Mental Health & Wellbeing Students/Parents/Carers Support 

Mental Health and Wellbeing Update

 Nikki Olsen 

Student wellbeing plays an important role in learning, engagement, relationships, and school success.

Here are some of the things I do in my role:

• Supporting a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing by helping create safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environments where all students can thrive 
• Working alongside teachers to build teacher capacity and develop strategies that support students’ emotional wellbeing, engagement, and learning
• Helping strengthen students’ social and emotional skills through whole-school wellbeing approaches
• Assisting with early identification of students who may need additional support
• Working collaboratively with families to support student wellbeing and connect parents/carers with appropriate wellbeing resources, services, and supports.
• Supporting attendance, school engagement, and student belonging

Whole -School Wellbeing approach 

At Ripponlea Primary School, we are committed to building student wellbeing through prevention, early intervention, and positive relationships.

What we already do:

• Teaching students emotional regulation and problem-solving skills
• Helping students develop positive friendships and resilience
• Creating predictable and supportive classroom environments
• Supporting students to understand that everyone learns differently
• Promoting inclusion, empathy, and respectful relationships

Our wellbeing approach is most successful when schools and families work together.

Supporting Your Child at home

There are many simple ways families can support children’s mental health and wellbeing:

• Encouraging open conversations about feelings
• Maintaining healthy sleep routines
• Supporting regular physical activity and outdoor time
• Helping children develop problem-solving and coping skills
• Monitoring online wellbeing and screen use
• Encouraging friendships and social connection

Work Together

We know that children thrive when they feel safe, connected, supported, and understood both at home and at school. Families are always welcome to reach out to me if they have concerns about their child’s wellbeing, engagement, friendships, emotions, or school connection. 

💡 This week’s helpful articles on mental health and screen use.

Research continues to show that excessive screen time can negatively impact children and adolescents in areas such as learning, emotional wellbeing, sleep, and overall physical health.

Read on for the latest research and practical strategies parents can use to encourage healthy, balanced screen use at home.

Scan or click the code

This video focuses on a family plan for screen usage.

Scan or click the code 

Australia’s new social media minimum-age legislation has prompted strong reactions from parents and schools alike. Some families feel relieved; others are frustrated or unsure whether anything has really changed. 

For parents of children aged 5–18, this moment matters. Here’s a clear, practical overview of what the ban means — and what families can do now. 

What the Law Does — and Doesn’t Do 

The legislation restricts children under 16 from accessing major social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Snapchat. 

Key points for families: 

● Responsibility sits with platforms, not parents 

● The rollout was never expected to be instant or perfect 

● This is not a ban on communication 

Children can still text, call, message friends, and play games together. The aim is to reduce exposure to algorithm-driven platforms designed to maximise screen time by manipulating attention and emotion. 

Why This Matters for Children and Teens 

Most content on major platforms is no longer shared between people who know each other. Instead, children are exposed to endless short-form content from strangers, selected by algorithms designed to keep them scrolling. 

For developing brains, this can contribute to: 

● Increased anxiety and comparison 

● Reduced focus and emotional regulation 

● Sleep disruption and lower wellbeing 

For younger children, this affects play and brain development. For adolescents, it is associated with identity development, confidence, and mood. 

What We’re Seeing So Far 

Early outcomes are mixed — which was always expected. 

Encouraging signs include fewer youth accounts on major platforms, calmer homes for some families, and a slow cultural shift where early access is becoming less “normal”. 

Challenges remain. Some children are migrating to other platforms, bypassing restrictions, or being helped by adults to work around safeguards. 

Children testing limits is normal. Adults undermining protections is not — and it weakens both wellbeing and trust. 

Three Practical Things Parents Can Do Now 

1. Explain the Why

Children engage in better ways when they understand the “why”. Rather than relying on “it’s the law,” explain — in age-appropriate ways — how platforms make money, why algorithms push outrage, violence, or reactionary content, and how this affects users. 

2. Replace, Don’t Just Remove 

Removing social media without replacing connection creates frustration. Helpful alternatives include phones that call and text but limit apps, parental controls (agreed to by everyone in healthy conversations), offline games, sport, hobbies and face-to-face time. 

Connection is essential. Algorithms are not. 

3. Model Healthy Digital Habits 

Children learn more from what they see than what they’re told. Keep phones out of bedrooms, take breaks from social media yourself, and show that play, connection, and rest matter. 

A play-based childhood needs play-based adults. 

A Final Word for Families and Schools 

This legislation is imperfect and still evolving. But something important has changed. 

For the first time, big tech must justify children’s presence on their platforms, rather than parents having to justify their absence. 

When families and schools work together — explaining, replacing and modelling — children are better protected and better prepared to navigate the digital world with confidence. 

Justin Coulson is a parenting expert, co-host of Channel Nine’s Parental Guidance, and co-host of Australia’s #1 parenting podcast, The Happy Families Podcast, alongside his wife. Justin speaks at schools with students, educators, and parents about wellbeing, relationships, and parenting. He has written 10 books on families and parenting, with his latest book on raising boys released this year.

I hope you found the articles useful,

Nikki