Climate and Culture- Social Emotional Wellbeing

Communicating with the SWPBL Climate and Culture Team

If you have any questions relating to our SWPBL framework, please email:

Llewela Humphries: llewela.humphries@education.vic.gov.au

Stacey Bowles: stacey.bowles@education.vic.gov.au

Damien Kitch: damien.kitch@education.vic.gov.au

What will you find on this page in Issue 12?

• Let'sTALK update
• Bullying Prevention Program
• Information for School Counselling Service

Let'sTALK

Letting everyone talk safely.

The Let’sTALK Program is a preventative and early intervention strategy to support people feel safe to talk about their ideas, concerns or distress. The Program provides a structured approach to open communication to support and empower anyone through their challenges.

In Term 2, our Let'sTALK buddies participated in training to learn the skills and confidence to engage and empower another person to work through their challenges with the help of others as required.

This term, we checked in with our Let'sTALK buddies to see what they are enjoying about the program.

How I'm Feeling Today Chart

As a continuation of the Let'sTALK program, this term will see some classes trial a "How I'm Feeling Today" chart. The chart is a visual aid, teaching students to identify their emotions and allowing students to express their emotions non-verbally.

How it works

Each day, or as necessary, students can move their magnet and place it next to the emotion they are currently feeling. The face of the magnets are identical, with students names being written on the underside, therefore making them a discrete way to communicate with the classroom teacher and Let'sTALK buddies.

The chart enables the classroom teacher and Let'sTALK buddies to check in with students who might be feeling 'a little bit down', 'having a tough time' or 'really struggling'. Let'sTALK buddies may give that student the opportunity to talk, while classroom teachers may also encourage that student to use self-regulation skills and aids within the classroom.

Ready to Learn Scale placemats.

In Year's Three, Four, Five and Six students have developed their own Ready To Learn Scale placemats which identify at a glance how our students are feeling towards their learning. Many students use this to communicate with their teacher without having to 'discuss' any issues that may be happening. This non-verbal visual cue is a great way for teachers to monitor the students in their class and have check ins with students in need. Below you will see some examples of these in both the 3/4 classrooms and the 5/6 classrooms.

YEAR 3/4

YEAR 5/6

Upwey South and Bullying Prevention

At Upwey South Primary School, our current PBL programs focus on anti-bullying messaging and positive behaviours in the classroom. The programs and resources are:

• Berry Street (including the provision of student diaries filled with resources)
• Talk Moves (use of non-verbal cues)
• Let'sTALK
• Respectful Relationships

These programs come together to give our students the tools needed to prevent bullying in our school.

All policies related to bullying and SWPBL can be found on the school website: http://www.upweysthps.vic.edu.au/

Inspire Health and Medical is partnering with our school!

We are pleased to share with you that our school has secured a partnership with Inspire Health and Medical (formerly Yarra Valley Psychology), to provide in-school counselling services to students. 

(https://www.inspirehm.com.au/the-story-behind-inspire/), 

Throughout schools across Victoria, student counselling is a much needed (and under resourced) service. Many of our families are currently experiencing first-hand the difficulties associated with trying to gain access to support services for their children. Therefore, we must be grateful that we have been presented with the opportunity to enter a partnership with Inspire, as the resources do not exist for this partnership to occur across schools within our region. 

Our allocated and fully qualified School Counsellor is Carvin Winans. Check out the images below to find out a little more about Carvin. 

Please be aware of the information below:

Is there a cost involved to access the service, and does my child require a Mental Health Plan?

There is no cost involved for the family. 

Your child does not require a Mental Health Plan to access the service. This is due to the fact that the counselling sessions are delivered by a fully qualified School Counsellor, as opposed to a medical practitioner. 

There is also no limit on the number of sessions a child may access. Access to sessions, and duration (in weeks) will be determined between the Counsellor, the school, and the parent/carer. 

How are sessions structured?

Our School Counsellor, Carvin, is in the school two days per week, with one day dedicated to individual therapy sessions and the second day dedicated to proactive group sessions as directed by the school. Student-needs are prioritized in partnership with the school and the parent/carer. Prior to any child commencing, a confidential discussion will take place between the Counsellor and the parent/carer. 

Will each child who is referred be able to access the service?

Unfortunately, this is not achievable within the current mental health environment. Referrals will be prioritized on a needs basis from within our own school cohort. 

If I wish for my child to access the service, what do I need to do?

Please complete the referral form below and return it via the instructions on the form.