Supporting Mental Wellbeing in our School Communities

We know that mental wellbeing is vital to student success. Yet in a society focused more on the environment surrounding children and youth than on what’s going on inside them, their mental wellbeing can often be overlooked.

Why Children's Mental Wellbeing Matters

The fact is that children and youth can suffer from all of the same challenges that confront adults – anxiety, depression, eating disorders, mood disorders, substance abuse, and more. Research consistently indicates that 1 in 5 children experience mental wellbeing issues. This statistic translates into approximately 40,000 students in the TDSB.

We also know that there’s a direct link between the availability of social, emotional, psychological and physical supports and student achievement. In a world where we cannot keep our students immune from all sorts of challenges, making sure we pay attention when they are struggling is a must for educators. 

How TDSB Supports Children's Mental Wellbeing

Supporting our students' mental wellbeing means much more than offering a sympathetic ear.  It means providing lots of real, practical information and dispelling myths. It means connecting them and their families with the right resources when they are faced with a crisis. It means fostering resilience to help them bounce back from disappiontment and navigate life’s challenges successfully.

In TDSB schools, classrooms and Boardroom, we take a holistic approach that includes all of these things and more.  Below are just a few examples of what we do. You'll find many more links throughout these pages by exploring the menu on the left.

School Social Workers
School social workers and attendance counsellors help children, families, teachers and administrators to maximize a child's educational experience. When students experience undue stress in their lives they often have trouble in school and social workers work to help children overcome these obstacles to achieve their full potential.

Safe and Caring Schools
Providing a safe, nurturing environment where every student feels valued is critical. According to a recent CMHA study, students who have a high sense of belonging, who really feel attached to their school or a significant adult there, report less substance abuse, fewer incidents of bullying and victimization, better school attendance and stronger academic performance.

Child and Youth Services
With their specialized skills, Child & Youth Workers and Child & Youth Counsellors play an important role as part of a multidisciplinary TDSB team, helping students acquire and build the communication, self-management, academic, and social skills that lead to success.

Psychological Services
With specialized training and years of experience in a school setting, staff in TDSB's Psychological Services share ideas and suggestions on some of the most common issues faced by children, teens and their parents on Psychology Corner.

Mentoring
As people devoted to the wellbeing of ALL of our students, TDSB staff know that relationships are critical; one caring and competent adult in a child’s life can make a tremendous difference. Read about Young Women on the Move and Boys2Men.

Community Partnerships
TDSB works in concert with a range of community agencies that support children and youth with mental wellbeing issues. A number of these programs are highlighted here.