STUDENT WELFARE POLICY

Draft 2

• Templeton Primary School promotes a healthy, supportive and secure environment for all children and fosters student resilience and coping skills.
• Student Welfare is a shared responsibility between school, home and the community.

• To ensure all teachers assume responsibility for student welfare.
• To provide successful experiences for all children where they feel safe and secure in a supportive environment.
• To develop a sense of belonging and wellbeing.
• To develop students' self esteem, positive social behaviours and problem solving skills.
• To train staff to be skilled and proactive in the management of student welfare issues.
• To ensure that the processes and protocols that support Student Welfare are clear and well known.

Implementation

• The school will appoint a staff member who will coordinate student welfare across the school.
• The Values Program which outlines Templeton P. S. beliefs and prosocial behaviours is supported by The Student Code of Conduct, the processes of Restorative Practice and other social skills programs.
• The school will adopt a proactive and strategic stance with issues of student welfare.
• The school will implement welfare support structures and programs which prioritise and address the identified needs of individual students as well as the school as whole.
• The school will endeavour to implement and maintain programs such as:
  • Programs across the school to develop resilience, social skills, conflict resolution and problem solving, e.g. Bounce Back, Rock & Water, Mpower and Circle Time.
  • Student of the Week Award
  • Drug Education o Transition Programs (Prep and Year 6)
  • Life Education ( Human Development)
  • C.A.R.e o Buddies
• The school will provide the following support structures.
  • Monitoring of, and responding to, protracted student absences
  • Access to school based support services. Psychologist or Speech Therapist
  • Trained First Aid Officer
  • Medical register process identifying students at risk from anaphylaxis shock, asthma, diabetes and other significant health risks
  • Protocol for Mandatory Reporting
  • School Chaplain
  • Critical Incident Training
• The school can utilize existing school services to link students and parents with outside agencies which provide support, including:
  • Psychologist for psychological and academic assessment, counselling, social skills, play therapy, and anger management.
  • Department of Human Services case managers and support workers.
  • Social workers to provide family or individual assistance.
  • Local parent support groups
  • DEECD Support Staff
  • C.A.S.A. (Centre Against Sexual Assault)
  • School Nurse
  • Dental Van
• The School will endeavour to cater for:
  • Children identified with specific welfare issues by accessing relevant professional support/advice from Guidance Officer or other professionals, developing appropriate individual programs and creating support groups.
  • Data relating to student absence, accidents, playground behaviour incidents, connectedness (Student Survey) will be collected, analysed and follow up measures taken.

A review will be conducted by the Education Committee in consultation with the Welfare Committee and School Council as a part of the School's review cycle.