Pastoral Care for the Twenty-First Century CISC Study Day Friday 16 November 2012

The person of each individual human being, in his or her material and spiritual needs, is at the heart of Christ’s teaching: this is why the promotion of the human person is the goal of the Catholic School. (Quoted in The Catholic School on the Threshold of the Third Millennium)

Catholic Education Emotional Intellectua l MoralPhysicalSocialSpiritual Community

Pastoral Care Strong sense of well-being Strong sense of belonging Security Affirmation of dignity and worth

Numerous and complex challenges face young people and society in the twenty-first century The marginalisation of the Christian Faith Widening gap between the rich and the poor Multiculturalism Realignment of morals and values Impact of globalisation and technical innovation

To assist pupils in achieving their full potential as human beings Pastoral Care

Sense of self-awareness and worth Sense of belonging Faith Emotional well-being Enthusiasm for learning Optimism Strong Self- esteem

Pastoral care embraces more than the giving of well prepared, thought provoking and stimulating lessons. It means being concerned for the total well being of students, and with the development of the whole person within the context of the family, school, parish and wider community. (Guidelines for Pastoral Care in Catholic Schools, NSW, Australia)

The Pastoral Network Our Pupils FamilySchool The Parish Society

Levels of Pastoral Care Reactive Pastoral care Pro-active (Preventative) Pastoral Care Developmental Pastoral Care

Reactive Pastoral Care An immediate response to behavioural, emotional, personal and social problems Often one-to-one Often involves conflict resolution

Pro-active Pastoral Care Designed to equip pupils with the means of coping with potential crises Develops coping strategies, resilience and skills Pupils equipped to make the right choices Pupils able to respond positively to challenges

Developmental Pastoral Care Meets the needs of the wider school community It is the fabric that holds the community together Assists the personal and social development of pupils Ideally holistic and forward looking Designed to develop independence and high self-esteem

Means of Delivery  Home visits prior to a child joining the school  Formal settings – Tutorial sessions; House meetings; PSHCE  Informal contact and advice – small groups; one-to-one; given by teaching and non-teaching colleagues  Guidelines provided by policies and procedures  Specific time built into the timetable that enables regular short periods of contact  Appropriate records to be maintained  Care should be taken that the pastoral care is not i) too reactive, ii) overly reliant upon restrictive rules and sanctions, and iii) hampered by poor communication.

Nursery and Pre-Prep Children So much is new to children when they join our schools.  Personal safety  Personal space  Cooperating with others  The concept of rewards and sanctions

Pastoral Care Leadership  Develop and implement pastoral strategy  Work closely with Designated Teachers and Counsellors  Chair meetings for pastoral teams  Liaise with parents  Organise relevant Inset  Facilitates feedback (e.g. questionnaires / surveys)  Organises presentations / workshops for parents  Oversees School Councils  Updates pastoral policies  The point of contact for pastoral matters

Discussion Points  21 st Century Issues – cyber-bullying; consumerism; extended families; time constraints / pressures upon working parents  Bereavement (Family, friends, pets)  Confidentiality – Limits and implications  Counselling / Counsellors  Effective Communication  Induction for new members of staff  Regular Inset for members of staff  Safeguarding / Child Protection training (Whole Staff)  The role of the School Chaplain  The role of the School Nurse / Welfare Officer