TITLE:
Wellbeing Services at a Post-Secondary School in Malta
AUTHORS:
Josephine Ebejer Grech
KEYWORDS:
Confidentiality, Ethical, Professionalism, Sensitive Wellbeing-Related Information, Training
JOURNAL NAME:
Psychology,
Vol.17 No.6,
June
23,
2026
ABSTRACT: Most schools in Malta provide excellent wellbeing services through the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), the counselling and guidance department, and the teaching staff. However, due to the sensitivity of discussed issues, the flow of related information between them is often limited. This case study explored the perceptions of key stakeholders of a post-secondary school in Malta regarding the usefulness, challenges, and ethical considerations of implementing a Knowledge Management System (KMS) to support the secure and GDPR-compliant sharing of student wellbeing information. This qualitative inductive research involved semi-structured interviews with the national Wellbeing Officer, the Head of School, and the School Counsellor, as well as two focus groups comprising five teachers each. The SECI (Socialisation, Externalisation, Combination and Internalisation) model developed by Nonaka and Takeuchi was adopted as the guiding theoretical framework. Thematic analysis revealed three interconnected challenges: inconsistent information flows, concerns regarding professionalism and confidentiality, and the need for structured training. All participants agreed that having access to a GDPR-compliant KMS could enhance early intervention and collaborative support, provided it respects student anonymity and is accompanied by clear protocols. In doing so, this study not only contributes to broader discussions on ethical data sharing in education but also addresses a significant gap in research on post-secondary schools in Malta, offering practical recommendations for policymakers, schools, and future researchers.