Mental Health and Wellbeing

A Reminder for Parents – Our Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader

Just a reminder that at St John’s, our Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader (MHiPS Leader) is available to support the emotional and social wellbeing of our students. This role is part of the Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHiPS) program, established in collaboration with the Victorian Department of Education and the University of Melbourne. The program was created to help schools identify early signs of mental health concerns, provide timely support, and strengthen connections with families and community services.

The MHiPS Leader works closely with teachers, families, and external professionals to ensure every student has access to the support they need to thrive at school. They assist with a wide range of wellbeing needs, including emotional regulation, resilience building, social skills, and proactive programs such as body image awareness, anger management, and mindfulness activities.

How Parents Can Access Support: If you have concerns about your child’s wellbeing, the first step is to speak with your child’s teacher. You can also contact the school office to request a conversation with our MHiPS Leader. Together, we can discuss strategies, supports, or referrals tailored to your child’s needs.

Our goal is to ensure that students feel safe, supported, and empowered to grow academically and emotionally. By working together—teachers, families, and the wellbeing team—we can help every child flourish.

For more information or to arrange a meeting, please contact the school office and request a discussion with our Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader.

Breaking the Cycle of Stigma Around Mental Health

Mental health is just as important as physical health, yet many children, young people, and even adults feel hesitant to talk about it due to stigma. At St John’s, we are committed to breaking the cycle of stigma by encouraging open conversations, normalising emotional wellbeing, and providing accessible support for all students.

By addressing mental health openly, we teach children that it is okay to have feelings, okay to seek help, and okay to ask questions. This helps build resilience, empathy, and understanding, while reducing shame or fear around discussing emotions.

Supports Available at St John’s and in the Community:

School Wellbeing Team – including the Mental Health and Wellbeing (MHiPS) Leader.
Classroom Teacher Support – teachers can provide strategies and daily wellbeing guidance.
Parent Resources and Referrals – connections to psychologists, social workers, and local mental health services.
Community Programs – including initiatives like the Stand Up Project, mindfulness workshops, and local youth wellbeing services.

Children’s Books About Emotional Regulation: Reading and discussing stories is a powerful way to help children understand emotions and develop coping skills. Here are some recommended titles:

The Colour Monster by Anna Llenas – understanding and naming emotions.
When Sophie Gets Angry – Really, Really Angry… by Molly Bang – managing big feelings.
Anh’s Anger by Gail Silver – strategies for calming down.
Listening to My Body by Gabi Garcia – connecting feelings to bodily sensations.
The Way I Feel by Janan Cain – identifying and expressing emotions.

By combining open conversations, practical supports, and engaging resources, we can help children build the confidence and skills to manage their emotions, ask for help when needed, and grow up understanding that mental health is a normal part of life.

If you would like more information about supports available for your child or strategies for emotional regulation at home, please contact the school office to speak with our MHiPS Leader.

New Books in Our Library – Meet Chucky!

We are excited to announce that two new books have been added to the St John’s library: Cry Hard Chucky and Laugh Hard Chucky, written by Andrew Kelly and illustrated by Emma Stuart.

Andrew was born and raised on a wheat farm in the southern Mallee region of Victoria and is the 13th of 14 children. He is a music teacher at Swan Hill Primary School, and these are his first two children’s books, with another one already on the way! I was fortunate enough to meet Andrew recently at the Avenel Market, and it was wonderful to hear his passion for writing and supporting children’s emotional wellbeing.

These stories explore important life lessons in an engaging and relatable way:

Cry Hard Chucky highlights the importance of allowing ourselves to have a good cry when things go wrong.
Laugh Hard Chucky celebrates the value of being able to have a good hard laugh and see the humour in life, even when things are tough.

Andrew’s books not only entertain, but also encourage children to understand and express their emotions in healthy ways, supporting both emotional regulation and wellbeing.

We are hoping to organise a visit from Andrew in 2026. This will be a wonderful opportunity for students to meet a local author, learn about mental health and wellbeing, and gain insight into the journey of self-publishing a book.

We are thrilled to share Andrew’s stories with our students and look forward to seeing the positive impact they will have in our classrooms and library.

Raisingchildren.net.au – A Brilliant Resource for Families and Educators

If you haven’t yet explored raisingchildren.net.au, I strongly encourage you to add it to your favourites! This Australian parenting website is a fantastic, evidence-based resource offering information, videos, and tools to support children’s development — from birth right through to the teenage years and beyond.

What makes this site particularly valuable is how accessible and practical it is for both families and educators. It covers everything from health and wellbeing to learning, behaviour, and relationships, offering guidance that aligns with the developmental stages of children.

For classroom teachers, it’s an excellent resource to recommend to families who may be seeking reliable parenting advice or strategies to support their child at home. It also helps teachers deepen their own understanding of child development, behaviour, and family dynamics — supporting stronger home–school partnerships.

At the bottom of the homepage, there’s also a section for professionals, which includes a variety of useful materials designed for those working with children and families. Of particular interest is the Personal Learning Plans section, offering insights and templates that may help guide and strengthen support planning in schools.

This is truly a go-to site for anyone involved in raising or educating children — an invaluable tool we can all benefit from exploring and sharing.

Click to access past resources