KidsMatter Early Childhood in TAS
News
By late October, the ten sites participating in the KidsMatter Early Childhood pilot project in Tasmania will have completed their professional learning for Component 4: Helping children who are experiencing mental health difficulties. They will then be developing goals for this component and implementing their action plans. All sites have affirmed the increase in their knowledge and awareness about mental health in early childhood that has resulted from their participation in the project.
A mini-conference, Celebrating Mental Health in Schools’ was held in Hobart on 12 October as a celebratory event for schools interested or engaged with KidsMatter Primary KidsMatter Early Childhood and MindMatters, facilitated by the three state coordinators, Helen Barrett, Penny Andersen and Toni Gray. Jeremy Hurley (National Coordinator, KidsMatter Primary), Dr Katherine Dix, (Research Fellow in Education, Flinders University, Adelaide), Tracey Zilm, (National Training Coordinator MindMatters), and Kylie Wolstencroft, (Psychologist and Wellbeing Coordinator, Scotch Oakburn College, Launceston) were the keynote speakers. Workshops were also held in relation to each of the three programs. Kylie Wolstencroft is the KidsMatter Early Childhood facilitator for Scotch Oakburn, one of the ten Tasmanian pilot services and gave a very interesting presentation on teaching ‘Mindfulness’ to children of all ages. Feedback from participants about this birth to year twelve perspective on mental health was very positive.
Penny Andersen
Tasmania KidsMatter Early Childhood Facilitator
