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This report examines the perceptions of technical and further education (TAFE) staff in relation to supporting students with mental illnesses.
- A major issue for TAFE institutes is responding to the needs of students who do not disclose a mental illness. Mental health promotion needs to address this lack of disclosure.
- Staff felt that there was a lack of clarity about the extent of their roles in supporting students with mental illnesses. Staff acknowledge their responsibility to provide duty of care but agree that their roles should not cross over to actual provision of personal support.
- Staff require appropriate skills and collegiate support to respond confidently to the diverse needs of students with mental illnesses. This includes more opportunities for discussion and debriefing sessions with experienced staff.
- The vocational education and training (VET) sector should be concerned with education, not therapy. Staff felt that community health services see VET as a therapeutic option for their clients, rather than as education in its own right.
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