Tier
Tier 1: Positive Mental Health Promotion
Tier 2: Early Intervention and Cohort Specific Support
Program Description
Secret Agent Society (SAS) is a small group spy-themed program delivered by trained facilitators. The program uses games to develop social skills and emotional regulation with children aged 8-12.
The program can be used with small groups of children presenting with a range of disorders including:
• High functioning Autism
• Anxiety disorders
• ADHD
• Anger management difficulties
Skills targeted include:
• Recognising emotions in themselves and others
• Expressing feelings in appropriate ways
• Coping with feelings of anger and anxiety
• Communicating and playing with others
• Coping with mistakes, transitions and challenges
• Building and maintaining friendships
• Solving social problems
• Preventing and managing bullying and teasing
Detailed Cost
For the small group program of 6 participants, the program costs $20,780 (inc. GST).
Implementation Considerations
Target population: Children aged 8-12, their parents and their teachers.
Program adaptability: The program can be adapted to meet individual and cultural needs by using the expertise of trained facilitators.
Staffing: A teacher will need to be present during delivery of the program.
Training requirements: Teachers will be required to complete a two-hour training workshop. The SAS small group program includes nine 90-minute sessions delivered weekly (or eighteen 45-minute sessions), regular home missions (home practice), four 2 hour parent information sessions and a two hour teacher training workshop.
Factors to consider: There is a minimum of 6 participants per small group program. Schools will be required to have IT facilities to support virtual presentations. Each child will require access to a computer either at home / school to access the digital platform.
Australian context: The program was developed and evaluated through the Clinical Psychology program at the University of Queensland.
Strength of Evidence
Level 4: Established evidence for program (supported by quality research evidence)
Geographic Location
State-wide
Intended Outcomes
• Develop parent and teacher awareness of emotions, emotional regulation, problem solving
• Children will learn to recognise emotions in themselves and others
• Children will have increased ability to cope with feelings of anger and anxiety
• Children will have increased ability to communicate and play with others and build and maintain friendships
• Children will cope better with mistakes and transitions and prevent and manage bullying and teasing
• Children will acknowledge their personal strengths