Student Wellbeing
Your child’s wellbeing
Positive mental health and wellbeing is feeling good, functioning well and feeling connected. It’s important for all of us. For your child, good mental health helps them to be resilient, confident and secure so they get the most out of their education.
You have a big part to play in your child’s wellbeing. Everyday things, like spending time with them, make a big difference. You can support your child’s wellbeing at home by:
- establishing routines and expectations
- talking about emotions
- joining your child in play.
Mana Ake has advice on looking after yourself and connecting with your child in ways that support their wellbeing.
Supporting your child through big milestones
Everyone, including tamariki | children, can need some support and time to adjust to change. Starting school or transitioning to a new school is a big milestone for children.
Big changes can lead to your child having strong emotions about school. If your child doesn’t want to go to school, it’s important to offer them support as early as possible.
Children who have strong emotions about school or changes in their lives may start showing signs through:
- delaying their morning routine
- experiencing tummy aches, headaches or feeling sick
- finding it hard to talk about school in a positive way
- taking more days off school.
The Triple P – Positive Parenting Programme has advice on how to cope with change in your child’s life.
Work with your child’s teacher
Schools should provide a safe and inclusive environment for students. Talk to your child’s teacher if you are concerned about their wellbeing at school. Ask to meet with the teacher at a time convenient for them. Think about what concerns you want to discuss first.
When you meet with the teacher, start by talking about what is going well. Your child’s teacher can give advice and work with you on any issues. Working together helps to make sense of what’s happening, so together you can plan for changes or supports needed.
Teachers can work with you to get more help for your child if it is needed. They can explain aspects of the school processes and expectations. Some schools have special learning or support coordinators that your child’s teacher can refer them to. Most secondary schools have on-site counsellors.
If you’re not getting the help that you need from your school, you can contact us. Our regional offices will be able to support you to get the help you need.
Social media plays a big part in the lives of many young people. It’s a useful tool for learning and staying in touch with other people but can sometimes present risks to your child’s wellbeing and self-esteem. Before letting your child get started with using social media, make sure you communicate with your child about on the online safety basics.
Reference: Ministry of Education
Learning support
Supporting your child if they need extra help with their learning
Schools and kura have many resources and tools they can access to support learners, including our learning support team.
How to know if your child needs learning support
If you have concerns about your child’s learning, communication or behaviour, it can help to talk to someone knowledgeable who also knows your mokopuna | child.
You can start by talking to your child’s teacher or your doctor. They may be able to help you with strategies you can try at home to support your child. They can also let you know if more support is needed and help with next steps you may need to take.
How learning support teams work with schools and kura
In many cases, children’s needs can be met by their school or kura. We aim to support schools and kura to meet the needs of all tamariki | children. Often, we provide resources for teachers to use. Learning support teams also work directly with teachers to help them meet children’s needs.
If your tamaiti | child needs more tailored support, specialist help may be provided to support your child’s teacher. They may also work directly with your child.
Who will be involved when extra support is needed
Specialists work in collaborative teams. Any specialists who work with your child and their teachers will be able to use a wide range of resources and expertise. The team could include:
- early intervention teachers (EITs)
- teacher aides
- learning support coordinators
- Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB)
- speech-language therapists
- psychologists
- physiotherapists
- occupational therapists
- advisers on Deaf children
- Kaitakawaenga | Māori cultural advisors.
Early Intervention Teachers (EITs)
EITs are specialist teachers who support children who have a range of developmental delays or disabilities.
They work directly with young children, their whānau | families and educators in both early learning settings and school (up to the end of Year 1). They aim to understand, plan for and respond to additional learning needs, removing barriers to participation and progress in the crucial early years.
Learning support coordinators (LSCs)
LSCs are experienced teachers who:
- support your child to get the right help earlier
- make it easier for families to understand and access learning support at school
- better support teachers to meet diverse learning needs.
By 2028, all schools and kura with Years 1 to 8 students will have access to an in-school LSC. This will improve access to learning support.
Learning support coordinator increase
Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB)
Schools also have access to the RTLB service. RTLB are specialist kaiako or teachers who each work across several schools and kura. They may work with groups of teachers, with school leaders, or directly with students from Year 2, to support learning and behaviour needs.
Speech, language and communication support for your child
If your child is having difficulty with their speech, language and communication, you may be able to get support from a speech-language therapist (SLT) at school.
Some children and their whānau need tailored support plans. These are sometimes known as Individual Education Plans (IEPs) or Learning Plans. These plans focus on the needs and aspirations of the family and child. They set out goals for your child with plans to help your child achieve them.
Once an IEP is created, it’ll travel with your child throughout their education and develop as their needs change.
The learning support team will work with families and other agencies to develop support plans alongside other services such as child development teams.
How to access learning support
- Talk to your child’s teacher
Talking with your child’s teacher is a good place to start. It does not have to be a formal meeting. You can raise your concerns with teachers during a casual conversation.
Part of a teacher’s role is to observe children’s learning and development. If you or your child’s teacher have concerns, it’s good to talk about this together.
Teachers often have strategies or approaches they can try within the classroom that you can also support at home. Making a plan together is a good place to start.
Your school or kura may also have a teacher responsible for learning support, such as a LSC, who you can talk to.
If your child’s teacher thinks they may need to work with our learning support team to plan how to further meet your child’s needs, they can contact us with your permission.
- Talk to your child’s healthcare provider
You can also talk to your doctor or another healthcare provider if you have concerns about your child.
- Contact our learning support team
If you need more advice after talking to your school, you can contact our learning support team directly to talk about your concerns. They can help you to understand whether your child may need additional support, and if so, what options may be available.
Your regional office can provide support.
If your child is not enrolled at school or kura
We will help you find a suitable school or kura for your child. All children have the right to attend their local school. We know that being around other tamariki or rangatahi | young people is beneficial for learning and wellbeing.
If your child has not yet started school, then talk to your early learning service about the Early Intervention Service.
Learning support in the early years
Reference: Ministry of Education