1. Childhood Wellbeing
A Presentation by St Joseph‟s Primary School, Hawthorn

2. Why are we here tonight?
 To explore the concept of „Wellbeing‟
Using current research
Community ideas
Expand our understanding
 To collaborate and share ideas within our community
Using personal insights & experience
 Topics for the evening…
What is wellbeing?
What can we do when wellbeing deteriorates?
How can we promote wellbeing?

3. Defining Wellbeing
 World Health Organisation
 “wellbeing is where each individual realizes his or her own
potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work
productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to
her or his community” www.who.int
 What does wellbeing mean to you?
Is it happiness, life satisfaction, a feeling of contentment,
sense of belonging and acceptance, peace, feeling at ease,
or is it pleasure & enjoyment, or all the above?
What aspects of life contribute to your wellbeing?
Family, friends, work, leisure, sport, activity, hobbies,
community, travel, experiences, achievement, lifestyle,
serving others, simple things, peace & quiet…

4. Defining Wellbeing For Your Child
Adult wellbeing & child wellbeing share similarities
Happiness, acceptance, peace of mind
BUT, they also have differences
Children face different challenges
Children have different priorities
How in tune are you with your child‟s wellbeing?
What does wellbeing mean for children?
What contributes towards a child‟s wellbeing?

5. Activity Time
At your tables, please take 2 or 3 minutes to
share your thoughts and ideas about
childhood wellbeing, what sorts of day to
day things contribute to a child‟s sense of
wellbeing (i.e. time with mum and dad)

6. When childhood wellbeing deteriorates…
How do children express distress?
How do we know when a child is not ok?
Rely on intuition, „Gut feeling‟?
Observation?
What do we look for?
Familiar signs
Are there signs I‟m not aware of?

7. Achenbach Child Behaviour Checklist
 What is it?
 Created by Professor Thomas Achenbach (Psychiatrist)
 A widely-used standardized measure in child psychology for evaluating
maladaptive behavioural and emotional problems
 How is it used?
 The Achenbach is used by psychologists & psychiatrists
 To assess if behaviour is within the normal range for age & gender
 Investigate behaviour that falls outside the range
 Who help can use it?
 Relevant for parents, teachers, & caregivers in general
 Helpful to be aware of a broad range of child distress behaviours
 Can give you an idea of what to look for

8. Achenbach Checklist
1. Internalizing Behaviours
 Somatic complaints (feeling dizzy, tired, aches or pains, headaches,
nausea, problems with eyes, rashes or other skin problems, stomach aches
or cramps, vomiting or other somatic problems)
 Anxiety/depression (crying, fear, loneliness, nervousness, worthlessness,
suspiciousness, guilt, and fear)
 Withdrawn (lonely, guilty, worthless, nervous, fearful, suspicious, unloved,
self-conscious or sad)
2. Externalizing Behaviours
 Aggressive (bragging, arguing, screaming, showing off, attention-seeking,
teasing, being demanding, threatening behaviour and displaying a
temper
 Delinquent (cheating, lying, setting fires, swearing, truancy, stealing and
vandalism)

9. Achenbach Checklist
3. Social, Attention and Thought Problems
 Social (acting young, clinginess, not getting along with peers,
clumsiness and preferring to play with younger children)
 Thought (seeing or hearing things, repeating acts and strange
ideas and behaviour)
 Attention (concentration difficulties, problems sitting still, impulsivity,
day dreaming, nervousness and poor performance in school)
4. Additional Problem Behaviours
 Nightmares, sleep problems, eating problems, accidents and
talking about suicide
 nail-biting, whining, speech problems, sexual problems,
picking at skin

10. Gathering More Information
 Frequency… How often does the behaviour occur?
 Describe the intensity on a scale of 1-10, or from mild-severe?
 Duration… How long have the behaviours occurred?
 Are there are triggers that precede the behaviour?
 Is there a family history of problematic behaviours or mental health concerns?
 Any significant events, life changes, or trauma in your child‟s history?

11. Seeking help - Options
Family, friends, parish
Parentline 13 22 89 (7am to Midnight)
Family GP
Paediatrician
Mental health services
School community

12. Seeking help within our school community
Step 1 - Raise your concerns with your classroom teacher/HoIN
Discuss behaviour in developmental context
Step 2 - Classroom teacher/HoIN will refer you to me (Emma)
Step 3 - Discuss concerns in greater detail, make a plan
Step 4 - Make decisions in partnership about how to proceed
 Short term counselling
 Classroom based strategies
 Parent support

13. Amber Flag Behaviours & Thoughts
1. Verbal or physical violence towards peers,
siblings, parents, or teachers
2. Ongoing sleeping difficulties – trouble getting
to or staying asleep, nightmares
3. Thoughts or curiosity about suicide or harming
themselves or others
Talk to someone as soon as possible

15. Promoting Wellbeing
The St Joseph‟s Approach

16. Positive Psychology = Promoting Wellbeing
 Positive Psychology founded in 1998 by Dr Martin Seligman
 Traditionally in psychology, the focus has been on identifying
and treating mental health issues or problem behaviour
 Positive psychology seeks to enhance overall wellbeing by
identifying & treating mental health issues, as well as using a
persons strengths to create meaning, find fulfilment, & thrive!
Traditional psychology
Positive Psychology
-100 0 100

17. What is St Joseph’s doing to promote wellbeing?

18. Promoting Wellbeing – At School
1. Classroom environment
 Individualised approach – every child matters
 Key emphasis on Respect – self, peers, others
 Physical space is uncluttered, colourful, welcoming
 „Circle‟ Time
 Strategy employed by both Junior & Senior year levels
 Gives students a voice to be heard
 Supervised & led by classroom teacher
2. Wellbeing & Support Staff
Head of Wellbeing & Head of Individual Needs
Learning Support Staff
School Psychologist

19. Promoting Wellbeing – At School
3. Social & Emotional Programs
 Classroom programs i.e. The „You Can Do It‟ initiative
 Classroom workshops (programs vary with needs)
 Wellbeing Workshops – years 3 & 4
 Supervised Playgroups – years 1 & 2
 Garden Club – years 5 & 6
4. Playground & Other Support
 Teachers are trained in Restorative Practice
 Yard duty book (Observation & Monitoring)
 „Behavioural Contracts‟
 Parent Support Group Meetings

20. Promoting Wellbeing – At School
 St Joseph‟s Mission Statement
When we encounter difficulties
When we have problems or issues to solve
When we need guidance and support
Reminds us of our school values
“St Joseph’s School aspires to live the values of Jesus
within a welcoming Catholic community that
celebrates and integrates faith, life, learning, &
culture; empowering our students to live together
harmoniously in an ever changing world”
Mission statements are not just useful for schools, companies,
and institutions…

21. Family Foundations
1. What is your Family Philosophy?
 Articulate and acknowledge your family values
 Put them on posters, remind your children, be vocal about them
 Create a family Mission Statement that sets the tone for your family
2. Positive role modelling
 Relevant for Teachers, Sports Coaches, Caregivers, & Parents
 Modelling is one of the most powerful ways of learning
 What you do and say will be internalised by your children
 We ALL make mistakes – model ownership & acceptance of mistakes
 Take responsibility for our thoughts and actions

22. Activity Time
At your tables, please take a moment to
share an experience with the person next
to you about a situation where your child
modelled your behaviour, can be positive
or an embarrassing example (the funnier
the better!), and how you managed the
outcome.

23. Positive Boundary System
Aim: To socialise, prepare, & train children for the real world
1. Clear & Specific Behavioural Expectations & Consequences
 Relevant for school & home
 Don‟t assume they know, and don‟t assume they remember
 Define & articulate your behavioural expectations
 Reasonable & age appropriate
 Put them on a poster, in the kitchen? Back of the toilet?
 Revisit expectations often, call a “family meeting”
2. Positive Delivery or Day-to-day Management
 Successful approaches are consistent, assertive, fair, respectful
 Being mindful of language, tone, volume, body language
 Avoids intimidation, fear, confusion, mixed messages
 Acknowledges the inherent Power imbalance
This strategy can be useful in any situation where children are involved

24. Managing Challenging Behaviour
When boundaries are blurry
„Power Struggles‟ - Chaotic environment
A system or framework can simplify & clarify
Warwick Dyer – Child behaviour Expert
Before the Super Nanny
Featured on Ch. 4 in the UK Cutting Edge program
www.warwickdyer.com
Mercury’s Child

25. 360˚ Wellbeing
1. Healthy food & healthy sleep
 Well balanced diet
 Sleep difficulties and deprivation (debilitating)
2. Minimise ‘Screen Time’ or time ‘Plugged in’
 Research re: Addiction to electronics, social media, games
 Positive boundaries around when, how long, and what is essential
 Some children will need to abstain from computer games
3. Teach your child how to relax
 Relaxation Breathing
 Mindfulness strategies – „Flow‟, „Focussed Thoughts‟, „Visual Imagery‟

26. Summing it up…
1. Establish a common understanding of wellbeing
2. The indicators of child distress, gathering more information
3. What help is available and what are my options?
4. Positive Psychology approach
5. Promoting wellbeing at school
6. Promoting wellbeing at home