Respectful Relationships

As part of our Respectful Relationships program, students will begin exploring Topic 7: Positive Gender Relations over the coming weeks.

This topic supports students to develop an understanding of respectful relationships, challenge stereotypes and recognise that everyone deserves to be treated with fairness, dignity and respect. Students will explore how gender stereotypes can influence the way people think, behave and interact with others, and how we can all contribute to creating more inclusive environments.

The lessons encourage students to think critically about messages they may receive from friends, media and society about what boys and girls should be like. They are supported to recognise that people are individuals and that interests, emotions, strengths and abilities are not limited by gender.

Talking points for home

You might like to continue the conversation with your child by asking:

What does it mean to treat everyone fairly and respectfully?
Have you ever heard someone say, “Boys/girls don't do that”? How did that make you feel?
What are some stereotypes about boys or girls that you have noticed?
Do you think toys, sports, jobs or hobbies should be for particular genders? Why or why not?
How can we make sure everyone feels comfortable being themselves?
What can you do if you hear someone making an unfair or unkind comment about another person?
Can you think of a time when someone challenged a stereotype or showed that there is more than one way to be a boy or a girl?

A simple message to reinforce at home

There is no one right way to be a boy or a girl. We can all be ourselves, have different interests and strengths, express our feelings and choose our own path – while treating others with kindness, fairness and respect.

Thank you for supporting the important conversations happening through our Respectful Relationships program. When schools and families work together, we can help children develop the skills and confidence they need to build healthy, respectful and inclusive relationships.

Term 4 Family Programs

Uniting Care have the following programs available for families to access next term. Click on the links to find out more information.

Circle of Security Parenting - free and suitable for parents / carers of children aged 0-5 years

Tuning in to Kids - free and suitable for parents / carers of children aged 3-10 years

Tuning in to Teens - free and suitable for parents / carers of children aged 10-18 years

Tuning in to Toddlers is running in Mitcham and is available to parents or carers who are engaged with Whitehorse Maternal and Child Health.

Dads Tuning in to Kids is being co facilitated by Uniting and Knox City Council for Dads or male carers living in the local area.

To register your interest to attend Tuning in to Toddlers or Dads Tuning in to Kids, please email familywellbeingreferrals@vt.uniting.org or call (03) 9724 222.

A Quick Guide to Family Services in the Inner East

Supporting Families, Together

Every family experiences challenges from time to time, and it's important to know that support is available. Here is some information about services and resources that can help families navigate life's ups and downs. We hope this information provides reassurance, increases awareness of available supports, and encourages families to reach out if they ever need a helping hand.

What is Family Services?

Family Services is a free, voluntary outreach service available to support children and families experiencing vulnerability. They work confidentially alongside families to assist and support them to achieve their goals. This includes building skills and establishing resources needed to promote the ongoing safety, stability and development of children.

Family Services can usually work with a family for up to 6 months working on goals together to empower and support change.

How do I access family Services?

Family Services sits at the following services:

Intake for all of these services is through one intake hub. This intake hub is called The Orange Door and this organisation can be contacted Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm and is contactable in our area on this number: 1800 354 322.

Someone else can support you in putting in the referral including the school, however as family services is a voluntary program, The Orange Door will want to speak with the families to get some background information to complete the referral, so they know they are linking you with the right supports for your family.

What is The Orange Door?

The Orange Door is an intake Service that works on promoting safety and wellbeing. It is the intake service for Family Services as well as Family violence services.

We have noticed that sometimes there is confusion or a view that it is only for those experiencing family violence, which is not true. You do not need to be experiencing family violence to utilise the orange door. It was developed to bring multiple services together as a partnership so that individuals and families don’t have to go to multiple services or to retell their story multiple times to have their needs met. One of those multiple services is Family Services where you can get parenting supports.

If you would like more information about The Orange Door please refer to the following information.

Free Australian resources that provide practical strategies and advice for supporting children's mental health and wellbeing:

Be You – Evidence-based information for families on children's mental health, resilience and emotional wellbeing.
Raising Children Network – Expert parenting advice on managing anxiety, stress, emotions, friendships and building resilience.
Kids Helpline – Resources for children, young people and parents, plus free counselling for children aged 5–25.
Beyond Blue – Practical information to help families understand anxiety, stress and mental health.
Smiling Mind – Free mindfulness activities and guided meditations suitable for children and families.
The Resilience Project – Simple wellbeing strategies focused on gratitude, empathy and mindfulness that families can practise together.

Useful Websites:

Looking after your child's mental health:

https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/parents/family-health/your-childs-mental-health-advice.pdf

Easing into Adolescence

The Department of Education has launched an Easing into

adolescence webpage for families of students aged 10 to 14 (Grade 5 to Year 8).

The webpage has information and strategies you can use to help ease your child into adolescence and secondary school. These include:

a guide to emotion coaching. Staff from The University of Melbourne’s Tuning in to Teens Kids program developed the guidance.
how to support your adolescent with their studies and more generally. Parenting expert and clinical psychologist Andrew Fuller helped develop this resource.

Subtitles for videos by The University of Melbourne on the webpage are available in 10 languages. You can select your preferred language on the translations page.

Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Supports

Reward System

SWPBS focuses on multi-tiered interventions to promote positive behaviours. As part of the approach to enabling a strong school culture which embodies our school values, we have put in place a whole school sticker rewards system.

Aim of the Reward System

At DPS we have implemented a reward system to reward positive behaviours that are necessary for promoting a positive and supportive school environment. These positive behaviours are based on our four values of Compassion, Resilience, Respect and Responsibility. Part of our reward system includes the handing out of stickers which are distributed by staff when the students are "caught" displaying one or more of the values.

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