HEALTH-PROMOTING SCHOOLS IN AUSTRALIA - MODELS AND MEASUREMENT

Schools represent a very attractive setting for health pr-emotion. Mos t children and young people attend school, professional educators are in place, and most school communities are microcosms of the larger com munity, providing opportunities for children to develop and practise t he skills necessary to support a healthy life-style, In response to th is opportunity, the precepts of contemporary health promotion have bee n synthesised into the 'health-promoting school' model, which is guide d by a holistic view of health and by the principles of equity and emp owerment. Although there are different conceptions of the model, the k ey components are: the formal curriculum; school ethos (the social cli mate); the physical environment; the policies and practices of the sch ool; school health services; and the school-home-community interaction . The health-promoting school model offers a comprehensive, systematic approach to health promotion in the school setting, which is widely a ccepted internationally. There have been few studies in Australia that have attempted to determine the prevalence of activities related to t he model or to evaluate interventions. Unfortunately, conceptual and p ractical advances have far outstripped the development of research and evaluation instruments. There is an urgent need to create valid resea rch tools to support the development and implementation of this potent ially fruitful health promotion model.