SETU's Department of Education, within the Faculty of Education and Lifelong Learning, launched Wellbeing in Education Unveiled, a new national initiative developed in close collaboration with post-primary school teachers.
Rooted in teacher experiences and insights, the initiative ensures that school staff voices are central to shaping how wellbeing is promoted in education.
As part of this work, Wellbeing packs have been shared with 100 post-primary schools across Ireland, bringing practical, research-informed tools directly into classrooms and staff rooms. The project is led by Dr Niamh O’Brien, Lecturer in Education, SETU. Niamh worked in partnership with Dr Wesley O’Brien and Dr John Goodwin of University College Cork (UCC).
The Wellbeing Pack, co-designed with input from teachers, provides:
- A clear summary of enablers and barriers to wellbeing in schools.
- Emphasis on staff wellbeing and the role of leadership in whole-school approaches.
- Practical recommendations for CPD, parental engagement, and school policy.
- A customised Bronfenbrenner ecological model, showing how wellbeing practices operate across individual, classroom, school, and community levels.
Aligned with the National Wellbeing Policy Statement and Framework for Practice (2018–2023), the initiative supports schools to embed wellbeing promotion into their School Self-Evaluation (SSE) processes. Each pack also includes an interactive infographic and a QR-linked explainer video, giving schools user-friendly tools to engage staff and students.
Speaking about the initiative, Dr Niamh O’Brien said, “At the Department of Education, we are always working with teachers to ensure that their voices shape our approach to education and professional development. This project turns their experiences into practical tools that schools can use straight away, helping to create safe, connected, and thriving environments for both staff and students.”
This initiative highlights SETU's commitment to working in partnership with teachers to connect policy, research, and practice in meaningful ways for schools nationwide.
