Kidsmatter Primary Evaluation: Technical Report And User Guide, Katherine Dix, John P. Keeves, Phillip T. Slee, Michael J. Lawson, Alan Russell, Helen Askell-Williams, Grace Skrzypiec, Laurence Owens, Barbara Spears
Sep 2019
Kidsmatter Primary Evaluation: Technical Report And User Guide, Katherine Dix, John P. Keeves, Phillip T. Slee, Michael J. Lawson, Alan Russell, Helen Askell-Williams, Grace Skrzypiec, Laurence Owens, Barbara Spears
Dr Katherine Dix
This Technical Report and User Guide is the culmination of an evaluation investigating the effectiveness of KidsMatter Primary, involving over 5000 participants in 100 Australian primary schools over a two year period. It brings together an extensive data gathering exercise and presents technical aspects of the statistical and thematic analyses used in the KidsMatter Evaluation Final. The series of data files and the analysis in which the files have been used, are from the KidsMatter Evaluation Whole Cohort Longitudinal Study (predominantly quantitative data) and the Stakeholder and Student Voice Studies (qualitative data), in addition to data obtained from Project Officers …
Single-Sex Schooling And Girls’ Achievement In Australia, Katherine Dix
May 2018
Single-Sex Schooling And Girls’ Achievement In Australia, Katherine Dix
Dr Katherine Dix
Data from research studies such as the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), and NAPLAN have been utilised to compare girls’ and boys’ academic achievement in single-sex and co-educational schools. The data sets, which inform policy monitoring by identifying key performance measures and evaluating progress towards educational goals for Australian students by international standards, are examined to identify any gender biases in Australian and international trends in reading and mathematics for Years 3-4 to Year 9 students. The effects of socio-economic status, year level and …
Australian Child Wellbeing Project Technical Report, Petra Lietz, Elizabeth O'Grady, Mollie Tobin, Martin Murphy, Greg Macaskill, Gerry Redmond, Katherine Dix, Sue Thomson
Jan 2018
Australian Child Wellbeing Project Technical Report, Petra Lietz, Elizabeth O'Grady, Mollie Tobin, Martin Murphy, Greg Macaskill, Gerry Redmond, Katherine Dix, Sue Thomson
Dr Katherine Dix
The Australian Child Wellbeing Project (ACWP) was conducted from 2012 – 2015 using a mixed-methods, child-centred approach. Young people’s perspectives were used to inform a nationally representative survey of children’s wellbeing in the middle years. The aims of the ACWP survey were to benchmark child wellbeing in Australia and to provide useful information for services that promote young people’s healthy development. A final outcome of this project was to make the extensive ACWP database publically available in order to provide further opportunity to exploit the rich data and improve understanding. Accordingly, this technical report consolidates the research conducted by ACER …
Population-Level Approaches To Increasing Mental Health And Wellbeing In Schools: Kidsmatter And Mindmatters, Katherine Dix
May 2015
Population-Level Approaches To Increasing Mental Health And Wellbeing In Schools: Kidsmatter And Mindmatters, Katherine Dix
Dr Katherine Dix
This presentation showcases the continuing expansion of the KidsMatter and MindMatters national initiatives for student mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention in primary and secondary schools across Australia – now in over 3000 schools. As part of a broad approach to reducing problem behaviour, such as bullying, KidsMatter and MindMatters use best-practice blended learning approaches that raise school capacity. Focus is given to the KidsMatter and MindMatters strategies that support schools to reduce bullying by developing whole-school policy, prevention and management strategies. Evidence from KidsMatter and MindMatters schools is presented. It demonstrates potential increases in staff understanding and confidence …
Kidsmatter And Mindmatters: Impact And Opportunity, Katherine Dix
Apr 2015
Kidsmatter And Mindmatters: Impact And Opportunity, Katherine Dix
Dr Katherine Dix
No abstract
Optimising The Wellbeing Of Children Through A National Whole-School Approach To Mental Health Promotion That Engages Families And Communities, Katherine Dix
Oct 2014
Optimising The Wellbeing Of Children Through A National Whole-School Approach To Mental Health Promotion That Engages Families And Communities, Katherine Dix
Dr Katherine Dix
This presentation explores what it has taken to achieve student wellbeing in over 2000 KidsMatter Primary schools and pre-schools across Australia by engaging families and community from the outset. KidsMatter is Australia’s mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention initiative for children, and is principally delivered by Principals Australia Institute (PAI) with funding from the Department of Health and Beyondblue. A core feature of the KidsMatter framework is a whole-schools approach, which recognises that children’s wellbeing is best supported when families and schools work together and utilize broader community expertise and services. A mantra of KidsMatter is ‘Action within and …
Every Face Has A Place: Disability, Mental Health And Kidsmatter, Katherine Dix
Oct 2014
Every Face Has A Place: Disability, Mental Health And Kidsmatter, Katherine Dix
Dr Katherine Dix
Consideration is given about why children with additional needs are at a greater risk of mental health difficulties, and how schools can promote mental health and wellbeing in children who have additional needs. The session also considers how the KidsMatter framework guides schools through a whole-school approach that promotes a positive school community, develops children’s social and emotional skills, strengthens parents and carer engagement, and assists children experiencing difficulties, particularly those with special needs. Key principles for supporting children with disabilities to participate and be included at school are discussed, along with key findings from the Ministerial Advisory Committee: Students …
Disability And Children’S Mental Health Through The Kidsmatter Lens, Katherine Dix, Paul Cahalan
Jun 2014
Disability And Children’S Mental Health Through The Kidsmatter Lens, Katherine Dix, Paul Cahalan
Dr Katherine Dix
In this workshop, we present evidence and look at why children with additional needs are at a greater risk of mental health difficulties, and how schools can promote mental health and wellbeing in children who have additional needs. The session considers how the KidsMatter framework guides schools through a whole-school approach that promotes a positive school community, develops children’s social and emotional skills, strengthens parents and carer engagement, and assists children experiencing difficulties. Key principles for supporting children with disabilities to participate and be included at school are discussed, along with key findings from the Ministerial Advisory Committee: Students with …
Mental Health Promotion And Wellbeing In Schools: Everyone's Right To Feel Safe, Katherine Dix, Tracy Zilm
Mar 2014
Mental Health Promotion And Wellbeing In Schools: Everyone's Right To Feel Safe, Katherine Dix, Tracy Zilm
Dr Katherine Dix
KidsMatter and MindMatters are national initiatives that support student mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention in 4700+ primary and secondary schools across Australia. As part of a broad approach to reducing problem behaviour, such as bullying, KidsMatter and MindMatters offer resources and expertise. This paper presents evidence that these initiatives are making a difference to the lives of students with regard to reductions in bullying and harassment. Findings suggest that students feel safer in schools that have in place, opportunities to develop their skills to deal with bullying. Focus is given to strategies that support schools to reduce bullying …
Quality Matters…Whole-School Mental Health Promotion And Students’ Learning, Katherine Dix
Jan 2014
Quality Matters…Whole-School Mental Health Promotion And Students’ Learning, Katherine Dix
Dr Katherine Dix
No abstract available
Helping Kids With Disability, Katherine Dix
Dec 2013
Helping Kids With Disability, Katherine Dix
Dr Katherine Dix
This chapter is from a book of solution-focused and easy-to-read essays in positive education.
Kidsmatter And Young Children With Disability: Evaluation Report, Katherine Dix, Jane Jarvis, Phillip Slee
Nov 2013
Kidsmatter And Young Children With Disability: Evaluation Report, Katherine Dix, Jane Jarvis, Phillip Slee
Dr Katherine Dix
The KidsMatter Early Childhood (KMEC) initiative is a pilot study that has been implemented in a very diverse group of Australian early childhood services that provide education and care for young children of differing ages. These early childhood education and care (ECEC) services are operating in a policy environment that is concerned with reform to early childhood services nationally, and so are experiencing significant change. As such the design of future versions of the KMEC initiative needs to be mindful of the diverse and dynamic nature of the early childhood education field.
Interpreting Data: Where’S The Evidence?, Katherine Dix
Oct 2013
Interpreting Data: Where’S The Evidence?, Katherine Dix
Dr Katherine Dix
Using data as part of a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing
This webinar goes back to basics. It provides a practical approach to supporting schools to:
- Build an ethos of data-gathering and analysis
- Sourcing and organising existing and new data
- Analysing the data and identifying patterns
- Reporting results
Mental Health Promotion And Early Intervention In Rural And Remote Australia Through The Kidsmatter Initiative, Katherine Dix, Stephen Mcdonald
Sep 2013
Mental Health Promotion And Early Intervention In Rural And Remote Australia Through The Kidsmatter Initiative, Katherine Dix, Stephen Mcdonald
Dr Katherine Dix
This presentation showcases the suite of KidsMatter mental health promotion initiatives as an exemplar of government investment in rural and remote communities. KidsMatter is a continuous improvement framework that supports early childhood education and care services (ECEC) and primary schools to promote children's mental health and wellbeing. The aim of KidsMatter is to enable educational settings to implement evidence-based mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention strategies that also facilitate partnerships with mental health service providers. KidsMatter is currently being implemented in over 1600 ECEC services and schools nation-wide, with 45% being located in rural or remote settings.
Consideration is …
Young Children's Mental Health Outcomes: Flinders University Evaluation Of An Australia-Wide 2-Year Mental Health Promotion Initiative In Early Childhood And Care Settings, Helen Askell-Williams, Rosalind Murray-Harvey, Phillip Slee, Katherine Dix, Grace Skrzypiec
Aug 2013
Young Children's Mental Health Outcomes: Flinders University Evaluation Of An Australia-Wide 2-Year Mental Health Promotion Initiative In Early Childhood And Care Settings, Helen Askell-Williams, Rosalind Murray-Harvey, Phillip Slee, Katherine Dix, Grace Skrzypiec
Dr Katherine Dix
In this paper we report on associations between the KidsMatter (2013) two-year mental health promotion initiative in Australian early childhood education and care (ECEC) services and young children’s mental health. Using a mixed method approach, data was collected on four occasions from a nationally representative sample of 111 ECEC services. Findings showed that by the end of the two-year initiative there were practically significant improvements in children’s mental health and wellbeing.
Quality Of Implementation Of A School Mental Health Initiative And Changes Over Time In Students' Social And Emotional Competencies, Helen Askell-Williams, Katherine Dix, Michael Lawson, Phillip Slee
Aug 2013
Quality Of Implementation Of A School Mental Health Initiative And Changes Over Time In Students' Social And Emotional Competencies, Helen Askell-Williams, Katherine Dix, Michael Lawson, Phillip Slee
Dr Katherine Dix
This paper reports the theoretical conceptualisation, statistical development, and application of an Implementation Index to evaluate the quality of implementation of the KidsMatter Primary school mental health initiative in Australia. Questionnaires were received from the parents and teachers of almost 5000 students, and also from KidsMatter project officers. A conceptual framework of fidelity, dosage, and delivery guided the selection of questionnaire items to create the Implementation Index, which was refined using latent class analysis. Schools' scores on the Index were classified into high, average, and low implementation categories. Profiles of high- and low-implementing schools provided insights into the characteristics of …
Implementation Quality Of Whole-School Mental Health Promotion And Students' Academic Performance, Katherine Dix, Phillip Slee, Michael Lawson, John Keeves
Jan 2012
Implementation Quality Of Whole-School Mental Health Promotion And Students' Academic Performance, Katherine Dix, Phillip Slee, Michael Lawson, John Keeves
Dr Katherine Dix
Background: This paper argues for giving explicit attention to the quality of implementation of school-wide mental health promotions and examines the impact of implementation quality on academic performance in a major Australian mental health initiative.
Kidsmatter Early Childhood Evaluation Report, Phillip Slee, Rosalind Murray-Harvey, Katherine Dix, Grace Skrzypiec, Helen Askell-Williams, Michael Lawson, Susan Krieg
Dec 2011
Kidsmatter Early Childhood Evaluation Report, Phillip Slee, Rosalind Murray-Harvey, Katherine Dix, Grace Skrzypiec, Helen Askell-Williams, Michael Lawson, Susan Krieg
Dr Katherine Dix
KidsMatter Early Childhood (KMEC) is a mental health promotion and early intervention initiative developed for early childhood services. It provides a framework for services to plan and implement evidence-based strategies to improve the mental health and wellbeing of children from birth to school age, based on four risk and protective factors: 1) Creating a sense of community, 2) Developing children's social and emotional skills, 3) Working with parents and carers, and 4) Helping children who are experiencing mental health difficulties. In 2010-2011 the initiative was trialled with over 5,000 children from 111 long day care services and preschools across Australia. …
Whole-School Mental Health Promotion In Australia, Phillip Slee, Katherine Dix, Helen Askell-Williams
Oct 2011
Whole-School Mental Health Promotion In Australia, Phillip Slee, Katherine Dix, Helen Askell-Williams
Dr Katherine Dix
Although there is increasing recognition internationally of the significance of social and emotional health and wellbeing for the healthy development of young people, the levels of support that governments provide for mental health policy and program initiatives vary widely. In this paper, consideration is given to Australia's approach to mental health promotion from early years to secondary school, including specific reference to the KidsMatter Primary mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention initiative. Although it is now well established that schools provide important settings for the promotion of mental health initiatives, there are significant challenges faced in effectively implementing and …
Students With Special Needs: State Of The Nation, Katherine Dix
Oct 2011
Students With Special Needs: State Of The Nation, Katherine Dix
Dr Katherine Dix
This presentation draws key findings from three nation-wide, federally funded, research projects conducted in Australia over the last six years. It brings together data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, the KidsMatter Primary for Students with a Disability, which was a side-project of the KidsMatter Primary Evaluation, and preliminary data from the KidsMatter Early Childhood Evaluation. In all three projects, children’s disability status was collected, along with parent/caregiver assessment of children’s mental health as being ‘normal’, ‘borderline’, or ‘abnormal’ according to the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Differences in mental health status due to age and extent of disability, touching …
Kidsmatter Evaluation: Producing Evidence-Based Research That Matters, Katherine Dix
Dec 2010
Kidsmatter Evaluation: Producing Evidence-Based Research That Matters, Katherine Dix
Dr Katherine Dix
It is well accepted that education is positively related to health, and that schools can play a key role in promoting healthy behaviours and attitudes. Improving our understanding of the relationship between education and health will help to identify where interventions, such as KidsMatter, are most appropriate and effective in mproving both individual and population health. KidsMatter Primary is the Australian mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention initiative. As an intervention, KidsMatter acts to make this relationship explicit, by providing an educative framework to promote student mental health and wellbeing, which further facilitates a cycle of improved educational and …
Mental Health And Wellbeing: Educational Perspectives, Rosalyn Shute, Phillip Slee, Rosalind Murray-Harvey, Katherine Dix
Dec 2010
Mental Health And Wellbeing: Educational Perspectives, Rosalyn Shute, Phillip Slee, Rosalind Murray-Harvey, Katherine Dix
Dr Katherine Dix
"Provides a significant overview of the matter of mental health and wellbeing with particular reference to educational contexts ... Presents an authoritiative and diverse account of: links between wellbeing and learning; interventions and initiatives in the field; evidence based practice guidelines; policy and practice examples." -- Back cover.
Students With A Disability: The Potential Of Kidsmatter, Katherine Dix
Dec 2010
Students With A Disability: The Potential Of Kidsmatter, Katherine Dix
Dr Katherine Dix
This chapter draws key findings from a South Australian study, KidsMatter for Students with a Disability, in order to extend the discussion on whether whole-school mental health promotion initiatives are equally supportive of students with and without a disability. This discussion contributes to overcoming the lack of evidence-based research in this area and proposes new opportunities to better support all students with disabilities, whether identified or unrecognised.
Kidsmatter For Students With A Disability: Evaluation Report, Katherine Dix, Jo Shearer, Phillip Slee, Christel Butcher
Dec 2009
Kidsmatter For Students With A Disability: Evaluation Report, Katherine Dix, Jo Shearer, Phillip Slee, Christel Butcher
Dr Katherine Dix
KidsMatter (KM) is an Australian national primary school mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention initiative. It was recently trialed in 100 schools across Australia during 2007 and 2008, with an evaluation report published in 2009. The South Australian Minister for Education has now commissioned further analyses of the findings, focusing on children with a disability in South Australia. This new report examines whether there is a correlation between students with a disability and mental health problems, whether implementation and engagement processes differed for parents and teachers of students with a disability, and the impact of the program on students …
Implementing A New Initiative In Mental Health In Australian Primary Schools, Michael Lawson, Helen Askell-Williams, Katherine Dix, Phillip Slee, Grace Skrzypiec, Barbara Spears
Oct 2009
Implementing A New Initiative In Mental Health In Australian Primary Schools, Michael Lawson, Helen Askell-Williams, Katherine Dix, Phillip Slee, Grace Skrzypiec, Barbara Spears
Dr Katherine Dix
Student wellbeing is of central concern for parents/caregivers and teachers and for state and national governments. In Australia in recent times several major initiatives have been undertaken to address the area of student mental health, including the KidsMatter Initiative. Across 2007-8 a trial of KidsMatter was carried out in 101 schools across Australia. Part of the roll-out of KidsMatter was a detailed evaluation of its implementation. Thus, in this paper we report on findings associated with the implementation of the KidsMatter Initiative. Underpinned by a framework of quality, fidelity and dosage we used Latent Class Analysis to create an Implementation …
The Kidsmatter Evaluation: Final Report, Phillip Slee, Michael Lawson, Alan Russell, Helen Askell-Williams, Katherine Dix, Laurence Owens, Grace Skrzypiec, Barbara Spears
Dec 2008
The Kidsmatter Evaluation: Final Report, Phillip Slee, Michael Lawson, Alan Russell, Helen Askell-Williams, Katherine Dix, Laurence Owens, Grace Skrzypiec, Barbara Spears
Dr Katherine Dix
KidsMatter (KM) is an Australian national primary school mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention initiative. It uses a whole-school approach and a framework built around the four components of: Positive school community; Social emotional learning; Parenting support and education; and Early intervention for students experiencing mental health difficulties. It was recently trialed in 100 schools across Australia during 2007 and 2008. This report presents findings from the evaluation of this pilot phase, which examined the implementation, engagement, and impact aspects of the of the initiative for schools, teachers, parents, and students.
Different Measures, Different Informants, Same Outcomes? Investigating Multiple Perspectives Of Primary School Students' Mental Health., Katherine Dix, Helen Askell-Williams, Michael Lawson
Oct 2008
Different Measures, Different Informants, Same Outcomes? Investigating Multiple Perspectives Of Primary School Students' Mental Health., Katherine Dix, Helen Askell-Williams, Michael Lawson
Dr Katherine Dix
Student wellbeing is of central concern for parents and teachers and for state and national governments. Policies on wellbeing are now articulated within all educational systems in Australia. Effective enactment of policy depends in part on the suitability of judgements made about students' mental health. This paper investigates teacher and parent/caregiver assessments of students' mental health based upon data from the evaluation of the KidsMatter mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention pilot Initiative in 100 primary schools across Australia. Goodman's Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was completed by parents/caregivers and teachers of almost 4900 primary school students in KidsMatter …
Early Challenges In Evaluating The Kidsmatter National Mental Health Promotion Initiative In Australian Primary Schools, Helen Askell-Williams, Alan Russell, Katherine Dix, Phillip Slee, Barbara Spears, Michael Lawson, Laurence Owens, Kelvin Gregory
Dec 2007
Early Challenges In Evaluating The Kidsmatter National Mental Health Promotion Initiative In Australian Primary Schools, Helen Askell-Williams, Alan Russell, Katherine Dix, Phillip Slee, Barbara Spears, Michael Lawson, Laurence Owens, Kelvin Gregory
Dr Katherine Dix
This article describes, analyses, and reflects upon the challenges of planning and conducting the evaluation of the KidsMatter Initiative (KMI) in Australian primary schools during the first year of the two-year initiative. The purpose of the evaluation is to inform the Australia-wide rollout of the KMI. The discussion is arranged under four headings: (a) conceptual challenges, (b) design challenges, (c) practical implementation challenges, and (d) managing collaborative complexity. Emphasis is placed on how the challenges were theorised as a basis for resp onding to the requirements of the evaluation. Conclusions include recognising and enabling contributions from diverse stakeholders; utilising the …
Dbrief : A Research Paradigm For Ict Adoption, Katherine Dix
Oct 2007
Dbrief : A Research Paradigm For Ict Adoption, Katherine Dix
Dr Katherine Dix
The concern that educational research is often divorced from the problems and issues of everyday teaching practice, is strongly influenced by the chosen paradigm in which the research is framed. Modelled on design-based research methods, this paper presents the development of a theoretical research framework that accommodates complex interventions, such as the adoption of ICT into mainstream classroom practice, which can be informed and improved through empirical study. It is hoped that in developing the Design-Based Research in Innovative Education Framework (DBRIEF), the desirable outcome of providing a practical and adaptable instrument with the potential to find applicability, currency, and …
Is School-Wide Adoption Of Ict Change For The Better?, Katherine Dix
Dec 2006
Is School-Wide Adoption Of Ict Change For The Better?, Katherine Dix
Dr Katherine Dix
The use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in schools is now an intrinsic part of students learning, both inside and outside the classroom. The adoption and impact of ICT on teaching practice and learning outcomes has been a source of keen interest among government policy makers, school leaders, teachers and researchers worldwide. Research in this field has principally centred on pseudo-scientific comparative studies conducted mainly in the United States and the United Kingdom, with a focus on academic achievement. Few empirical studies have been conducted in Australia, or worldwide, that focus on student attitudinal outcomes framed within a design-based …
