Secondary School Nursing Program (SSNP)

The Secondary School Nursing Program (SSNP) aims to improve the health and well being of young people aged 12-18 years and reduce negative outcomes and risk taking behaviour. There are currently 100 nurses employed in 199-targeted schools throughout both rural, and metropolitan Victoria.

Coordination between Schools and Community Based Health and Support Service Providers means Secondary School Nurses can operate from a health promotion and primary prevention framework to address contemporary health and social issues that face their local school community and families.

The role of the Secondary School Nurse may encompass individual health counselling, school community development activities, health promotion and planning, small group work focusing on health related discussion and information; and they may also act as a resource and referral service to assist young people in making healthy lifestyle choices.

Responsibility for the School Focused Youth Service (SFYS) and the Secondary School Nursing Program (SSNP) now comes under the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD). Both the SFYS and the SSNP will sit within the Operations Division of the Office for Children and Early Childhood Development, DEECD. The Acting General Manager of the Operations Division is Madeleine Smith. 

Relevant links

Secondary School Nursing Program (SSNP) website

Relevant Documents

Secondary School Nursing Professional Practice Standards [PDF 172kb]
Secondary School Nursing Program Standards [PDF 199kb]