Our focus on children's wellbeing

The concept of wellbeing is behind everything we do, from promoting healthy relationships, designing accessible centres, meeting and outdoor spaces to promoting a healthy, sustainable environment for future generations.

At SDN we are here to build an equitable world where all children thrive. We know, from research that children thrive when their whole wellbeing in enhanced and this is our focus. Focusing on wellbeing means ensuring children are:

Loved and safe
Children who are loved and safe are confident and resilient, have a strong sense of self-identity, and have high self-esteem. To ensure children feel loved and safe, we support their families to feel more confident, capable and connected and safe and secure in their communities. We also regularly lobby governments and make submissions to government inquiries. 

Have material basics
Children who have material basics have access to the things they need to live a ‘normal life’. They live in adequate and stable housing, with adequate clothing, healthy food, and clean water, and the materials they need to participate in learning opportunities. 

Healthy
Healthy children and youth have their physical, developmental, psychosocial and mental health needs met. To support this we provide access to education and care services to support their growth and development, and therapies that address some of the most common health and development challenge. 

Learning
Learning enables children to develop to their full potential. At SDN, we support children to learn through play in our SDN environments, but also support their families in their roles of teacher and roles model, so they can to continue to build on that learning when they are away from us.  

Participating
Participating includes involvement with peers and the community, being able to have a voice and say on matters and access to technology. At SDN we give children the freedom to invent, create, explore, and express their true selves, every day-. We provide a place where they can use their voices. And when they do, we listen. 

Positive sense of culture and identity
Having a positive sense of culture and identity is central to the wellbeing of children, and is particularly important for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and other culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) children and youth.  

** These concepts are based on our understanding of wellbeing developed through ARACY’s wellbeing wheel.