Full-time clinician supports Stirling student teachers to build mentally healthy classrooms
Back to news
The University of Stirling has appointed a full-time clinician to help student teachers learn about and support mentally healthy classrooms and schools.
The partnership with children’s mental health charity Place2Be will see the clinician working with students to equip them as they begin their career in teaching.
Aisling Vorster will help student teachers develop their capacity for wellbeing and reflection, and to support children and young people’s mental health in the classroom.
Aisling brings a wide range of expertise, including child and adolescent mental health, care experienced children and young people, and children with additional support needs.
Place2Be provides in-school support and expert professional development to improve the emotional wellbeing of children and young people, families, teachers, school staff and communities. The partnership with the University of Stirling supports teachers of the future to contribute to mentally healthy school communities by seeing mental health as the responsibility of all.
The programme features Place2Think sessions, offering a unique reflective space for student teachers to consider the impact of their pupils' mental health and wellbeing on their teaching practice. This allows students to build both their skills as a teacher and their own emotional and professional resilience, preparing them for a career in the classroom.
The move, announced during Mental Health Awareness Week, comes amid rising numbers of children and young people experiencing mental health conditions. Research shows that around half of mental health conditions develop by the age of 14.
The University of Stirling’s undergraduate teaching programme has around 800 students across primary, secondary and physical education pathways.
As well as at the University of Stirling, Place2Be has embedded clinicians at the University of Glasgow and Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh.
Aisling said: “It’s important that teachers learn how to support young people’s mental health at the earliest opportunity, and having Place2Be and its concepts embedded in the University of Stirling makes this part of their learning from the outset.
“Having worked in this area in schools, I am delighted to be bringing my expertise to the University of Stirling’s teacher education programme in partnership with schools.”
Consultant Clinician
It’s important that teachers learn how to support young people’s mental health at the earliest opportunity, and having Place2Be and its concepts embedded in the University of Stirling makes this part of their learning from the outset.
Brian Johnston, Director of Initial Teacher Education at the University of Stirling, said: “We are delighted to be working with Place2Be on this important initiative. The wellbeing of teachers is an important priority for the University of Stirling, and adding Aisling’s expertise makes absolute sense.”
Fiona McFarlane, Director for Scotland with Place2Be, said: “We are delighted to partner with the University of Stirling, which will mean that a third of all student teachers in Scotland will now be supported by an embedded Place2Be clinician.
“This partnership is about valuing teachers and their vital contribution to the lives of children across Scotland. Supporting teachers of the future to contribute to mentally healthy school communities by seeing mental health as the responsibility of all, is at the heart of our partnership with the University of Stirling.
“Working together with Stirling and other Initial Teacher Education institutions, we have been able to develop a proactive approach to support and build the capacity of student teachers, in line with Place2Be’s focus on prevention and early help and support intervention.”
The health and wellbeing of students is a priority for the University of Stirling, whose Student Support Services employ qualified advisers and counsellors to support students throughout their time at the University.