What is KidsMatter?
KidsMatter Primary is a mental health and wellbeing framework for primary schools and is proven to make a positive difference to the lives of Australian children.
Good mental health is vital for life. Children who are mentally healthy are better able to meet life's challenges and have stronger relationships with the people around them. They are also better learners who are more likely to succeed at school. Good mental health in childhood provides a solid basis for managing changes as they grow.
Component One:
The first component of KidsMatter is building a Positive School Community. Positive and respectful relationships at school help children and families feel that they belong and that their contributions are valued. A positive school community also gives children a sense of security that their needs will be met. Research shows that when children and families feel connected to school, children are more likely to succeed academically.
Below are parent fact sheets related to Component One:
Welcoming families - Welcoming families (pdf 1064 KB)
Why connect at school - Why connect at school (pdf 957 KB)
What makes a positive school community? - Positive School (pdf 1008 KB)
Belonging at school makes a difference - Belonging at school (pdf 979 KB)
Cultural diversity and children's wellbeing - Cultural div & wellbeing (pdf 2347 KB)
Disability and children's mental health - Disability & mental health (pdf 2181 KB)
Supporting children with additional needs - Supporting children (pdf 1080 KB)
Helping children connect across cultures - Helping children connect (pdf 1045 KB)
Cultural diversity: Suggestions for families - Cultural diversity (pdf 972 KB)
Disability: Suggestions for families - Disability Suggestions (pdf 967 KB)
Component 2: Social and Emotional Learning
Social and emotional learning is about developing the ability to care for others, make responsible decisions, establish positive relationships and handle challenging situations.
SEL helps children to get along and to make good decisions.
Below are Component Two fact sheets suitable for families:
Fears and Worries:
Everyone gets scared - Everyone gets scared (pdf 916 KB)
About fears and worries - About fears and worries (pdf 1940 KB)
Coping with fears and worries - Coping with fears & worries (pdf 829 KB)
Fears and helpful self-talk - Fears and helpful self-talk (pdf 693 KB)
Making Decisions:
Helping children to choose wisely - Helping to choose wisely (pdf 907 KB)
About good decision-making - About good decision making (pdf 1898 KB)
Decision-making: Suggestions for families - Decision-making families (pdf 926 KB)
Anger:
Everyone gets mad - Everyone gets mad (pdf 919 KB)
About anger - About anger (pdf 2059 KB)
Talking through angry feelings - Talking angry feelings (pdf 783 KB)
Helping children to cool down and stay calm - Cool down & stay calm (pdf 877 KB)
Resolving conflict:
Sorting out conflict together - sorting conflict together (pdf 928 KB)
Learning to value others - Learning to value others (pdf 1041 KB)
About conflict resolution - About conflict resolution (pdf 1867 KB)
Helping resolve conflict: Suggestions for families - Helping resolve conflict (pdf 851 KB)
Getting along:
What is social and emotional learning - Social & emotional learning (pdf 866 KB)
Helping children to manage feelings - Manage feelings (pdf 850 KB)
Supporting children's confidence - Supporting confidence (pdf 984 KB)
About social and emotional learning - Social & emotional learning (pdf 2011 KB)
Social and emotional learning: Suggestions for families - Social & emotional learning (pdf 921 KB)
Friendship skills:
Friendship skills: Suggestions for families - Friendship skills familes (pdf 956 KB)
Everyone needs a friend - Everyone needs a friend (pdf 969 KB)
Helping children learn positive friendship skills - Positive friendship skills (pdf 1877 KB)
Component Three: Working with parents and carers
Learning:
Scaffolding children's learning Scaffolding Child Learning (pdf 923 KB)
About thinking and learning Thinking & Learning (pdf 2120 KB)
Thinking and learning: Suggestions for families Think & Learn Families (pdf 922 KB)
Thinking and learning: Suggestions for school staff Teach & learn -School Staff (pdf 942 KB)
Children's emotions:
Making sense of children's emotions Making sense of emotions (pdf 939 KB)
How temperament affects feelings Temperament affects child (pdf 987 KB)
About emotional development About emotional develop (pdf 2028 KB)
Emotional development: Suggestions for families Emotional Develop Families (pdf 944 KB)
How thinking affects feelings Thinking affects feelings (pdf 764 KB)
Social Development:
Good values guide good behaviour Good values (pdf 997 KB)
About social development About social develop (pdf 2019 KB)
Social development: Suggestions for families Social develop families (pdf 920 KB)
Social development: Suggestions for school staff Social develop staff (pdf 984 KB)
Mental health basics
Children and hardship Children & Hardship (pdf 983 KB)
Children and grief Children & grief (pdf 993 KB)
Children and bullying Children & bullying (pdf 946 KB)
Mental health risk and protective factors Mental health risk (pdf 2112 KB)
Building protective factors: Suggestions for families Protective factors families (pdf 933 KB)
Building protective factors: Suggestions for school staff Protective factors staff (pdf 963 KB)
Support for parenting Support for parenting (pdf 910 KB)
Discipline
Catch them being good Being good (pdf 997 KB)
Using effective discipline Using effective discipline (pdf 959 KB)
About effective discipline About effective discipline (pdf 2261 KB)
Making rules and setting limits Rules & limits (pdf 860 KB)
Effective discipline in the classroom Discipline in the classroom (pdf 842 KB)
Family relationships
Happy families work together Families work together (pdf 1097 KB)
When parents separate When parents separate (pdf 1051 KB)
About family relationships About family relationships (pdf 2420 KB)
Building better family relationships Family relationships (pdf 953 KB)
Effective family communication Family communication (pdf 932 KB)