Wellbeing, Health and Support
Children thrive in school when they are healthy and feel happy, confident and secure.
Victorian government schools build positive learning communities where children feel valued and supported. This section outlines the type of support and programs offered to your child at school.
|
Wellbeing Health |
Medical information Support for Students |
Student behaviour
Victorian government schools have a duty of care to provide a safe, secure and supportive environment for all children.
All schools have a Student Engagement Policy in place that covers the rights and responsibilities of all members of the school community, including the principal, staff, students, parents and other members of the school community. The Policy outlines the school’s expectations, covering issues such as conflict and dispute resolution. See:
Bullying
Discovering that your child is being bullied or that your child is bullying others is very stressful and upsetting. Many parents initially experience anger, confusion and guilt.
The Department’s advice for parents is:
- Listen carefully to your child and show concern and support
- Give considered advice – don’t encourage your child to fight back as this will most likely increase the bullying
- Assist your child to develop positive strategies, such as saying ‘Leave me alone’, calmly walking away or avoiding situations that might expose them to further bullying
- Ask your child questions to understand if there is a repeated pattern of bullying
- Establish what, when, where the incident(s) happened and who was involved
- Work with your child’s school to solve the problem by establishing a plan for dealing with the current situation and future bullying incidents.
If needed, ask for a wellbeing staff member to become involved. Remember, if you were not aware that your child was being bullied, perhaps your child’s teacher(s) did not know about it either. See:
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is direct or indirect bullying using digital technologies such as harassment by mobile phone, sending inappropriate emails or deliberately excluding someone from social networking spaces. See: Cybersafety
Buddy system
Many schools set up ‘buddy’ systems for Prep children with older students to ensure a stimulating and welcoming experience from the very beginning of school. The benefits are twofold, as the older children learn to take on responsibility, while the younger children know that they have a fellow student they can confidently turn to for support. See: Buddy System
Physical education and school sport
Young people need to be physically active in order to develop healthy bodies and active minds.
Schools play an important role in helping young people appreciate the benefits of being physically active.
Physical activity can involve play, games, sport and social activities such as walking, bike-riding and tennis.
Developing motor skills such as throwing, catching, jumping and kicking can help young people to participate in sporting activities and prepare them for a lifelong involvement in being active. See: Physical Education
Healthy eating
Healthy eating has a long-lasting and positive impact on a child’s growth, development and health.
The food your child eats at school is a major influence on their eating habits, growth, energy, concentration levels and ability to learn. See:
Immunisation
Parents need to bring their child’s immunisation status certificate to the school when enrolling or transferring their child between schools.
Local councils can provide immunisation certificates. To check your child’s status online, see: Medicare Online Services
For more information, contact your local council, your doctor or the Immunisation Program (Department of Human Services) on 1300 882 008. See: Immunisation
Medical conditions
If your child has a medical condition or allergy, you need to inform the principal and your child’s teacher. In particular, the school needs to know if your child has epilepsy, haemophilia, asthma, diabetes or severe allergic reactions to bee stings or certain foods, etc. You will be asked to provide this information when you enrol your child and it is important to keep it up-to-date. You may also want to provide an allergy action plan which has been developed by your doctor. See: Medical Conditions
Health support plan
All children with a significant medical condition or illness should have a health support plan developed by the school, you and your child based on the medical advice from your child’s doctor.
This plan must be attached to the child’s records at the school. If your child needs to take medication during school hours, you should talk with their teacher or principal about necessary arrangements and provide written instructions for storing and administering the medication.
Anaphylaxis
The Anaphylaxis Guidelines for Victorian Government Schools have been developed for schools to support children at risk of anaphylaxis. Schools with children diagnosed at risk of anaphylaxis have prevention and management strategies put in place, including regular training and updates for school staff in recognising and responding appropriately to an anaphylactic reaction. For further information about allergy action plans, see: Anaphylaxis
Headlice
Your child’s school will have a policy about managing head lice. Head lice are not a threat to health and they do not spread other infections. If head lice are found, the issue can be managed cooperatively with your school. Detecting head lice early is the best way to avoid an outbreak because there is no guaranteed method of prevention. It is recommended that you regularly check your child’s hair. See: Headlice
Support for students
Government schools are for all children. Diversity in school communities, students and their families is recognised and welcomed. Different types of support and individual learning programs are offered to make sure all children can participate in education and achieve their best.
Support for Koorie students
Schools and teachers are working with families to ensure that each Koorie child is supported throughout their schooling journey. See: Wannik
Students with additional needs
Each child is an individual with unique strengths, abilities, learning styles and needs. Sometimes children with additional needs require extra support and special learning programs to help them participate fully in school activities. See:
Student support services
All school staff and teachers are committed to working with you to provide every possible assistance and support for the wellbeing of your child. Student wellbeing staff are available to support students who have additional learning and other needs. These staff may include school nurses, school chaplains, student welfare coordinators and primary welfare officers. See:
Primary School Nursing Program
The Primary School Nursing Program is a service offered by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development to all children attending primary schools. See: Primary School Nursing Program
For a copy of this information, see: Health and Wellbeing (PDF - 642Kb)