Background: In 2012, the South African government initiated the Integrated School Health Policy (ISHP) to serve as a national guideline on providing school health and support services from key stakeholders such as the Department of Health (DoH), Department of Basic Education (DBE) and Department of Social Development (DSD). However, despite the…

A rise in the number of school shootings over time has driven increasing attention to school safety. However, school shootings are not the only physical safety threat students may encounter at school. Other types of violence include sexual assault, robbery, physical attack or fights, and threats of physical attack (with or without a weapon). In…

Perceptions of a safe and supportive school environment are imperative to the well-being of all students. Positive perceptions of school safety and supports may be especially important for students attending boarding schools, given that many of these students live on school grounds. However, these experiences have rarely been studied for boarding…

It is imperative that educators take a positive and preventive approach to support students and promote school safety. This article addresses the importance of identifying students who need additional mental health support and providing the highest quality support. These include best practices of emphasizing strength-based approaches, working with…

Using data from the School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), this report presents findings both on crime and violence in U.S. public schools and on the practices and programs schools have used to promote school safety. SSOCS is managed by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of…

Many researchers have documented the continued problem with safety in U.S. schools, which may be related to bullying. Though the most effective way to address bullying in schools is schoolwide programs, limited information is available relating to principals' views on safety programs in U.S. suburban high schools. Accordingly, this study included…

This document provides recommendations of the Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders (CCBD) regarding the use of seclusion in schools. It updates the CCBD's position on this topic first published in 2009 and includes (a) key definitions, (b) a summary of problems with the use of seclusion, (c) strategies to eliminate the use of seclusion,…

This article presents data on Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)-related learning, health, and mental health concerns of 134 families of children with heart disease (HD), the most common birth defect, who are followed by a unique hospital-based Educational Achievement Partnership Program (EAPP) designed to serve as a liaison across the family, the…

The mental health of college students has become one of the top concerns in higher education. The number of students reporting psychological distress and seeking services has dramatically increased over the last two decades. Colleges are struggling to address longstanding mental health inequities such as those facing students of color (SOC) and…

School psychologists are uniquely qualified to provide direct and indirect support to students, parents, educators, schools, and districts. The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Practice Model outlines the 10 domains that interact with each other to meet the needs of students, schools, and communities, and demonstrate the broad…

A general consensus exists among Member States that gaining academic knowledge on its own is not enough for young people to play a role as active citizens and face the socioeconomic realities in their lives, in order to avoid inequity, poverty, discrimination, marginalisation and exclusion. In the 21st century, education needs to go beyond narrow…

Psychological First Aid (PFA) is a concept that can be traced to an article published by the American Psychiatric Association in 1954 recognizing the benefits of early crisis interventions that relieve stress and human suffering. This fact sheet explores the goals of PFA models; outlines when and how schools can implement PFA, including…

This article summarizes the accomplishments of research on school safety in the past quarter century, identifies important gaps, and indicates promising directions for further progress. Although closely related, there are distinguishable bodies of research on physical and psychological safety. Physical safety research concerns the prevention of…

The COVID-19 global pandemic has brought about many changes to our society, which will have long-term effects for our youth and adolescents. Due to social isolation and adverse childhood experiences, there are concerns of suicidality, technology addiction, and school safety as schools attempt to transition to a state of normalcy in the months to…

U.S. policymakers, educators and advocates have identified a need to increase school safety following several high-profile incidents of school violence. Some of the proposed solutions are not supported by evidence of their effectiveness. In the 2018-2019 budget process, both the Colorado State House and Senate amended the budget to address school…