Mental Health and Wellbeing

Regulation Breaks

Dear Families,

Last week some of our staff attended a professional learning session in Geelong lead by Dan Petro from Behavioural Resources Australia. The focus was developing a plan to help some of our students requiring extra support. It is about helping the student to help themselves. When a child starts to feel they are becoming dysregulated, we want to empower them to take the first step to regulate. 

As adults we often know the triggers that may set us off. Hopefully we have the skills to notice this, and we act before things become worse. When thinking about our kids at home, we may know what upsets them. But what is it that they do before they blow? Is there something you can notice that precedes that? 

Dan Petro was working with a school recently and he gave an example. A particular student would trash a room when he became distressed. When the staff started to look a little deeper, they noticed that the boy would start to breath heavily, huffing and puffing. But before that, when the boy appeared to be calm, the staff noticed that he would start to pull on the threads of his clothing. This was the key! If this student started to pull on his clothing threads, they would prompt him to take his agreed break to help him regulate. Eventually it was hoped that the boy could manage this independently.

Thanks for another great term. Have a safe and wonderful holiday together and I look forward to see you all back for term four. 

Andy McNeilly

Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader