Student Wellbeing

When it comes to the wellbeing of our students, we work as a team.  It takes parents, teachers, and the community to support the wellbeing of students.  As a school, we appreciate you sharing anything with us that may impact on your child’s wellbeing.  This information will be treated confidentially and will help us to better support your child.  You may wish to let your child’s teacher know, or you can also arrange to speak with or email your relevant Deputy Principal.  If you are already working with one of our Student Services team members, you may also wish to speak with them.

Positive Problem Solving

Conflict between children is a normal part of childhood development and provides an opportunity for students to learn valuable real life skills around problem solving, valuing the perspectives of others, conflict resolution and resilience.

If your child talks to you about problems with other children at school, this is good news. Very often children don’t tell anyone about issues they are having at school; they might feel ashamed or worried how their parents will respond. It is important that when children approach parents with a problem, parents stop and listen. If parents become emotional or over-react, this may discourage children from confiding further.

When children are upset by other children’s behaviour, parents can provide a valuable sounding board. They can help children interpret situations and decide on possible strategies that are appropriate and fit with our school expectations of being Safe, Respectful and Responsible. Problems can be solved if the child can stand up for themselves calmly. Parents can help children practise how to do this.

Parents might also help children learn how to ignore minor issues, strengthen friendships with kind children, resolve ongoing conflicts and get help from a teacher when needed.  At Calliope State School we encourage the strategy of Talk, Walk and Squawk.

If a child is unable to deal with a distressing issue by themselves, it is important that the parent communicates for the child. If the child is experiencing problems at school, parents should first contact the classroom teacher. The next step in supporting your child would then be to contact the Deputy or Principal for your child’s year level.

Generally it is a risky move to approach parents of another child at school. Your approach is unlikely to improve things and may result in heated conflict. This may worsen the relationship between the children, making it more difficult for the school to resolve the issue. 

It is also a risky move to air your concerns in the social media forum.  This may also worsen the relationship between the children, making it more difficult for the school to resolve the issue. 

It is also not appropriate to approach the other student yourself as this also often make situations more difficult to resolve peacefully.

(Based on information provided by Karyn Healy Program Coordinator (Psychologist), Resilience Triple P program Parenting and Family Support Centre, The University of Queensland)