2027 Pilot Program
ClinEd
Supporting children starts with supporting the people who care for them.
Applications close 20th November
Join our live Q&A
Register here to attend a ClinEd Q&A with Dr Billy Garvey, Rebecca Harris and Associate Professor Tom Brunzell.
Wednesday 11 November, 7pm.
Can’t make it? Register anyway and we’ll share a copy of the recording after the event.
“Teachers are managing more complex behaviour and mental health challenges, often on their own, and clinical expertise rarely arrives on time.”
Dr Billy Garvey
Educators shouldn’t have to carry the hardest moments alone
1 in 7 children experience a mental health condition over a 12-month period
Many of them won’t see a clinician, but every one of them has an educator supporting them.
This program is your bridge between the classroom and the clinic
For a full school year, clinicians work alongside your staff on the kids you’re most worried about, so you come out knowing what to do.
In this pilot program there are 12 Victorian schools. The pilot is being run as a randomised control trial. 6 schools will be allocated to intervention, and 6 schools to control. Every school is part of the research.
What is ClinEd?
ClinEd brings clinical expertise into schools, so teachers are empowered to guide the students you’re most worried about.
Clinicians work alongside educators for a full school year, using real situations from your classrooms.
Teachers understand what’s happening for a child and know what to do next, and students get the right support sooner.
Our goal: improving student wellbeing by strengthening the supportive adults around them.
ClinEd is built to deliver you:
Confidence. “I finally understand what’s going on for my students.”
Educators check their instincts against clinical insight in case-based discussion.
Capability. “I have a strategy I can use tomorrow.”
Practical approaches for your students, based on what we know works.
Community. “I’m not doing this alone.”
Regular sessions with colleagues and clinicians, a caregiver session each term, and national case conferences with educators from other schools.
How ClinEd works in your school
Four touchpoints across the year build confidence, capability and community in your educators.
-
Once, in Term 1
Your leadership team and educators shape the year with Dr Garvey and Rebecca Harris, setting your focus areas, schedule and how we’ll communicate. -
Twice per term, at your school
Educators bring real, anonymised classroom situations. Together they explore what’s driving a child’s behaviour, practical strategies to try next, and how to work with families and support services. -
Once per term, at your school
Your clinician comes to your school. First, an information session for educators. Then, on the same day, a session for parents and caregivers on recognising concerns and supporting their child’s mental health -
Educators from every participating school come together with Dr Garvey and Rebecca Harris to work through complex cases, share what’s working and build a national community of practice.
The evidence behind ClinEd
ClinEd grew out of Dr Billy Garvey’s PhD at the University of Melbourne: a pilot randomised controlled trial across 12 primary schools in metropolitan and rural communities.
93% attendance across sessions
92% of educators said they’d recommend it to a colleague
Improved understanding of child development and behaviour
Educators’ confidence in identifying and supporting children with emotional and behavioural difficulties increased significantly, while it decreased in the control schools.
“Feeling as though we’ve got a much deeper understanding of what might be going on for some of our little people.”
— Primary school educator, pilot trial
Download a copy of Dr Billy Garvey’s PHD here.
Applications close 20th November
Meet your Clinicians
Dr Billy Garvey
Developmental Paediatrician and Program DirectorLeads the design of ClinEd and provides senior clinical oversight across all participating schools.
One of Australia's most trusted voices on children's mental health and development. A developmental paediatrician, researcher, author, podcaster and dad, Billy has more than 26 years of frontline experience supporting children and families across early-childhood, hospital and clinic settings.
His early work in early years settings and schools left him with a fierce belief that educators can change children's lives for the better. His PhD at the University of Melbourne tested the clinician–educator model ClinEd is built on, through a pilot trial across 12 metropolitan and rural primary schools.
A Churchill Fellow, co-host of the Pop Culture Parenting podcast, and bestselling author of Ten Things I Wish You Knew About Your Child's Mental Health and Ten Things I Wish You Knew About Raising Boys. In 2025, he was named YMCA Victorian Father of the Year.
Rebecca Harris
Counsellor, Psychotherapist and Clinical Education LeadYour school's clinician across the year: leads the communities of practice and educator and parent sessions, and co-leads the national case conferences.
Rebecca is a counsellor and psychotherapist, education consultant and author, with more than 20 years' experience in her field and a Master’s degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy. She has spent many years working in student wellbeing across primary and secondary schools.
Bringing together studies in developmental trauma and work in student wellbeing, Rebecca became an early leader in trauma-informed practice in education. Her book Safe to Learn: embedding trauma-informed student wellbeing practices blends science with practical strategies to offer educators an accessible resource to support students.
Rebecca works with educators, families and individuals across areas that include mental health, trauma, behaviour, neurodivergence and working with a nervous system lens. She combines a private therapy practice with work presenting to schools and community organisations across Australia.
Researched in schools, with schools
ClinEd’s first year will be a pilot and research project: a randomised controlled trial across 12 Victorian schools, including disadvantaged school communities, led by the University of Melbourne Faculty of Education.
6 intervention schools receive the full ClinEd program in 2027 and take part in the evaluation.
6 control schools take part in the evaluation in 2027, then are offered the full program the following year.
The evaluation is designed to look at whether ClinEd strengthens educators’ confidence and capability to support student mental health, improves caregiver mental health literacy and alignment with schools, and contributes to better student wellbeing.
Teachers, parents and carers at pilot schools will be asked to complete surveys on children’s engagement with learning and wellbeing.
Whichever group you’re in, you’re helping build the evidence that will bring ClinEd to more schools.
Two ways to take part
Funded: no cost to your school
Thanks to GGM’s partners and supporters, three of the six intervention places are fully funded at no cost to the school.
The funded places are for schools that meet eligibility criteria based on ICSEA and other measures of disadvantage.
Fee-paying: Pilot pricing for the first year of the program
The fee is $28,000 (plus GST) for schools with up to 250 students and $35,000 (plus GST) for schools with more than 250.
If your school is allocated to the control group, you pay nothing in 2027, and will be top of the list to participate in the program in 2028.
How to apply
Complete the application form. Tell us about your school, including your ICSEA and current wellbeing context.
We’ll be in touch with selected schools to confirm your pathway, funded or fee-paying, based on your school’s eligibility.
Get your allocation. Randomisation happens in early December. Intervention schools start in Term 1, 2027 with a Co-Design Launch.
Join our live Q&A on Wednesday 11 November. Register here
Applications close 20th November
Frequently asked questions
When does the program start?
Term 1, 2027, beginning with your school’s Co-Design Launch.
Is ClinEd a good fit for my school?
ClinEd is a good fit if some students’ behaviour or mental health leaves your staff unsure what to do next, and you want clinician time on real situations from your classrooms. Clinicians bring insight on neurodivergence, developmental delay, anxiety and other mental health challenges, with approaches for individual students and for the whole school. ClinEd works alongside your existing wellbeing staff and referral pathways, and your school needs to commit a liaison, release time and evaluation surveys across the year.
What schools can apply?
As this is a pilot program, we are only able to work with Victorian schools.
What does my school need to commit?
A liaison staff member, a time and venue for each term’s educator and parent sessions, release time for communities of practice, and evaluation surveys.
Is it delivered in person or online?
Mostly in person. Your clinician comes to your school for the communities of practice and each term’s educator and parent sessions, and the national case conferences run online.
Will clinicians see individual students?
No. ClinEd builds the capability of your educators and caregivers. Clinicians don’t assess, diagnose or treat individual students, but they help staff think through next steps, including referral pathways.
Is my school eligible?
Funded places are for schools that meet eligibility criteria based on ICSEA and other measures of disadvantage
What if we’re allocated to the control group?
In 2027 you complete the evaluation surveys only and pay nothing. The following year you can take part in a funded place if eligible, or in a fee-paying place.
When will we know our allocation?
Applications close 20 November and we’ll review them as soon as possible. Randomisation and allocation happen in early December.
Who runs the research, and how is our data protected?
The University of Melbourne Faculty of Education is planning to lead the research and manages all research data under its research ethics and privacy practices.
Who do I contact with questions?
schools@guidinggrowingminds.com
Apply today
〰️
Apply today 〰️
Guiding Growing Minds is all about harnessing the potential of our community to build a better world. We are very fortunate that the following organisations share their expertise and energy to ensure that our work is of the highest quality and always growing.
