The Anxiety Project

A whole-school community approach to managing anxiety and building resilience in NSW primary school students.

Taking Expression of Interest now for our second cohort.

Closing date for EOIs is COB Monday, 7 August 2023.

Click here to register your interest 

Click here to Listen to Michael Hawton Online 

Description

New South Wales Primary Principals' Association (NSWPPA) has developed a program to address high levels of anxiety among children in New South Wales.
NSWPPA proposes that any solution for childhood anxiety will need to address a number of factors and populations. The following will be addressed by by building the capacity of school leaders, teachers, SLSOs and parents to reduce

children’s anxiety levels in NSW schools:

1. School Leaders - through professional learning for school leaders they will design protocols and establish a culture
   within their schools aimed at helping children build resilience.
2. Implementation Coaches (ICs) - through having ICs in schools it will be possible to support teachers (through in-class
   mentoring) and parents (through the provision of parent education groups).
3. Teachers - through the provision of professional learning for teachers it will be possible to counter anxiety habits in
   children, as they arise in the school environment.
4. School Learning Support Staff (SLSOs) – through the provision of professional learning for SLSOs it will be possible to
   counter anxious behaviour in a one-on-one setting with those children needing additional support.
5. Parents - by providing family management training for parents, we can equip parents to better deal with a child’s
   mild-level anxiety at home.

Strengths of the program