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Catalogue of Wellbeing Resources for Post-Primary Schools
Published on
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Published on
Last updated on
The Bí Cineálta procedures to prevent and address bullying behaviour for primary and post-primary schools were published on 19 June 2024. These procedures replace the 2013 anti-bullying procedures for primary and post-primary schools and the requirements of these procedures come into effect from 1 September 2025.These procedures have resulted from a review of the 2013 anti-bullying procedures for primary and post-primary schools and the implementation of Cineáltas: Action Plan on Bullying which was published in December 2022.
The Anti-Bullying procedures for primary and post-primary schools are mandatory and each school must have an anti-bullying policy which is reviewed annually. The purpose of these procedures is to give direction and guidance to school authorities and school personnel in preventing and tackling school-based bullying behaviour amongst its pupils and in dealing with any negative impact within school of bullying behaviour that occurs elsewhere.
The Department of Education is working with the Dublin City University (DCU) Anti-Bullying Centre to arrange for the FUSE anti-bullying and online safety programme to be available and promoted to schools. The programme continues to be updated by the DCU Anti-Bullying Centre based on research and feedback.
A national anti-bullying website to counter bullying and cyberbullying for young people, parents and teachers.
The Up2Us Anti-Bullying Kit is a resource for Junior Cycle SPHE teachers and students. The aim of the resource is to empower post-primary students in addressing bullying, particularly cyber bullying, in their local communities.
The Department of Education is responsible for developing and implementing child protection procedures for schools based on the Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017.
The Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools (revised 2023) aims to give direction to school management and staff regarding the identification of and response to child protection concerns and the process for continued support of the child.
On 31 March 2023 the Department published Child Protection and Safeguarding Procedures for Boarding Facilities associated with Recognised Schools 2023 to inform the management of all boarding facilities of what is required of them in their implementation of the Children First Act 2015 and to ensure that arrangements for the oversight of the requirements of the Children First Act 2015, including Children First: National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017, are in place across all boarding facilities.
NEPS have produced guidelines, handouts and tips for teachers and parents of students at post primary level. These include for example, listening to young people and promoting dialogue, mentoring, restorative justice , information on sensory classroom activities. Managing Reluctant Attendance and School Avoidance Behaviour; Setting Up a Social Skills Training Group; Transition from Primary to Post Primary
An Information Guide for post-Primary Schools. This resource is currently under review and will be update soon.
These guidelines help schools to plan for and to cope with the various challenges that arise from critical incidents. The guidelines are accompanied by training to support school staff in preparing for and responding to critical incidents.
The CSPE sections of both Oide's and JCT's websites provide professional learning materials and supporting resources to facilitate the implementation of CSPE.
By accessing the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) website one can obtain a copy of the CSPE short course specification, the assessment guidelines and annotated examples of student work.
This website contains links to relevant information for schools on data protection requirements.
DE Circular 43/2018 ‘Best practice guidance for post primary schools in the use of programmes and/or external facilitators in promoting wellbeing consistent with the Department of Education and Skills Wellbeing Policy Statement and Framework for Practice’ (2018)
Schools can use DES Circular 43/2018 (Post- Primary) which provides comprehensive and strengthened guidance for schools on the effective use of programmes and external facilitators in line with the Wellbeing Policy Statement and Framework for Practice
Oide provide professional learning, including school support, for Guidance Counsellors, teachers and school leaders in the area of Guidance.
Webinar recordings and materials on whole school guidance planning are available on the Oide website.
Materials related to professional learning related to Junior cycle Guidance are available on the Guidance section of the Oide website.
The purpose of this circular is to provide post-primary schools with information to support well-informed implementation of whole-school guidance planning and practice.
Sets out the policy of the Department of Education and Skills in relation to its role in the promotion of the wellbeing of our children and young people in schools and centres for education.
Guides schools through the School Self Evaluation process, and includes guidance on using questionnaires, and focus groups
The Student Support Team is a mechanism through which many of the existing student supports can be planned and coordinated. These guidelines will assist schools as they establish, develop or review their student support teams. It is a practical guide with a focus on practice and procedures in schools with checklists and templates for teams to use as they operate best practice when supporting students in schools.
Wellbeing guidance documents on the following :
This government campaign offers simple easy steps for how you can learn how to create a new healthy habit, whether that is eating better, getting more physically active, or learning how to take care of your mental wellbeing. There are tips on Getting Active, Eating Well and Minding your Mood.
Get Up, Stand Up, is a seven session social skills learning programme aimed at students in 1st and 2nd year, developed by NEPS. It covers themes such as ‘Friendship’, ‘Dealing with Teasing and Intimidation’ and ‘Resilience and Coping’.
For access, send an email to GUSU@education.gov.ie with your name and school name and address and you will be forwarded:
This guide provides information for primary schools on starting and running a social skills training group. It also provides information about social skills programmes that were evaluated as effective as part of a two-year action research project that took place in Waterford.
This resource provides information and resource documents on supporting the Health and Wellbeing of school communities.
The Wellbeing sections of JCT's websites provide professional learning materials and supporting resources to enhance Wellbeing in Education.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) website provides information and resources including booklets on areas including suicide, self-harm and mental health.
The YourMentalHealth website provides information and signposting on all mental health supports and services that are available nationally and locally provided by the HSE and its funded partners. You can also call the freephone YourMentalHealth Information Line to find supports and services any time, day or night: 1800 111 888.
The support offered by the agencies listed in the Mental Health and Wellbeing Information Leaflet are for students who are feeling worried or anxious about various issues.
This section of the Teaching Council website contains resources focused on the theme of wellbeing. It contains a webinar, an e-zine and e-books, all on the topic of wellbeing.
An evidence-based resource on alcohol and drugs for senior cycle students (15-18yrs) containing 14 lesson plans addressing alcohol and drug use using interactive and experiential teaching methodologies.
Hard copies available to order at: www.healthpromotion.ie/
This booklet provides useful advice to parents, carers and teachers who may be concerned about a young person self-harming.
Guidance for school staff based on research and best practice, this document provides practical guidance and resources to staff working in schools supporting Children and Young People who are either self harming or at risk of self harm.
Information and guidance for post primary schools on e-cigarettes and vaping.
A selection of videos from schools outlining how they used SSE to promote wellbeing in their school.
Wellbeing guidance documents on the following :
EAL resources list from the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.
Autism Good Practice Guidance for Schools has been developed by the Department of Education as a resource for schools and others. It is designed to help support the wellbeing, learning and participation of children and young people with autism in education.
The Inclusive Education Framework is a new interactive tool to be used by schools to assist schools plan, measure and improve how pupils with special educational needs are supported.
A range of online resources for teachers and parents to support inclusion including information on the visiting teacher service and behaviour support.
These guidelines has been developed by NEPS and are intended to be adapted by school communities to support the wellbeing of all recently and newly arrived Ukrainian children to our schools
The OIDE Technology in Education guidelines support schools in developing Acceptable Usage policies for ICT. Guidance for developing an Acceptable Usage Policy for Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
The Be in Ctrl is a Junior Cycle SPHE resource that focuses on online sexual coercion and extortion of children by adults. The Be in Ctrl resource complements Lockers and both resources focus on educating pupils on appropriate online behaviour and developing a culture of reporting concerns while fostering empathy, respect and resilience. It is recommended Lockers is used in the SPHE class before the Be in Ctrl resource.
Lockers assist schools in coping with and preventing the sharing of explicit self-generated images of minors. Intended for use with Junior Cycle SPHE classes. Lockers also includes an information section for school leaders.
Safer Internet Day (SID) is a European Union (E.U) wide initiative to promote a safer internet for all users, especially young people. It is promoted in Ireland by the PDST Technology in Education and Webwise.
This document is aimed at providing guidance for teachers who use electronic communication and social media.
The Framework for Junior Cycle is underpinned by eight principles. One of these is Wellbeing, providing for learners’ physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing and resilience. Wellbeing at Junior Cycle will encompass SPHE, Physical Education (PE) and Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE). All schools are required to introduce all elements of Junior Cycle, including Wellbeing.
This circular sets out the arrangements now governing the implementation of the Framework for Junior Cycle 2015.
Units of learning developed to support the new SPHE Short Course for Junior Cycle.
• Understanding Ourselves
• Emotional Wellbeing
• Making Healthy Choices 1&2
• RSE 1&2
Information on what NEPS does and what do you do if you think your child needs to be seen by a NEPS Psychologist
Wellbeing guidance documents on the following :
This document contains information on:
A six session online evidence-based programme that teaches you practical skills to deal with stress. A resource that can be shared with parents to help them through stressful situations
This short course builds on the Junior Cycle Physical Education Framework which physical education teachers currently use to plan their physical education (PE) programme in junior cycle.
In Leaving Certificate, learners now have an opportunity to study physical education for certification.
At post primary, provision for PE can be facilitated through the Physical Education Framework – Senior Cycle.
An Introduction to the Senior Cycle Physical Education Framework is provided which will assist the teacher in beginning to understand the curriculum models based approach to
PE in senior cycle. This introduction is supported by a series of individual presentations on planning and implementing each of the six curriculum modules.
The PE sections of Oide's and JCT's websites provide professional learning materials and supporting resources to facilitate the implementation of PE.
This guidance has been developed by NEPS to provide schools with information on how to support pupils who display reluctant attendance and school avoidance behaviour. This includes those pupils who are reluctant about attending school, those who miss days regularly, and those who are continually absent from school.
This page contains information and resources on Restorative Practice which promotes and enhances skills such as the ability to empathise and to find solutions to specific problems. This practice allows for building trust between and with people.
In planning for their Wellbeing programme, schools should note that from September 2022
the use of the Junior Certificate syllabuses for
SPHE and CSPE should be discontinued. Schools are advised to adopt the NCCA short
courses in SPHE and CSPE. These short courses have been developed to provide meaningful learning and also include assessment guidance both for ongoing and summative assessment.
The SPHE Short Course Specification, Assessment Guidelines and SPHE/RSE Toolkit: SPHE Curriculum Online
Units of learning developed to support the new SPHE Short Course for Junior Cycle.
The unit of learning for Emotional Wellbeing was developed by HSE Health and Wellbeing, the National Educational Psychological Service of the Department of Education, the University of Limerick and is supported by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. Teachers can choose the learning activities that are appropriate for their class based on their students’ needs and interests. Learning from Emotional Wellbeing Unit 1 are further developed in Emotional Wellbeing Unit 2, however the units are not aligned to year groups. Teachers can choose any of the learning activities in these resources to plan teaching and learning across their Junior Cycle SPHE Programme. You can access these units of learning for each year of the junior cycle:
Emotional Wellbeing 1 - Emotional Wellbeing Unit 1
Emotional Wellbeing 2 - Emotional Wellbeing Unit 2
Emotional Wellbeing 3 (coming soon)
Additional resources for the teaching and delivery of emotional wellbeing for junior cycle can be found in the resources section of SPHE Curriculum Online
The SPHE sections of both Oide's, JCT's and PDST's websites provide professional learning materials and supporting resources to facilitate the implementation of SPHE
The SPHE toolkits provide guidance and resources to support teachers and has three sections:
This circular, in the context of commencement of the restoration of posts, sets out a leadership and management framework for posts in recognised post-primary schools. This circular supersedes all previous circulars, memoranda, rules and regulations in relation to posts of responsibility at Assistant Principal level (including Special Duties Teachers) and Programme Co-ordinator posts.
Information on the range of supports and training available through the Oide
The Employee Assistance Service (EAS) provided by Spectrum Life
The EAS provides advice to school staff on a range of issues including wellbeing, legal, financial, bereavement, conflict, mediation etc. The EAS also provides advice and support to School Leaders o help them deal with health and wellbeing issues in the workplace. Additional services offered include:
A six session online evidence-based programme that teaches you practical skills to deal with stress.
The Teaching Council website provides a list of supports and resources for teacher wellbeing.
The Wellbeing sections of both Oide's and PDST's websites provide professional learning materials and supporting resources to enhance Wellbeing in Education
This resource outlines the process post primary schools and teachers may use to identify and support pupils and track all pupils with particular emphasis on those who present with additional needs. The process moves from classroom-based interventions to more specialised and individualised interventions
The NCSE website provides information for schools about resources and professional development for teachers working with students with special educational needs.
These guidelines have been prepared as an aid in establishing a team or reviewing an existing team. It is intended to support all personnel who have a responsibility for student support in post primary schools by describing how resources within a school can be organised to benefit all students particularly those presenting with additional support needs.
These resources were developed to support adults in their work with challenging and vulnerable children and young people. Listening to young people and promoting dialogue and there are 3 documents:
*Restorative Justice
Second-level student councils resource pack (National Children’s Office)
This Resource Pack and Diary was developed for students, teachers and school management to support the establishment of student councils in second-level schools
Our Voices Our Schools is the outcome of a decision made by Comhairle na nÓg National Executive 2016 – 17 to focus specifically on equality in the school setting. It is a resource for schools to support listening to and involving young people in decision making about matters that affect them in school.
The National Framework for Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision-making supports departments, agencies and organisations to improve their participation practice with children and young people.
This resource includes a NEPS transfer profile, a resource pack outlining how to prepare students with additional needs for the transition from primary to post primary school and a sample of transfer programmes and workbooks.
Information and resources on Transition to post primary school
The Education Passport materials support the transfer of pupil information from primary to post-primary school. From 2014/2015, schools should use these materials.