KidsMatter Early Childhood in WA
News
In WA we recently completed the final Component 3 Working with parents and carers professional learning and are currently focussing on Component 4 Helping children experiencing mental health difficulties. Just over half the pilot sites have completed this Professional Learning and the other sites have booked in over the next six weeks. There has generally been a very positive response to this component with particular feedback about the value of sharing a common language and understanding of mental health and wellbeing in early childhood.
We maintain links with KidsMatter Primary and MindMatters. In our school based sites there has been interest in the opportunity to continue the focus on children’s mental health and wellbeing by adopting KidsMatter Primary. It has been very encouraging to see how KidsMatter Early Childhood and KidsMatter Primary operate together in the schools that have already taken this step (two of our pilot sites are part of schools involved in the KMP pilot and another two have become involved since the roll out.). We also have the opportunity to be part of the KidsMatter Primary support and implementation meetings which are held quarterly .
I am looking forward to visiting all pilot sites before the end of the year to talk about Component 4 implementation and action plans, also as a review and celebration of achievements of the past two years.
Sandy Clark
KidsMatter Early Childhood Facilitator, Western Australia
