Supporting the Mental Health of Newcomer Students at School
This info sheet provides suggestions and reflection questions to help school leaders and staff create identity-affirming environments that support the mental health of students who are newcomers to Canada.
A welcoming school climate and support from caring adults at school are both independently related to better emotional health in newcomer students (Emerson, Gagne Petteni, & Guhn, 2022). The resource proposes suggestions:
- for creating welcoming school environments for newcomer students
- to identify when a student may need more support with their mental health
- to provide ongoing support when a student is struggling
How might I use this tool?
The information and reflection questions in this info sheet could be used during a PD Day, a staff meeting, or a family of schools meeting to increase dialogue and help enhance capacity around supporting newcomer well-being in schools.
