Child Safe & Wellbeing

Daily check ins and Child Safe Standard 3

At St Thomas the Apostle we take Child Safety very seriously.

One of the 11 Child safety Standards which guide our work is Standard 3. 

Standard 3

Children and young people are empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously.

This week we met with a group of students from Foundation - Grade 5 to give an opportunity for 'student voice.'

The group were able to offer feedback about our new morning check in process. 

The infographic shows how students responded to questions about our whole school check in process. 

Students were extremely positive about the approach and made some of the following comments.

'It allows teachers to know how students are feeling if they don’t want to share it one on one.'

'Some students are very self reflective and think about how they feel a lot, and some students aren’t like that.' 

'Getting us to think about our sleep is one of the best things.'

'I think it is important to the teachers because they have to know how we’re feeling, if we are feeling safe. If we don’t feel safe we can’t learn.'

'They need to know how we’re feeling in case we’re just doing the wrong thing because we think it is fun, not because there’s a problem we’re having.'

'Since our parents aren’t here at school and us as students normally go to our parents for support. Without them here we need teachers to step in and do their job.'

'I think it is important that teachers respond to our concerns because if they don’t respond to what we feel on the check ins then we can’t talk to a trusted adult about what they can do to help.'

'From my experience my teacher has always checked in with the people who aren’t feeling really great. I hope that’s the same for every other teacher.'

This month on SchoolTV - Cybersafety

Young people today are growing up in an increasingly connected world where technology is part of their everyday lives –– for learning, socialising, and entertainment. While the digital world offers enormous benefits, it also comes with serious risks. From cyberbullying and online predators to inappropriate content and screen time concerns, navigating the online environment can be challenging for young people and their families.

Cybersafety is not just about blocking access –– it's about empowering young people with the knowledge and skills they need to use technology responsibly and safely. This includes understanding privacy settings, recognising scams, and developing healthy digital habits. At the same time, it's important for parents and caregivers to stay informed, have open and judgement-free conversations with their children, and lead by example through positive online behaviour.

In today's digital age, safeguarding a child's wellbeing must also include protecting their online life. This edition of SchoolTV will help you better understand the digital landscape your child is navigating and offer practical strategies to help them stay safe, confident and in control online.

Here is the link to find out more.