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AUGUST 2015 

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DELORAINE PRIMARY recently joined one hundred and thirty schools in Tasmania and launched their version of the ‘Kids Matter’ program.

KidsMatter is an Australian Primary Schools mental health initiative.

It provides proven methods, resources and support to identify and implement whole-school strategies to improve student mental health and wellbeing.

Program focus is upon nurturing and developing happy, balanced kids with special attention paid to children’s mental health.

Through KidsMatter Primary, schools undertake a two to three-year cyclical process in which they plan and take action to be a positive community; one that is founded on respectful relationships and a sense of belonging and inclusion.

The ‘people’ jigsaw puzzle made by students at Deloraine Primary, part of which is pictured above, introduces the idea of connection as a school community.

“Mental health and wellbeing are essential for kids’ lives and for their learning at school. Kids who are mentally healthy learn better, make sense of life’s experiences and benefit from them, have good strong relationships with other people important to them.

As a school, we believe we can do better at helping children to develop their self-esteem, competence and help them through circumstances that may affect their learning, development and well-being” comments organising teacher, Justine Page.

More information can be found at www.kidsmatter.edu.au/primary.

[udesign_icon_font name="fa fa-camera" color="#000000"] Mike Moores