Conference presentation at the Early Childhood Australia Conference by Amanda McAtamney from the Hunter Institute of Mental Health

1. Leadership in children’s social and emotional wellbeing: Achieving the best possible outcomes for children
Amanda McAtamney
Project Officer
Hunter Institute of Mental Health

2. Hunter Institute of Mental Health
•The Hunter Institute of Mental Health is a leading national organisation dedicated to reducing mental illness and suicide and improving wellbeing for all Australians.
•For more than 20 years we have been delivering successful, evidence-based mental health and suicide prevention programs from our base in Newcastle, NSW.

3. Overview
•Mental health
•Leadership
•Why leadership is important for children’s social and emotional wellbeing
•Leadership areas of practice
•Practices and tools to support leadership in social and emotional wellbeing
•CHILD framework
•Questions

4. Mental health
•Thoughts, feelings, behaviours
•Positive concept
• Essential to overall health
•Fluctuates over time

5. Piecing the puzzle together
•Mental health mental illness
•Mental health social and emotional wellbeing
•Mental health wellbeing

6. Social and emotional wellbeing in early childhood
•Context of development
•Capacity to:
–Participate in physical and social environment
–Form healthy and secure relationships
–Experience, manage, understand and express emotions
–Understand and manage behaviour
–Interact appropriately with others, including peers
–Develop a secure sense of self

7. Why is children’s mental health and wellbeing important?

8. What is our vision for children? How do we do this?
Wellbeing
Mental health
Physical health
Social functioning
Ability to reach their potential
Capacity for learning
Development

9. What is leadership?
•Influencing others to reflect, learn and change
•Dynamic process - influences culture, systems and operation of the service
•Occurs at all levels of early childhood services- beyond traditional hierarchal model
•Vested interest

10. Principles of effective leadership
Starts from within
Influence and responsibility
Shared responsibility
Supportive relationships

11. Leadership for children’s social and emotional wellbeing is everyone’s responsibility

12. •Quality leadership in educational settings is associated with stronger educational, social and emotional outcomes for young children.
•Early childhood educators play an important leadership role in supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing, particularly when they engage and partner with children, their families and the broader community.

13. Benefits for practice
Leaders who build capacity, courage and capability in supporting children’s social and emotional wellbeing can help to realise their vision of the best possible outcomes for children.

14. Leadership areas of practice
Child development
Modelling
Quality service provision
Diversity and inclusion
Partnerships
Professional Development

15. So… what does it look like?

16. Child development
•Understanding the factors that influence children’s mental health and wellbeing
•Solid foundations for life
•Strong attachments
•Guiding values, emotions and behaviours
•Promoting autonomy and positive sense of self

17. Modelling
•Leading by example
•Talking about mental health
•Prioritise your own mental health
•Acknowledge and support others

18. Quality service provision
•Define goals, values and desired outcomes
•Revise plans, policies and procedures
•Encourage systems to monitor mental health
•Focus on mental health in QIP

19. Diversity and Inclusion
•Inclusive practice for all children
•Families
•Colleagues

20. Partnerships
•Between educators and families
•Within the community, including other services
•Advocating

21. Professional development
•Formal
•Informal
•Reflection
•Sharing knowledge

22. Resources to support leadership for SEW
Response Ability is an initiative of the Department of Health. We aim to promote the social and emotional wellbeing of children and young people. We do this by supporting the pre-service training of school teachers and early childhood educators by:
•providing free multi-media teaching resources;
•providing additional information through conference presentations, websites, and one-on-one meetings; and;
•providing professional support to help integrate mental health into their programs.

23. The Educator’s Guide
The Educator’s Guide is a practical and accessible tool which encompasses the key information and strategies that can be used when working with children and families to support social and emotional wellbeing and development.
This resource is available to download and save online at the Response Ability website. www.responseability.org

24. Fact Sheets
•Resilience
•Communicating with Children
•Guiding Children’s behaviour
•Wellbeing
•Response Ability have fact sheets that are available on the website which can assist you in your leadership roles.
•Early Intervention
•Children with additional needs
•Identifying emotional and behavioural problems

26. Help children learn social and emotional skills and manage their own behaviour.
•Model effective social and emotional skills in your behaviour and relationships.
•Set practical tasks and cooperative activities that promote problem-solving, social skills, negotiation and communication.
•Teach children skills for managing difficult emotions, such as going to a safe quiet place, relaxation, talking about feelings, etc.

27. Linking families with support and information services
•Advocating for children’s mental health needs
•Encourage communities to work together
•Those at greater risk of developing health problems or disorders need more support

28. Develop broader organisational and community strategies that support wellbeing.
•Contribute to team discussions about promoting social and emotional wellbeing and development in your service.
•Participate in professional development on social and emotional development, resilience, mental illness, etc.
•Work in partnership with parents, families and community members to promote positive social and emotional development and wellbeing.
•Advocate and role model for the social and emotional needs of children, families and communities.

29. Link to the National Quality Standards
Quality Area 7: Leadership and service management discuss the role of leadership.
•Standard 7.1 Effective leadership promotes a positive organisational culture and builds a professional learning community.
•Standard 7.2 There is a commitment to continuous improvement.

30. Last word
‘Leadership is a journey of joint inquiry, exploration and reflection that can involve everyone who believes in making a difference for children’
(Waniganayake & Semann, 2011, p. 24)

31. Questions ?

32. Contact details
Amanda McAtamney
Project Officer
Amanda.mcatamney@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au
Response Ability Team Email: Hnelhd-education@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au
Websites: www.responseability.org
www.himh.org.au
Phone: 02 4924 6900

33. References
•Response Ability at Hunter Institute of Mental Health. (2013). Resilience [Fact sheet]. Retrieved June 13, 2014, from http://www.responseability.org/childrens-services/
•Waniganayake, M., & Semann, A. (2011). Being and becoming leaders. Rattler, 100, Summer, 24.
•World Health Organization; Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse; Victorian Health Promotion Foundation; University of Melbourne. Promoting mental health: concepts, emerging evidence, practice; A summary report. Geneva: World Health Organisation; 2004.
•Lewis J and Hill J. What does leadership look like in early childhood settings? Every Child Magazine. 18 (4); 2012.
•KidsMatter Australian Early Childhood Mental Health Initiative. Shared Thinking: What helps a leadership team lead? 2012. Available from: www.kidsmatter.edu.au/early-childhood
•MindMatters. Key enablers for the whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing. In: Whole School Matters Draft, 2012. Available from: www.mindmatters.edu.au
•Hunter Institute of Mental Health and Community Services & Healthy Industry Skills Council. Children’s Mental Health and Wellbeing: Exploring Competencies for the Early Childhood Education and Care Workforce. Final Report. Newcastle: Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations; 2012. 129 p. Available from: www.himh.org.au