Child & Youth Mental Health - Mater Hospital Special School

Child, Youth & Mental Health

The Mater Hospital Special School provides an alternative educational environment for children and adolescents with moderate to severe psychoeducational disabilities. These children are referred through Child and Youth Mental Health Services (CYMHS) and are managed in inpatient and partial hospitalisation programs.

PARTIAL HOSPITALISATION PROGRAM (PHP)

The Partial Hospitalisation Program (PHP) is a joint initiative between the Mater Hospital Special School and the Mater Child and Youth Mental Health Services. Students enrolled are those with problems such as anxiety, school refusal, depression, eating disorders, psychotic disorders and problems relating to family and friends.

The PHP program enables these students to be relocated from their home school settings, sometimes for long periods, with minimal disruption to their academic programs and often includes a school re-entry program to assist students to return to regular schooling.

INPATIENT PROGRAM
Students admitted through the inpatient program have mental health illnesses requiring intensive treatment or respite. Lengths of stay vary but most inpatients are hospitalised for one to two weeks.

Inpatients often continue to require comprehensive mental health care once discharged from hospital. These patients may be referred to the Partial Hospitalisation Program (PHP) for ongoing treatment. The CYMHS liaison teachers contact home schools and plan re-entry processes.

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