KidsMatter Primary Overview
Acknowledgement of Country
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.
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 health
difficulty 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 health
and 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 individual
realises his or her own abilities, can cope
with the normal stresses of life, can work
productively and is able to make a contribution
to 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 factors
for 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 KidsMatter
Primary 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 implementation
of 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 wholeschool 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
Positive school community
A positive school community
encourages:
• a shared understanding of mental
health and wellbeing for the wholeschool 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.
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 (SEL)
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.
Activity
Name of activity to go here
SEL competencies
(CASEL, 2006)
Engaging with families
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.
How might Component 2
relate to your role?
Working with parents and carers
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.
Discussion
• What opens the school doors to parents
and carers?
• In what ways can schools support
parents 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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