Participant Workbook

Introducing KidsMatter Primary

Introductory Activity - Option B: How well do we know each other?

We are all learners We are all leaders We are all people

What to do: Write the name of a staff member next to the statement you think applies to them. You can only use each staff member once.My name is:

Who? statement that applies to themhas a birthday in Marchhas a pet goldfish at homeenjoys running or exerciseis always optimisticis a Facebook fanaticalways thinks of othersis left-handedgets a buzz from successlikes reading horoscopeshas recently received some good newswears contact lensesgets excited about staff meetingshas big feethas the largest familydisplays great leadership skillsplays a musical instrumentloves eating Thai foodis very organisedloves the moviescan stand on their headis fluent in more than one languagehas recently helped a colleague

Activity 2: What may help or hinder children’s learning?What may help or hinder children’s learning?

Child Family SchoolMay helpEg .Average or above cognitive ability

May hinderEg .Delayed development

May helpEg .Parents highly value education

May hinderEg .Family history of learning difficulties

May helpEg .Supportive and skilled teacher

May hinderEg .Low socioeconomic status of school

Risk and Protective Factors for Children’s Mental HealthRisk factors Protective factors

- difficult temperament- low self esteem

- negative thinking style

Child-abilities and needs -

- easy temperament- good social and emotional skills- optimistic coping style

- any form of child abuse, including neglect

- family disharmony, instability or break up

- harsh or inconsistent discipline style

- parent with mental illness or substance abuse

Family- circumstances and

relationships –

- family harmony and stability- supportive parenting- strong family values

- peer rejection- school failure

- poor connection at school

School- practices and environment -

- positive school climate that enhances belonging and connectedness- involvement with caring adult- support available at critical times

- difficult school transition- death of a family member

- emotional trauma

Life Events- opportunities and

stressors -

- involvement with caring adult - support available at critical times

- discrimination- isolation

- socioeconomic disadvantage

- lack of access to support services

Societal- access, inclusion and

social cohesion -

- participating in community networks- access to support services- economic security- strong cultural identity and pride

Session 1: Belonging and connectednessGroup discussion:What do we do well? What can we do better?Copy this information onto a large sheets of paper provided to your group .These will be handed to your school Action Team.The belonging and connectedness of: (group)Group discussion 1: What is our school already doing well?

Group discussion 3: Moving forward – goals, concerns and messages

Group Discussion 2: Looking outward - School stories and ideasBelonging and Connectedness

Students’ belonging and connectednessConsider the following ideas:

Introduce a ‘getting to know you week’ .Everyone is encouraged to find out more about other members of the school community during the week .Part of the discussion may involve asking questions such as: What do you like about our school environment and what could be improved? Students could help to tabulate the results.

Create a class directory of photos, hobbies, life outside school, future dreams, etcetera .All school members should contribute:

Schedule weekly cross-age activities to enable students to build relationships across the school.

Invite students to be part of the enrolment process for new families .This empowers the student, and reassures new families who will also gain an understanding of how the school functions from a student perspective.

Consider the following stories from other KidsMatter schools: One school decided that each child would have the same teacher for a

minimum of two years, but preferably three, so that student could see a regularity and stability in the school routine .By seeing the same faces for a longer period of time, staff felt the students would recognise that their connection was unconditional and consistent .

Families’ belonging and connectednessConsider the following ideas:

Each day make contact with a student’s family, whether in person or by phone, sms, letter or email, to let them know something positive that their child has done .Choose a new family to contact every day.

Elect a parent representative who looks after new families .They could invite the family to coffee, explain the school and class routines, and introduce them to other families.

Hold a breakfast for parents and carers with students at the beginning of each term so everyone can catch-up after the break.

Offer a variety of activities to families, including, for example, sporting, art, music, parenting, academic and eating.

Appoint a family liaison contact .Make it a position of importance, with a defined job description.

Set up a room with facilities for parents and carers .Encourage them to use it, after dropping their children off, to have a drink, relax or chat together – or extend the school canteen to include a cafe where parents and carers can sit and chat after drop-off.

Create interest groups where parents and carers come together to share a skill on a regular basis – craft group, book chat, cooking group, etcetera.

Make a special effort to ensure those who visit the school are greeted in a friendly way by everyone they come across .Students could role-play smiling and saying hello to each other and other adults.

Showcase students’ work in ways that are engaging for parents and careers, and provides opportunities for them to connect with other families, for example, film nights.

Staff belonging and connectednessConsider the following ideas:

Schedule special morning teas or lunches for staff so they have the opportunity to get to know each other and relax together.

Where there is large staff body, encourage staff, through the example of leadership, to sit next to someone who they do not know very well.

Talk to staff members about topics other than school. Choose a staff member each week to be interviewed by students .Responses

to the questions could be published in the newsletter under a ‘Guess Who?’ column .At assembly the identity of the mystery staff member is revealed .The staff member then stays on after assembly to chat with parents and carers over morning tea.

Have a welcome picnic for families that is hosted by the staff.

Activity 5: Next steps.Promoting belonging and connectedness Caring, supportive relationships are at the core of creating a sense of belonging and connectedness at school .When people in the school community experience belonging and are connected they feel:• positive about what is happening in the school• safe inthe school environment• comfortable expressing ideas about issues, and suggesting solutions • a desire to be involved in school activities• comfortable seekinghelp or advice about problems.

Students who do not feel connected at school or that they belong may:• be frequently absent from school• ‘act out’, instead of talking about their problemswith someone at school• avoid asking for help if they are having difficulties with their school work

Parent and carers who do not feel connected at school or that they belong may: • feel isolated from the school• blame the school for their child’s learning issues, instead of seeking help• avoid contributing to the school community (for example, volunteering to help, attending events).

School staff (teachers, administrative, and support staff) who do not feel connected at school or that they belong may:• feel undervalued or unappreciated in their efforts• experience high stress levels• feel unsupported in their role• think their ideas are not heard or acted on.

Activity 5: Personal reflection on promoting belonging and connectednessDeveloping caring, encouraging relationships is important in creating a sense of belonging and connection for parents and students alike .To further promote belonging and connectedness in our school community, I could:

greet parents and children as they arrive at school in the morning make an effort to meet or talk to parents who I do not know encourage parents to get involved in activities around the school seek parent’s ideas on how they could be more involved in the school share information regularly with the whole school community of upcoming

school events

hold ‘special events’ (for example, morning teas, fairs, festival days) where parents, staff and students can all be involved

hold more all-staff-get-togethers, also including administrative and other staff (for example, dinners)

hold more staff and student special events (for example, staff versus student netball matches)

support student-led projects or opportunities that will feed information to the school community (for example, SRC talks to the School Council)

hold student-organised events involving the entire school community.

Personal ReflectionTo further promote a sense of belonging and connection in our school community, I could .......

Notes:

Session 2: Inclusion

Activity 10: Inclusion for students and families

Questions to think about Use the questions below as a guide to think about the school from the perspective of students, and their parents or carers .Write summaries of your responses on the recording sheet.

The physical environment

Think about the physical environment of your school:• Look at the artwork, signage, displays, murals, posters, etcetera, that you can see .What images are you seeing? Things to think about include: facial features, skin and hair colour, dress, gender roles, family compositions, differing abilities, etc.• Look at the noticeboards and printed material that is visible .How inclusive is this of the language and literacy abilities of the students and their families?• How friendly is it for those with babies or younger children? Are there toys to play with, nappy-changing facilities, etc?• What sounds do you hear as you walk around the school? What kinds of greetings, languages, music etcetera, are you likely hear?

The personal environmentThink about students and their inclusion by other students:• Identify some good things that happen at school that make them feel included eg, are they part of a friendship group?).• When they arrive at school each morning, who do they look forward to seeing? Who looks forward to seeing them?• When they are asked to work in groups, what happens (for example, do other students invite them to join their group?)?• When they go out to play, will they have someone to play with? Will it be a consistent friend or group of friends?

Think about parents or carers and their relationships in the school:• Identify some good things that happen at school that make them feel included.• Do they know other parents and carers?• Has the school provided opportunities for them to meet other families?• Have there been opportunities for them to regularly meet with their child’s teacher?

School communication and activitiesThink about school activities:• When notes are sent out about school excursions, swimming or school camp, what discussions may go on at home, and are they likely to attend?• When parents or carers hear about events at the school, such as information evenings, what is it like for them? Are they likely to attend? Think about school communications:• Is information provided to them in a format they can easily understand?

Curriculum materialsThink about students and the curriculum materials:• Can they relate to the content and images in the books? Do they see images of children who look like them? Do they hear stories that reflect their experiences? • Does the curriculum help them feel included or does it make them feel that they are quite different from everyone else?• Are the music, musical instruments, art styles and materials diverse enough to be inclusive of their culture?

Activity 10: Inclusion for students and families Recording sheet

The physical environmentWhat is currently happening?

What is working well?

What are our goals, concerns and messages?

The personal environment What is currently happening?

What is working well?

What are our goals, concerns and messages?School communication and activitiesWhat is currently happening?

What is working well?

What are our goals, concerns and messages?

Curriculum materialsWhat is currently happening?

What is working well?

What are our goals, concerns and messages?

Activity 11: Next steps Promoting Inclusion - School stories and ideasAn inclusive environment

• How do different community members see our school? – What diversity of skin colours might they see? Diversity of gender roles, of dress, food, celebrations, family compositions, abilities.–Invitea range of families to visit the school and record their impressions. Ask these families to share their impressions at a staff meeting, including suggestions on how to make the environment more welcoming to all families.– Ask staff to imagine that they are first-time visitors to the school– invite them to walk around the environment and review what they experience.– Invite students to create a ‘photo walk’, taking photos of their favourite parts of the school and those areas that the feel could be made more welcoming.

• Give the school a welcoming and inclusive facelift, including: – better and clearer signage – a mural that reflects the school community – a community garden with landscaping features.

Inclusion in school activities• Critically review school activities (for example, camps) by asking questions like, “Will the activity be appealing and acceptable to families from diverse backgrounds and circumstances? Will this activity promote inclusion and belonging?”

Inclusive communication• Set up a specific noticeboard for parents or carers and students.• Utilise face-to-face conversations with families rather than relying solely on written communications.• Critically review communications to parents and carers by asking questions like, “Are they easy to understand? Are they family friendly? Do they demonstrate understanding of the families and their needs? Do they send messages of inclusion and belonging?”

Diverse Abilities• Offer a range of opportunities for students to be involved in physical-education activities. Forexample, during a bike-education program for Grade 5 students, a (stationery) exercise bike was provided for a student with Down Syndrome, who was unable to ride a bicycle.

Social inclusion• Organise regular social events at the school so parents and carer can meet each other.• Organise opportunities for dads to visit, meet each other and talk about interests specific to them.

• Organise games at lunchtimes to assist students in learning to play games; ensure all students are included and have a group to be a part of.

Cultural inclusion• Critically review curriculum materials, including artwork, reading material, stories, and music. Ask what are the messages communicated to students from a range of cultural backgrounds? Search for materials that are inclusive of all cultures.• Provide opportunities for students to express and listen to different cultural perspectives.• Talk to parents, carers and families about their cultural values and needs.• Invite familymembers into the classroom to observe and participate.• Create a safe place for all families to come and share their stories.• Hold a weekly meeting for parents and carers to meet with the multicultural education aide, where the contents of the school newsletter are translated orally and discussed amongst the group.

Consider the following stories from otherKidsMatter schools:• A Christian school has several Muslim families as part of their school community. As part of their work in KidsMatter Primary, the school considered how inclusive their policies and practices were. They sought out to increase their knowledge about cultural practices, language and other important information that would help them to develop, and practise, a more inclusive policy. They used websites (for example, Office of Multicultural Interest www.omi.wa.gov.au), resources (for example,Opening the School Gate), and also consulted with key representative members of the Muslim community. One of the outcomes is that during the school year significant days and periods in the Muslim calendar are acknowledged, and all students have the opportunity to learn more about those days and the culture. Conversely, when Christmas themes come to the fore, Muslim students and families participate in related activities. Within this school both groups share and experience their different cultures freely and with interest, without a sense of having no choice.• A school with a large Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island population recognised and celebrated Mabo Day with colourful displays and activities that included ten parents singing songs and others showing how to strip and weave coconut fibre.

Other schools:• purchased instruments and played music that was relevant to the cultural groups within the school• ensured what students were exposed to in art, and what they were creating, was representative of the cultures within the school community• supplied art materials including paper, pencils and crayons which represented all varying skin tones.• ensure food at the canteen was inclusive of the school’s diverse cultural groups• used a multicultural calendar when planning to ensure activities were respectful to all• provided information to the parents and carers that was translated into the main community languages.

Activity 11: Next steps...

Personal reflection on promoting inclusion

Inclusion in a school community is important because it:• is beneficial to mental health and wellbeing• contributes to a positive school community• increases feelings of belonging and connection to the school• reduces negative experiences, such as isolation or discrimination.

How do you feel if you are included?Inclusion is about being sensitive to culture, language, ability and family circumstances.

Examples of inclusion:• School communications and activities sent home through notes, and school newsletters are accessible by everyone in the school community (for example, there are translated materials).• School policies are easily accessible by the whole community.• Diverse skills and talents in the school community are celebrated (for example, academic, sporting, music).• The cultural beliefs of the school community are known and respected.

To further promote inclusion in our school community, I could...• Cultural diversity is celebrated (for example, festivals showing food, cultural beliefs, or religions, from different cultures in the school community.)• School stories, music, art, and displays are representative of community members.

What if you don’t feel included?Students, staff and families who don’t feel included may not:• reach their full potential• engage with the school (for example, they may not attend events like parent teacher meetings and special nights)• participate in the available range of programs offered by the school• contribute to or attend school activities and functions.

Personal ReflectionTo further promote inclusion in our school community I could......

Session 3: Collaborative involvement

Activity 13: A look at perspective-taking

Questions to consider:What new ideas do you have about building strong collaborative involvement in your school?

Based on this activity, what do you think collaborative involvement looks like, sounds like, feels like?

What are some key features of collaborative involvement that would make it successful?

How do you think your school listens and communicates with parents and carers, staff and students?

Will collaboration always be the same (that is, will the relationships between everyone be the same?)

Activity 14: Collaborative involvement – questions to think about andrecording sheet

Think about each of these groups: students, parents and carers, or staff. Using the questions below as a guide, think about whether these groups would feel listened to or involved in decision-making. Write summaries of your responses on the recording sheet.

What are some ways (both formal and informal) in which we currently hear the voice of each group?

How does this happen for each group?

Think about the differences within each group

Whose voices are we currently hearing? Are there any voices we are not hearing, or any we would like to hear more

from?

Circle who you are focusing on:

Students Parents Carers Staff

Listening to people

1. What is currently happening (both formally and informally)

2. What is working well?

Activity 15: Moving Forward – collaborative involvement for students, parents and carers, or staff

Collaborative involvement for students, parents and carers, or staff

Listening to peopleWrite these questions onto the large piece of paper provided to your group.This will be handed on to your school Action team.

1. What are your goals, concerns, and messages?

2. Share stories about what other schools have done, record any favourite ideas for the Action Team to consider.

All school members should be encouraged to share their views– they also need to be acknowledged for their contributions. Collaborative involvement is important because it:

• is beneficial for good mental health for all school community members (school staff, parents and carers, and students)

• gives people a chance to give back to the school, creating feelings of value and empowerment

• provides opportunities for support and connections (for example, staff meetings)

• can positively affect school decisions and practices.

What might collaborative involvement encompass? It could include: • involving those who will be affected by the outcome in the decision-making process

• actively including groups who may not be heard (for example, cultural groups)

• consulting widely in the school community

• making it easier for people to be involved and considering who can, and can’t, make decisions at the school.

Personal Reflection

To further promote collaborative involvement in our school community, I could...

School staff professional learning Component 1: Positive school community

Feedback form – school participant

Location/School: Date

State/Territory: Cluster:

Current role in school(indicate where most appropriate)

o Leadership

o Student wellbeing/welfare coordinator

o Teaching

o Non-teaching (support)

o Non-teaching (administration)

o Parent/ Carer

This was a:o Three-hour session for whole-school professional learning

OR Component 1o One-hour session for Session 1: Positive school community and belonging

and connectedness

o One-hour session for Session 2: Inclusion

o One-hour session for Session 3: Collaborative involvement and conclusion ofComponent 1 professional learning for school staff

Thank you for attending this KidsMatter Primary school professional learning session.Please give us feedback so we know what we are doing well and where we need to improve.

Please circle the rating that best fits your opinion

Strongly disagree

Somewhat

disagree

Neutral Somewhat agree

Strongly agree

1. This session was relevant to my school’s needs

1 2 3 4 5

2. This session provided me with useful ideas toapply within my role at the school

1 2 3 4 5

3. The ‘activities’ and discussions’ of this sessionsupported my learning

1 2 3 4 5

4.These activities were relevant to help meunderstand a more positive school community

1 2 3 4 5

• ‘What helps and hinders children’s learning?’

1 2 3 4 5

• ‘Positive school communities’ 1 2 3 4 5

• ‘Diversity walk’ 1 2 3 4 5

• ‘Walk in my shoes’ 1 2 3 4 5

• ‘Checking out our school environment’

1 2 3 4 5

• ‘How inclusive are our practices?’

1 2 3 4 5

• ‘Perspective-taking: circle of viewpoints’

1 2 3 4 5

• ‘Collaborative involvement’ 1 2 3 4 5

Very poor

Poor Average Good Very good

5. Overall what rating would you give to this session?

6. Do you have any recommendations for improvingthis session?

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World Health Organization. (2006). What is the evidence on school health promotion in improving health of preventing disease and, specifically, what is the effectiveness of the health promoting schools approach? Geneva.

World Health Organization. (2006). Creating an environment for emotional and social well-being. Geneva: World Health Organization

Recommended readings and other resourcesKIDSMATTER PRIMARYINFORMATION SHEETSEach of the KidsMatter Primary components includes a range of information sheets for parents and carers, and for teaching staff. The topics relating to Component 1 include:

• About KidsMatter Primary• Cultural Diversity and children’s wellbeing• Children with additional needs and mental health

www.kidsmatter.edu.au

Literature review by KidsMatter Primary in conjunction with the University of Western Sydney:This review has been undertaken to inform the adaptation of the KidsMatter Primary resources or Indigenous students and their families. It draws on current literature and research to consider the issues affecting the mental health and wellbeing of Indigenous Australian children and associated implications for schools. To download visit the publications page on the KidsMatter Primary website: www.kidsmatter.edu.au/primary/publications/

WHOLE SCHOOL APPROACHES TO MENTAL HEALTH PROMOTIONStewart, D., Sun, J., Patterson, C., Lemerle, K., and Hardie, M., (2004). Promoting and building resilience in primary school communities: Evidence from a comprehensive ‘Health Promoting School’ approach. International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 6, 3, 26 – 33.

Available from: http://eprints.qut.edu.au/archive/00001281/.

This article provides a concise rationale for a whole school approach to mental health promotion in schools.

World Health Organization (WHO) (2006). What is the evidence on school health promotion in improving health of preventing disease and, specifically, what is the effectiveness of the health promoting schools approach? Geneva.

Available from the WHO website under the file path, Data and evidence- Health evidence network- publications-evidence reports: http://www.euro.who.int/en/what-we-do/data-andevidence. This document provides a review of international research on the health promoting schools model.

Kay-Lambkin, F., Kemp. E., Stafford, K. And Hazell, T. (2007). Mental health promotion and early intervention in early childhood and primary school settings: A review. Journal of Student Wellbeing, 1, 1, 31-56. Available from: www.ojs.unisa.edu.au/index.php/JSW/article/viewFile/115/95.

This article from the Australian publication, Journal of Student Wellbeing, considers the role of education and educators in promoting mental health and wellbeing among children.

CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND CHILDREN’S WELLBEINGDiversity Health Institute Clearinghouse is a central access point for Australian multicultural health services, resources, research and projects, training and events. It provides an online directory that allows users to search for information and articles according to topics. See: www.dhi.gov.au/Clearinghouse.

Centre for Multicultural Youth (2006) A Three-Way Partnership? Exploring the experiences of CLD families in schools. Carlton, VIC: Centre for Multicultural Youth. Available at: www.cmy.net.au/Assets/306/1/ThreeWay_Partnership.pdf.

Lemerle, K. and Prasad-Ildes, R. (2004). Final Report on the Development and Pilot of the “BRiTA” Program: Building Resilience in Transcultural Adolescents. QLD: Queensland Transcultural Mental Health Centre. Available from: www.health.qld.gov.au/pahospital/qtmhc/projects.asp#1.

Sawerikar, P. and Katz, I. (2008). Enhancing family and relationship service accessibility and delivery to culturally and linguistically diverse families in Australia (ARFC Issue No. 3, 2008). Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies. Available from: www.aifs.gov.au/afrc/pubs/issues/issues3.html.

Selvamanickam, S., Zgryza, M. and Gorman, D. (2001). Coping in a New World: The social and emotional wellbeing of young people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. QLD: Queensland Transcultural Mental Health Centre; Youth Affairs Network QLD. Available from:www.yanq.org.au/images/stories/Documents/coping_in_a_new_world.pdf.

Sims, M. Guilfoyle, A., Kulisa, J., Targowska, A. and Teather, S. (2008). Achieving Outcomes for Children and Families from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds. Perth WA: Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY). Available from the ARACY website under publications and resources: www.aracy.org.au/.

Thomas, T. and Lau., W. (2002). Psychological Well Being of Child and Adolescent Refugee andAsylum Seekers: Overview of Major Research Findings of the Past Ten Years. Sydney, NSW: TheHuman Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission of Australia. Available from: www.humanrights.gov.au/human_rights/children_detention/psy_review.html.

Thomas, T. and Witenberg, R. (2004). Love Thy Neighbours: Racial Tolerance Among Young Australians. Melbourne: Australian Multicultural Foundation. Available from: www.amf.net.au/library/file/Love_Thy_Neighbours_Report.pdf.

CHILDREN WITH ADDTIONAL NEEDS

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare(AIHW) (2006). Disability updates: Children with disabilities. Bulletin No. 42. AIHW cat. no. AUS 19. Canberra: AIHW. Available at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/disability-publications/?page=2 This article provides information on the prevalence of children with disabilities and it describes the types of disability they have, their experience in school, and the needs of their carers.

Shearer, J. and Butcher, C. (2007). Mental Health and Children and Students with Disabilities. G.Groves (Ed.) South Australia: Ministerial Advisory Committee: Students with Disabilities. Available at:

www.decs.sa.gov.au/docs/documents/1/MentalHealthandChildrenan.pdf. This report provides information about the status of children and students with a disability in the current debate about mental health problems and gives some guidance on areas for further development.