DENTAL CHECKS FOR STUDENTS

Australian Mobile Smiles will be visiting the school in Term 4 2026. They are offering bulk billed dental checks for all students (no out of pocket expenses for families). Families will receive a post visit report following the dental checks, including treatments completed during the visit, any findings, oral hygiene recommendations and whether any further dental treatment is required.

Due to time constraints, the dental checks will not include any major dental work such as fillings. The service will recommend follow up with a local dentist as required.

Dental visit consent forms have been handed out this week during CLaN. If your child did not receive a form, please let us know and we will ensure one is sent home. PLEASE RETURN FORMS ASAP.

YOUNG PEOPLE AND SELF-HARM

What is self-harm? Self-harm is behaviour that is done deliberately to harm oneself. Approximately one in ten Australian young people have self-harmed at some point in their lives.

Self-harm can include:

· self-cutting

· taking an overdose

· hitting or bruising

· scratching

· intentionally taking too little or too much medication

· burning

· suffocation

Although some people who self-harm may be suicidal, self-harm is often used as a way of managing difficult emotions without being a suicide attempt. However, self-harm can result in accidental death.

Is the young person self-harming? If you are worried that a young person is self harming, here are some signs to watch out for:

· unexplained cuts, burns, bruises or blood on clothes

· keeping themselves covered; avoiding swimming or changing clothes around others

· being withdrawn or isolated from friends and family

· low mood, lack of interest in life or depression

· blaming themselves for problems or expressing feelings of failure, uselessness, hopelessness or anger

SUPPORTING THE YOUNG PERSON

· Don’t panic.

· Let the young person know you are there for them.

· Listen to the young person, don’t try to solve a problem.

· Have a conversation, but don’t bring up self-harm straight away.

· You could organise the conversation around another activity, like a walk or drive.

· Ask if anything is worrying them and how they are feeling.

· Let them know you are not judging them or putting them down, and that you love them and that will not change.

· Show that you are prepared to listen to what they have to say; don’t minimise the importance of their reasons for self-harm.

· If the young person does not want to talk, see if they will write you a note, email or text message about how they feel.

· Ask if they would rather speak to someone else (e.g. a general practitioner (GP), counsellor, or another family member).

· If the young person is able to be open about their self-harm, try to help them work out any feelings and situations that may trigger it.

· Try to think together of ways to handle strong feelings that don’t involve self-harm.

· Help them think through their problems and see possible solutions.

· Encourage them to think about the long view and how things may change in the future.

· Take talk of suicide very seriously and seek professional support

ORYGEN has a Coping with Self-Harm Guide for Parents and Carers – see link below.

https://www.orygen.org.au/Training/Resources/Self-harm-and-suicideprevention/Guidelines/Coping-with-Self-Harm-Guide-for-Parents-and-Carers

Sources of help

Help for parents and carers

Professional help

GPs Counsellors/therapists

Emergency, police and ambulance 000 (24 hrs)

Healthdirect 1800 022 222 (24 hrs) www.healthdirect.gov.au

Helplines and online information/support

Lifeline 13 11 14 (24 hrs) www.lifeline.org.au

Suicide callback service 1300 659 467 (24 hrs) www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au

MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78 (24 hrs) www.mensline.org.au

Help for young people

Professional help

GPs, School counsellors, School nurses

headspace www.headspace.org.au

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services*

Adult mental health services*

* Usually through referral by GP or other professional

Helplines and online information/support

Kids helpline 1800 55 1800 (24 Hrs) www.kidshelpline.com.au

E-headspace www.headspace.org.au/ eheadspace 1800 650 890 (3pm-10pm, 7 days)

Lifeline 13 11 14 (24 hrs) www.lifeline.org.au

Suicide Callback Service 1300 659 467 (24 hrs) www.suicidecallbackservice.org.a

Dates to Remember