Wellbeing
Supporting Student and Family Wellbeing
As we face the changing landscape of COVID-19 in Australia, it is important to support and manage the wellbeing of our students and community. People can experience a wide range of thoughts, feelings and reactions.
The wellbeing of both children and parents has an interdependent relationship; it is important to encourage open dialogue and discussion for the wellbeing of everyone.
You or someone you know may experience periods of:
How to talk to Children about COVID-19
While a difficult topic, it is necessary to discuss it. The following guidelines can help frame discussions:
Student Mental Health Resources:
BRAVE Online: Anxiety Treatment Program for Children, Adolescents & Parents (ages 8-12 & 13-17yrs)
Mood Gym: Online self-help program for Depression & anxiety
Human rights education: Activities to help students understand everyone's responsibilities.
Healthier happier Qld: Activities to support healthy eating and moving.
ReachOut Australia: Activities to help cope with stress and coping in difficult situations.
SAM: Self-Help for Anxiety Management
School TV: A video for teachers/parents to talk to children about COVID—Presented by Dr Michael Carr-Greg.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): How to Talk to Your Child - Find some practical advice for talking to their children about COVID-19.
Bundaberg Region Youth Help Contacts
As we face the changing landscape of COVID-19 in Australia, it is important to support and manage the wellbeing of our students and community. People can experience a wide range of thoughts, feelings and reactions.
The wellbeing of both children and parents has an interdependent relationship; it is important to encourage open dialogue and discussion for the wellbeing of everyone.
You or someone you know may experience periods of:
- Feeling stressed or overwhelmed
- Anxiety, worry or fear
- Sadness, tearfulness and/or loss of interest in usual enjoyable activities
- Physical symptoms such as increased heart rate, stomach upset, low energy
- Frustration, irritability or fear
- Feeling helpless
- Difficulty concentrating or sleeping
- Isolating or withdrawing from others
How to talk to Children about COVID-19
While a difficult topic, it is necessary to discuss it. The following guidelines can help frame discussions:
- Use age appropriate ideas
- For younger children, keep information simple and clear
- Take cues from your children
- Encourage questions to help understanding
- Be reassuring, but not dismissive
- Be solutions focused (what is happening to keep them safe)
- Keep talking; check in regularly
- Process your own worries before you speak to your children
Student Mental Health Resources:
BRAVE Online: Anxiety Treatment Program for Children, Adolescents & Parents (ages 8-12 & 13-17yrs)
Mood Gym: Online self-help program for Depression & anxiety
Human rights education: Activities to help students understand everyone's responsibilities.
Healthier happier Qld: Activities to support healthy eating and moving.
ReachOut Australia: Activities to help cope with stress and coping in difficult situations.
SAM: Self-Help for Anxiety Management
School TV: A video for teachers/parents to talk to children about COVID—Presented by Dr Michael Carr-Greg.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): How to Talk to Your Child - Find some practical advice for talking to their children about COVID-19.
Bundaberg Region Youth Help Contacts
Useful Apps
Smiling Mind is a meditation app for young people. It has been developed by a team of psychologists and uses mindfulness to boost calmness, contentment and clarity. Mindfulness meditation has been shown to help manage stress, resilience, anxiety, depression and improve general health and wellbeing.
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Focus On The Go - Buddy Bear and Feeling Fox are here to help your family build on your current strengths and teach new skills to help keep your family prepared for anything that might come your way!
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ReachOut Breathe helps you reduce the physical symptoms of stress and anxiety by slowing down your breathing and your heart rate with your iPhone or Apple Watch.
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ReachOut WorryTime interrupts this repetitive thinking by setting aside your worries until later, so you don't get caught up in them and can get on with your day. This means you can deal with worries once a day, rather than carrying them around with you 24/7.
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