Survey Tools. How to guide for schools on survey tools and the planning process

Transcription

1 Survey Tools How to guide for schools on survey tools and the planning process

2 Acknowledgement KidsMatter Australian Primary Schools Mental Health Initiative has been developed in collaboration with beyondblue, the Australian Psychological Society, the Principals Australia Institute and, with funding from the Australian Government Department of Health and beyondblue. Disclaimer While every care has been taken in preparing this publication, Beyond Blue Ltd, the Australian Psychological Society Ltd, Principals Australia Institute Ltd and the Commonwealth of Australia do not, to the extent permitted by law, accept any liability for any injury, loss or damage suffered by any person arising from the use of, or reliance upon, the content of this publication. Important notice KidsMatter Australian Primary Schools Mental Health Initiative and any other KidsMatter mental health initiatives are not to be confused with other businesses, programs or services which may also use the name Kidsmatter. Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2013 This work is copyright. Provided acknowledgement is made to the sources, schools are permitted to copy material freely for communication with teachers, staff, students, parents, carers or community members. You may reproduce the whole or part of this work in unaltered form for your own personal use or, if you are part of an organisation, for internal use within your organisation, but only if you or your organisation do not use the reproduction for any commercial purpose and retain this copyright notice and all disclaimer notices as part of that reproduction. Apart from rights to use as permitted by the Copyright Act 1968 or allowed by this copyright notice, all other rights are reserved and you are not allowed to reproduce the whole or any part of this work in any way (electronic or otherwise) without first being given the specific written permission from the Commonwealth to do so. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights are to be sent to: Communications Branch Department of Health GPO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601 While the resources are available freely for these purposes, to realise the full potential of KidsMatter Primary, it is recommended that the resources be used with the appropriate training and support under the KidsMatter Initiative. Imagery The information and multimedia used in this publication are not intended to reflect on the character or reputation of any persons pictured or identified in this publication. The images are for illustration purposes only and any persons pictured or identified are in no way associated with the subject matter of the publication. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are also advised that this publication may contain images of deceased persons. or via to: KidsMatter Primary Survey tools and the planning process Last updated in September 2013

3 Contents Welcome KidsMatter surveys Before you survey Running the survey The survey reports Interpreting survey results Translating survey data into the Component Plans Survey data privacy and usage Survey process checklist Survey tools and resources Survey Tools

4 Welcome Welcome to the How to guide for schools on survey tools and the planning process. This guide is a supplement to the KidsMatter Primary Action Team Handbook. KidsMatter Primary supports schools to gather data to identify whole school needs and progress. KidsMatter schools receive free access to a suite of surveys and reporting tools to facilitate the consultation process with their school communities. Completed surveys are permanently available and schools have real-time online access to the results through secure interactive reports. An introduction to the importance of gathering information that informs school planning and action can be found on pages 17 and 18 of the Action Team Handbook. This how-to guide extends that introduction and provides Action Teams with all the information they need to use the surveys and understand the results. 04 KidsMatter Primary Survey tools and the planning process

5 KidsMatter surveys An important aspect of implementing KidsMatter is the consultation process with your school community. As part of this process, schools may choose to use KidsMatter s ready-to-use survey tools. KidsMatter surveys are available, free of charge, to all schools implementing KidsMatter and can be used to facilitate consultation with your school community. The surveys are permanently available and school Action Teams can administer them when and to whom they wish. Action Teams are provided with real-time online access to their school s collated data through secure interactive reports. In considering how to gauge your community s views and needs, it s important to remember that surveys are not the only way to gather information. There may be other approaches that better suit some members of your community, such as running focus groups or interviews. These approaches also provide valuable insight that can inform your school of its members opinions and identify strengths and challenges. KidsMatter recommends schools use existing data that is already available in the school. This may include attendance, sick bay or student behaviour data. Where informative, current data isn t available, KidsMatter provides survey resources and advice. Gaining access KidsMatter requires all schools to nominate a survey administrator who will be ed the unique login details for the school s secure online reports. This is generally coordinated during Getting Started but schools implementing KidsMatter can, at any stage, request access to their reports by contacting their project officer or ing: frontdesk@kidsmatter.edu.au or surveysupport@kidsmatter.edu.au. To get started, your school needs to: Complete Getting Started Identify your School Survey Administrator Receive your school s report logins via Contact your KidsMatter project officer or frontdesk@kidsmatter.edu.au if you have misplaced the or there has been a change in survey administrator KidsMatter Primary 05 Survey tools and the planning process

6 Before you survey Finding out what your school s staff and parent communities think about whole school mental health promotion and student wellbeing is a powerful way to engage community voice in the consultation and planning process. Why should we use the surveys? KidsMatter encourages schools to reflect on how they are doing things: what they are doing well already, and what they could do differently to improve student mental health and wellbeing. Using regular surveys to monitor staff and parent views from the outset can provide important information to assist Action Team planning and assess change over time. It can also demonstrate whole-school engagement with KidsMatter, and the results can be used to review and celebrate achievements after your school completes its first cycle of KidsMatter. What should be considered? KidsMatter recommends that schools consider the following questions during the planning phase: 1. Will the survey provide information that we want but don t already have? 2. Are participants adequately informed about KidsMatter? If not, this will need to happen prior to the survey or information will need to be included with the survey. 3. Will participants understand the survey questions and why they are being asked? 4. What proportion of participants are likely to complete the survey? How representative might they be? For example, will you target selected classes or do a random sample of parents? 5. Online, paper-based or both? It s your choice, but will depend on a number of factors like staff or parent access to the internet and the number of surveys you d like to administer. 6. Could you encourage greater numbers and diversity of completed surveys through translation, organising gatherings or meetings, personal approaches or through training staff who can assist? 7. How will the information gathered from the survey be used? 8. How will your school community be informed about the results and any actions arising? 9. Is a survey the most appropriate way to monitor the school community, or are other more appropriate methods already in place? Once these considerations have been worked through, the school Action Team can make informed decisions about how to distribute surveys and then use the data it provides in a professional manner. KidsMatter Primary 06 Survey tools and the planning process

7 Informing and contacting participants Before you ask people in your school community to complete surveys, think about why, how, and when this process will occur. It is helpful to let survey participants know that: the short survey is anonymous and only averaged results will be used each survey asks participants for their perspectives on their own and the school s current activities to promote students mental health and wellbeing the Action Team will be using the survey data to map all the great work the school is already doing in supporting students mental health, as well as considering areas where the school can focus energy in the future Information for Staff What is the survey about? The survey asks staff for their perspectives on what they, and the school, are currently doing to promote students mental health and wellbeing, and their views on the school s current activities. Who should participate? The KidsMatter staff consultation process requires all staff, including non-teaching staff, to complete four short surveys. This relates directly to the areas covered by the four components. An invitation to take the survey comes from your school leadership team. What happens to the answers? The answers provided by staff are completely anonymous and are stored securely by KidsMatter and the school. Only summarised results that align to the four components are used for the purposes of informing school planning. the planning and actions that arise from the survey data will involve the whole school community the school s work with KidsMatter will support positive behaviour, academic, social and emotional learning, and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for all students. We recommended that an information sheet accompanies the survey invitation. This could either be attached to an invitation to complete the online survey, or printed to accompany the paper-based survey. A parent and carer information sheet is provided in the last section of this guide. Keep the actual invitation short and encouraging and consider offering incentives for returning surveys. Information for Parents What is the survey about? The survey asks parents and carers for their perspectives on their child s school and what they think is important for schools to consider to better support children s mental health and wellbeing. Who should participate? The parent and carer consultation process encourages parents to complete a short survey with items that relate directly to areas covered by the four components. An invitation to take the survey comes from the school. What happens to the answers? The answers provided by parents and carers are completely anonymous and are stored securely by KidsMatter and the school. Only summarised results that align to the four components are used for the purposes of informing school planning. 07 KidsMatter Primary Survey tools and the planning process

8 Running the survey When should we run the survey? Survey reports can be filtered by quarter, so it s best if you set your administration period to fall within a calendar quarter (for example, Quarter 1 is from January to March). Administering a survey at the beginning of a quarter will allow ample time to collect data within that quarter. This is useful when you want to meaningfully compare your baseline data, collected in one quarter, with post-training results collected in a later quarter. We advise you to avoid collecting pre- and post-training data in the same quarter. Running the survey near the beginning of a quarter will give ample time to collect data within that quarter. We suggest you run surveys in the following way: Commencing mode: As a new KidsMatter school, undertake all surveys to provide a baseline snapshot after attending Getting Started. This important baseline information will inform Action Team planning. Implementing mode: If your school has commenced whole-staff component training, invite staff to complete the appropriate component survey after each component training and actions have been implemented. Sustainability mode: If your school is in a cycle of continuous improvement, run the surveys in your school once a year to monitor school community views. This figure suggests when to run your surveys with your staff and parent community To provide a baseline: KidsMatter Primary 08 Survey tools and the planning process

9 Running online surveys For online administration (recommended), use your normal school communication processes to invite people to complete the survey. Include the relevant KidsMatter survey link and ask recipients to complete the survey by a specified date. Running paper-based surveys For paper-based administration, print copies of the survey found at the back of this guide and distribute to your participants with a cover letter (for example, use KidsMatter Parent Survey: Information for parents and carers). It is common to allow two to four weeks to run a survey. Send a reminder with a one-week extension if responses are slow. We recommend that you test the online survey first to see how your school name appears. In addition, we recommend including the full school name in your invitation instructions to ensure participants select the right school. Here are direct links to the surveys: Staff Survey Parent Survey Student Survey You may also like to include a link to the School Surveys section on the KidsMatter website, which provides background information: Once all surveys have been returned, they will need to be hand entered into the appropriate online survey to collate the data and access your results. Parent surveys are often administered using both methods to cater for different levels of access. Using the online surveys to collate paper-based data brings it together with the online responses in one secure place. KidsMatter Primary 09 Survey tools and the planning process

10 The survey reports Two types of reports can be generated for each survey: the full Overview Report overviews the results for all items and open text comments the Mental Health Map presents the combined or question group results of items that align with KidsMatter s four components. We recommend that both reports are used to inform the planning process. Schools are provided with the unique links and a password for each report via . These reports show data in real time and are permanently available they never close. Schools can monitor the number of responses and decide if a reminder needs to be sent out or the administration period extended. The full Overview Report Key features of the full Overview Report are captured below. Schools initially see all of their data but are able to filter their responses by quarter if multiple surveys have been administered. This is why it s important to keep each occasion of data collection within a particular quarter. Each item in the entire survey is presented and schools are able to consider the results for each item separately. Report name and survey name Date filters Overview Report - KidsMatter Staff Survey Overview Report Survey Name: KidsMatter Staff Survey Locked to school Number of responses Export the report Launch Date: 13-May-2013 Criteria: None Criteria Respondents: 69 Total Respondents: 69 (100.00%) Filters Quarter School -ALL- -TEST SURVEY- Visualise Filters Answer Responses % Responses Responses/ Respondents Chart R/R Component 1 1. Supporting students mental health and wellbeing is a central part of my role. 0% 50% 100% Strongly Disagree (Score: 1) 4 N/A 16.00% Disagree (Score: 2) 3 N/A 12.00% Neutral (Score: 3) 2 N/A 8.00% Agree (Score: 4) 10 N/A 40.00% Strongly Agree (Score: 5) 6 N/A 24.00% Question Type: Matrix. Create Chart: Survey item and response choices Section header KidsMatter Primary 10 Survey tools and the planning process 25 Question Respondents: 25 Scoring Resp: 25 Score: 68.80% (86/125) Average Score: 3.44 Median Score: 4.00 Collated results and statistical summaries

11 Summary graphs in the Overview Report At the end of each section, a summary graph can be created by: 1. Clicking on the graph icon Create Chart For Matrix: Matrix Score: 85.70% 2. Selecting the chart type (for example, 2D bar chart) This matrix chart is useful for comparing the overall results of individual items within a component, side by side. High percentage scores can be interpreted as the majority of people strongly agreeing to the statement. For example, for Item 1, 80% of staff strongly agree that supporting students mental health and wellbeing is a central part of their role. 3. Clicking on the chart icon Chart 1. Supporting students mental health and wellbeing is a central part of Our school can make a real difference towards improving students Supporting students mental health and wellbeing helps reduce beha I understand who makes up our school community and what s importa Making time to get to know students is a priority for me. 6. I feel valued and respected at our school. 7. Relationships between staff members are respectful and responsive. 8. Relationships between staff and students are respectful and responsive. 9. Relationships between staff and families are respectful and responsive. 10. Members of our school community feel welcome and included, and Our school has specific policies and practices that promote inclusion Our school communicates in a variety of ways to meet the diverse The contributions of diverse cultures and groups is encouraged in our Our school offers diverse opportunities for students and families to Our school provides opportunities for all members of the school co % 92.56% 95.62% 84.45% 95.21% 83.22% 81.95% 83.96% 81.53% 83.7% 84.1% 83.57% 81.28% 81.25% 77.3% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 80% = an average score of 4 or agree on the scale KidsMatter Primary 11 Survey tools and the planning process

12 Open text comments in the Overview Report Open text comments are viewed by clicking on this icon: Multi Line Textbox. The comments are listed and can be exported to Microsoft Excel or presented as a word cloud if there are enough responses. Strengths and challenges summary in the Overview Report The Staff Survey also includes a strengths and challenges summary, which by default, lists the five most highly rated items and the five least highly rated items. Is there a common theme among the top items that might indicate this area is a real strength of your school? Similarly, is there a common theme among the bottom rated items that might indicate an area your school should focus on? Schools can alter the number of items displayed Word cloud Excel Number of Strengths to display: Number of Weaknesses to display: Update These are just some of the features available in the online full reports that allow your Action Team to access, investigate and understand your school s survey results. 5 5 This example of a word cloud suggests the majority of people mentioned school community. Word clouds increase the font size of a term when more people provide that word in their feedback the bigger the font, the more common the response. KidsMatter Primary 12 Survey tools and the planning process

13 The Mental Health Map (Question Group Report) While it s interesting and important to consider your school s results by item, results can also be viewed more generally. The school Mental Health Map provides an opportunity to review the results and provide a general picture of how participants view your school. Items are grouped according to their alignment to the four KidsMatter components. In the case of staff surveys, shown below, each point assesses a component Target Area (for example, C1-TA1 is Component 1, Target Area 1). Key features of the Mental Health Map include: your school s results (green line average score filtered to the school) a national average of all schools (red line overall score, use with caution) the vertical axis scores represent strongly agree (5) to strongly disagree (1) - ignore zero the horizontal axis indicates each component target area the Group section under the graph can be clicked to see items that make up each group. Schools should consider each outcome and use the school Mental Health Map summaries sheet or the KidsMatter Action Plan with these survey reports. Action Teams can brainstorm and summarise ideas about what the results might mean for school planning and action by writing summary statements. National average (red line) Note: comparing your school to the national average is not advised if your local context is challenging. It is more beneficial to focus on your own school data and look for improvements there School results (green line) Component areas KidsMatter Primary 13 Survey tools and the planning process

14 Filtering data to compare results in the Group Report Schools can filter their data and select the quarter they would like to view. Schools can also compare different quarters where multiple occasions are available. Note that with each additional comparison, an additional line is added to the graph when Re-run report is clicked, increasing the complexity of the graph and the interpretation. In the following example, the school is above the national average (red line) in C1-TA2 and has improved from the pre-survey in 2012 (blue line) to the post-survey in 2013 (yellow line). Filter by quarter Compare quarters Post survey (yellow) School average (green) National average (red) Note: comparing your school to the national average is not advised if your local context is challenging. It is more beneficial to focus on your own school data and look for improvements there. Pre survey (blue) Average Scores - Filters Average Scores Overall KidsMatter Primary 14 Survey tools and the planning process

15 Interpreting survey results What s the difference between the staff and parent surveys? Staff Surveys are designed to assess staff views about the specific Target Areas in each of the four KidsMatter components. The items are arranged under each component and directly link to whole school professional learning. Items are clustered around each Target Area to create a school Mental Health Map of staff views. Parent Surveys ask parents and carers to consider what s important to them in relation to school support of children s mental health and wellbeing. Schools can then act on this information. Items also gauge parent and carer views about how the school is tracking in various aspects of the four components. These items are clustered around the four components to create a general school Mental Health Map of parent views. How representative is the data? When considering any results, please be mindful of the response rate and how unrepresentative the results may be if the response rate is low. The standard that guides research undertaken in the social sciences and education is a 75 per cent response rate. This means that a good response rate, and one in which you could have reasonable confidence about it providing a representative view, is 75 completed surveys for every 100 invitations. National comparison Comparing your school to the national average is not advised if your local context is challenging. It is more beneficial to focus on your own school data and look for improvements there. Comparing different occasions Collecting baseline data from your community is a starting point for your school and indicates where improvements could be made. Re-administering a survey after training and improvements have been made may result in increased scores. Comparison of baseline results with post-training results can provide one form of evidence of change in your staff and school. What if the results suggest things are not improving? It s common for the second round of survey results to be less positive than the first round of survey results for a couple of reasons: people have a predisposition to positively respond to questions simply put, we like to be agreeable some items start with a high rating and stay high, leaving little scope to measure change people may respond to an item but don t really understand what s being asked. Once they ve had training and are more knowledgeable, they are better able to critically respond. This is known as the Dunning Kruger effect. Importantly, don t consider the results in isolation. Discuss and investigate the results with your staff to explain what they may represent. The apparently negative results may be a measure of increased understanding, which is not a negative thing at all. KidsMatter Primary 15 Survey tools and the planning process

16 Comparing results between staff and parent surveys The items in the KidsMatter staff and parent surveys are designed to assess areas under the four components. Some staff and parent items are conceptually similar to each other. For example, if a teacher strongly agreed that making the time to get to know students is a priority for me, then a parent may be more likely to feel that my child s teacher cares about my child. It may be interesting to compare the results between staff and parent surveys to see if staff and parent perceptions are similar on similar items. The table below presents some items from Staff Surveys that loosely match, in a conceptual sense, items from the Parent Survey. Staff Survey Items Component 1: A positive school community Target Area 3 - A school community that promotes mental health and wellbeing Component 2: Social and emotional learning for students Target Area 1 - Effective social and emotional learning curriculum for all students Target Area 2 - Opportunities for students to practise and transfer their social and emotional skills Component 3: Working with parents and carers Target Area 2 - Support for parenting Target Area 3 - Parent and carer support networks 1. Supporting students mental health and wellbeing is a central part of my role 5. Making the time to get to know students is a priority for me 9. Relationships between staff and families are respectful and responsive 11. Our school has specific policies and practices that promote inclusion and a safe environment 12. Our school communicates in a variety of ways to meet the diverse needs of our students and families 15. Our school provides opportunities for all members of the school community to share their views and contribute to school decisions 7. Social and emotional skills are taught formally and integrated as part of the regular curriculum at our school 10. I actively support students in developing social and emotional skills through daily interactions 6. I always communicate effectively with parents and carers about their child 11. Our school facilitates access for parents and carers to community groups that provide support for families Component 4: Helping children experiencing mental health difficulties Target Area 1 - Understanding mental health difficulties and improving help-seeking Target Area 2 - Responding to students experiencing mental health difficulties 5. Our school community has specific policies and practices that support students and families experiencing mental health difficulties to seek appropriate help 10. Within the limits of my role, I am able to support a student who may be experiencing mental health difficulties 12. Our school has effective working relationships and clear referral pathways with local mental health services and supports families to access these services Parent Survey Items 5. I feel welcome when visiting my child s school 6. I feel that my child s teacher cares about my child 1. The school respects and values my family s beliefs and wishes 7. I am comfortable talking to my child s teacher about my child 2. The school provides a safe and caring environment for my child 4. I am satisfied with the way the school communicates with me 3. I feel that I can participate in decisions that affect my child at school 10. The school sets clear, high expectations for student behaviour 9. I am satisfied with how my child is progressing socially, emotionally and behaviourally 11. I feel comfortable asking staff about parenting and child development 12. School staff are supportive of parents who may be experiencing particular challenges in their life 14. Children at the school have someone they can talk to if they need help or advice 13. School staff are respectful and sensitive to children experiencing social, emotional and behavioural difficulties 15. The school makes use of outside support services to assist children who are experiencing difficulties 16 KidsMatter Primary Survey tools and the planning process

17 Translating survey data into the Component Plans It is important to set aside sufficient time (at least a day) to translate your school s survey data in the Component Plans. It s best to make the time when Action Team members are not distracted by other commitments and interruptions. Find a place where your Action Team can freely focus and apply themselves to the task. 1. Write summary statements Use your school s Mental Health Map reports together with the summaries sheet or the Component Plan. If you re using the summaries sheet, you will need to transfer your statements onto the Component Plan for each Target Area (column two). Now identify what general trends in each Target Area (made up of the averaged responses across a group of questions) the majority of responses agree or disagree with. Write a note to this effect in the space provided. For example: All staff understand their school community. 2. Consider the broader spectrum of views If the majority of respondents agree with the question but there are some people who strongly disagree, then perhaps the strong views of a minority also need to be considered in your summary statement. 3. Also consider the individual questions and other sources of information Refer back to the full Overview Report or the individual questions grouped in the Mental Health Map Report to consider differences. Are some questions rated much lower than others? While the overall response to a Target Area may be positive, a low-rated question may identify an issue that needs to be noted. For example: 30% of staff did not see supporting student mental health as a core part of their role. Also consider: what other school data may lead to summary statements and inform the plan? 4. Develop school-specific goals Develop school-specific goals by filling out the third column on the Component Plan to address each summary statement. The goal specifies your Action Team s aims for this issue. Remember, goals need to SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely). 5. Address the remaining steps Address the remaining steps for the first Target Area by working across the columns in the Component Plan. Then go to the next goal related to Target Area 2 and work across. Do this for each of the Target Areas and goals until all of your summary statements have actions. For example: The majority of staff understand their school community, however one quarter of staff strongly disagree with this. KidsMatter Primary 17 Survey tools and the planning process

18 6. Highlight areas requiring attention Highlight any areas that require urgent attention in the implementation timeframe column of the Component Plans. You could colour code this red. Refer these items to school leadership for immediate action. Colour completed strategies in green and if the issue needs annual action, use blue. 7. Feedback to staff As whole-staff professional learning occurs in each component, share the survey results with staff. Discuss the suggested goals and strategies your Action Team has proposed. Goals and strategies can then be added to and refined. 8. Family and student views Consider how you might include parent and student views in Component Plan goals and strategies. The voice of students, families and staff is essential in developing a whole-school approach to addressing mental health and wellbeing. 9. Create your school s mental health and wellbeing strategic plan Once the four Component Plans are completed, join them together with the survey reports and summary sheets and add a cover page. Share this with the leadership team, school board and staff, and celebrate this milestone. 10. Meet once per term Your Action Team can meet once per term to oversee the implementation of the strategic plan. This document can be refined to reflect changing needs in your school community. Remember to keep leadership informed of progress and version changes. Also refer to Topic 4: The planning process of the Action Team Handbook for further information about interpreting results and using the Component Plans. 18 KidsMatter Primary Survey tools and the planning process

19 Survey data privacy and usage The national roll out of KidsMatter is a significant undertaking in the Australian education community. As KidsMatter continues to expand, providing schools with efficient access to their survey data is only possible through efficient and secure data monitoring and management. KidsMatter provides schools with surveys for the purpose of a whole-school approach to engaging community voice in the consultation and planning process. Schools can freely decide whether to use online or paper-based surveys, and how often and to whom surveys are administered. Schools have real-time access to their own aggregated results. Can individuals who provide data be identified? No. The data collected by KidsMatter surveys is anonymous and individuals cannot be identified. Any reporting of data, for internal or public purposes, is reported in aggregate form so that individuals cannot be identified. Is the data stored securely? KidsMatter data is stored electronically in approved password-protected databases on industry-standard secure servers. This is to ensure the information it holds is protected and safeguarded against loss, unauthorised access, use, modification, disclosure or any other misuse. Any personal details provided to KidsMatter are protected in line with the National Privacy Principles and the laws and regulations regarding such matters as are applicable in Australia, including but not limited to the Information Privacy Act The data may be transferred to secure data warehousing facilities for archival purposes. Who has access to the survey data? The KidsMatter National Data Manager has unitlevel access to the anonymous survey data. The nominated school survey administrator has password-protected access to only their school s aggregated survey results. KidsMatter state and territory staff do not have access to a schools survey results unless the school provides written permission. Can schools be identified and is any data reported publicly? Yes. Schools need to be identified so they can access their submitted data in aggregated reports. All other reporting is conducted on nationally aggregated data and no individual schools are identifiable. KidsMatter Primary 19 Survey tools and the planning process

20 Survey process checklist Planning Notes a Our KidsMatter Survey Administrator is: We have tested the surveys and found our school, which is listed as: Find your school We have considered why we should run the surveys. You might also consider using Tool 2: How does KidsMatter build on what we are doing? We have considered how we should run the surveys. Online or paper-based? Staff, parents or both? Will Parent Surveys need to be translated or additional support provided? We have considered when to run the surveys. What general timeline is planned that coincides with the component professional learning? Eg staff baseline Q1 2013, staff Comp1 Q We can access our school s online reports. It is useful to monitor response rates when you re running the survey. Administration Quarter Start date End date Reminders Notes Baseline Staff Survey Staff Component 1 post-survey Staff Component 2 post-survey Staff Component 3 post-survey Staff Component 4 post-survey Baseline Parent Survey Parent Survey post-survey Interpretation Notes a We have considered how we will use this data in component planning. We suggest using the step-by-step process. We have considered how we will report the data and share our work. Our school Mental Health Map and wellbeing strategic plan was created on: KidsMatter Primary 20 Survey tools and the planning process

21 Survey tools and resources The following survey tools and resources are designed to assist Action Teams to implement KidsMatter. The resources and tools include: Information letter for parents and carers KidsMatter Parent Survey KidsMatter Staff Surveys School Mental Health Map summaries sheet. Further information and access to online survey resources are available on the KidsMatter website at KidsMatter is dedicated to supporting schools and we hope you will find these tools and resources useful. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact KidsMatter Primary 21 Survey tools and the planning process

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23 Parent Survey Information for Parents and Carers What is KidsMatter Primary? KidsMatter Primary is an Australian initiative that aims to improve children s mental health and wellbeing. It recognises the important role that parents and carers play in the lives of their children and encourages effective working relationships between school staff, parents and carers as well as the broader community. For further information, including information sheets especially written for parents and carers, visit What is the survey about and how long will it take? The survey asks for your perspective about your child s school and what you think is important for the school to consider in supporting children s mental health and wellbeing. We expect that it will take you approximately 10 minutes to complete the survey. Why are you being asked to complete this survey? KidsMatter Primary encourages schools to reflect on how they are doing things - what they are doing well already, and what they can improve to promote children s mental health and wellbeing. School staff are surveyed and it has been recognised that including the voice of parents and carers also adds valuable information that will assist school planning. What choice do you have? Completing this anonymous survey is entirely your choice. Whether or not you decide to participate, your decision will not disadvantage you or your child. However, we hope that you will contribute to helping us improve our school community. Please feel free to discuss any concerns you may have about completing this survey with any of the staff. How is your privacy protected and what happens to the answers? The answers provided by parents and carers are completely anonymous and it will not be possible to identify you or your child from your answers. Data is stored electronically by KidsMatter Primary in a password-secured database. Only summarised results that align to the four components are used by the school to assist with school planning. KidsMatter Primary may also use data summarised at a state level to inform the national development of KidsMatter. What do you need to do to participate? Please read this Information Statement and be sure you understand its contents before you consent to participate. If there is anything you do not understand, or if you have questions, please talk to a school staff member. If you consent to participate, please complete the survey according to the instructions given by your child s school. This may be to fill out a paper-based survey and return it to the school, or complete the online survey at Thank you for your support. KidsMatter Primary 23 Survey tools and the planning process

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25 Parent Survey An important aspect of implementing KidsMatter in your child s school is the consultation process with parents and carers. This short survey asks about your perceptions of the school in relation to the school s work in the area of mental health and wellbeing. Your responses are anonymous and only summarised results are reported. It is important that you give your honest views and not be overly positive. It is OK to disagree to statements if that is your honest view. What year level is your child in at this school? If you have more than one child attending the school, select more. Preschool Prep/Reception Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 What is the main language spoken at home? Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7 Year 8 or above Your views about your child s school are important. Although not every question may seem relevant to you, please answer each question as best you can. How important is it that: Not Important Extremely Important 1. your child learns about cultures, families and ways of living 2. your child learns about where to go and how to ask for help when they need it your child participates in activities that promote positive relationships among all children the school provides information about parenting and child development the school provides opportunities for parents to develop support networks (eg meeting other families) the school provides opportunities for families to engage in activities involving their child the school assists children and families to get help in relation to mental health difficulties What would you like to know more about? Here are some suggestions, so tick all that apply, but please tell us about any others. getting more involved with the school getting more involved with the community access to community health services parenting information child development and learning children s wellbeing and mental health supporting children with special needs cultural diversity and inclusion the KidsMatter initiative managing challenging behaviour building resilience dealing with bullying dealing with trauma cyber safety healthy family relationships and separation 25 KidsMatter Primary Survey tools and the planning process

26 How much do you agree that: Strongly Disagree Don t know Strongly Agree 1. The school respects and values my family s beliefs and wishes 2. The school provides a safe and caring environment for my child I feel that I can participate in decisions that affect my child at school I am satisfied with the way the school communicates with me I feel welcome when visiting my child s school I feel that my child s teacher cares about my child I am comfortable talking to my child s teacher about my child I know how to help my child do well in school I am satisfied with how my child is progressing socially, emotionally and behaviourally The school sets clear, high expectations for student behaviour I feel comfortable asking staff about parenting and child development School staff are supportive of parents who may be experiencing particular challenges in their life 13. School staff are respectful and sensitive to children experiencing social, emotional and behavioural difficulties 14. Children at the school have someone they can talk to if they need help or advice 15. The school makes use of outside support services to assist children who are experiencing difficulties What can the school do more of, or differently, to support and engage children and families? (Please be respectful and avoid naming specific people) Thank you for your time and support KidsMatter Primary 26 Survey tools and the planning process

27 Staff Survey Component 1: Positive school community Survey instructions An important aspect of implementing KidsMatter Primary is the consultation process with the school community and, in particular, school staff. Your responses to this survey will help inform the planning of KidsMatter Primary in your school. Some questions are about your work and your opinions as a staff member and some questions ask for your impression of what your school does in different areas relevant to children s mental health. It is important that you give your honest views and not be overly positive. It is okay to disagree with statements if that is your honest view. Your views about your school are important. Although not every question may seem relevant to you, please answer each question as best you can. Only leave a question blank if it definitely does not apply to you (e.g. it asks about your class, but you are not a teacher). Gathering initial views and then posttraining view are important, as your school begins its journey. This provides a starting point for collecting evidence and can be used to assess progress as your school moves along the KidsMatter Primary journey. Your responses are anonymous in this survey, so do not put your name on this form. Please circle the rating that best fits your opinion of each statement. 1. supporting students mental health and wellbeing is a central part of my role. 2. Our school can make a real difference towards improving students mental health and wellbeing. 3. supporting students mental health and wellbeing helps reduce behavioural problems and improves their academic learning outcomes. 4. I understand who makes up our school community and what s important to them. 5. Making the time to get to know students is a priority for me. KidsMatter Primary 27 Survey tools and the planning process

28 6. I feel valued and respected at our school. 7. relationships between staff members are respectful and responsive. 8. relationships between staff and students are respectful and responsive. 9. relationships between staff and families are respectful and responsive. 10. Members of our school community feel welcome and included, and this is reflected in our policies and practices. 11. Our school has specific policies and practices that promote inclusion and a safe environment. 12. Our school communicates in a variety of ways to meet the diverse needs of our students and families. 13. The contributions of diverse cultures and groups are encouraged in our school. 14. Our school offers diverse opportunities for students and families to participate in a range of activities (e.g., special projects, social and community activities). 15. Our school provides opportunities for all members of the school community to share their views and contribute to school decisions. Do you have any other comments or concerns related to your school community? KidsMatter Primary 28 Survey tools and the planning process

29 Staff Survey Component 2: Social and emotional learning for students Survey instructions An important aspect of implementing KidsMatter Primary is the consultation process with the school community and, in particular, school staff. Your responses to this survey will help inform the planning of KidsMatter Primary in your school. Some questions are about your work and your opinions as a staff member and some questions ask for your impression of what your school does in different areas relevant to children s mental health. It is important that you give your honest views and not be overly positive. It is okay to disagree with statements if that is your honest view. Your responses are anonymous in this survey, so do not put your name on this form. Please circle the rating that best fits your opinion of each statement. 1. Improving students social and emotional skills supports their academic learning. 2. There are many benefits from teaching social and emotional learning in my classroom, like improved behaviour and learning. 3. I know about the social and emotional skills that children need to effectively manage feelings and behaviours, get on with others, make appropriate decisions, and solve problems. 4. I know how to teach social and emotional skills to my students. Your views about your school are important. Although not every question may seem relevant to you, please answer each question as best you can. Only leave a question blank if it definitely does not apply to you (e.g. it asks about your class, but you are not a teacher). Gathering initial views and then posttraining view are important, as your school begins its journey. This provides a starting point for collecting evidence and can be used to assess progress as your school moves along the KidsMatter Primary journey. KidsMatter Primary 29 Survey tools and the planning process

30 5. It is important that the social and emotional curriculum focuses on developing competencies for self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision-making. 6. Our school is guided by evidence when it selects social and emotional learning programs for students. 7. social and emotional skills are taught formally and integrated as part of the regular curriculum at our school. 8. Teaching of social and emotional learning is viewed holistically in our curriculum. 9. I am a role model to students of social and emotional skills. 10. I actively support students in developing social and emotional skills through daily interactions. 11. I provide opportunities for students to practise and adapt their social and emotional skills in a range of daily interactions in and out of the classroom. 12. Information is provided to families about our school s approach to social and emotional learning. 13. I work collaboratively with families in developing students social and emotional skills. Do you have any other comments or concerns related to your school community? KidsMatter Primary 30 Survey tools and the planning process