Wellbeing Model Components

Students and Families

Students and families have access to a wide range of programs and services designed to foster wellbeing, safety and guidance for our families and students. These services are drawn from wellbeing programs utilised in classrooms, to key people within the school whose role is to draw upon resources and services at point of need, to specialist services utilised from external agencies.

Teachers

Classroom teachers embed our curriculum of social and emotional wellbeing on a daily basis, by drawing upon our research based programs, and supporting the learnings drawn from these programs in their daily classroom practice. They work closely with students to build resilience, emotional intelligence and a sense of belonging and acceptance. They connect with families, other key school personal, and healthcare professionals in supporting the academic and social and emotional development of students. Research based programs include:

Personal Safety Program
Personal Safety is the building up of children's resilience and confidence in order for them to problem solve and identify strategies to prevent them from harm and abuse. Personal Safety strategies teach children how to identify and avoid risky situations.

"Bullying. No Way!" Framework

Abbotsford Primary School is committed to providing a safe and respectful learning environment where bullying will not be tolerated. Bullying. No Way! is the trusted government source of quality resources for creating safe and supportive learning environments.

Cyber Safety - eSmart School-eSmart, an initiative of the Alannah & Madeline Foundation, helps schools maintain a supportive and connected community to reduce online and offline bullying, and increase wellbeing. It supports schools to review and improve operational systems, practices and knowledge-base across the whole school community.

Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships- The Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships program (RRRR) is about embedding a culture of respect and equality across our entire community, from our classrooms to staffrooms, sporting fields, fetes and social events. This approach leads to positive impacts on student’s academic outcomes, their mental health, classroom behaviour, and relationships between teachers and students.

Berry Street Education Model-The Berry Street Education Model (BSEM) provides strategies for teaching and learning that enables teachers to increase engagement of students with complex, unmet learning needs and to successfully improve all students’ self-regulation, relationships, wellbeing, growth and academic achievement.

To read more about the programs above, please visit the Wellbeing Curriculum page.

Student Wellbeing Coordinator

Our Student Wellbeing Coordinator is a key person in linking students and families with resources and services. Our Student Wellbeing Coordinator is an experienced counsellor and works with students who are finding the school environment challenging, and she guides them with the development of their social and emotional skills. The role of the Student Wellbeing Coordinator encompasses referring students to services on a needs basis. The Wellbeing Coordinator also oversees referral to the following:

Art Therapy- Coordination, referral and supervision of our school-based Art Therapy program. Art Therapy is a program run in conjunction with La Trobe University with the aim of helping students to process their emotions, alleviate anxiety and build social skills.

Family and services liaison- The coordination of service support to students and families, referral to community support services and welfare agencies; referral to State Schools Relief for eligible families;

Student Support Group Meetings- Student Support Group meetings are held four times a year with families, the Student Wellbeing Coordinator, teaching staff, and any relevant healthcare or community support professionals. They are convened to set learning goals and to provide two way feedback between school and home on the progress and needs of targeted students.

Counselling- Allows students to process and resolve issues by giving students an opportunity to voice their concerns with a focus on an outcome that incudes self-management. Through the exploration of cognitive behaviour techniques, and development of strategies to regulate emotional responses, students are assisted to build relationships and resilience.

Disability support- The Student Wellbeing Coordinator liaises with school staff and our regional Student Support Service personnel (psychologists, speech therapists, social workers) meeting on a regular basis to organise assessment and service provision as required; co-ordinates Program for Students with Disabilities coordinator. Our students with disabilities may have access to the Visiting Teachers Service, which provides expert teachers who assist students and staff in ensuring the learning environment is supportive and inclusive. This support includes the provision of aides and equipment. They also can work one on one with students and teachers to guide with the use and implementation of aides and equipment in the classroom.

To read more about the role of the Student Wellbeing Coordinator, please visit the Student Wellbeing Coordinator page.

Child Safety Officer

The Child Safety Officer works with the School Leadership Team, classroom teachers and the wider school community. All school policies and procedures regarding child safety are the responsibility of the Child Safety Officer. They are also a valuable key person for school staff to consult with when considering diversity, inclusiveness and the social and emotional wellbeing of students. The Child Safety Officer works with the school community to promote our wellbeing programs, and this includes informative articles in the newsletter, and community events. The responsibilities of the Child Safety Officer also include:

Child Safety Standards- The role of the Child Safety Officer is to ensure that our school meets the requirements of the Child Safety Standards. The Child Safety Standards embed child safety in everyday thinking and practice in schools and other organisations that provide services for our young people. Their purpose is to promote the safety of children, prevent child abuse and ensure organisations have processes in place to respond to and report all allegations of child abuse.

Overseeing of Wellbeing Programs- Our wellbeing programs are an essential part of our whole school curriculum. The Child Safety Officer is responsible for guiding and supporting teachers and the wider school community in the provision of opportunities for students to further develop their social and emotional skills. Our wellbeing programs have at their core the goal of ensuring our students are healthy and safe. Our programs help our students to learn essential wellbeing skills to equip them to live happy and enriching lives. Our school has incorporated wellbeing into the overall learning and education of our students.

To read more about the Child Safety, please visit the Child Safety pages.

Service Providers

We have access to a wide range of services that offer a further opportunity for students and families to access. These are made available through the Department of Education, The Department of Health and Human Services and key community based organisations. These services include:

Student Support Services- Student Support Services (SSS) teams are comprised of professionals including psychologists, speech pathologists and social workers. They support schools in assisting children and young people facing barriers to learning to achieve their educational and developmental potential. SSS staff work as part of an integrated health and wellbeing team within a school cluster. This team includes:

Family Support Programs- Family Support Programs promote the safety, stability and development of vulnerable young people and their families. They provide case management and guidance, linking families with relevant support services. These services include providers such as Orange Door and Yarra Family Services.

Health Services- Our school liaises with many community based Paediatric Services such as the North Richmond Health centre, The Royal Children’s Hospital, and services that students access at school such as the School Nurse and dental services for health screening.

National Disability Insurance Scheme- A scheme of the Australian Government which funds costs associated with disability. This can provide funding for specialist support such as Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists and psychology support services. Our school encourages NDIS funded professionals to provide services that are accessed by students during school hours.

Child Protection- Child Protective Services respond to reports of child abuse and neglect. All teachers and Education Staff are mandated reporters if there are concerns for the welfare and wellbeing of children and their families.