Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHiPS)

Last week the MHWL team (Llaaneath Poor, Shannon Reeve and I) commenced our formal Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader training with a module on Mental Health Literacy. This module’s aim was to provide foundational knowledge about children’s mental health and wellbeing and leading to a deeper understanding of staff mental health literacy for supporting students in your school. We explored the factors that influence children's mental health and wellbeing when considering the current wellbeing landscape of our school. 

We focused on building knowledge of children’s wellbeing, child development and the Children's Wellbeing Continuum to support recognition of the mental health needs of students within their school. The Children's Wellbeing Continuum (CWC) is an evidence-based tool developed to support conversations around children’s wellbeing. We identified how this continuum fits with what is already happening in our school including the Zones of Regulation and our Pivot data and check ins. 

We did an audit on our wellbeing programs and made observations on what currently exists and is visible across the school related to mental health and wellbeing. Evidence in our classrooms, offices and spaces included: School Value displays, Rights and Responsibilities posters, visual supports and timetables, Zones of Regulation displays, check ins with students, classroom displays, celebration of student work, all evidence of student engagement and learning concepts. Importantly this was consistent across the school. 

As a Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader team, we are consistently using school level data and staff input to evaluate our programs and initiatives. At BPPS we use the Pivot Platform to enable staff to focus on student voice, through feedback via student perception and wellbeing surveys. Pivot is a tool designed to measure, track and support student wellbeing. It enables schools to monitor students’ wellbeing and the factors that affect it through surveys of students and weekly check-ins throughout the term.

We conduct weekly check ins during the term where students can check in on their wellbeing and provide teachers with valuable insight into their readiness to learn. We value Pivot input and use the data from the check ins to take proactive steps to support student readiness to learn and promote positive wellbeing.

One of the key roles of MHWL is to strengthen our understanding of mental health and wellbeing and the factors that influence it, with Pivot playing a valued role in supporting this work through awareness, capability building and student voice.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the wellbeing programs and initiatives that we have at Boroondara Park Primary School.

Kind regards,

Kristen Schultz

Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader and Learning Specialist - Wellbeing