Pastoral Care & Wellbeing
Mater Dei Catholic College has a brilliant Wellbeing team who pride themselves on providing a supportive and nurturing environment to enhance student learning and wellbeing.
A reminder, if you have any concerns please do not hesitate to contact the relevant House Leader to discuss how we can best support your child.
Carroll House - Mrs. Virginia Baggio
Kennedy House - Mr. Peter Simpson
Rosarie House – Mrs. Ruth Fraser
Sherrin House – Mr. Steve McCormack
Webber House – Mrs. Amelia Bright
School Wellbeing Practitioner - Louise de Bruin
“Only as high as I reach can I grow, only as far as I seek can I go, only as deep as I look can I see, only as much as I dream can I be.” - Karen Ravn.
Louise is available Monday – Thursday onsite and is able to support students in a range of areas that may impact on their learning and wellbeing. Some of the areas Louise can provide support in include stress management, relationship or behavioral difficulties, family counselling, mental health, emotional support, organisational and decision making skills. Louise also conducts group programs for students, workshops for parents, teachers and other school personnel.
To make an appointment with Louise she can be contact via the College office or via email: debruinl@ww.catholic.edu.au
Mental Health and Wellbeing - Response to “13 Reasons Why.”
I would like to bring your attention to the growing concern around the impact of a recently aired show on Netflix titled “13 Reasons Why”. The series depicts a young woman who suicides and presents the viewer with very confronting and graphic messaging and imagery inclusive of suicide method and means.
Our College Wellbeing Practitioner, Louise Debruin has provided the following information:
“The headspace School Support program and eheadspace service has received a growing number of concerns from schools, parents, and young people since the showed has aired in Australia.
This show directly exposes viewers to very risky suicide content and may lead to a very distressing reaction by the viewer particularly if the audience are children and young people. National and international research clearly indicates the very real impact and risk to harmful suicide exposure leading to increased risk and possible suicide contagion.
Headspace School Support and eheadspace is urging school communities, parents, and mental health services to be aware of the dangers and risks associated for children and young people who have been exposed to this content. The national suicide media program, Mindframe, also has significant concerns and warnings related to this content.”
Please see attached helpful information for parents to give you some insight into the program as well as some talking points to consider if your child has been exposed to the content.
I have also included the link below to an article which highlights the ways in which you can use the hype surrounding this program into an opportunity to educate your children about the contents.
eheadspace
https://www.eheadspace.org.au/
1800 650 890
Kids Helpline
1800 551 800
If you have any concerns or questions regarding this, please do not hesitate to contact either Louise Debruin or Myself at the College.
Ms Emily Paul
Assistant to the Principal - Students