Warrnambool Primary School Wellbeing Team

Mental Health Wellbeing Leader - Tonya Ferguson

Days of work - Monday to Thursday

The Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHiPS) initiative is all about strengthening early support for children’s mental health and wellbeing within school communities. It aims to build greater understanding, early identification, and stronger partnerships between schools, families, and specialist services — so that every child feels supported to thrive both in and out of the classroom.

As Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader, one of my roles is to support the development of a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing. This includes building mental health literacy among staff, strengthening student voice to ensure our wellbeing practices truly reflect student needs, and helping create a school environment where wellbeing is seen as everyone's responsibility, every day.

I took up this role because I am passionate about making sure every student feels safe, connected, and valued at school. I believe that when we prioritise wellbeing, we build the strongest foundation for learning and personal growth.

Moving forward, I plan to approach the role collaboratively, working closely with our existing wellbeing team, leadership, teachers, Learning Support Officers, and families. We will use evidence-based practices to embed wellbeing into all areas of school life, and making sure every student has a voice in shaping a positive school culture.

Student Wellbeing and Counsellor- Jess Arnott

Days of work Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday

Jess is a qualified social worker whose role at Warrnambool Primary School is varied, with an overall my aim to ensure every student’s wellbeing is supported and advocated for.

To do this Jess will:

-Conduct early intervention one-on-one counselling for students for a variety of reasons, individual to student needs. These sessions are largely skills based and promote positive mental health and wellbeing.

-Conduct small group intervention sessions- peaceful kids, support social and emotional needs

-When required complete or support families with referrals to further services including mental health services, CAMHS, DFFL, orange door, psychologists, family violence services and more.

-To focus on priorities, particularly in tackling bullying and supporting students with mental health or welfare issues.

-To support a case management approach to student interventions; parent support,participating in care team meeting, student support groups and conduct follow ups.

-Support Tonya to enhance and develop positive and engaging school culture (Tier 1; SWPB, MHiPS)

Warrnambool Primary School wellbeing runs Peaceful Kids groups to build skills around anxiety and stress management in our students.

A small group program is available for Years 3-6, and a modified classroom program for years Foundation to 2.

Please contact the wellbeing team if you are seeking support for your child’s anxiety symptoms and stress management skills, if you believe they could benefit from the program or would like a tip sheet for how you can support your child at home.

Peaceful Kids Program

‘Peaceful Kids’ is a Mindfulness and Positive Psychology based program to lessen anxiety and stress and increase resilience in children. The program gives children the skills, practice and support to utilize coping strategies that lessen the symptoms of anxiety and stress. The program also involves parental involvement and commitment to supporting the strategies at home.

Peaceful Kids Outcomes

To minimise the symptoms of anxiety and stress
To build emotional resilience
To empower children to self-manage their anxiety
For children to use a range of effective coping strategies
Teaches children how to self-regulate
To develop emotional intelligence skills
Teaches children lifelong skills to manage stress and prevent stress build up

Program structure

Peaceful Kids is a 8 week program for children
Sessions are for approximately 1 hour each week. (40-50 minutes for Prep and Year 1’s)
Sessions include learning a range of mindfulness strategies and meditations and positive psychology exercises.
Students are guided through meditations daily online via the Peaceful Kids website: peacefulkids.com.au

If you would like some more information please visit the website; peacefulkids.com.au

Outside School Referrals

The Orange Door are a service available to support parents and carers of children from 0-18 years.

The Orange Door can help if:

You are worried about the wellbeing and/or development of your child(ren).
You need help to strengthen your parenting skills and develop positive family relationships.
Your family needs help to get through stressful times, which may be caused by a range of reasons including separation, mental health, grief, drug and alcohol abuse, financial worries, illness or living with a disability.
You need extra help managing the behaviour of your child(ren).
Someone at home is making you, your children or another family member feel unsafe or afraid.
You’re pregnant or a new parent and need support and advice.
You have concerns for a vulnerable child in your community.

The Orange Door can help by:

Listening to you to understand the difficulties you’re facing.
Helping you to explore your options and think about what you want to do next.
Working with you to improve you and/or your family’s situation.
Connecting you to services that can help, such as parenting support groups, services for children, family violence support, counselling, financial help, or legal assistance.
Providing advice to help you access funding for basic living and expenses and other costs.
Providing information and advice to professionals if you are worried about a vulnerable child in your community.

To access The Orange Door you can walk in to 571-575 Raglan Parade, Warrnambool OR call 1800271180.

Gunditjmara Family and Community Services – Integrated Family Services

The Integrated Family Services (IFS) Program provides culturally sensitive, safe, confidential, professional advocacy and support services to vulnerable Aboriginal families living in South West Victoria who are requiring some extra parenting support.

The types of support – assisting parents/carers to make informed parenting choices regarding the safety, stability and development of their child/children such as:

Advocacy
Case Management
Transport
Court Support
Counselling
Referrals
Mental Health support
Personal support
Housing
Community development and education
Early intervention strategies prevention
Routines and Boundary strategies
Budgeting
Access information on housing, legal advice, income support, financial counselling, childcare, parenting, court support or other individual services as required.

At Gunditjmara our mob can walk in or call on 55591234.

Warrnambool Primary School Newsletter

Warrnambool Primary School recognises the Gunditjmara people as the traditional guardians of the land where we live, study, work and play.

Issue 21 · 25 Jul 2025

In this issue