KidsMatter Primary: Using a different lens Broken Bay Diocese

26KidsMatter Primary Edition 26 2013Broken Bay Diocese cluster of Catholic schools- KidsMatter Primary: Using a different lensLaunching KidsMatter Primaryat St Cecilia’s, WyongOn 15th March 2013, on the annualNational Day of Action AgainstBullying, KidsMatter Primary waslaunched at St Cecilia’s CatholicPrimary School at Wyong, about 67kms north of Sydney.The school’s Pastoral CareCoordinator, Vicki McCudden, hadprepared the school community forthe launch by:including information aboutKidsMatter in school newsletters;asking students to wear red oryellow t-shirts;ordering wrist bands andballoons to promote KidsMatter;setting up stalls and organising aspecial lunch menu;arranging a mobile cafe for astaff breakfast;creating a ‘meeting place’ muralwith the Aboriginal EducationWorkers in the area; andhosting a parent informationsession.The local Catholic Diocesanschools Project Officer, MentalHealth Initiatives, Liz Douglas,spoke to 60 parents aboutKidsMatter Primary and antibullying.Staff; parents and studentsat St Cecilia’s were engaged in thelaunch through activities and ideasabout mental health and wellbeing.What is the Broken BayDiocese?Broken Bay Diocese is one of threeCatholic dioceses or administrativeareas in the Sydney region. Withinthe three geographical clusters ofthe Diocese there are 37 Catholicprimary schools.From two pilot schools to 27schoolsIn 2002, the Catholic Schools Officein Broken Bay Diocese employedLiz Douglas, as the first schoolcounsellor to work across the 11primary schools on the CentralCoast. In 2006/2007 Liz wasinvolved with two pilot schoolsimplementing KidsMatter Primary.The number of schoolsimplementing KidsMatter hasincreased significantly over the pastfew years. In fact, over the last twoyears the numbers increased fromeight to 27 schools at differentstages of implementing theframework.Liz reflects on why schools haveengaged with KidsMatter Primary:It’s a positive framework that assistsstaff to look at the wellbeing of theirstudents and families. Staff like towork together on mental health forstudents. It is a different approachfrom the usual day-to-day reactingto issues. It is a positive proactiveresponse.Why schools like KidsMatterPrimary... I am absolutely delightedwith the quality of the processand training for KidsMatterPrimary. ... I know this frameworkwill enable us to pull together ourbest practices in learning supportand pastoral care and willengage in a more comprehensivemanner our parents in our schoolpartnership.Phil Bretherton, PrincipalOur Lady Star of the Sea - TerrigalKidsMatter Primary Edition 26 2013www.kidsmatter.edu.au

KidsMatter Primary Edition 26 2013... The KidsMatterframework has enabled us tohave a rigorous and thoroughapproach to pastoral care thathas resulted in improvedstudent wellbeing ... KidsMatterhas engineered a commonlanguage and approach to thesocial and emotional learningof our students. It certainly hasheightened our staff awarenessof the need for earlyintervention. The KidsMatterframework has beeninstrumental in the continuingeducation of our parentsregarding student wellbeing.Kevin Williams, Principal,St. Mary’s - ToukleyProcesses to support schoolsLiz keeps in contact with schools,attending meetings when she canand corresponding by email. She isdeveloping a Weebly, a free webhostingservice that will link schoolsdirectly with each other. Lizexplains:Beyond the Component 2plateauLiz has identified that momentummay be lost after Component 2because of the busy-ness and fullagenda in schools.At this time, she makes contact withthe Action Team and asks whatthey might need to extend the focusof KidsMatter.She hopes one day to build anetwork of coaches in each clusterto support schools to implementKidsMatter.A mental health lensKidsMatter Primary providesschools in the Broken Bay Diocesewith a common focus in promotingmental health.... KidsMatter helps schools tosee the mental health of studentsthrough another lens; a positiveholistic lens.Often teachers and parents think ofmental health as ‘illness’ but need tolink it with physical health and socialhealth.We are building resilience andconfidence in children despite thestrong messages of fear andnegativity about the world. I believeespecially in the important role thatschools play in supporting thebalance of protective factors forchildren.Liz Douglas, Project Officer,Mental Health Initiatives... Last year I ran anetworking afternoon for 26staff from eight schools whowere up to, or beyondComponent 2. This was verysuccessful - it gave eachschool an opportunity toshowcase what they weredoing or planning. I foundevery school is different. TheDiocese office has learnt moreabout KidsMatter through myinvolvement and is verysupportive. I hope to continueto run these network days foreach clusterLiz Douglas, Project Officer,Mental Health InitiativesBroken Bay DioceseNew South WalesThe Diocese:Is one of three CatholicDioceses in the Sydney regionIncludes three clusters:Peninsula; North Shore; andCentral CoastCovers 2,763 squarekilometresComprises 44 schoolsmanaged by the CatholicSchools OfficeIncludes 37 primary schoolswww.csodbb.catholic.edu.auwww.kidsmatter.edu.au