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KidsMatter. A national priority. 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. National Child Mental Health Survey (Sawyer et al., 2000) Australian Health Ministers (2003).
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A national priority 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. National Child Mental Health Survey (Sawyer et al., 2000)Australian Health Ministers (2003)
An integrated ‘whole-child’ approach “Schools will be most successful in their educational mission when they integrate efforts to promote children’s academic, social, and emotional learning.” Zinset al., 2004
Socio-ecological model Adapted fromBronfenbrenner Ecological Systems theory (1977) Refer: Essential Reading 20
Risk and protective factors (adapted from Commonwealth Dept of Health and Aged Care, 2000 and Spence, 1996)
Promotion, prevention, early intervention Whole-school community All students Students experiencingmental healthdifficulties 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) Adapted from World Health Organization (1994)
KidsMatter Target Areas • 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 (continued) • 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
Benefits of KidsMatter: students 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 KidsMatter Primary pilot evaluation, Flinders University 2009
Benefits: schools and community 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 KidsMatter Primary pilot evaluation, 2009, Flinders University
Thank you Cath Ashton - WA KidsMatter Project Officer catherine.ashton@pai.edu.au • KidsMatter website: www.kidsmatter.edu.au/primary • Evaluation Website: caef.flinders.edu.au/kidsmatter/ 1: