Wellbeing



Wellbeing

At Livingstone Primary School, we prioritise student wellbeing through our safe and supportive learning environment, evidence based social and emotional learning curriculum and continual staff professional learning. Wellbeing programs and initiatives that drive our practice include:

  • The Resilience Project – providing practical, evidence-based, positive mental health strategies.
  • eSmart – keeping children safe from bullying, cyber bullying and violence.​
  • Be You – a national initiative for educators, aimed at promoting and protecting positive mental health in children and young people.
  • Livingstone Primary School Child Safety – documentation and information on child safety at LPS.

The Resilience Project

Since 2017, Livingstone has been implementing The Resilience Project as our primary social and emotional learning program.

The Resilience Project supports our school to provide practical, evidence-based, positive mental health strategies to build resilience and happiness.

Through presentations, wellbeing journals, school curriculum and The Resilience Project app, The Resilience Project seeks to teach positive mental health strategies to help our kids be happy.

Why do we need The Resilience Project?

Classroom teachers implement The Resilience Project curriculum and engage students in discussions about the four core principles: emotional literacy, gratitude, empathy and mindfulness.

To support your child’s mental health at home:

  • Encourage your child to complete daily activities in their Resilience Project diary
  • Have discussions about gratitude, empathy and mindfulness, and engage in these practices as a family
  • Seek assistance from your child’s teacher or a GP if you are concerned about your child’s mental health
  • Look after your own mental health! The Resilience Project app is fantastic.

It’s important for children to see that their parents and carers value the principles of The Resilience Project, to encourage these positive mental health strategies beyond their primary schooling years.


eSmart

Children are the greatest beneficiaries of the digital era and are learning to navigate the online world at a younger and younger age.

eSmart provides Livingstone with management tools to deal with bullying and cyber issues and incidents so that students feel safer and more supported at school. It also helps us to embrace the benefits of technology while reducing students’ exposure to cyber risks, such as cyber bullying, online predators, sexting, identity theft and fraud.

Our social and emotional learning program uses eSmart practices as a guide to educate students to be smart, safe and responsible online. Students participate in fortnightly eSmart lessons which explore themes such as screen time, online safety, online communication and help-seeking strategies.

For more information about how to support your child’s digital safety and wellbeing, please see the following information from raisingchildren.net or speak to your child’s classroom teacher.


Be You – Beyond Blue

Be You is a national initiative for educators, aimed at promoting and protecting positive mental health in children and young people. Their vision is for schools to be positive, inclusive and resilient, and where every child, young person, staff member, and family can achieve their best possible mental health.

At Livingstone, we are serious about caring for children, so we can’t ignore their mental health.

Early intervention can improve children and young people’s mental health, and in turn, their lifetime outcomes, in areas including lifetime earnings and chronic disease. Good mental health and wellbeing are integral to academic learning. Students with good mental health are more motivated learners, have fewer behavioural problems and show greater commitment to their schoolwork.

Good mental health in childhood also provides a solid foundation for managing the transition from childhood to adolescence and adulthood.
Benefits of a whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing include:

  • Enhanced social and emotional learning
  • Improved engagement and academic performance
  • A positive and supportive learning environment
  • Improved student support and earlier intervention if mental health issues emerge
  • Increased student resilience and capacity to manage problems if they arise
  • Fostering of an environment where students feel safe and supported to speak up if something is bothering them
  • Strategies to support students at different developmental stages and smoother transitions between stages of learning.

For more information, please see the Be You website.