Kids Matter

The KIDS MATTER website can help you understand more about children’s mental health, the types of things families can do to support children to grow up being healthy, as well as suggestions of where you can go if you need further help.


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Introducing KIDS MATTER

KIDS MATTER at St Mary's

Belonging at school makes a difference


SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL LEARNING


It has been found that…

“…children and young people who are happy, confident and able to establish meaningful relationships are better placed to achieve positive learning outcomes”.

(CEOM “Learning Centred Schools: A Sacred Landscape”)


What is Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)?

- a process for helping children (and adults) develop the fundamental skills for life effectiveness.


What are these fundamental skills?

- recognizing and managing our emotions

- developing caring and concern for others

- establishing positive relationships

- making responsible decisions

- handling challenging situations ethically and constructively


What does having these skills allow children to do?

- calm themselves when they are angry

- make friends

- resolve conflicts respectfully

- make ethical and safe choices


Did you know there are five core groups of SEL competencies?

- Self Awareness – assessing feelings, strengths, values & interests and maintaining self-confidence.

- Self Management - regulating emotions & setting and monitoring goals.

- Social Awareness – empathy, tolerance, understanding & community relationships.

- Relationship Skills – making & keeping friends, cooperating, resisting social pressure, managing conflict & seeking help when needed.

- Responsible Decision Making – considering ethics, safety, consequences of actions and respect for others when making decisions.


But why is SEL so important?

-It improves students’ positive behaviour and reduces negative behaviour.

- It promotes academic success, health & wellbeing.

- It prevents a variety of problems such as alcohol and drug abuse, violence, truancy and bullying.


How do we know?

A large body of scientific research has determined that effective SEL significantly improves students’…

- Social-Emotional skills

- Attitudes about self and others

- Social interactions


Want to know more???

Check out the CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social & Emotional Learning) website. It contains a wealth of information about SEL and what we as teachers and parents can do to help our children develop the fundamental skills for life effectiveness. It is well worth looking at.