Wellbeing and Student Support
Wellbeing and Health
Turas Programme
We recognise that Middle is a journey for all students, the transition from the familiar Primary School environment towards a more independent Secondary model. Turas, the Gaelic term for a journey or a pilgrimage is our bespoke Middle School well- being programme that aims to honour the age and developmental needs of our students.
Turas focuses on character strengths, values and skills that build positive self-perception, community and habits. The principles covered in Turas are embedded in all elements of the Middle School. The Middle School timetable incorporates one Turas lesson a week to explore our student centred curriculum developed by our Pastoral Care team. Chapel, assembly, subject classes and PCG serve as key points of contact that are used to promote and reinforce the strategies covered in Turas.
This age appropriate, research based approach to well-being incorporates digital, organisational and social skills targeted to each year level. The programme is deployed by PCG tutors in order to develop a sense of belonging and ease the transition to a secondary teaching model.
Psychological Services
There are three School Psychologists at Scotch College, one based in each sub-school. Ms Kim Lorimer is the Middle School Psychologist who works with students from Years 6, 7 and 8.
The aim of the School Psychologist is to promote the psychological health of the School community and to help students flourish academically, socially and emotionally.
School Psychologists collaborate with educators, parents and other professionals to create safe, healthy and supportive learning environments that strengthen connections between home, school and the community for all students.
The School Psychologists provide individual support for students and educational and pastoral support for all staff and families within the school community on a short term basis. The delivery of counselling support to students is within ethical and professional obligations. Discussions between School Psychologists and their clients are confidential and follow guidelines set by the Australian Psychological Society (APS). They often liaise with external professionals or agencies such as paediatricians, clinical psychologists and psychiatrists. As registered psychologists they maintain registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) by fulfilling the required obligations.
Referrals
If it is agreed that input from the Middle School Psychologist would be beneficial, then a parent referral can be arranged.
Occasionally a family would prefer to go directly to the School Psychologist and this is possible in the Middle School either by email, kim.lorimer@scotch.wa.edu.au or telephone (via Middle School reception).
If a parent would prefer to access student psychological help outside Scotch College, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) has a list of registered Psychologists in Australia, ahpra.gov.au/Registration/Registers-of-Practitoners.aspx.
Resources
Parents can access a range of resources via SEQTA Engage and clicking on Psychological Services.
General Mental Health Information
Headspace | headspace.org.au |
Authentic Happiness | authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu |
People and Places That Can Help
Headspace | headspace.org.au |
Kids Helpline | kidshelpline.com.au |
Mensline Australia – Young Men | mensline.org.au |
Reach Out | reachout.com |
Samaritians Youth Office | samaritans.org.au |
SANE Australia | sane.org |
Youth Beyond Blue | youthbeyondblue.com |
North Metropolitan Health | nmhs.health.wa.gov.au |
Lifeline Crisis Support Chat | lifeline.org.au |
Grieflink | grieflink.org.au |
Online Self-Help Programmes for Mental Health
Young people often use the internet for help and support, as well as seeking help from parents, friends, teachers and psychologists. Online self-help programs can help to prevent and manage mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. These services are free of charge, anonymous and available 24/7.
bluepages.anu.edu.au: Information about depression including how it feels and how it is treated. Includes things that people do to manage depression, from taking medication to eating chocolate! Blue Page also explains the type of help available and where to access this help. There are quizzes and a downloadable relaxation mp3.
ecouch.com.edu.au: An interactive self-help programme that includes modules for social anxiety, generalised anxiety and depression. It teaches skills to help manage difficult times and can help you to relax, get more active, think straighter and change the way you interact with other people.
moodgym.anu.edu.au: A popular interactive programme drawn from Cognitive Behaviour Therapy that helps users to prevent and manage depressive symptoms. MoodGYM has been extensively researched and has been shown to be effective in reducing depressive symptoms and unhelpful thinking in users. You may consider spending some time together with your son accessing these sites. Research has shown that six sessions together on mood gym can be as effective as individual therapy.
Health Centre
Scotch College has a purpose-built Health Centre on the Campus, staffed by a team of Registered Nurses. The Health Centre caters for the primary health care needs of students throughout their time at the College. The Health Centre provides 24 hour cover for boarders and nursing care for day students during school hours.
In addition to providing acute care for illness and injuries for boarders and day students, the Health Centre has an increased focus on health education, injury prevention and providing pastoral care for day students and boarders, as well as primary health assessment and referral to a variety of health professionals as required. The Health Centre is constantly updating our policies to provide the best possible, evidence-based care for our students and staff. The Health Centre also provides assistance to the Health Department of Western Australia with the School Based Immunisation Programme.
The Health Centre plays a key role in the health of our boarders including organising appointments with allied health professionals in consultation with parents and guardians and ensuring follow up care.
Opening Hours
The following hours only apply during the school term:
Monday to Friday, 8am–6pm
Saturday, 8am–1pm
After Hours
The on-call, after-hours service is provided by Registered Nurses ensuring 24 hour care for emergencies and Boarding house needs. The overall aim of the Scotch College Nursing staff is to promote a philosophy of health and wellbeing, as well as building resilience and preventing illness.
Health Centre Team
- Fiona Richmond, RN and Nurse Manager
- Beverley Simkin, RN
- Rebecca Manning, RN
- Annie Murphy, RN
Contacting the Health Centre
Phone: (08) 9383 6818 or 0402 983 086
Email: healthcentre@scotch.wa.edu.au
Appointments and Medications
All Students
Students requesting to present to the Health Centre during school hours (except recess and lunch) must have the visit confirmed by either their classroom teacher or Middle School Administration.
Medical Forms
Parents/Guardians are required to provide their son’s current medical history to the Health Centre by completing the Current Student Details Form. Parents must notify the Health Centre if there are any changes to their son’s medical details. Parents are required to confirm or update their son’s medical record online via the Parent Portal on home.scotch.wa.edu.au prior to excursions, camps or tours.
Medications
The Health Centre stocks the following over the counter medications: Paracetamol, Nurofen, Claratyne, Telfast, Buscopan, Immodium, Mylanta, Bisolvon dry and chesty cough mixture.
Should a student require over the counter medications not listed above, parents/guardians must provide a supply for storage at the Health Centre. If a student requires medication to be dispensed by the Health Centre Nurses, the Parent/Guardian must complete a Medication Request Form available from the Health Centre.
Boarding Students
If any medications are required (either over the counter or prescribed) this must be authorised by the School Nurse. No medications are to be kept in Boarding unless this process is followed.
Appointments for Boarding Students
The Health Centre must be informed of any external appointments, either medical or dental and full details given including date, time, address and the name of who will be accompanying the student to the appointment. Other than in exceptional circumstances, such notification must be provided at least 2 working days before the appointment. Contact can be made via e-mail to healthcentre@scotch.wa.edu.au or by phone on 9383 6818.
If possible boarding students should be accompanied to appointments by a family member or representative. If this is not possible, please contact the Health Centre, giving at least one week’s notice to arrange a staff member to provide transport.
On return from appointments, students must advise the Nurse on Duty of any follow-up appointments, treatment or medications required.
Allergy Aware
Scotch College operates as an Allergy Aware School. If your son suffers from food, insect or other allergies that may require urgent medical attention/monitoring, please contact the Scotch College Health Centre on 9383 6818 to record and discuss your son’s ongoing allergy management plan. Parents are required to review this information each year to ensure the most current information is on file.
Nut Guidelines
An allergy is an adverse reaction to something (usually a protein) which is either ingested, inhaled, injected or comes into contact with the skin. Symptoms of an allergic reaction may be localised or generalised. Food, medications and insect venom are the most common triggers of severe allergic reactions. Anaphylaxis is a sudden and severe allergic reaction – it is potentially life-threatening and always requires an emergency response. Fortunately, it is uncommon and usually preventable.
With over 1500 students on campus there will be students with identified suspected and unidentified allergies that can be severe, such as life-threatening allergies to peanuts and/or nuts. Some allergies are so severe that anaphylactic shock may be induced simply by eating and/or touching these foods.
Scotch College has adopted a series of guidelines to reduce the risk of anaphylaxis and the provision of appropriate action should anaphylaxis occur:
- Parents of students are asked to refrain from sending food products containing nuts or peanuts (e.g. peanut butter, Nutella or muesli bars containing nuts) to school. We recognise that this may at times be difficult however, in the interests of community spirit and safety parents are urged to try and respect this request. We remind parents of this via the Headmaster’s Newsletter throughout the year.
- Children will be encouraged to not share food.
- All children will be educated on the need to wash their hands before and after eating food. Hand washing will also be carried out under staff supervision before all cooking activities.
- Educating other children to become aware of others’ allergies and assist in caring for them.
It is of utmost importance that parents notify the College of any known or suspected allergies particularly severe allergies their sons may have and provide an Anaphylaxis Action Plan and any relevant medication i.e. Epipen/oral antihistamine. It is also a parental responsibility to ensure that all medications supplied are “in date” and have not expired. Parents whose child has been prescribed an Epipen or Epipen Jnr are urged to register with the Reminder Club at www.epiclub.com.au. This free service ensures a reminder is sent when the Epipen is due to expire so that it can be replaced. Other valuable information, including a video demonstrating how to use the Epipen, can also befound on the website. Please direct any further queries regarding this to the Health Centre on 9383 6818.
Vaccinations
Annual flu vaccinations are offered to all College Staff and Boarding students and are run through the Health Centre. Further information is sent out to parents and staff nearer to the time. Year 7 students will have the opportunity to enrol in the School-based Immunisation Programme. Parents will be emailed a link to log in online and enrol their son for the scheduled vaccinations.
Sunsmart Guidelines
These guidelines have been adopted to reduce the risk for staff and students from skin damage caused by exposure to the sun. These guidelines apply throughout the school year and while on school camps, excursions, carnivals and co-curricular activities.
- Students are required to wear a wide-brimmed College hat or peaked cap whenever they are outdoors during Spring and Summer terms.
- A No Hat-No Play in the Sun statement is widely published, articulated and enforced during Spring and Summer terms.
- Students without hats are directed to designated shaded areas.
- Students are educated about wearing and applying their own sunscreen which includes the purchase of their own supply.
- Sunscreen is provided during carnivals and other outdoor events. Regular reminders are issued by teachers and over the public address system.