school sectors. 

Response to draft report on Mental Health