RIPPONLEA PRIMARY SCHOOL

Mental Health & Wellbeing Student/Parent Support 

Articles, Videos & Resources

Psychological first aid

Psychological first aid is an approach to help support people in the immediate aftermath of a traumatic event, emergency, or natural disaster.

It aims to reduce distress and help with meeting basic needs, such as providing:

  1. comfort
  2. reassurance
  3. support
  4. connection with family, friends and the wider community.

Psychological first aid for children and young people follows the key principles of: listen, protect and connect.

Listen

Give opportunities to share experiences and express feelings:

  • listen to what they are saying
  • take notice of how they are behaving. Non-verbal cues (e.g. signs of distress, agitation or withdrawal) can show how they are feeling
  • respond encouragingly
  • show interest and empathy
  • acknowledge any difficulty they may be having
  • avoid making judgements and predictions
  • respect their wishes not to share thoughts or feelings.

Protect

Re-establish feelings of physical and emotional safety:

  • treat their fears, worries and other concerns with respect
  • provide help that is supportive and discreet
  • answer questions honestly using age-appropriate explanations
  • provide opportunities to write or draw about the event (this should not be a compulsory activity)
  • let them know most reactions to the event are normal
  • make adjustments to activities or tasks if needed
  • be aware of things that might re-traumatise children and adolescents.

Connect

Help re-establish social relationships to promote stability and recovery by:

  • 'checking in' regularly
  • communicating often with parents/carers
  • ensuring resources are available
  • encouraging interactive school activities, class projects, school-based projects and community activities
  • brainstorming ways that connect children and young people with their school and community.

Resources for psychological first aid

Talking about distressing events in the media

Children and young people can be distressed by events even when they’re not directly affected by them. They need explanations that are age and developmentally appropriate. To support them, you can:

  • start at their starting point. ask what they understand about what’s happened and their key worry
  • consider each child’s different level of understanding and concept of what is frightening or worrying
  • give young children information and assurances of safety
  • consider older children’s concern over their own and loved one’s safety
  • help them separate reality from fantasy and dispel rumours.

Mental health support services

Support for students

School supports

External supports

Trauma support

YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID 

In 2000, Betty Kitchener, AM, an educator and mental health consumer, in partnership with her husband, Professor Tony Jorm, a mental health researcher, created the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Program in Australia. The aim was to extend the concept of first aid training to include mental health problems so that participants were empowered to provide better initial support to someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. 

 

Mental illnesses are common in the Australian community, and young people are at the highest risk. Studies have shown that Mental Health First Aid training improves knowledge, reduces stigmatising attitudes, and increases first-aid actions towards people with mental health problems.  Early intervention can prevent problems from becoming more serious. Whilst all of our staff are trained in basic First Aid, we now have three staff members who have completed the MHFA program and are available to support student wellbeing - they are Luca Dickinson, Marta Campbell and Lydia Ioannidis. 

 

 

MINDFUL MUSHKINS

At Ripponlea, we place a paramount emphasis on the well-being and development of our students. To further this commitment, we have partnered with Isabelle Russell, the founder of Mindful Mushkins, who brings an impressive decade-long background as a globally experienced teacher and illustrator. Her profound insight into captivating children's interests and keeping them engaged makes her an invaluable asset to our team.

 

The Mindful Mushkins program uses creative and explorative storytelling techniques to teach resilience and wellbeing. Mindful Mushkins have created a unique fantasy world that places value on the process of learning, physical spaces, strategies and people.

 

Through this program, our students stand to gain a multitude of advantages, such as:

  • Understanding how to set goals and work towards achieving them.
  • Understanding complex topics and terminology such as grit, mindfulness, and resilience.
  • Taking accountability, responsibility and ownership for our actions.
  • Practicing mindfulness with simple and effective explanations of ‘why’.
  • Developing healthy habits and maintaining a positive mindset.
  • Equipping children with essential tools to cope with stress and practice self-regulation.
  • Increased knowledge of how to find personal resilience and positive self talk.

We are deeply committed to the well-being of our students and believe that this partnership with Isabelle and Mindful Mushkins will play a pivotal role in nurturing their holistic growth and development. Furthermore, we have invested in one more Music Therapy class for all students next term focusing on the theme of 'Friendship' and 'Empathy'. 

RIPPONLEA PRIMARY SCHOOL IS JOINING THE THRIVING KIDS & PARENTS SCHOOLS PROJECT

 

Dear parents/carers, 

 

As part of the Thriving Kids and Parents Schools Project, you are invited to attend three highly relevant Triple P – Positive Parenting seminars from one of the most effective evidence-based programs in the world, FREE of charge. These interactive seminars will be delivered to parents/carers of children aged 4 – 12 years from your school/via a videoconferencing platform.

 

The three interconnected seminars will provide you with a toolkit of practical strategies to help your child thrive. These strategies will help you guide your child’s behaviour, manage everyday worries, and build healthy peer relationships. 

 

Attending all three seminars will provide you with the strategies you need to best support your child’s development.

  • The Power of Positive Parenting (Triple P Seminar) helps you to understand why kids behave the way they do and introduces practical strategies to support your child’s social and emotional development.
  • The Helping Your Child to Manage Anxiety (Fear-Less Triple P Seminar) is designed to equip you with the skills and strategies you need to support your child to manage their emotions and overcome challenges.
  • The Keeping your Child Safe from Bullying (Resilience Triple P Seminar) helps you maintain good communication with your child, develop positive peer relationships, and address conflict and bullying.

How can I get involved?    

  1. Register for the seminar series and complete a short (approximately 15 – 20 minutes) online questionnaire.
  2. Attend the three online seminars in the TKPSP series (90 – 120 minutes each seminar). 
  3. Complete post-seminar series questionnaires 6 weeks and 12 weeks following the registration. Each questionnaire will take around 15 minutes to complete and will help us understand how helpful the strategies have been.  

 

Yes, I want to be involved. What’s next? 

Register through this link: https://able.adelaide.edu.au/education/thriving-kids-and-parents/for-parents#power-of-positive-parenting 

 

If you have any questions, you can contact the project team at: thrivingkidsandparents@uq.edu.au