Mental health protection in the kindergarten

Topic(s) addressed

This project addressed the topics of mental health, self-worth, and working with students’ parents.

Target group(s)

The project focused on two areas: teachers in early education and the children’s families.

Methodologies

One of the most crucial elements of mental health promotion is that teachers are involved in the children’s family life and are aware of possible problems and their causes, as they can only help the child's situation if they can properly identify the problem. Teachers usually lack the necessary knowledge to do this, so it was important to share this knowledge with the help of a kindergarten teacher and family therapist. Through lectures and case studies, teachers were able to learn about both the short- and long-term effects of a dysfunctional family environment.

Innovation environment

During the communication exercises, teachers role-played conflicts to strengthen participants’ empathy. The partnership also broadened the project to external target groups by organising a face-to-face conference for around 80 people in the middle of the project, including heads of institutions, mental health professionals, preschool teachers, parents, and direct support staff.

Teachers’ role

It was important to make teachers aware of their competencies and limits. Therefore, a key element of mental health promotion is good self-awareness, which was addressed in the project. Teachers were also given guidance on which experts to consult in different cases. A good example of this was the team of professionals available in the partner institution, including a speech and language therapist, a family therapist, a psychologist, and a drama teacher, to whom pre-school teachers can turn to if they have a problem.

Impact and output

Teachers became more open and ambitious as they felt responsible for their own mental health and understood that this can have a positive impact on their teaching process, communication, competencies, and credibility. The communication exercises, drama games, and self-awareness work have led to a change of approach in the institution’s work and how teachers communicate and cooperate with parents. In the future, a professional meeting will be organised every year. This year's event is planned for the autumn and will involve a new organisation.

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