KidsMatter Primary Overview

I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land and pay my respects to Elders past, present and future, for they hold the memories, the traditions, the culture and hopes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

Acknowledgement of Country

Warm up activity

Choose a card that:

• introduces yourself and your role

• represents your role in or with schools.

Session goals

To develop a deeper understanding of:

• the KidsMatter Primary framework

• the mental health concepts

• the implementation process

• the target areas and four components

• your role and KidsMatter Primary.

The KidsMatter Primary framework

Why it matters

Does it matter that:

• my school believes in me?

• I feel I belong at school?

• I have friends and can share my feelings?

• I have people who support and understand me?

• I have someone I can turn to?

Why it matters

Children’s mental health and wellbeing

Mental health across the lifespan has been identified as a national priority.

Estimates suggest mental health difficulties affect 1 in 7 Australian primary school children.

(Sawyer et al., 2000; Australian Health Ministers, 2003)

A national priority

Only 1 in 4 children with a mental healthdifficulty receives help.

(Sawyer et al., 2000; Australian Health Ministers, 2003)

KidsMatter Primary aims to contribute to...

Benefits to students

KidsMatter Primary can help:

• increase positive mental health(eg optimism and coping)

• reduce mental health difficulties(eg emotional symptoms, hyperactivity, conduct problems and peer difficulties)

• improve the behaviour and motivation of students already experiencing mental health challenges.

(Flinders University, 2009)

Benefits to schools and community

KidsMatter Primary provides:

• an umbrella for bringing together existing wellbeing policies and practices

• processes for building a school mental healthand wellbeing strategic plan

• a common language for the whole community

• stronger parent engagement and parenting capacity

• more effective partnerships with community

• improved student educational outcomes.

(Flinders University, 2009)

The mental health concepts

Discussion

What is mental health?

What is mental health?

“A state of wellbeing in which an individualrealises his or her own abilities, can copewith the normal stresses of life, can work

productively and is able to make a contributionto his or her community.”

“There is no health without mental health.”

World Health Organization

Why is a focus on mental health and wellbeing important to schools?

Why is mental health and wellbeing important to schools?

Children who are mentally healthy:

• learn better and achieve more

• are motivated and committed

• have positive relationships

• are better able to meet life’s challenges

• can contribute to their families, friends and society in ways that are appropriate for their age

• manage the transition to adolescence and adulthood more successfully.

(Raphael, 2000)

Risk and protective factorsfor children’s mental health

• Risk factors – increase the likelihood of a child experiencing mental health difficulties or a disorder.

• Protective factors – act to strengthen a child’s mental health and wellbeing and improve resistance to risk factors, making it less likely that they will develop mental health difficulties.

Risk and protective factors

(Adapted from Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care, 2000; Spence, 1996)

Socio-ecological model

(Adapted from Bronfenbrenner, 1977)

KidsMatter model for promotion, prevention and early intervention (PPEI) in schools

(Adapted from World Health Organization, 1994)

More about KidsMatter Primary

The implementation process

The KidsMatter Primary framework

What is an Action Team?

An Action Team:

• plans and leads the implementation, coordinating and driving of KidsMatter Primary in their school

• represents the whole-school community – ie school leadership, teachers, families and student wellbeing staff.

Benefits linked to quality

The KidsMatter Primary pilot evaluation showed that schools with the best outcomes:

• adhered to the prescribed KidsMatterPrimary steps

• actively involved the school leadership team and all staff in planning

• encouraged parental involvement.

External support

External support and critical friends can:

• assist the Action Team with the implementationof KidsMatter Primary

• help Action Teams stay focused and motivated

• bring alternative perspectives and resources

• assist schools in delivering professional learning

• include personnel from the education or health and community sectors.

Implementation success factors

KidsMatter Primary is successful because it:

• requires school leaders to commit to resourcing whole-school change

• is supported by KidsMatter Primary staff

• is led by the Action Team

• is evidence-based

• provides all school staff with professional learning

• equips schools with high quality resources

• has a step-by-step planning process

• assists schools to connect with external support.

Educational policy and curriculum links

KidsMatter Primary links with:

• Melbourne Declaration - Educational Goals for Young Australians (MCEETYA, 2008).

• Australian Curriculum - General Capabilities ‘Personal and Social Capability’ (ACARA, 2012).

• National Safe Schools Framework (2010).

• National Mental Health Strategy (Department of Health and Ageing, 2009).

• School vision, learning goals and other whole-school initiatives.

The target areas and four components

The four components

A positive school community encourages:

• a shared understanding of mental health and wellbeing for the whole-school community

• respectful relationships that promote:

o a sense of belonging and inclusion

o a welcoming school environment that reflects diversity in the community

o active involvement of students, staff, families and community.

Positive school community

Whole-school celebrations

All students and staff at one school wore a red shirt on the last day of term to celebrate their work with Component 1.

Activity

Positive school memories

How might Component 1 relate to your role?

Social and emotional learning in the classroom:

• promotes the five core social and emotional competencies for children’s social and emotional development

• encourages schools to embed these in the curriculum, while providing opportunities for students to practice and transfer their skills beyond the classroom.

Social and emotional learning (SEL)

Activity

Name of activity to go here

SEL competencies

(CASEL, 2006)

One school prepared these bags on a range of topics and made them available in the school library for parents and carers to borrow. They included picture books to read with children, and KidsMatter information sheets.

Engaging with families

How might Component 2 relate to your role?

Connecting with the school community:

• promotes collaborative working relationships between school staff and parents and carers

• encourages schools to facilitate access to information and services that support parenting

• provides opportunities for families to extend their social and support networks.

Working with parents and carers

Discussion

• What opens the school doors to parentsand carers?

• In what ways can schools supportparents and carers?

• Consider:

o Who is participating?

o Who gets a say?

o Who comes to events? Who doesn’t?

o Who are we missing? Not noticing?

o Who feels threatened? Overlooked?

Welcoming and resourcing families

Some schools provide a family space where information is shared and parents and carers feel welcome.

How might Component 3 relate to your role?

Helping children experiencing mental health difficulties

Within the boundaries of their role, teachers and schools can help by:

• recognising signs of difficulties

• supporting these students by referring them for assistance

• working closely with families and support services

• helping them to remain engaged in education.

Activity

Name of activity to go here

School story

Add details of school story here

• Bullet one

• Bullet two

• Bullet three

How might Component 4 relate to your role?

KidsMatter brings people together

Your role and KidsMatter Primary

Discussion

Your role and KidsMatter Primary

Support, guidance and networks

Support, guidance and networks

KidsMatter Primary provides free, ongoing support to schools throughout their journey

www.kidsmatter.edu.au

Questions

Further information

• Contact:

• Email:

• Telephone:

• www.kidsmatter.edu.au

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