Tasmania’s first ever comprehensive, long-term, whole of government Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy continues to take shape, with over 3,500 contributions received through the consultation period.
This is an outstanding result and demonstrates how important the development of this strategy is to the Tasmanian community - giving us the information we need to deliver services and supports that children, young people and their families need.
Today, it was my pleasure to visit New Town Primary School with the Commissioner for Children and Young People to launch a children’s picture book that has been developed from the creative workshops that formed part of the consultation.
The book, “When I wake up I smile”, captures the views of 156 children aged 4-8 years from selected schools on what wellbeing means to them, along with a teaching resource that can be used by teachers, parents and carers to discuss wellbeing with children, using the picture book as a point of reference.
The book has effectively been written by Tasmanian children, which is why it’s so important – telling us what wellbeing means to them, and what it means to belong, to be happy and healthy, and to feel loved and safe.
Students who have greater wellbeing are more likely to have better educational outcomes, and a better quality of life, and with the consultation period now ended, we look forward to the Strategy’s completion later this year that will provide the blueprint for Tasmanian children to thrive.