Unpacking positive mental health and wellbeing

Positive mental health and wellbeing is important for your child or teen’s healthy development and learning. It supports them to manage the normal challenges of life.

Environments, experiences, relationships and individual characteristics all contribute to mental health and wellbeing.

For children and teens, wellbeing is supported when they:

feel valued, loved and safe
have their basic material needs met
have physical, mental, emotional and social health
can learn (in and outside the classroom)
participate in decision-making
are connected to their community
have a positive sense of identity and culture.

Mental health exists on a continuum

It can be helpful to think of mental health and mental ill-health as existing along a continuum.

We all move along the continuum as we face challenges and situations that test our capacity to cope and change our mental health. Our mental health can change slowly or quickly.

Most people will experience changes in their mental health at some point during their lifetime. Social, emotional and environmental factors all influence our position along the continuum.

Supporting your child’s wellbeing at home

As parents and carers, you’re already doing lots of things to support your child’s mental health and wellbeing. You can continue to protect your child’s mental health and wellbeing by developing and promoting:

healthy sleeping habits
healthy eating habits
physical activity
strong and nurturing relationships
positive self-talk and providing praise, encouragement
mindfulness, kindness and gratitude
social and emotional skills
help seeking.

Attendance

Consistent school attendance is vital for nurturing the mental health and overall wellbeing of students. Studies consistently highlight the link between regular attendance and positive mental health outcomes. When students attend school regularly, they have greater opportunities for social interaction, support from peers and teachers, and as well as stronger academic progress. Students with good attendance tend to report higher levels of emotional well-being and lower levels of stress and anxiety. Starting the school year with strong attendance sets a positive trajectory for students' mental health, providing them with a stable routine and a sense of belonging within the school community. A strong attendance record in February reaffirms this foundation, indicating that students have established habits that support their mental health and attendance throughout the year.

Johnathan Patatsos

Mental Health & Wellbeing Leader

Year Level Newsletters

Term One