Child Safety & Wellbeing
Connection, Kindness and Well-Earned Pause
As our students are returning from their Residential Programs and are looking forward to a much earned mid-term break, it’s important they take the time to Rest, Recover, and Restore. After spending quality time connecting with their peers in environments outside of the classroom, engaging in stimulating and challenging activities that will have pushed many outside their comfort zones, this break is a perfect opportunity to continue practicing mindfulness, reflecting on the time they have had and the memories they have made, and showing gratitude for the opportunities they have been presented. For many of the camps that went out, screen time was limited, and I encourage all students to continue to limit their screen time over the weekend. This has a myriad of benefits, including better sleep, less irritability, greater creativity, and healthier social interactions.
We also celebrated Be Kind Day last Friday. A beautiful day that saw our Student Wellbeing Club host a range of lunchtime activities which included Kindness Cookies and Kindness Keyring Making on the MYC deck. The Student Wellbeing Club also ran a mentor activity for all year levels - anonymous kindness cards, designed and prepared by the student members, with accompanying posters and an entertaining video to remind us all to continue practicing kindness, to everyone, at all times. It was great to see so many students come out and support the efforts of the Student Wellbeing Team, who have been working on Be Kind Day since the beginning of the term.
With only 4 weeks left of Term 1, and as some fatigue begins to set in, it is more important than ever to be understanding, practice patience, and above all else, be kind.
Have a great mid-term break.
Raz Sappideen
Head of Wellbeing
HT Therapy Animals
At Huntingtower, our Therapy Dogs work alongside Wellbeing staff to create a positive, supportive moments that contribute to a nurturing school community. These specifically trained dogs provide a calm and comforting presence, helping students reduce stress or in need of connection.
Always available for pats and a kind paw
Child Safety and Wellbeing - Your Voice Matters
At Huntingtower, the safety and wellbeing of every child is our highest priority. We are committed to maintaining a strong child safe culture and ensuring our policies and practices reflect best practice and the needs of our community.
Our Child Safety Policies
Our Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy, Child Safety Code of Conduct, Complaint and Grievances Policy and related policies are available on the School website and HTConnect.
These documents outline:
Our commitment to child safety and wellbeing
The standards of behaviour expected of staff, volunteers and students
Our processes for responding to concerns or complaints
How we manage and review child safety risks
How we create culturally safe and inclusive environments
How we empower students to understand their rights and speak up
All policies are endorsed by the School’s governing authority and are reviewed regularly to ensure they remain clear, effective and responsive.
Family Engagement and Feedback
We value the important role parents and carers play in promoting child safety and wellbeing. Your feedback helps us strengthen our practices and ensure our policies remain accessible and meaningful.
We encourage all parents and carers to:
Read our Child Safety policies
Discuss them with your child where appropriate
Provide feedback, suggestions or questions at any time
Providing Feedback
Parents and carers can provide feedback or raise questions about child safety policies and practices by emailing: ChildSafety@huntingtower.vic.edu.au
If you have a concern about a child’s safety or wellbeing, please contact the School directly or follow the complaint procedures outlined in our policy. All concerns are taken seriously and responded to promptly.
Child safety is a shared responsibility. Thank you for partnering with us to ensure Huntingtower remains a safe, inclusive and supportive environment for every child.