Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
2:
Agency Report KidsMatter
NAME: KEEGAN DOHERTY
What is KidsMatter?
KidsMatter is an Australian mental health and well-being initiative that is set out in early childhood education,
primary schools and care services such as kindergartens (KidsMatter, (2008)).
The KidsMatter agency was developed by mental health and educational professionals in regards to the high rates
of young-children and adolcences with special needs as well as the issues surrounding requiring assistance for
their personal needs (KidsMatter, (2008)).
The KidsMatter website outlines the 4-key aims of the framework to be:
Focusing on creating positive school and early childhood communities.
Teaching to improve social and emotional development amongst children.
Working in collaboration with schools and families alike.
Assisting and acknowledging those children with mental health problems in order to find them further help
from external bodies.
KidsMatter (2008) does not diagnose children as having a mental health illness, however aims to support the
needs of individuals though developing strong communications between all people directly involved within the
childs life, as well as strengthening the knowledge of child development between all parents/carers, schools and
educational bodies
KidsMatter would abide by similar processes to that of the Student Support Group Guidelines (Department of Education
and Early Childhood, (1998)) in recognising the potential for students with disabilities to learn and assist in the
development of individual social and emotional skills.
KidsMatter and the Student Support Group Guidelines (DEEC, (1998)) share similar responsibilities in identifying the
childs needs, as well as improving communicational between all people directly involved within the childs life and
education (DEEC, (1998)).
KidsMatter would also play a key position in the formation of a Student Support Group as the agency aims to increase
the overall communication between parents/carers and teachers, working closely with families for supporting their
childs needs, as well as helping the student through contacting other external support groups that can further assist the
individuals needs (DEEC, (1998)).
Although not explicitly written within the framework of KidsMatter, social justice is a major contributor to the success of the PPEI
aims of the initiative.
As Lewis (2007) states behaviour is functionally related to the teaching environment, which KidsMatter aims to positive influence
the social and emotional behaviour of students with mental health problems by creating an positivie school environment and
community.
This behavioural support assistance provided by KidsMatter allows for subsidiarity, that is enabling participation of all people within
the community despite their differences, promotes decision-making in regards to what affects the personal life of the student, as well
as insures respect for all people involved within the schooling community through preservation of their personal, economic, cultural
and social rights (Australian Catholic Social Justice Council, (2015).
All of these factors contribute to the common good of the school community as well as being explicitly outlined in the Catholic Social
Teachings, which overall promote a teaching of values and social justice.
KidsMatter (2008) states that the agency recognises the importance of continued connection to culture, country
and community to health and social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
This resource page provided by KidsMatter has many external agencies that can provide further support to all
parties involved with the students life including parents/carers, teachers, school action team, principles and the
wider community.
The purpose of these resources however continues to remain constant with 4-key components of the KidsMatter
Framework: Developing a sense of community, social and emotional learning, integration and participation of
families directly involved within the students life, and helping children suffering from issues regarding mental
health problems (KidsMatter, (2008)).
Although not explicitly labelled, the KidsMatter Framework is directly related to the Bronfenbrenner Theory of
Ecological Systems. This is due to the fact KidsMatter aims to improve the mental health and wellbeing of all students
within the school community, which not only further impacts the attitudes of the school but also has a positive
behavioural effect on the wider community including families, peers and health agencies.
Through improving the wellbeing of students suffering from mental health problems and actively involving parents
within the childs education, the KidsMatter initiative is a directly correlation of the Ecological Theory in practice to have
a positive influence on the wider community and individual alike.
Reflection
Overall the KidsMatter Framework aiming to assist students with mental health problems and improve wellbeing,
would be highly relevant and influential to my avatar. Considering that my avatar not only has poor English
language skills but also has a special learning need of poor memory, the KidsMatter initiative would act to
dramatically influence the life of my avatar. Through actions such as building stronger means of communications
between parents, school and wider community, as well as increasing parent participation in their childs education,
this would help improve my avatars language skills which highly impacts on her social and emotional wellbeing in a
positive manner. KidsMatter would direct the parents of my avatar to other external bodies that could provide
further support and assistance regarding her special learning needs, as well as assist the KidsMatter Action Team at
her school in further clarifying and defining the particular means that would be required to improve her mental
wellbeing in the schooling environment. The KidsMatter Framework includes professional learning staff that would
provide resources and ongoing support to both my avatar, parents, staff and community throughout the
implementation of the initiative in order to provide for a more positive school community and teaching of social
and emotional development in all students.
References:
Australian Catholic Social Justice Council. (2007). Catholic Social Teaching. Retrieved from:
http://www.socialjustice.catholic.org.au/socialteaching
Australian Government. (2008). Department of Education, Employment, and Workplace Relations Family-School Partnerships Framework.
Retrieved from: http://www.familyschool.org.au/index.php/download_file/216/514/
Berry, J. O. (1995). Families and Deinstitutionalization: An Application of Bronfenbrenner's Social Ecology Model. Journal Of Counseling & Development,
73(4), 379-383.
BeyondBlue. (2015). About Us Who We Are and What We Do. Retrieved from: http://www.beyondblue.org.au/about-us/who-we-are-andwhat-we-do
Commonwealth Australia. (2004). Risk and Resilience A Teachers Guide to Mental Health. Retrieved from:
http://www.responseability.org/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/8731/Risk-and-Resilience-A-Teachers-Guide-to-Mental-Health-2004.pdf
Commonwealth Australia. (2006). Disability Standards for Education 2005. Retrieved from: http://docs.education.gov.au/node/16354
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. (1998). Student Support Group Guidelines 2013. Retrieved from:
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/school/teachers/teachingresources/diversity/studentsupportguidelines2013.pdf
KidsMatter. (2008). About KidsMatter Introduction to KidsMatter Primary. Retrieved from:
https://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/copyright-policy
KidsMatter. (2008). Getting Started Are you ready to get started? Retrieved from: http://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/primary/resources-forschools/getting-started
Lewis, T. (2007). Building a Realistic Pyramid of Instructional and behavioural Support for Prevention and Iintervention. Retrived from:
http://leocontent.acu.edu.au/integ/gen/e15c9dc6-4eb2-542b-dbf1-2af04d69cb60/0/Positive%20Behaviour%20Supportfurther%20information.pdf
Stoll, L. (2002). Collaboration and Community Developing professional learning communities: Messages for Learning Networks. Retrieved from:
http://leocontent.acu.edu.au/integ/gen/e15c9dc6-4eb2-542b-dbf1-2af04d69cb60/0/professional%20learning%20communities.pdf
Trinder, M., & Dobia, B. (2007). KidsMatter Improving the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Primary School Students. Retrieved from:
http://www.psychology.org.au/publications/inpsych/kidsmatter/