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Abstract

A growing number of Canadian adolescents are experiencing mental health difficulties, many of whom will require or seek support at school. Schools, including those across British Columbia (BC), are widely becoming a primary environment in which students can receive support for their mental health. While the BC government has made several efforts through school-based, inclusive education policies and initiatives to support students with mental health needs, the ways in which secondary schools are providing support to its students who are struggling with their mental health has not been empirically studied. Using a case study approach, the purpose of this study was to explore and understand the ways in which a secondary school in the Lower Mainland of BC provides support, through its practices and overall climate, for student mental health. Collected data included school observations and interviews with students, parents, teachers, educational assistants, a youth engagement worker, school administrators, as well as school counsellors and a school psychologist. Interview data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis. Five themes and 16 subthemes were identified including Supportive Psychosocial Climate (Relationships are Foundational and Build Connection, Creating Safe Environments), Availability of Supports (Understanding Adults and Flexible Practices, IEP as a Communication Tool, Pathways is a “Game Changer”), Approaches to Support (Supporting the Whole Child, Advocating on the Student’s Behalf, Collaborating as a Team), Acknowledging Boundaries (The School’s Role, “I’m Not a Counsellor,” Parents Finding Balance in Their Role), Challenges to Providing Mental Health Support (Systemic Barriers, Limitations to IEPs and Accommodations, Impact of Increasing Mental Health Needs in the Classroom, Mental Health Education Lacks Meaning, Meeting the Needs of Parents ). Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory was applied as an organizational framework to demonstrate the multilayered context in which the school provides mental health support to students. Findings highlight the many systemic and school-specific successes and challenges encountered in supporting students experiencing mental health challenges. Practical implications and directions for future research are discussed in the context of study findings.