Implementation of Health Promoting Schools : Exploring the theories of what, why and how

Developing a ‘healthy school’ has been a key aim for many schools across the globe, yet achieving successful implementation and sustaining the positive benefits has proven to be challenging. In this much-needed text, the contributors draw upon their wide range of international expertise and experience to demonstrate how guidelines can best be implemented by building upon scientific knowledge of ‘implementation theory’, as well as empirically-based practice from health-promoting school initiatives.

The Implementation of Health Promoting Schools articulates an evidence base for implementation that is centred on eight theorised implementation components, each of which is designed to help practitioners to utilise theory-based guidelines within the school as an organisational setting. This approach differs from more traditional implementation guidelines for pre-packaged programs, which are often only focused on providing guidance to an individual teacher in a classroom. Needs for further research to confirm and add to the identified components are also addressed. With contributions from leading experts around the world, this book is structured around three main sections:

• Part One: addresses the theory base for implementation of health promoting schools
• Part Two: provides examples through case studies
• Part Three: identifies directions for future developments.

Authoritative, research-based and supported by examples from concrete practices in schools and governmental bodies at local and national level, this text provides guidance that is vital for future advancement of the field, and is essential reading for teachers, educational professionals and policy makers. It will also appeal to researchers, academics and undergraduate and postgraduate students studying whole school health practice and research.

Oddrun Samdal is Programme Director of a postgraduate programme in Health Promotion and Health Psychology at the University of Bergen, Norway.

Louise Rowling is Honorary Associate Professor in Health Promotion at the University of Sydney, Australia. She has previously held the position of Inaugural President of the Australian Health Promoting Schools Association.