KidsMatter Primary: What works best?
A number of elements have been identified as making significant improvements in
the quality of how KidsMatter is implemented, and its impact in a school. These
elements include:
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School leadership is actively supportive
A small team is responsible for driving the initiative
A whole-school approach is used for mental health and wellbeing work
All staff develop a shared knowledge and understanding of the key concepts
Work is planned in a step-by-step way
The school leadership team and teachers are actively involved in planning
Student and parental involvement is actively encouraged
These elements have been unpacked in the table overleaf.
The KidsMatter framework guides the implementation of a whole school approach
that is tailored to the individual needs of the school.
The KidsMatter framework
This is an image that shows Core Components, Guiding Principles and Whole
School Approach.
Core Components
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Positive school community
Social and emotional learning for students
Working with parents and carers
Helping children with mental health difficulties
Guiding Principles
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The best interests of children are paramount
Respectful relationships are foundational
Diversity is respected and valued
Parents and carer are recognised as the most important people in children’s
lives
Parents and teachers support children best by working together
Students need to be active participants
Schools, health and community agencies work together with families
Whole school Approach
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Planning for whole school change
Professional learning, shared understanding and focus for staff
Partnerships with parents and carers, health and community agencies
Action within and beyond the classroom.
The KidsMatter journey is underpinned by theory and evidence based practice
that delivers results.
The KidsMatter journey
This is an image that shows KidsMatter’s vision and values, implementation and how
this can be demonstrated.
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Vision and values to promoted mental health and well being for all students
Committed principal and team leadership with staff and parent support
KidsMatter resources and support
Becomes.......
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Implementation of the KidsMatter framework in a planned, strategic way with
a whole school approach
That becomes........
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A school community that promotes mental health and wellbeing
Respectful relationships, belonging and inclusion
Effective social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculum for all students
Opportunities for students to practise and transfer their social and emotional
skills
Collaborative working relationships with parents and carers
Support for parenting
Parent and carer support networks
Understanding mental health difficulties and improving help-seeking
Responding to students experiencing mental health difficulties
Further Information
State or territory contact details are on the website www.kidsmatterprimary.edu.au
For general information call: 1800 543 767
It is highly recommended
that schools intending to
begin the KidsMatter
journey.......
1. Have active school
leadership commitment
....engage in professional
learning through......
....attending KidsMatter
sequential professional
development events
The Principal
•Understands the time and
resources involved in
implementing all four
components of the
KidsMatter framework in a
planned strategic way with
a whole school approach
•Commits to implement
KidsMatter with the
support of the staff and
parents/carers, on behalf
of the school community
•Understands the
importance of integrating
KidsMatter into their
school strategic plan
2. Establish and
resource a school
Action Team to plan and
drive implementation of
the four framework
components
The Action Team
The Action Team,
consisting of three or more
members, representing
the principal or deputy,
student wellbeing staff,
teachers, parents,
students (as appropriate)
and critical friend(nonschool based personnel)
•Meets at least twice a
term to plan, implement
and review action using
the steps and tools in the
Getting Started Workbook
and KidsMatter Action
Team handbook
•Consults with and reports
to the whole staff and
school community on a
Principals and/or their
representatives
•Receiving information
about KidsMatter and how
it can benefit their school
community
•Finding out what’s
involved
•Making a decision about
participating
•Finding out about next
steps
KidsMatter Primary
Briefing
•1-2 hours
•For principals and school
leaders
KidsMatter Overview
•3 hours
•For anyone interested in
KidsMatter
•For new staff at an
existing KidsMatter school
Interested people
•Receiving an introduction
and overview of
KidsMatter
•Finding out what’s
involved
•Receiving information
about participating
•Finding out about next
steps
School Action team
members •Developing a
deeper understanding of
KidsMatter
•Becoming familiar with
resources and tools
•Understanding the
implementation step by
step process
•Commencing planning
•Encouraging new staff
and supportive agencies
to gain a deeper
understanding
School Action Teams
and others supporting
the Action Teams
•Taking advantage of
opportunities to reflect,
Getting Started:
professional learning for
School Action Teams
•Prerequisite: School has
submitted the Statement
of our Commitment and all
Action Team members
have viewed the
Introduction to KidsMatter
Primary CD
•1 day of professional
learning •For KidsMatter
School Action team
Implementation Support
and Network meetings
•Half day offered 2 or 3
times per year
•For School Action Teams,
other school leadership
and non-school personnel
regular basis
•Encourages parental
involvement in KidsMatter
implementation
•Is supported by a ‘critical
friend’ (non-school based
if possible) who is
experienced in wholeschool change
•Works in partnership with
appropriate people with
experience in parenting
support on Component 3
and mental health on
Component 4
•Incorporates feedback
from whole-staff
professional learning into
the component plans
3.Enable whole school
staff professional
learning of key concepts
and practices of mental
health and wellbeing in
schools
The Action Team
•Identifies an internal or
external person to attend
component training and
then deliver the equivalent
of 3-4 hours of
professional learning in
each of the framework’s
four components to the
whole staff
•Is highly encouraged to
work in partnership with
people who are
experienced in parenting
support on Component 3
and mental health on
Component 4
review and renew
•Sharing experiences with
other KidsMatter schools
•Receiving support from
KidsMatter and other
schools
•Receiving additional
resources to enhance the
implementation of
KidsMatter
supporting the Action
Teams
Working with KidsMatter
Primary
•1 day of professional
learning
•For non-school based
personnel working with
KidsMatter schools
Non-school based staff
working with KidsMatter
schools
•Receiving information
about KidsMatter and
develop a deeper
understanding
•Becoming familiar with
resources and tools
•Understanding the
implementation step by
step process
•Becoming aware of
facilitator training
opportunities
The Facilitator
•Being trained to deliver 34 hours of professional
learning to the whole staff
at the school for each
component
Component 1: Positive
school community
Component 2: Social and
emotional learning for
students
Component 3: Working
with parents and carers
Component 4: Helping
children experiencing
mental health difficulties
Facilitating KidsMatter
Components 1, 2, 3 & 4
professional learning
•Pre-requisite/s: School
based facilitators are from
schools where they are a
member of an Action
Team that have attended
Getting Started. Nonschool facilitators have
attended Working with
KidsMatter Primary.
•1 day for each component
•For the person/s identified
to facilitate the3 hours of
professional learning for
the school staff
•Consults with staff as to
the most effective way to
deliver the professional
learning in school
•Involves the whole staff,
parent representatives,
and where appropriate,
students in planning the
professional learning
Before you begin the KidsMatter journey in your school, it is recommended that you
consult your school community to determine their readiness. KidsMatter has
developed a document to support you in this process called the Statement of our
Commitment.