BRIEFING KidsMatter

A national priority National Child Mental Health Survey (Sawyer et al., 2000) Australian Health Ministers (2003) Estimates suggest mental health difficulties affect 1 in 7 Australian primary school children. Only 1 in 4 children with a mental health difficulty receive help.

Thinking about mental health

“Schools will be most successful in their educational mission when they integrate efforts to promote children’s academic, social, and emotional learning.” Zins et al., 2004 An integrated ‘whole-child’ approach

Refer: Essential Reading Socio-ecological model Adapted from Bronfenbrenner Ecological Systems theory (1977) 20

(adapted from Commonwealth Dept of Health and Aged Care, 2000 and Spence, 1996) Risk and protective factors

Whole-school community All students Students experiencing mental health difficulties Promotion, prevention, early intervention 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)

Melbourne Declaration - Educational Goals for young Australians (MCEETYA 2008) General Capabilities in the Australian Curriculum – “Personal & Social Capability” (ACARA 2012) National Safe Schools Framework (2010) National Mental Health Strategy ( Department of Health and Ageing 2009) School vision, strategic plan and other whole school initiatives eg Positive Behaviour Support KidsMatter supports schools business

The KidsMatter Primary framework

− A school community that promotes mental health and wellbeing − Respectful relationships, belonging and inclusion − Effective social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculum for all students − Opportunities for students to practise and transfer their social and emotional skills KidsMatter Target Areas

− Collaborative working relationships with parents and carers − Support for parenting − Parent and carer support networks − Understanding mental health difficulties and improving help-seeking − Responding to students experiencing mental health difficulties KidsMatter Target Areas (continued)

Benefits for students included:  Increased positive mental health (eg optimism and coping)  Reduced mental health difficulties (eg emotional symptoms, hyperactivity, conduct problems and peer difficulties)  Improvements in behaviour and motivation for students already experiencing mental health challenges Benefits of KidsMatter: students KidsMatter Primary pilot evaluation, Flinders University 2009

NAPLAN – positive results over a two year trial period … “…KidsMatter appears to be positively associated with the level of student academic achievement, equivalent to 6 months more schooling by Year 7, over and above any influence of socio-economic background.” Improved academic results Dix et al, 2011, Child & Adolescent Mental Health Journal

Benefits for staff included:  Increased staff satisfaction  Professional learning opportunities  Improved student learning and behaviour Benefits: Staff

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 Benefits: schools and community KidsMatter Primary pilot evaluation, 2009, Flinders University

 Adhered to the KidsMatter prescribed steps  Had active involvement of the school leadership team and whole staff in planning  Encouraged parental involvement  Shared language  Vision for where you are headed  Dedicated time to implement  Led by the Action Team  Evidence-based practice  Whole school staff with professional learning  Step-by-step planning process Benefits linked to quality

Portal and Online Learning Platform

Partners of KidsMatter in WA

Cath Ashton - WA KidsMatter Project Officer  KidsMatter website:  Evaluation Website: caef.flinders.edu.au/kidsmatter/caef.flinders.edu.au/kidsmatter/ 1: Thank you