WELLBEING Update

Welcome All!

A reminder to our school community that Beyond Blue is always there to support us.  Whether you are a parent or guardian, student, staff member or anyone in our school community.    https://www.beyondblue.org.au/

You can chat with a counsellor or connect to others online.  It’s free and confidential.

A reminder that the Wellbeing Team welcomes self-referrals. Pop in to see us or simply email us wellbeing@fhs.vic.edu.au

Cyberbullying and the back-to-school surge: How we can protect our kids 

As Australian students return to school, many are not just navigating new classrooms and teachers — but also a digital world with increasingly complex challenges.  New data from eSafety shows a staggering 450 per cent rise in cyberbullying reports over the past five years, with children transitioning into secondary school accounting for more than a third of all cases.  

If parents can take away one message as you start the school year, it’s don’t wait for an incident to occur to have a conversation with your child about cyberbullying. Early conversations about online safety will provide your child with the social and emotional skills needed to reduce the risks and make our communities safer for all.  

Learn more 

Supporting healthy tech use as your child transitions into high school 

This 30-minute webinar explores the social pressures, peer influences, and technological challenges young people face as they transition into high school. It also offers practical strategies for navigating online friendships and connections to help minimise negative experiences. 

It's suitable for parents and carers of children in upper primary school (ages 11 to 12) and Year 7. 

25 February, 3.30pm AEDT 

Register for webinars 

“I couldn’t believe it – someone was pretending to be me online.” 

When Carla found out someone was using an imitation account on Instagram to send nasty messages to her friends, it was distressing and humiliating. She reported the account to the platform, but more accounts started popping up on other apps.  

Carla made a report to eSafety. We contacted the social media services and were able to get the fake accounts removed. We also helped Carla reach out to Kids Helpline to chat through how the experience made her feel. 

Read more real stories from young Australians

How to report online harm to Snapchat

If your child experiences cyberbullying, knowing how to collect evidence and quickly report harm to the platform is a helpful way you can support your child.  

Snapchat is a messaging app that lets you send images, videos or instant messages (known as Snaps) to friends. These then disappear a short time after opening. This is referred to as ‘disappearing’ or ‘ephemeral’ content. 

To report harmful content on Snapchat, press and hold on the Snap or Story you want to report and tap 'Report Snap'. The content will be attached to the report for review and won’t disappear in the usual 24-hour timeframe. The person won’t know who made the report and you can cancel a report if you reported in error. If you can’t report something using the Snapchat app, you can report on the website instead.   

For more information on Snapchat and how users be safer on the platform, read the eSafety Guide. 

Read the eSafety guide 

OUR WELLBEING TEAM