Student Health & Wellbeing
Pakenham Secondary College
Wellbeing Support for the School Holidays
Parent Programs for Term 1, 2025
Social Media Safety
Parents and Carers play an important role in supporting their children to be safe online and on social media. You can help your children safely navigate their digital world and educate them to avoid harmful online experiences. You can explore websites, games, apps and social media together and set some rules and boundaries.
Your support and guidance can give your children the knowledge to make sound decisions online and confidence to ask for help when they need it. It is also important to stay informed about online safety.
The Department of Education recognises this important issue and has developed fact sheets about supports to help keep students safe online and what to do if they are involved in an online incident.
The fact sheets contain links to evidence-based information on supporting positive and safe online experiences, signs a child or young person might need support, what to do if something unsafe happens online, and where to reach out to for more support.
To access the fact sheets, refer to the Safe Socials webpage. The fact sheets are available in 19 community languages.
Sun Smart
Thunderstorm Asthma
Grass pollen season, which typically runs from October to December each year in Victoria, brings an increase in asthma and hay fever symptoms. It also increases the risk of thunderstorm asthma. For people with asthma or hay fever, especially those who experience wheezing or coughing with their hay fever, thunderstorm asthma can be sudden, serious and even life threatening.
Pakenham Secondary College will implement a range of measures to keep our school community safe as the risk of thunderstorm asthma increases.
Many of our staff are trained in asthma first aid, and we will monitor the VicEmergency app to receive thunderstorm warnings, and, where appropriate, keep students indoors when weather forecasts identify greater risk.
During the season, there are some things you can do to prepare and protect yourself and your family:
If your child has ever had asthma, talk to your doctor about what you can do to help protect them from the risk of thunderstorm asthma this pollen season, including updating your asthma action plan. Taking an asthma preventer properly and regularly is key to preventing asthma, including thunderstorm asthma.
If your child has hay fever, see your pharmacist or doctor for a hay fever treatment plan and check if you should have an asthma reliever puffer. These are available from a pharmacy without a prescription.
If your child has hay fever and experiences wheezing and coughing, it is important to make sure they don’t also have asthma. Speak to your doctor about an asthma action plan.
Where possible, avoid being outside during thunderstorms from October to December, especially during the wind gusts that come before the storm. Go inside and close your doors and windows. If you have your air conditioning on, turn it to ‘recirculate’.
Protect yourself this pollen season – managing asthma and allergies matters.
Find out more For more information, speak to your doctor. You can also visit the Better Health Channel website.
Support Services
If you feel like you could do with the support of a professional, help is always available.
MyPlace - Cardinia - 1800 496 884
Youth Counselling and Support Service - Casey - 9792 7279
Coronavirus Health Information Line · 1800 020 080 · Call if you are seeking information on coronavirus (COVID-19). The line operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
LifeLine - 13 11 14 - Provides counselling, information and referrals for people experiencing a personal crisis. Click here for the link.
Beyond Blue - 1300 224 636 - Provides advice and support for people experiencing depression and anxiety. Click here for the link
Suicide Call Back Service - 1300 659 467 - Provides free counselling for anyone (15 years+) who is suicidal or affected by suicide.
Kids Helpline - 1800 55 1800 - Provides free, private and confidential telephone and online counselling services specifically for young people aged between 5 and 25. Click here for the link.
E-HeadSpace - Provides free online or telephone support with a clinician via an online chat. This service is available for 12–25-year-olds, Click here for the link.
Reachout - Click here for the link.