Child Safe & Wellbeing

Dear Families,

Here at St Thomas the Apostle PS we prioritise the Social and Emotional Wellbeing of each of our children and how they engage and thrive in their relationships with peers and adults in our community. Our children are taught explicit skills outlined in our Victorian Curriculum: Personal and Social Capabilities and in our Rights, Resilience and Respectful Relationships Whole School Approach.  This is a universal level of instruction. When our children require an increased level of support and adjustment, we can access trained staff within our school setting to provide more intensive intervention.

At school we have two Mental Health Practitioners:  Emily Edmondson and Farha Siddiqui who support our students at their identified point of need.

Emily and Farha work with both individual students and small groups of students to embed a wholistic approach in supporting their mental health, wellbeing, social and emotional needs.

This approach focuses on providing personalised support to help students overcome challenges, develop coping strategies, and improve their overall wellbeing. 

It includes creating a supportive environment where students can develop social skills, emotional resilience, and problem-solving abilities. Collaboration is key, integrating mental health strategies into the learning environment and fostering open communication with teachers, families, and community resources. 

Regular tracking of student attendance ensures early intervention when needed. Additionally, immediate emotional support, risk assessments, and safety planning are offered to students in distress, advocating for their needs and ensuring a safe and supportive learning space.

Below are infographics to outline clearly the purpose and intention of our wellbeing approach.