Has the Covid-19 pandemic changed school and family interactions in unintended ways? Take our survey and help us understand.

A mental health professional in every Australian school?

Time for serious support

I recently attended the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Conference, where presenters shared their experiences of working with young people with mental ill-health.  It was at once informative, confronting, scary, and inspiring. 

Professionals are seeing a rapid increase in the number of young people presenting with mental health issues.  In particular, anxiety and depression are becoming much more prevalent, and at a much younger age.

Primary school teachers and principals are acknowledging their lack of expertise in recognising symptoms of mental ill-health in their young students, and are calling upon governments to fund mental health professionals in every school.  Early intervention at the primary school level would have a flow-on, positive effect on secondary school students, reducing incidences of extreme anxiety and depression in the secondary setting. 

For some time now, ACSSO has worked with primary school principal groups from around the country to combat mental ill-health in young children. We will continue to do so.

The use of peer support workers, particularly with adolescents, has proved invaluable in some school settings.  Peer workers are much easier for adolescents to relate to, and offer proof that recovery is an achievable reality.  They provide hope.

Research presented to the conference showed that schools can have a huge, positive impact on wellbeing by deliberately fostering cultures which prioritise the mental health of students, teachers, and the whole school community.  Those schools which are able to support students and families through accessing professional services and achieving diagnoses are experiencing better wellbeing outcomes for everyone in the school.  

Consent education

Consent education has been in the media recently, and not necessarily for the right reasons.

Those who viewed the so-called “milkshake video” resource will know that it was ambiguous, outdated and simply didn’t hit the mark.  There is no doubt that appropriate resources around consent education are desperately needed, particularly as the Safe Schools and Respectful Relationships programs have not been implemented nationwide.

I’m sure new, contemporary resources will be developed very soon, however it would have been a good idea for the Department to give ACSSO and other peak bodies a briefing on the content before launching The Good Society website.The “milkshake video” would not have made the cut with us.

Having said that, I must acknowledge that there are some good resources on the site.  ACSSO looks forward to an opportunity to work with the Department on future resources and messaging.

May budget anticipated

We wait with anticipation to see what the Australian Government's May budget holds for schools, early childhood and young people's wellbeing.  

ACSSO would like to see a firm commitment to early years education, which makes such a crucial difference to children's lifelong wellbeing.  For a long time the early childhood education sector has struggled with the uncertainty of year by year funding for universal access to a single year of preschool for Australian children. We would like to see the federal government commit permanently to two years of universal access to preschool education for every child prior to school. We’d also like to see provisions that ensure all remote and isolated children are reached.

As we continue to move through this global pandemic, we need to ensure that the federal government adequately supports our young people and their families.

Huge inequities were identified that go beyond just what is provided in school.  Families also spent many dollars ensuring that their child was able to keep pace – however we know many many families did not have the ability to provide – many schools are using technology as part of their student’s “homework” – this creates further inequity that needs to be addressed urgently.

Free family webinar

Please check out our newsletter article about the upcoming webinar with Andrew Fuller on May 17 – we hope you will join us and that you can share this information widely in your school community. 

Our follow-up survey is here

Around this time in 2020 we released our first Australian family survey on schooling during the Covid-19 pandemic. More than 3000 families responded and their answers have helped tremendously with our advocacy to governments and schools.

You can read the summary of our first survey here. The responses were diverse: at times uplifting, surprising and even heartbreaking.

I'm pleased to say in this issue we are launching our follow-up survey, which will pursue the major themes from our first survey: family and child wellbeing; access to adequate equipment and appropriate learning formats; and questions of engagement with schools under pandemic conditions.

You can go straight to the survey on this link, or scroll down for more information. You have until 21 May to complete it so please share with your school community ASAP!

Australian curriculum review opens

And finally, the review of the Australian curriculum opens this week - you can have your say here. Scroll down for more in our article.

With Term 1 done and dusted and most schools resuming at least some pre COVID activities, let’s hope this year continues to improve – stay safe!

Sharron Healy

Chair

Australian Council of State School Organisations

April 2021

New! Follow-up pandemic schooling survey for families

One year ago we released our first Australian family survey on schooling during the Covid-19 pandemic. We had more than 3000 responses and gained valuable insights which have since helped us advocate strongly with governments and schools over adequately supporting children and their families in these - as the saying goes - 'extraordinary times'.

Today we release our follow-up survey and urge you to share it as widely as you can on your school's email lists and social media pages.  We need to know how families are going now that we have had more time to adjust to the 'extraordinary'. Questions of wellbeing, online access, and financial impact are covered in the new survey.

We are also concerned, as flagged in our March newsletter, that social distancing at some schools may be having unintended and unwelcome consequences to distance parents even further from engaging with their children's education.

Visit the family survey online here, and use this link for email sharing:

https://www.research.net/r/DPTHBB2

You can also share this special social media-friendly link (below) in your own school's Facebook or Twitter posts:

https://www.research.net/r/DZZVPTC

The survey closes at midnight on Friday 21 May. Please share these links widely with families of school aged children on your email and social media networks.

Questions? Get in touch with us on contact@acsso.org.au

Australian Curriculum Review Opens

We also hope you will contribute to the discussion with regards the Australian Curriculum Review. Proposed revisions to the Australian Curriculum for Foundation – Year 10 (F–10) have recently been released for public comment.

The Australian Curriculum underpins teaching and learning in all Australian schools and is reviewed every six years. Over the last nine months, ACARA has been consulting widely with key education stakeholders and groups.

Some of the work has included:

• eighteen reference groups of around 360 practising teachers and curriculum specialists from across Australia
• a program of research benchmarking the Australian Curriculum against the curricula of Singapore, Finland, British Columbia and New Zealand
• feedback from states and territories on the effectiveness of the Australian Curriculum
• an informal listening tour of 24 primary schools from each sector in each jurisdiction to talk to teachers and principals
• engaging with national teacher and principal professional associations and other subject matter experts
• reviewing the latest national and international developments and research in each learning area.

ACARA’s review process has involved teachers and curriculum experts from all states and territories, and the government and non-government sectors.

Changes include:

• significantly improving the content descriptions and achievement standards – the core curriculum that teachers use to plan, teach and assess learning – by simplifying expression, explaining requirements more clearly and reducing ambiguity
• reducing content across the primary school curriculum, with greater consistency and coherence in organisation, language and expectations across all learning areas
• improving the content elaborations – the illustrations and examples of ways to teach the content – to show how the teaching and learning of the learning area content can be supported using the general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities
• ensuring a clear and coherent Foundation year curriculum that makes it clear what teachers need to teach in this important first year and to ensure content in Foundation builds on the Early Years Learning Framework.

The proposed revisions to the Australian Curriculum are now available for public comment from 29 April until 8 July 2021. Feedback and input will be used to develop final revisions for consideration of education ministers.

Public feedback will be sought via the new consultation website from 29 April 2021 until 8 July 2021.

The updated version of the F–10 Australian Curriculum, once approved by ministers, will be made available on a new Australian Curriculum website at the start of 2022.

You can find out more about the review here and provide your feedback through this link.

Book now for Andrew Fuller's next free parenting webinar

Enjoy a fun but practical online session this May with well-known Clinical Psychologist, Andrew Fuller, about building resilience and creating happy kids!

Andrew is a long-time collaborator with ACSSO and his talks are always fun and informative. Topics covered will include:

• The active ingredients of resilience
• How parents can develop these in their children
• Friendship and relationship skills
• Neurochemistry and parenting
• Parenting tricky kids
• Creating happy kids
• Building self-esteem and dealing with setbacks

BOOK NOW!

This free webinar is supported by ACSSO and will be held on Monday 17 May from 7.30pm to 8.30pm AEST. Click here to register.

Andrew has worked with more than 3,500 schools and 500,000 young people in Australia, NZ, Asia and the UK. His teaching covers the core elements of resilience - connect, protect and respect (CPR). With these skills, young people can build The Resilient Mindset, which Andrew defines as "the happy knack of being able to bungy jump through the pitfalls of life to rise above adversity and obstacles”.

Having worked with people who were on their last hope, Andrew has a mission to help everyone create futures they can fall in love with.

Andrew Fuller is a Honorary Fellow at the University of Melbourne and has been a scientific consultant for the ABC and a regular presenter on Radio National. He has established programs for neuroscience and education and the promotion of mental health in schools, substance abuse prevention, and the reduction of violence and bullying, suicide prevention programs and for assisting homeless young people.

He is an ambassador for Adolescent Success, the Lion’s Club Alcohol and Drug Awareness Foundation and previously, Mind Matters. He has also been a principal consultant to the Dept. Education Bully Stoppers initiative and the national drug prevention strategy REDI.

Cyber safety support for parents and carers

Telethon Kids Institute and Bankwest recently launched a cyber safety app providing parents and carers with the knowledge, skills, and support to help their children thrive in a digital world. Its known as Beacon.

Research shows that parents play a critical role in helping to develop the digital skills of their children and encouraging them to use technology in a positive and safe way. It is crucial that parents are supported to build their own capabilities to help navigate the ever-changing technology landscape to help teach and guide their children.

Beacon extends the work parents do, by putting a trusted cyber safety education tool into the hands of parents and caregivers ready to help at times when they need it the most.

What you can do! 
1. Download the app 
2. Watch and share the video 
3. Talk to the families & colleagues about the app
 

Aboriginal deaths in custody affect children in our schools

By Susan O’Leary.
Board Director 

Since March this year, five Indigenous people have died in Australian prisons. There have been more than 470 deaths since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody 30 years ago.

During these 30 years, consecutive state and federal governments have failed to implement all the recommendations from the Royal Commission to prevent these shocking deaths of our Indigenous people in Australian prisons. 

As parents, teachers and students in public education we are extremely distressed at the effects of these deaths on Indigenous families and students in our school communities.

Recently, ACSSO was represented at a forum run by ACOSS (Australian Council of Social Services) to hear from Cheryl Axelby  and Antoinette Braybrook, co-chairs of Change The Record, an Indigenous led organisation working to have smarter justice and safer communities  for Indigenous people and to have all recommendations of the Royal Commission implemented now. Cheryl and Antoinette outlined some of the issues including:

• disproportionate rates of violence affecting Indigenous women and children as compared to the wider Australian community, 
• age 10 years is considered the age of criminal responsibility, despite many arguing that 14 years would be far more appropriate. Aboriginal children should be at school or at home, not imprisoned.
• Australia’s Indigenous people are the most imprisoned Indigenous people in the world.

What can you do ?

1. Become a supporter of Change the Record - changetherecord.org.au and learn more about what to do.
2. Demand your state and federal politicians take action on black deaths in custody. Use this link changetherecord.org.au/emailMP 
3. Build strong relationships with Aboriginal controlled organisations, leaders and families particularly in your own school and community.

Wear it YELLOW for reconciliation

National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about the truth of our Australian history and the depth of our First Nations cultures and achievements – to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia with First Nations peoples and communities.

National Reconciliation Week takes place between 27 May and 3 June. These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey: the successful 1967 Referendum and the 1992 High Court Mabo decision respectively

Children’s Ground is led by First Nations Communities that are creating a new future for their children and families. These children and families face the greatest exclusions and live with injustice and disadvantage every day. 

What your school can do

This Reconciliation Week, Children’s Ground invites your school to take action and Wear it Yellow.

Commit to learning about the First Nations Country where you live, work and play and support the work Children’s Ground is doing, which is led by First Nations children and their families. 

How it works 
1. Register your school at childrensground.org.au/reconciliation
 2. Receive a Reconciliation Week Guide from Children’s Ground 
3. Hold a Wear it Yellow Day at your school for a gold coin donation 
4. Donate the proceeds to First Nations children and families through Children’s Ground.

Walk safely to school in May

On Friday 14 May, children from across the nation will put their feet first, and journey towards a healthier future by participating in the 22nd anniversary of National Walk Safely to School Day.

The annual event raises awareness of the health, road safety, transport and environmental benefits that regular walking (especially to and from school) can provide for the long term well-being of our children. Apart from the physical benefits, regular walking also has a favourable impact on their cognitive and academic performance.

The day also encourages primary school aged children to build walking into their daily routine, by walking to and from school, not just on Friday 14 May, but every day.

Harold Scruby, Chairman and CEO of the Pedestrian Council of Australia said that physical inactivity is a major risk factor for so many chronic diseases that can affect our kids at different stages of their life, including mental illness, heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

“Primary school aged children across Australia – it’s time to get walking! One in 4 children in Australia is overweight or obese, and it is expected that numbers will reach 1 in 3 by next year,” he said.

“We really need teachers, parents, carers and the community at large to get behind this event and its objectives, the best exercise for all of us is regular walking. Children require at least 60 minutes huff and puff physical activity every day. We should encourage them to include walking at the beginning, during and end of each day – if you can’t walk all the way, use public transport and get off the bus, train, tram or ferry a few stops earlier and walk the rest of the way to school.”

National Walk Safely to School Day also encourages parents and carers to walk more, reducing dangerous traffic congestion around schools, better use of public transport with reduced car-dependency and the vitally important road safety message.

"Until they are 10, children must always hold the hand of an adult when crossing the road," Scruby said.

To celebrate the 22nd anniversary, schools are encouraged to also host a FREE healthy breakfast on Friday 14 May in conjunction with their local supermarket or greengrocer. Click here for Rosemary Stanton’s guide to healthy breakfast.

It’s not too late to participate in National Walk Safely to School Day and it’s FREE! Visit www.walk.com.au for more information about how to get involved.

The fear factor in finance education

Provided by The Wealth Academy:

The Financial Education Fear Factor
A common message from nearly every parent I speak with about financial education is their wish that they had more of it when they were younger. Yet, there is a fear factor about being involved and getting it happening at a school.

Here are some possible reasons:

1. Some financial institutions have used financial education as a marketing ploy, often with the permission of parent groups! More recently, that perspective has changed to ensure financial education has more neutrality. 
2. Many teachers in schools have limited knowledge and skills in the teaching of financial life skills, and need to draw upon provided resources, usually limited to specific learning areas. Many are fearful of teaching these concepts, often because they feel un-skilled in this area and lack confidence.
3. The biggest fear however, is that generations of adults have never had a real financial education and have no concept of what the learning could look like. This is because historically financial education has been restricted to either financial institution materials or confined to mathematics in the curriculum. This approach scares people! 

Financial education does not have to be complex, difficult or abstract!  It could be one of the easiest things to teach because children have daily reference points. That is, they see parents, peers and others making financial decisions every day in stores and online. 

Financial education should not be a fear factor for parents or teachers. Financial education should be a welcomed necessity in every school program.

If you would like to develop your own school community financial life skills program, contact admin@thewealthacademy.com.au

Most popular story in April, in case you missed it!

We love to share stories about wonderful achievements in Australia's government schools. This one from the ABC caught our eye - an incredible program led by the principal at Dareton Public School in western NSW>

It features the labrador, Sheekie, joining the school, and other excellent innovations. Here are the key points according to the ABC:

• Dareton Public School in far-western NSW had high rates of behaviour incidents and suspensions
• Principal Michael Coleman used unconventional methods, including a dog named Sheekie, to bring about change
• In a year, suspensions were down by almost 65 percent, and extreme incidents down by 90 percent.

Read more about this story here and join our Facebook page where we share many more fantastic ideas and initiatives from state schools.

We love to hear your stories of schools and communities doing great things. They don't have to have made it to mainstream media already. 

Send your #caughtyoubeinggreat stories to comms@acsso.org.au and use the hashtag on Facebook to find other wonderful stories.

Upcoming events

Free family webinar with psychologist Andrew Fuller, 17 May from 7.30pm to 8.30pm AEST. Click here to register.

P&Cs Qld conference: Strategy and Adaptation, Sofitel Brisbane, 10-11 September, 2021.

Parents Victoria Conference: Pullman on the Park, Melbourne, 11-12 October, 2021.