Wellbeing in our schools is not left to chance. It is planned, taught and supported intentionally through:

• system-wide policies and procedures that parents can expect to see lived out consistently
• evidence-informed wellbeing programs
• explicit teaching of social and emotional skills

These approaches help students:

• build strong relationships
• develop resilience and confidence
• understand and manage their emotions

Our foundation for care

Our Catholic Schools Pastoral Care, Wellbeing and Safe Behaviour Policy places student formation and relationships at the heart of schooling. It affirms the dignity of every person, names wellbeing as foundational to learning and expects every member of the community to contribute to a safe, inclusive environment where Christ’s love is made visible in daily practice.

The policy commits schools to using proportional, restorative responses and to procedural fairness for all involved, while partnering with families so that home and school support each child together.

It is the overarching document that guides all wellbeing, behaviour and safety procedures across our schools.

In summary, this policy aims to:

• ensure every child feels safe, respected and supported
• guide how schools build positive relationships and respond to behaviour with dignity and fairness
• shape all wellbeing, safety and behaviour practices across our schools.

Caring for the whole child

Our Wellbeing Together Framework explains how we support every child’s social, emotional, physical, academic and spiritual development.

“When we nurture a child’s whole being we open doors to endless possibilities” – Susan Wright

The framework describes how schools create welcoming environments where students feel safe, included and valued, and where positive relationships and clear expectations help them succeed.

The framework articulates how our schools care for the whole child and work closely with families to help every student grow with confidence and compassion.

In summary, this framework aims to:

• support the social, emotional, physical, academic and spiritual growth of all students
• build belonging through inclusive classrooms and strong connections to faith and community
• strengthen partnerships between home and school to help every student grow with confidence and reach their potential.

Across our system, we use Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) — a proactive, evidence-based framework that supports our commitment to creating welcoming, safe, predictable, and supportive learning environments where every student can succeed.

In summary, Positive Behaviour for Learning:

• ensures schools develop systems to define behaviour expectations, explicitly teach key behaviours or social skills, acknowledge positive choices, and respond to behavioural errors consistently
• uses behavioural data to problem solve, identify areas to focus on within the environment, and to identify students who may require more support
• is built on a multi-tiered system of support model that provides extra support to students based on their needs.

Our Safe Behaviour and Planning Procedure explains how schools respond when unsafe behaviour occurs. It guides staff through clear steps to assess risk, choose the right supports and put safety plans in place so all students can feel secure and ready to learn again.

Plans follow a simple, consistent structure that helps staff and families work together to reduce risk and support the student’s return to positive behaviour. Whether the issue is minor or more serious, the goal is always the same — keeping every child safe and supported.

In summary, these procedures endeavour to:

• support schools to plan step-by-step supports when safety is at risk
• outline clear processes for schools to assess risk and create safety plans
• ensure families are informed and involved in safe behaviour planning.

Our schools are committed to providing safe, respectful and inclusive learning environments.

Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle is currently developing updated Anti-Bullying Procedures that will align with the NSW Anti-Bullying Framework (2025). These procedures will outline how our schools adopt a whole-school approach to preventing and responding to bullying.

A working party has been convened and will continue its work throughout 2026 to review the draft procedures. This process will ensure the procedures are clear, effective, informed by best practice, and reflective of feedback from our school communities.

The procedures will focus on four key areas:

• Partnering: Working with students, families and the wider community to foster a positive school culture.
• Preventing: Explicitly teaching respectful behaviour through Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL).
• Responding: Establishing clear and consistent processes for reporting and responding to bullying behaviour.
• Implementing: Using evidence and data to guide monitoring and continuous improvement.

Following consultation and feedback, the procedures will be finalised, with full implementation planned for 2027.

Our Student Voice and Leadership Procedures ask schools to establish authentic avenues for student voice and leadership that foster responsibility, confidence and service.

In summary, these procedures endeavour to:

• provide students with meaningful and age-appropriate opportunities to share ideas and take part in decisions, ensuring they feel listened to, valued, respected and connected to their school community
• build student confidence, responsibility and a sense of belonging
• provide fair and inclusive processes for student leadership.