News Archives

Component 2 resources for families and staff are now available. Resources for the other components will be available soon. These can be found under the resources tab.

KidsMatter Early Childhood is currently undertaking important research to improve its website and better support its implementation in early childhood centres.

Your perceptions of KidsMatter Early Childhood and of our website are vital to the successful expansion of the initiative and, as such, we invite you to take our brief 15 minute survey online (link below).

The survey is designed to gauge your awareness of KidsMatter Early Childhood, interest in specific children’s mental health topics, preferred methods of information delivery, internet usage, and access to hardware, like colour printers and mobile devices.

Once you have completed the survey, we ask that you forward the link on to other members of your community you think would like to help – leadership team members, centre directors and managers, centre staff, parents and carers of children under 6, mental health and wellbeing personnel, sector colleagues, or any other interested members. There will be instructions at the end of the survey on how to do this.

Furthermore, you will automatically go into the draw to win one of eight $250 book vouchers to spend on your library (or donate to a charity of your choice).

Thanks for supporting KidsMatter Early Childhood!

http://online.tns-global.com/wix2/p1061122464.aspx
Survey closes midnight Thursday, 17 November 2011.

Kidsmatter Early Childhood state and territory pages are now available. Click here to view these.

KidsMatter Primary Newsletter Issue 21 is now available. The theme is ‘Benefits of social and emotional learning for all students.’

KidsMatter Primary eNewsletter Issue 20, June 2011 is now available. Click here to view the issue.

Our fourth eNewsletter was released on 3rd May 2011. Please click here to view the issue.

Positions are currently available at Principals Australia for KidsMatter Primary Project Officers and at the Australian Psychological Society for KidsMatter Senior Project Officers. Read on to find out more.

Principals Australia Project Officers

Principals Australia Project Officers KidsMatter Primary (KMP) Four (4) Full time positions (12 month contract commencing May 2011, with possibility of extension)

Locations: Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth

KidsMatter Primary (KMP) is a mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention framework for primary schools developed in collaboration with the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, Principals Australia, the Australian Psychological Society and beyondblue: the national depression initiative.

Principals Australia is seeking dynamic individuals to work closely with the State Coordinator and national team on the expansion of KidsMatter Primary, providing high level support to schools through the delivery of professional learning to school staff and related education and health professionals.

Excellent communication skills and confidence in working with a range of stakeholders at a strategic level is essential.

For job and person specifications, contact Helen Price on (08) 82459825.
For further information contact Chris Champion on (08) 82459826 or 0457 864 378 or go to www.kidsmatter.edu.au/primary for details on KidsMatter.

 Applications by email to helen.price@pa.edu.au close 5.00pm (CST) Friday April 8, 2011.

KidsMatter Senior Project Officers 

Position Type: Various positions, 12 month Contract, fulltime (minimum 4 days per week)
Location: Australian Psychological Society National Office – 257 Collins Street, Melbourne
Reports to: KidsMatter National Coordinators

Would you like the opportunity to bring your psychological expertise to a major national children’s mental health initiative?

The KidsMatter national mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention initiatives, based at the Australian Psychological Society (APS), are seeking applications from people with postgraduate qualifications in psychology or children’s mental health, and/or have at least 5 years experience in the field.  Experience in team leadership, project management and working with the education or early childhood sector is also desirable. 

A number of Senior Project Officer positions are currently available for 12 month contracts. 
Please see the KidsMatter website (www.kidsmatter.edu.au) for further information about both of the initiatives. 

The APS has the lead role in the development of materials, resources and professional development for the initiative, as well as website management.  The Senior Project Officer will report to the National Coordinator, and lead a small team responsible for developing resources and professional learning within the initiative.  

 Please provide a written application:

• addressing the required skills and attributes available at http://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/ec/home/recruitment/  in no more than two (2) pages
• attaching a current curriculum vitae
• including the names and contact details of two (2) referees.

 Applications close:  11 April, 2011 Applications should be sent via email to Jo Cole at J.Cole@psychology.org.au.

Other KidsMatter positions available

Please visit our recruitment page.

Our third eNewsletter was released on 28th February 2011. Please click here to view the issue.

Please click on the following links to access a range of information and resources produced by organisations such as the Australian Psychological Society, beyondblue, Lifeline, Early Childhood Australia, the Australian National University, and the Raising Children Network.

Australian Psychological Society
How to help psychologically during – and after – the floods

Flood resources

beyondblue
Floods – where to get help

Lifeline
Providing care in times of community crisis

Early Childhood Australia
For information about how natural disasters can affect young children and what you can do, please click here for a resource called “Bushfires and Children”.

The Australian National University
The Australian Child & Adolescent Trauma, Loss & Grief Network at the Australian National University also has a valuable resources for dealing with disasters. Click here for their website.

Raising Children Network
Click here for information to help support children through a tragedy.

Our second eNewsletter was released 26 October 2010. Please click here to view the issue.