Wellbeing
Forum for families and carers of children with disabilities
The forum theme is ‘Navigating Together’ and will open with the keynote
‘My Lived Experience’, by Matt Cowdrey OAM, Paralympian and Member for Colton.
Participants can also attend 2 of the following workshops:
· Successful transition through high school
· Post school life options
· Student Support Services: making the connections
· All about SERU.
When: Thursday 16 September 2021, 10.00am to 2.00pm
Venue: Special Education Resources Unit, 72a Marlborough St, Henley Beach Register Here http://web.seru.sa.edu.au/parent-forum-july-2021/
Children’s Friendship Maters
Research shows that children who have positive times with friends are more likely to feel happier, do better at school, feel good about themselves and act in co-operative ways. Adults can help children with their friendships by:
1. Finding opportunities for them to be with other children.
· Organising play dates, time with children outside
school, extra-curricular activities.
· Encouraging children to talk to their friends and helping them with organising activities with their friends
· Telling children about the importance of spending time
with friends and developing friendships.
2. Reducing negative social interactions - or the impact of them
- where possible.
· This doesn’t mean sheltering children from conflicts.
· It does mean helping children with interpersonal problem
solving and conflict resolution skills.
· When conflict or exclusion is happening regularly and
repeatedly - and when genuine bullying occurs - we step
in to help protect them and reduce the bullying.
3. Coaching children in social skills.
· Being aware of what social skills our children have developed, and identifying the social skills they need extra coaching in. For example, we should look at social skills like knowing how to start conversations and play, noticing others emotions, knowing how to act kindly, being able to assertively express opinions, knowing how to use humour, resolving conflicts constructively and many others.
Observing our children in social situations, getting feedback from teachers and having role plays and conversations with them to help them get better.
Helping children develop good social relationships takes time, but it is an important area to give attention and assistance. Article from: Calm Kid Central: https://www.calmkidcentral.com
Developing Positive Friendships
At WBPS we think that having positive friendships and connections with peers is really important. It helps us to feel good about ourselves which in turn, makes us feel happier and ready for learning.
School Leaders will be asking students in years 3-7 the following 3 questions and looking at ways to support students to develop their friendships:
Do you have a friend you can tell everything to?
Do you have at least one really good friend you can talk to when something is bothering you?
Is there somebody your age who really understands you?
Here are some key points you might like to talk about with your children:
Trust
Showing another person that you’re trustworthy can help them feel closer to you too.
Acceptance
You know you’ve found a good friend when you feel like they accept you for who you truly are.
Honesty
Feeling comfortable telling your friends exactly how you feel, and knowing they’ll understand and not use it against you
Compassion
Forgiveness and understanding can only exist with compassion between people. Compassion is a natural component of caring about one another’s well-being.
Communication
There’s a reason why good communication is so often named as the key to a healthy relationship. When you make an effort to listen to your friends and tell them how you really feel, you can build a deep understanding and closer friendship.
These qualities and behaviours don’t just happen, they are modelled and taught by all of us. Our junior students see our senior students modelling these, and follow suit in their buddy lessons. You as parents, our students’ first educators, will be continually building these characteristics in your children as soon as they are born.
Kind regards,
Tina Mouzakitis
Wellbeing Coordinator
tina.mouzakitis552@schools.sa.edu.au
Cathy Turner
Pastoral Care Worker
cathy.turner255@schools.sa.edu.au