Experts say school leaders need to emphasise “wellbeing” after new data shows an increase in “red flag” alerts from principals.
The Principal Wellbeing Report, recently tabled at parliament, found a 64 per cent increase in alerts from principals from 2021 to 2022.
These red flag alerts are triggered when school leaders are at risk of self-harm, occupational health problems or serious impact on their quality of life.
Looking at schools across Victoria, the report painted a bleak picture of school leaders’ declining mental health and job satisfaction.
“Mental injury” reportedly made up over 48 per cent of all principal workers’ compensation claims between 2015 and 2021.
Principals also reported working an average of 55 hours per week during school term and 21 hours per week during school holidays in 2022. Averaged over a year, they reported working 94 hours per fortnight – 18 hours more than their ‘ordinary hours of work’.
Despite the best efforts from the state’s Department of Education to improve working conditions, the report concluded that “the department is not effectively protecting the health and wellbeing of its school principals”.
Camp Australia, Australia’s leading before and after-school care provider, say they have also seen a rise in parent aggression towards teachers, leading experts to highlight the need for a national discussion around wellbeing.
Camp Australia CEO Warren Jacobson says school leaders must create strategies that foster a healthy community.
“Camp Australia is committed to delivering insights, expertise, and strategies to tackle the pressing challenges faced by our school leaders,” he said in a statement.
The company has recently announced its “Insight Series” – a free series of webinars tackling the wellbeing issues facing today’s school leaders.
“We are witnessing a rise in principals retiring and a decrease in people selecting principalship as a career,” Head of Partner Communication and Engagement Sarah Strachan told The Bursar.
“By reducing external pressure and addressing the wellbeing of school leaders, they will be better equipped to sustain their roles for longer.”
“The aim is to also foster a more positive outlook for prospective leaders, making them more inclined to accept and embrace such opportunities.”
Joining Mr Jacobson in these seminars will be the Head of Schools at Headspace, and a prominent figure in education and mental health sectors, Kristen Douglas.
With years of experience working with educators, Ms Douglas will join seasoned school leaders as they delve into the critical issue of school leader wellbeing and share their practical insights on handling parental dysregulation.
“The Insight Series is one way we offer school leaders access to industry specialists and content focusing on key topics of interest such as resilience, mental health and wellbeing,” said Mr Jacobson.
“We are delighted to join forces with Kristen Douglas from Headspace and school leaders from our Camp community to highlight the importance of prioritising self-care among school leaders and supporting their teams.
“This is a free event and we extend an invitation to all school leaders to join us.”
The Camp Australia “Enhancing Wellbeing: Empowering School Leaders” webinar will take place on Thursday, 7 September 2023, at 2:00 pm AEST.
The Series will also be available through video, audio and transcript that principals and educators can access at any time.
