Outline for the Draft Statement: Integrating Health & Social Programs within Education Systems | Background/Notes |
Why Develop and Disseminate a Statement Like This?
Add a comment | The integration of health & social programs within education is currently being discussed in several ways around the world. Peter Paulus, the chair of the ISHN International Discussion Group on Integration within Education, has led the development of the "good and healthy school" movement in Germany. This textbook chapter describes the development of that model. Paulus P (2005) From the Health Promoting School to the Good & Healthy School, In S. Clift & B.B. Jensen (Eds.), The health promoting school: International advances in theory, evaluation and practice, Copenhagen, Danish University of Education Press Sean Slade, Director of the Whole Child Program at ASCD has co-authored a paper on the alignment of health and education. Valois RF, Slade S, Ashford E (2011),Aligning Health & Education in the School Setting, ASCD, Alexandria, VA ) The International School Health Network (ISHN) has included this integration issue as one of its synthesis of ten essential strategies for successful multi-intervention approaches that seek to work with school systems. ISHN sponsors the Inted International Discussion Group, has published an introductory paper to the issues, posts items regularly into a Twitter-based news/research/resources feed, is using crowd-sourcing to develop an extensive IntEd Bibliography/Toolbox and has organized several webinars. The International Union for Health Promotion & Education (IUHPE) has also published a paper on facilitating dialogue between the health and education systems. The European network, Schools for Health in Europe, organized a conference and a statement on this theme in 2009 To follow an ongoing dialogue on this issue, add your name to this ISHN discussion group List of Participants in order to receive regular updates and information. |
Why Now?
Add a comment | The World Health Organization (WHO) conference in June 2013 released a statement and a book on its Health in All Policies (HiAP) initiative, which asks all sectors to contribute to the promotion of health, particularly those in disadvantaged circumstances. Margaret Chan, Director General of WHO commenting on the release of the HiAP statement and book said this: " How can health arguments be made compelling for much more influential sectors with their own distinct mandates and obligations?" This comment from Dr. Chan could be seen as typical of our previous efforts to persuade the education sector to do more about health in schools. However, in this draft statement on integration within education, we should turn to another question also raised by Dr. Chan when releasing the HiAP documents. "What is the role of the health sector in policy-making and implementation for HiAP? What capacities are needed within the health sector to advocate, negotiate and implement HiAP?" We believe that the health sector needs to offer support (new ways of working, staff time, money, etc) that is delivered within the structures, routines, core mandates and constraints of education systems. Indeed, the problem of embedding health firmly in the education sector is more than just providing good arguments or technical advice. |
Purposes of the Statement:
Add a comment |
How Will the Document be Developed? Proposed steps:
Add a comment |
How Will the Document be Used?
Add a comment |
Key Points - Messages to the Health Sector (and other sectors) from Education Sector
Add a comment | To illustrate how deeply we need to better understand education systems, one can turn to a recent webinar and subsequent draft "Glossary Term" and "Encyclopedia Entry" on how we can better understand and address the concerns, perceptions, work day constraints and professional norms of teachers. |
Key Points - What Educators Need to Know about Other Sectors/Systems as they ask those systems to change
Add a comment | Educators are already aware that a child's health & well-being affects their ability to learn. Researchers have documented this for several health and social problems. ISHN has prepared a Bibliography/Toolbox and a Discussion Paper on the correlation between educational achievement and health/social development. Charles Basch, has taken this correlation to more a specific level, identifying the health issues that most affect learning. Not surprisingly, his work notes that it is the health problems most affected by economic and social disadvantage that limit student learning most dramatically. However, this paper is not about persuading educators that health is important to learning. What is needed is more focus and support from other agencies to work with educators to address these health/social problems. |
Evidence and Experience Supporting the Statement
Add a comment |