1
COMPONENT
Positive school community
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.
1
COMPONENT
Professional learning goals
■ To better understand the KidsMatter
Primary framework.
■ To build our understanding of what helps
create a positive school community.
■ To identify the practices your school uses
to create a positive school community.
■ To determine what works well, and what
could be improved.
Introductory activity: Option A
Carousel
 Form two circles
 Three questions to come…
Introductory activity: Option A
Carousel
Where would you rather be just now?
Introductory activity: Option A
Carousel
Can you
think of a
recent time
when…
 Everything felt ‘just right’?
 Time flew past and
everything ‘flowed’ for you?
 Maybe a school moment,
maybe another time?
Introductory activity: Option A
Carousel
Think of a
person who
shows
resilience or
motivates
you or is
particularly
positive…
 What makes them that way?
 Is this a quality you have
or aspire to have?
Introductory activity: Option A
Carousel
 Form two circles
 Three questions to come…
Introductory activity: Option A
Carousel
What makes your school
a positive school community?
Introductory activity: Option A
Carousel
What is your favourite
sport/pastime and why?
Introductory activity: Option A
Carousel
What would you like
to get from today?
Introductory activity: Option B
How well do we know each other?
What is KidsMatter Primary?
A national whole-school approach to mental
health and wellbeing that aims to contribute to:
KidsMatter Primary professional learning
Increase awareness and
understanding of each
of the four components
Encourage ALL staff to have
a voice in contributing to
planning for each component
The KidsMatter Primary framework
The guiding principles
 The best interests of children are paramount.
 Respectful relationships are foundational.
 Diversity is respected and valued.
 Parents and carers are recognised as the
most important people in children’s lives.
 Parents and teachers support children
best by working together.
 Students need to be active participants.
 Schools, health and community agencies
work together with families.
The four components of KidsMatter Primary
KidsMatter model for mental health promotion,
prevention and early intervention (PPEI) in schools
Whole-school
community, staff,
students, parents
and carers, health
and community agencies
All students (and their
parents and carers)
Students experiencing
mental health
difficulties (20-30% of
students) and the 3-12%
of students with mental
health disorders, and
their parents and carers
Adapted from World Health Organization (1994)
Works with the whole
community and provides
support and information to
staff, parents and carers
Through the curriculum,
creates opportunities
to practise skills and
engages parents
and carers
Supports children in
school and develops clear
processes and referral
pathways (by working
with parents and carers
and health and
community agencies)
Socio-ecological influences on children’s mental health
Bronfenbrenner’s bio-ecological Model of Human Development adapted for ARACY
(The ARACY report card on the wellbeing of young Australians: Technical report 2008)
Activity
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.” WHO (2007)
Mental health (in the context of childhood)
“The capacity to enjoy and benefit from satisfying
family life, relationships, and educational
opportunities, and to contribute to society in a
number of age-appropriate ways. It also includes
freedom from problems with emotions, behaviours
or social relationships that are sufficiently marked
or prolonged to lead to suffering or risk to optimal
development in the child, or to distress or
disturbance in the family.”
RAPHAEL (2000)
Why is mental health important?
 Mental health is vital for learning and life.
 Children who are mentally healthy:
—
—
—
—
—
—
are better learners and achieve more
are motivated and committed
have positive relationships
are better able to meet life’s challenges
contribute to their families, friends and society in ways
that are appropriate for their age
manage the transition to adolescence and adulthood
more successfully.
Activity
What may help and
hinder children’s learning?
Consider the following categories…
Risk and protective factors
for children’s mental health
 Risk factors – increase the chances of children
developing mental health difficulties (for example,
childhood adversities).
 Protective factors – are associated with good
outcomes for children and can protect them in
circumstances where they are exposed to risk.
Risk and protective factors
for children’s mental health
(adapted from Commonwealth Dept of Health and Aged Care, 2000 and Spence, 1996)
An outline of what’s to come
Session 1: Positive school community
Belonging and connectedness
Session 2: Inclusion
Session 3: Collaborative involvement
1
COMPONENT
Session 1
Positive school community
Activity
Positive school community
 What comes to mind when
you think of a positive community?
 What are three positive memories
from your time at school?
 What would have helped school
to be more positive?
Why is a positive school community important?
 It is a protective factor for children’s mental health.
 It affects student’s liking of school, learning
motivations and school-appropriate behaviours.
 It fosters a supportive environment for staff,
which promotes their wellbeing.
 It encourages families and the community to
participate in and contribute to school life.
Positive school community
Protective factors for children’s mental health that
schools can impact on include:
These are also important for families and staff.
1
COMPONENT
Session 1 (continued)
Belonging and connectedness
Belonging and connectedness are…
fundamental human needs that
relate to feelings of being valued,
accepted, respected and cared
about by others.
Activity
Diversity Walk
Think about the student profile you have.
Answer a series of questions.
Significant relationships
 Think about the student you had in the
Diversity Walk.
 What significant relationships is this student
likely to have with:
—
School staff?
—
Other students?
Relationships (or lack of them) have a strong impact
on our sense of belonging and connectedness.
A sense of belonging and connectedness...
 Is about building relationships with (and between)
staff, students, families and the community.
 Is essential for building a positive school
community for all.
 Allows school members to perform well and
contribute to their school community.
Benefits of a positive school community
Belonging for students, staff and parents/carers
What might it look like?
 Being positive.
 Being able to perform well.
 Feeling safe.
 Being engaged in school activities.
 Coping well with life’s ups and downs.
 Feeling strongly connected to the school.
Of course the opposite may be true if people feel like they don’t belong.
Discussion
What do we do well?
Give examples of what belonging
and connectedness looks like in
your school community for:
 students
 families
 staff.
Discussion
Looking outward
What are others doing well?
 KidsMatter Primary school stories
 Photos, DVD snippets
 Best practice, for example,
literature, websites
 KidsMatter Primary resources:
– Component 1 information sheets
– Implementation Tools
– www.kidsmatter.edu.au
Discussion
Moving forward
 Return to your small groups and focus on
either students, families or staff.
 Consider what you would like to see happen
for them - set goals, raise any concerns.
The Action Team will incorporate your
work into the Component 1 planning.
Activity
Next steps
 What can I do as an individual?
 What can we do?
 What are our next steps
(Action Team)?
Summary
 Three aims:
—
—
—
To promote student mental health.
To reduce mental health difficulties.
To increase support and assistance.
 Risk and protective factors.
 Four components.
 Belonging and connectedness are important
protective factors for mental health.
 Relationships are key to building belonging
and connectedness.
1
COMPONENT
Session 2
Inclusion
Key messages from last session
 Three aims:
—
—
—
To promote student mental health.
To reduce mental health difficulties.
To increase support and assistance.
 Risk and protective factors.
 Four components.
 Belonging and connectedness are important
protective factors for mental health.
 Relationships are key to building belonging
and connectedness.
Inclusion is…
about respecting diversity
Activity
If you…
Activity
Planning together
Positive school community
Protective factors for children’s mental health that
schools can impact on include:
These are also important for families and staff.
Inclusion
What messages do we send about
inclusion to our school community?
 Physical environment
 Communication methods
 Social involvement
 School activities
 Curriculum content
 Relationships
Activity
Walk in my shoes
Walk in my shoes: My school community
 Who are they?
 Who would feel most included?
 Who would feel least included?
 What would help everyone feel included?
Activity
Checking out our
school environment
 Take a journey (real or imagined).
 What are the key messages
you get from:
—
The physical environment?
—
The personal environment?
Activity
How inclusive are our practices?
 Start as pairs, then form groups.
 How might your practices impact
on feelings of inclusion at school?
 Use the handout and the prompt
questions.
 Discuss the questions and record
responses.
The Action Team will incorporate your work into
the Component 1 planning around inclusion.
Inclusion…
 Is a protective factor for good mental health.
 Contributes to a positive school community
as well as people’s feelings of belonging
and connectedness.
 Reduces issues of isolation and discrimination.
 Meets people’s needs and concerns more
effectively, enabling them to function better.
Inclusive school policies and practices…

Are sensitive to diverse cultures, languages,
abilities and family circumstances.

Ensure that:
—
—
—
—
communications and activities are accessible
different skills and talents are embraced
school stories, music, art, etc are representative
beliefs are known, respected and celebrated.
KidsMatter Primary supporting resources
 Component 1 information sheets, including topics:
—
About KidsMatter Primary
—
Cultural diversity and children’s wellbeing
—
Helping children with additional needs
and their mental health
 School stories
 Implementation Tools
 Enewsletters
 www.kidsmatter.edu.au
Activity
Next steps
 Set a personal goal.
 Record it in your workbook.
Summary
 Inclusion is an important protective factor
for mental health.
 Inclusive practices promote a sense of inclusion.
1
COMPONENT
Session 3
Collaborative involvement
Key messages from last session
 Inclusion is an important protective factor
for mental health.
 Inclusive practices promote a sense of inclusion.
Collaborative involvement in schools is...
a dynamic process of consultation,
participation and decision making
for members of the school community.
Activity
Working together
Positive school community
Protective factors for children’s mental health that
schools can impact on include:
These are also important for families and staff.
Activity
Perspective-taking
 Divide into two groups.
 Each member receives a character
card and a school activity or event.
 Introduce your character.
 Describe collaborative involvement
from your character’s perspective.
Collaborative involvement...
 Is closely linked to belonging and connectedness
and (therefore) respectful relationships.
 Builds on inclusive practices and policies.
 Provides opportunities to contribute,
creating feelings of value and empowerment.
 Provides opportunities to foster support
and connections.
 Enriches school decisions and practices.
Optional Activity
A school story
about collaboration
Collaborative involvement includes...
 Listening:
—
—
—
—
—
understanding the needs and concerns
of the diverse groups
consulting appropriately
including those not usually heard
making involvement easy
considering power imbalances.
 Remembering to think about the
perspective of others.
Activity
Collaborative involvement
 Form groups and focus on
either students, families or staff.
 Work through the questions
in the workbook.
 Record your key findings
to share.
Activity
Moving forward
 Think about the group you focused
on – students, families or staff.
 Discuss the questions in the workbook
and record your responses.
 Set a personal goal.
Positive school community
Protective factors for children’s mental health that
schools can impact on include:
These are also important for families and staff.
A quick review Component 1
professional learning
 KidsMatter Primary framework
—
—
Overview of risk and protective framework.
Four components of KidsMatter Primary.
 Belonging and Connectedness
—
—
—
‘Positive school community’ activity.
‘Diversity Walk’ activity.
The importance of relationships.
 Inclusion
—
Inclusive practices.
 Collaborative Involvement
—
—
‘Perspective-taking’ activity.
Listening to and including other perspectives.
Evaluation outcomes
 Improvements to student mental health:
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Increased positive mental health.
—
Reduced mental health difficulties.
—
Students experiencing mental health difficulties
showed significant improvements in their mental health.
 14% more teachers strongly agreed that
KidsMatter Primary led to improvements
in students’ schoolwork.
Component 1: Evaluation outcomes
 Initial staff survey ratings high - schools
indicated they were already doing a good job.
 Improvements in teacher self-efficacy for
developing a sense of belonging in the
school community.
 Parents reported that they were more involved
in the school because of KidsMatter Primary.
 Parents’ connection to schools strengthened
or invigorated.