Student Wellbeing

WEEKLY WELLBEING ACTION  

Think of one positive thought each morning. It can change your whole day!

 Child Safety and Wellbeing at Trinity

At Trinity, the safety, wellbeing and dignity of every child is at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to promoting and maintaining a safe, inclusive and supportive environment where every student feels valued, respected and protected.

As a school within Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS), we uphold a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of child abuse and are dedicated to embedding the highest standards of child safety across our school community. Guided by our Catholic faith, we recognise the unique dignity of every person and strive to ensure that every child can flourish in a safe and nurturing environment.

Child safety is a shared responsibility. Every member of our school community, including staff, volunteers, families and students has a role to play in creating and maintaining a culture where children are safe and their voices are heard.

At Trinity, all staff engage in ongoing professional learning to develop and strengthen their understanding of the 11 Child Safe Standards. These standards guide our professional responsibilities and are reflected in our everyday interactions, decision-making and practices. By living out these standards each day, we foster a culture of care, respect, inclusion and accountability, ensuring that every child is supported to learn, grow and thrive. Please find more information on each of the 11 standards below.

https://ccyp.vic.gov.au/child-safe-standards/the-11-child-safe-standards/ 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dquOZPykYU8

The Orange Door

Our school cares about the safety and wellbeing of our students and their families. Sometimes things at home or in a relationship are not OK or families can be worried about the wellbeing of their children or young people. The Orange Door can help you to get the support you need, quickly and easily. It’s free and you don’t need a referral.

The Orange Door can help families. They provide support for concerns with parenting, relationships, and family violence.

The Orange Door is a free intake and assessment service for:

• families requiring support for their child or young person’s wellbeing or development 
• families needing parenting support 
• young, isolated, or unsupported families 
• individuals and families experiencing family violence 
• adults using family violence 
• young people using violence in the home.

If you contact The Orange Door, they can help by:

• working with you to identify the help and support you need 
• supporting you with the wellbeing and development of your child or young person 
• helping you make a safety plan if someone is making you feel unsafe 
• connecting you to services that can help like counselling, accommodation, mental health and drug and alcohol services, parenting support groups, services for children, financial help, or legal assistance
• supporting you to access funding for basic living expenses and some other costs
• supporting you to change abusive or controlling behaviour.

Each Orange Door location across Victoria has their own phone number and email. Students and their families can also visit their local Orange Door in person for support, Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm for support. No appointment is needed.

To find your local service, see:  Support near you | orangedoor.vic.gov.au

How schools connect with The Orange Door

Our school might talk to a student and/or their family about The Orange Door. We might encourage them to contact their local Orange Door to get advice and help if needed. 

Ideally, a student and/or their family will get in touch with The Orange Door to seek advice and support. 

Sometimes, schools might make a referral to The Orange Door without the student or their family’s knowledge or consent. Schools will do this if:

• informing a student and/or family increases the risk to their safety or wellbeing 

• not linking a student to support increases the risk of their safety and wellbeing.

You can learn more about:

• The Orange Door and how they can help you and your family here. 

• how our school keeps our students safe by reading our Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy and our Child Safety Code of Conduct.

Updated Student Behaviour Support Policies

At Trinity, we are committed to fostering a learning environment where every child feels safe, respected and supported to flourish. As part of this commitment, we have recently updated our Student Behaviour Support Policies in line with the new direction from Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS). These policies are now consistent across all MACS schools, ensuring a shared approach to promoting positive behaviour and student wellbeing.

Our updated Student Behaviour Support Procedures provide greater detail about the practices and processes we follow at Trinity to create calm, respectful and inclusive learning environments. These procedures outline how we proactively teach and reinforce positive behaviours, build strong relationships, and support students to make positive choices that reflect our school values. They also explain the supports and restorative processes we use when challenges arise, ensuring every student is treated with fairness, dignity and care.

Alongside these updates, MACS has also introduced a Suspension, Negotiated Transfer and Expulsion Policy, which provides a consistent framework for responding to the small number of situations where a student's behaviour poses a significant risk to the safety, wellbeing or learning of others. A key change within this policy is the introduction of a Same-day Response. In situations where a student's behaviour presents an immediate and significant safety risk, the Principal may require the student to be collected by a parent or carer on the same day. This is not a suspension; rather, it is an immediate measure that allows the school to restore safety, work collaboratively with families, and put appropriate supports and next steps in place before the student returns.

These updated policies reinforce our shared commitment to creating a safe, respectful and inclusive learning environment where every student feels valued and is empowered to thrive academically, socially and emotionally.

We encourage all families to take a few moments to read these updated policies and information attached below.

If at any time you would like to chat about Student Wellbeing at Trinity, or you have any questions or concerns about your child, please do not hesitate to contact your child's teacher or me. 

hvarthalis@tcs.catholic.edu.au

Helen Varthalis

Wellbeing Leader