Student Services News
Wellbeing resources and services for the school holidays
Holidays can take students away from friends and their usual school supports. Changes to routine can cause some young people to feel stressed, isolated and alone. Parent support is very important at this time. Below is some information to help you support young people to stay in a healthy headspace in school holidays. There is also some information that may help you to identify when your child might need some extra support and where to go for help.
The Student Wellbeing Hub
The Student Wellbeing Hub is a website funded by the Australian Government Department of Education and provided by Education Services Australia. It is based on the Student Wellbeing Framework which acknowledges the fundamental importance of wellbeing in a school environment, including students, families and school staff, to ensure safe and trusting relationships in a positive learning environment so that wellbeing and students can flourish. The website has a parents section that includes information about primary and secondary students including;
- Wellbeing topics such as encouraging online safety, supporting your child to make responsible decisions, your child’s mental and physical health
- Links to resources about many topics such as healthy eating, drugs and alcohol, safety, mental health and support for mental health, bullying, and online safety. The resources can be filtered by year group and format.
This website contains a very thorough collection of resources and information about Wellbeing topics for the whole school community. There is a student section as well. The Student Wellbeing Hub provides an opportunity to subscribe to a newsletter, as well as to check the Facebook page for more information.
Smiling Mind
Smiling mind is one of the world leaders in the pre-emptive mental health space and Australia’s go-to expert for youth-based mindfulness programs
Calm
Calm is the #1 app for Sleep, Meditation and Relaxation.
Services
Headspace - Work with young people to provide support at a crucial time in their lives – to help get them back on track and strengthen their ability to manage their mental health in the future. This is their helpful factsheet for the upcoming holiday period: “Supporting your young person during the holidays”.
Kids Helpline - Australia’s free 9even from a mobile) confidential 24/7 online and phone counselling service for young people aged 5-25.
Lifeline – Australia’s leading suicide prevention service. A national charity providing all Australians experiencing a personal crisis with access to 24-hour crisis support.
Suicide line - Is a free 24/7 telephone, video and online counselling service offering professional support to people at risk of suicide, people concerned about someone else’s risk of suicide, and people bereaved by suicide.
Beyond Blue - Provides information and support to help everyone in Australia achieve their best possible mental health, whatever their age and wherever they live. There is also support for families “Healthy Families”
REACHOUT.com – Reach out is Australia’s leading online mental health organization for young people and their parents. They have practical tips, tools and support for a range of things from issues to tough times.
Parent line - A state-wide telephone counselling and support service for all Victorian parents and carers of children from 0-18 years. Experienced social workers, psychologists and family therapists can give you counselling and information around a wide range of parenting issues.
Health Direct - A government-funded service, providing quality, approved health information and advice.