Episode four: The role of the school student support officer
Often the first sign that a teenager is struggling with mental ill health, or is contemplating risky and life threatening situations, emerges at school. These signs can include declining grades, disengagement and poor attendance, or negative changes in behaviour. If parents and carers are able to work with the school if symptoms of mental health are identified, support can be provided early, before a problematic situation arises.
This EPIC Conversation is an interview with a school student support officer. We discuss the supports that may be available within your teenager’s school and how parents and carers can work together with schools to support teens when challenges arise.
Madeleine’s top take outs from this conversation:
School student support fficers are a safe place for students and a link to other supports
School refusal strategy no.1 is getting the student in the school gate, consider partial attendance and work with the school
If you have concerns about your young person, call the school, work with them. Schools have many wellbeing supports and contacts to outside help.
Roberta’s top take outs from this conversation:
Parents can reach out to a student support officer if they want to talk about concerns with their teenager
When your teenager talks to you, ask if they want advice or just want you to listen
There are plans available to help a student engage with school, don’t worry about asking the principal or SSO for advise.
Q1. You’re a school student support officer, or SSO. Can you please explain the role of a school Student Support Officer?
S. We are youth workers in schools. The main purpose is to do early intervention and prevention support to give young people the tools and skills needed to cope. This is done through one on one support, evidence based/informed group programs on various topics based on the needs of your particular school, for example: Top Blokes, RAGE, self-esteem, study without stress and whole school initiatives/wellbeing days. We are also a great resource for connecting young people and families to external supports, to help provide that wrap-around support so desperately needed.
Q2. Does every school have a SSO?
S. We have just finalised the last stage of recruitment so every high school in NSW should now have a permanent SSO. There are also a handful of SSOs in schools for specific purposes (SSPs) and primary schools.
Q3. What’s the difference between a school counsellor and a school SSO?
S. School counsellors/psychologists provide support to students with complex mental health needs. They can provide assessments and create safety planning for things like self-harm and suicidal thoughts.
SSOs are youth workers in schools, they do not have the same training as a school counsellor/psychologist. Our role is to provide support and guidance and we can do so on a range of issues including self-esteem, resilience, coping skills etc.
We also connect to outside agencies. If a young person comes to us with a serious mental health concern, we work alongside the school counsellor/psychologist to provide the most appropriate support. Young people might see both SSOs and school counsellors in order to provide wrap-around support.
Students may also only elect to see an SSO due to reduced stigma and it is our job to slowly coax and encourage more appropriate support and letting young people know our mandatory reporting guidelines.
Q4. If a parent is concerned about their teen in relation to mental health or risky/challenging behaviour, how do they communicate this with the school?
S. Firstly, I would just like to let all parents/carers know schools deal with a huge range of issues/concerns in relation to students and that they shouldn’t worry about being judged as we come across all sorts of cases. The more information the school has the better and the better they will be able to support the young person and family. Schools have a variety of great resources and external contacts that can assist you. That being said, only raise what you feel comfortable with and it could just be ‘X is struggling and I would like someone to check in with them’. You can call the front office and ask to speak to your childs year adviser, deputy or ask for the SSO.
Q5. Stigma is a big barrier to families seeking support from the school. If a child is struggling, a parent might not want to share the concerns for fear the child will be judged or treated differently. How does a school treat sensitive information?
S. Schools are very good at dealing with sensitive information. SSOs and school counsellors have confidentiality obligations, although mandatory reporting issues still need to be reported. Deputies and principals are also excellent at keeping things private and only notifying and working with relevant staff.
In some cases, year advisers and staff that teach the student might be given a brief overview of what is going on. I find this helps staff be more supportive and patient with students as they have some context as to why the student may be acting out or changing behaviourally. Schools are not there to judge, they are there to support. As a parent/carer you can also ask the person you’re speaking with to keep the things concerning your young person private.
Q6. Stigma is also a big issue for a teen. They often don’t want their peers to know they are seeing a counsellor or someone else about their problems. I know this is not an issue for you and students flock to you, however, how do you work with teens to seek further help?
S. I think it is pretty important to put yourself out there and get to know students as an SSO. in my first few weeks I went into the playground every recess and lunch and spoke to as many students as I could find and told them about my role and what I do at school. I found most kids naturally curious of the new person at school and very welcoming at the fact I said who I was.
That is what I find the main difference between myself and the counsellors, I get to be a face of wellbeing at school and my goal is for every student to know who I am. Having all students know who I am greatly reduces the stigma of students wanting to see me. My goal in the schools I have worked at is to work with what people say are ‘naughty’ students at the beginning so they confidently tell their peers they see me and this reduces the stigma of seeking me for support. Students at my school know I work with all kinds of students for a variety of reasons so they don’t question why people see me.
For students that don’t want others to know they’re seeing me they can come to me office at any time and we agree when I will see them. I think seeking further help is a slow process. I know how important trust is to teens so I am very open and forward with them about what they tell me and how I need to look after their safety and wellbeing. The vast majority appreciate this as they are worried about their trust being broken. For some students this is the first time they have spoken about and acknowledged their mental health, which is a massive first step so they aren’t open to extra supports yet. In these circumstances I like to try to ‘plant the seed’ regularly about extra support and go with the theory of trying everything once and if you hate it at least you tried so you can say for certain.
I also speak about the process of building trust and feeling a connection and that with external psychologists etc they aren’t expected to go in and immediately speak about all of their problems. Many are also worried about what to say and they don’t know how to explain what is going on with them and how they’re feeling. I explain to them that is the psychologist or experts job to help them with this and it’s okay to not know what to say or how to explain it because they will help.
Q7. What are some of the issues you are being presented with in schools by students?
S. There are so many many things that young people go through and everyday is different. Some things I try to help support students with include; friendship/relationship issues, stress, attendance, anger, anxiety, depression, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, vaping, anti-social behaviour, substance abuse issues, police issues, domestic violence, sexual assault, family breakdowns, and grief and loss.
I think it is so important to recognise the serious hardships that young people go through.
Q8. What are some of the issues parents are seeking your assistance with?
S. I think it really depends on what their individual child is going through. I have had parents contact me to say there has been police issues over the weekend, to discuss their childs anger and behaviour, mental health concerns including self-harm or suicidal thoughts. Some ring and say how overwhelmed they are and they don’t know what else to do. I try to reassure them, that they’re doing a fantastic job during an incredibly hard time.
Q9. If school refusal is becoming a bigger problem, what are the next steps parents and carers could consider?
S. School refusal is really tricky as the greatest success is if you can intervene before they fully stop attending. I think flagging concerns as soon as you feel something isn’t right will give the school the best chance to connect with the student before it becomes really difficult to get the young person back to school. Schools can be flexible and offer things like partial attendance - only coming for one or two periods until the student feels re-connected to school again.
I would consider contacting the school, asking for a meeting and then the school can see if any external supports can be offered. If attendance is really bad the Department of Education has Home School Liaison Officers that also help in trying to reconnect the young person and family back into school.
Q10. I’m aware of strategies that can help students when they are facing challenges in class such as ‘time out cards’. Can you explain how schools can implement student safety plans to help them feel supported and safe?
S. Time-out cards are incredibly important as they allow the young person to leave a situation if they find it triggering and they can seek support from an appropriate staff member.
Safety plans are usually made with the principal, deputies and the school counsellor. They can include the SSO, year advisor and other staff as part of the plan for support. A safety plan is designed to keep the student safe and who the people are at school that the young person finds supportive. This might be if the young person is triggered they can leave the room but then they come see me because we need to know they are safe and accounted for. Safety plans can be for anger, violence, self-harm etc.
Q11. How can parents support the child and the school?
S. Doing your best, communicating and trying to not let your own stigma get in the way of seeking help and support for your child. We can help connect and offer supports that you might not be aware of in our local areas. Plus SSOs are made to work with young people in schools and usually we are a great first point of call as young people are usually more comfortable in familiar settings.
Q12. Sam, open slather! What can you share with parents and carers of teens who are facing challenges?
S. I think the biggest thing I see with students is that they struggle being open with their parent/carers because they are worried about judgment and being in trouble or that their parent won’t understand, so often they tell me things they would actually like to tell their parent but there’s a barrier so they feel they can’t connect.
My biggest tip would be to try hold off on the anger and judgement and I know that can be really hard depending on the situation. Focus on safe risk-taking so how can they do these things in the safest way possible, as teenage years are a huge risk-taking time. Many students will still risk-take but if they are worried about responses at home they may lie and cover up what they are actually doing to avoid being in trouble.
My other tip is when trying to have conversations with your young person, try to do it so they do not need to give eye-contact. This can be really hard and confronting for the young person as they are already heightened emotionally. I recommend conversations in the car and consider texting as an option. I have young people I have worked with say they preferred to text a parent but as soon as they texted the parent would come over to try to talk to them in person.
I think also trying to hold off reacting until you have processed what has been said so you can respond in the best frame of mind. We need to model the behaviour we want to see.
When talking, ask if they would like you to listen or give advice, as often young people just want to vent about the problem and not be offered advice. I find giving this option to students really helps us communicate.
Q13. I know you love your job. What do you love about it?
S. I don’t even know where to start. Working with young people is the most amazing and rewarding experience. I am so grateful they put their trust in me and I can help them navigate really tricky years.
I think an SSO is an incredible job particularly because in most circumstances schools are the first point of call where you start to notice changes in a young person and you can actively assist them and it is in a setting they are familiar with.
EPIC. Sam, you rock! It’s because of you I know what GOAT means (GREATEST OF ALL TIME)! Told to me by a troubled teen. Thank you for your incredible support of teens and their families.
Do you have suggestions, comments, questions relating to today’s conversation or have ideas for future episodes. We would love to hear from you. Send EPIC an email
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