THE SAFE BOX

Divorce and Separation Management for children

By Bethanie Buma, Jane Garlick and Jessica Joyce

DID YOU KNOW?

47 963 divorces were granted

in Australia in 2007

49.3% of those involved

children under the age of 18

Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2007

IMPACTS OF DIVORCE ON CHILDREN

More disobedient, aggressive, non-compliant and

lacking in self-regulation

School misconduct

Difficulty relating to others

2 to 3 times more likely to associate with antisocial

peers

Twice the probability of child bearing in

adolescence

(O‟Hanlon, Patterson & Parham, 2007)

EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS

Associated with lowered school achievement and

performance

Twice as likely to drop out of school

Increased risk of antisocial behaviour

Anxiety

Depression

Difficulty concentrating

(O‟Hanlon, Patterson & Parham, 2007)

WHAT CAN WE DO????

OUR SAFE BOX

Contents

- Perspective Masks

- Positive Focus Box

- Class Emotional Journal

- Books – „Fred Stays with me‟ and „When Mom and

Dad Divorce‟

- Dog (not in the box)

- Teddy bear and blanket (security)

- Personal Journal (supports other resources)

CLASS EMOTIONAL JOURNAL

PERSPECTIVE MASKS

POSITIVE FOCUS BOX

BOOKS

“Fred Stays with me” (Nancy Coffelt, 2007)

“When Mom and Dad divorce” (Emily Menendez-

Aponte, 1999)

DOG

PERSONAL JOURNAL

WHY USE OUR RESOURCE PACKAGE?

Sensitive but relevant topic

Encourage students to communicate their feelings

in a non-threatening way

Interactive

Creative/ light approach

Individual Journal supports the focus topic. The rest

of the package can be used for other topics within

„Change Loss and Grief‟

Caters for all learners

THE CIRCLE OF COURAGE

Generosity

- Positive and pro-social

bonds (protective

factor)

Belonging

- Caring and support

- Clear and consistent

boundaries

OUR RESOURCE PACKAGE AND RESILIENCE

The students explore…

• Reasons behind divorce

• Implications

• Feelings

• Belonging

• Values

• Caring and support

• How to be resilient in the face of difficult times

HABITS OF MIND

Listening with Understanding

and Empathy

Thinking and communicating

with clarity and precision

Thinking Flexibly

OUR SAFE BOX

=

RESILIENCE

PROMOTION