Rising to the challenge: Exploring the transition from primary to secondary education in a Western Australian school

The ‘Rising to the Challenge: Exploring the transition from Primary to Secondary education in a Western Australian School’ study explored the positive predictors of primary to secondary school transition of a cohort of Year 7 students (n=182) at a school in Western Australia. The transition from primary to secondary school is an important process in the lives of adolescents aged around 11-13 years old. It is a challenging and exciting time that coincides with social, emotional, physical and cognitive changes of the adolescent stage of development. Enabling a positive transition to secondary school can give adolescents the support they need to maintain their educational performance, mental health and social wellbeing during adolescence, and may also have an impact on their future adult success. The purpose of this study was therefore to follow a cohort of students through their transition into secondary school, and determine the positive predictors of transition for this cohort of students. Nancy Schlossberg’s theory entitled ‘A model for analysing human adaptation to transition’ was used to guide this research, providing a multifactorial ecological framework that describes the process of transition from the perception of the individual. The study investigated a broad range of variables around the individual, the transition situation, supports for students, and academic progress associated with primary to secondary school transition experience immediately after changing schools and again six months later. One kindergarten to Year 12 school was utilised as a case study school. Data was collected by online survey at two time points, being in the first few weeks of secondary school, and again six months later. Data pertaining to students’ academic achievement was collected from student record files. The results of this work identified many significant variables in the transition process for this cohort, while analysis of four research questions tested the applicability of each domain of Schlossberg’s model to the primary to secondary school transition process using multinomial logistic regression. Results indicated that students’ negative expectation about transition, the things they like about their secondary school, emotional peer support, loneliness, school safety, being a reliable person, levels of agitation and turmoil, and perceived academic achievement significantly influenced students’ perception of a positive transition experience. Gender and primary school of origin were also significant predictors of transition experience for this cohort, with females experiencing a poorer transition than males, and ‘continuous’ students (those who remained at the school from primary through to secondary graduation) having the easiest transition experiences. Finally, the implications of this research were discussed. Discussion of these results in conjunction with the literature shows that school transition is a complex process, with links between domains that require further investigation and an emphasis on an ecological approach to capture the nuances of the transition phenomenon. Results could not be generalised to the population of transitioning students due to sampling, but are useful for informing further research in the area. Investigation of the mechanisms of the predictor variables on transition experience is warranted given the results of the study, and the use of mixed methods research would provide depth to the analysis results. Given there is little research on transition in comprehensive K-12 schools, further research into primary school origin and the influence of gender are research foci for the future. Finally, the case study school and the school system at large should review school policies around transition and gender equality in teaching

A theoretically grounded exploration of the social and emotional outcomes of transition to secondary school

Adolescent development involves a complex interplay between genetics, biology, and social and emotional relationships within multiple contexts of home, school and the broader community. The transition from primary to secondary school, coupled with the onset of puberty, can therefore be a difficult period for young people to negotiate at a critical period of their developmental pathway. Using a social ecological perspective, this article examines the impact of the transition experience on adolescent social and emotional health, both immediately following transition to secondary school and at the end of the first year in this new school environment. This 1-year prospective study involving 1,500 Australian Grade 8 secondary school students found that 31% of students in the sample experienced a \u27difficult\u27 or \u27somewhat difficult\u27 transition to their new school. This third of the student sample were consequently more likely to experience poorer social and emotional health, including higher levels of depression and anxiety at the end of their first year of secondary school, while controlling for these variables at the time of transition. A central message from this work exemplifies the urgent need for a longitudinal intervention trial to develop best practice guidelines for activities that help ameliorate the negative impact a change in education context can create for adolescents negotiating a rapid metamorphosis from childhood to adulthood

Models of school breakfast program implementation in Western Australia and the implications for supporting disadvantaged students

A substantial body of literature points to the educational and social benefits of school breakfast programs. Most high-income countries provide free or subsidized school breakfasts to support disadvantaged children. Australia does not have a nationally-funded school meal program. Instead, charitable organizations offer school breakfast programs on a voluntary basis, often with funding support from state/territory governments. Decisions about participating in a school breakfast program (SBP), which students to support, and the degree of integration with other strategies to support disadvantaged students are made at the school level. This large-scale, multi-year study examined models of SBP implementation in Western Australian (WA) schools and stakeholder perceptions of the impact of SBPs at the classroom and whole school level. Findings indicate that the approaches adopted by WA schools reflect the extent to which SBPs are part of an integrated approach to supporting disadvantaged students. Minimalist approaches were evident where the focus was limited to alleviating hunger. More inclusive, resource‐intensive models were apparent where the SBP was positioned within a whole school approach to student wellbeing and/or community capacity-building. All schools reported benefits for disadvantaged students, however, the social benefits of SBPs that manifested at the classroom and whole school level were more pronounced in schools that had adopted more integrated, whole school approaches. The findings have implications for Australian schools and other countries that seek to optimize the role of SBPs to provide more holistic support for vulnerable students and reduce the impact of social and economic disadvantage

Examining oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) literacy among participants in an HIV vaccine trial preparedness cohort study

Background: PrEP literacy is influenced by many factors including the types of information available and how it is interpreted. The level of PrEP literacy may influence acceptability and uptake. Methods: We conducted 25 in-depth interviews in a HIV vaccine trial preparedness cohort study. We explored what participants knew about PrEP, sources of PrEP knowledge and how much they know about PrEP. We used the framework approach to generate themes for analysis guided by the Social Ecological Model and examined levels of PrEP literacy using the individual and interpersonal constructs of the SEM. Results: We found that PrEP awareness is strongly influenced by external factors such as social media and how much participants know about HIV treatment and prevention in the local community. However, while participants highlighted the importance of the internet/social media as a source of information about PrEP they talked of low PrEP literacy in their communities. Participants indicated that their own knowledge came as a result of joining the HIV vaccine trial preparedness study. However, some expressed doubts about the effectiveness of the drug and worried about side effects. Participants commented that at the community level PrEP was associated with being sexually active, because it was used to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV. As a result, some participants commented that one could feel judged by the health workers for asking for PrEP at health facilities in the community. Conclusion: The information collected in this study provided an understanding of the different layers of influence around individuals that are important to address to improve PrEP acceptability and uptake. Our findings can inform strategies to address the barriers to PrEP uptake, particularly at structural and community levels. Trial registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT0406688

A mobile health intervention to encourage physical activity in children: a randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Despite immense benefits of physical activity on health and developmental outcomes, few children achieve recommended daily levels of physical activity. Given more than half of families with children own a dog, we investigated the effect of a mobile health (mHealth) intervention to encourage dog-facilitated physical activity through increased family dog walking and children’s active play with their dog. METHODS: The PLAYCE PAWS study was a three-armed randomised pilot trial conducted in Perth, Western Australia. Children aged 5-10 years with a family dog were randomised to 4 weeks of either 1) SMS-only intervention, 2) ‘SMS + pedometer’ intervention or 3) ‘usual care’ control. The mHealth intervention involved SMS messages to parents; the ‘SMS + pedometer’ group also received a dog pedometer and personalised dog steps diary. Parent-reported measures were collected at baseline, 1- and 3-months post intervention. The primary outcome was weekly frequency of family dog walking and dog play; secondary outcomes were child attachment to the dog and feasibility of the intervention. RESULTS: A total of 150 children were randomised in staggered blocks to SMS-only (n = 50), ‘SMS + pedometer’ (n = 50) or usual care (n = 50). No differences were observed in family dog walking and dog play at 1-month. SMS-only children (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.17, 5.83, P = 0.019) and all intervention children (OR 1.97, 95% CI 1.01, 3.86, P = 0.048) were more likely to increase total dog-facilitated physical activity (sum of family dog walking and dog play responses) at 3-months. The positive associations with total dog-facilitated physical activity disappeared (all P > 0.05) after adjusting for socio-demographic factors. CONCLUSIONS: The PLAYCE PAWS mHealth intervention did not significantly affect dog-facilitated physical activity in children. Given high levels of dog ownership in the community, SMS prompts could be a low-cost intervention to encourage more physical activity in children. Further research is needed to understand how increased interaction with the family dog impacts on children’s overall physical activity and other health and development outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ANZCTR, ACTRN12620000288921, retrospectively registered on 4/3/2020

Evaluation of the Foodbank WA School Breakfast and Nutrition Education Program: Final report

This report presents the final results and findings of the three‐year evaluation of the School Breakfast and Nutrition Education Program (SBNEP) delivered by Foodbank WA to schools across Western Australia. The key aim of the SBNEP is to improve the nutrition and wellbeing of children who are vulnerable to poor diet and health by improving access to a variety of healthy foods in schools. The SBNEP is part of a suite of initiatives managed and delivered by Foodbank WA known as Healthy Food for All® , and has two key components: - the School Breakfast Program (SBP) which provides products for schools to deliver healthy breakfasts and emergency meals to students in need; and - Food Sensations® nutrition education and cooking lessons and resources

Play Active physical activity policy intervention and implementation support in early childhood education and care: results from a pragmatic cluster randomised trial

Abstract Background Policy interventions to increase physical activity in early childhood education and care (ECEC) services are effective in increasing physical activity among young children. However, a large proportion of ECEC services do not have nor implement a physical activity policy. Play Active is an evidence-informed physical activity policy intervention with implementation support strategies to enable ECEC services to successfully implement their policy. This study examined the effectiveness, implementation, and process outcomes of Play Active. Methods A pragmatic cluster randomised trial in 81 ECEC services in Perth, Western Australia was conducted in 2021. Services implemented their physical activity policy over a minimum of three months. The effectiveness outcomes were changes in educator practices related to daily time provided for total physical activity and energetic play. Implementation outcomes included changes in director- and educator-reported uptake of policy practices and director-reported uptake of high impact and low effort policy practices. Process evaluation outcomes included awareness, fidelity, reach, and acceptability of the intervention and implementation strategies. Analysis involved descriptive statistics and generalised linear mixed effects models. Results There was a significant increase in the uptake of director-reported policy practices (p = 0.034), but no change in the uptake of the subset of high impact and low effort policy practices. Intervention group educators reported high awareness of the Play Active policy recommendations (90%). Play Active acceptability was high among educators (83%) and directors (78%). Fidelity and reach were high for most implementation support strategies (> 75%). There were no significant changes in the amount of physical activity or energetic play educators provided to children or in the proportion of educators providing the policy recommended ≥ 180 min of physical activity/day or ≥ 30 min of energetic play/day for intervention compared to wait-listed comparison services. Conclusions Play Active resulted in significantly higher uptake of physical activity practices. However, there was no change in the amount of physical activity provided to children, which may be explained by the relatively short policy implementation period. Importantly, Play Active had high awareness, fidelity, reach, and acceptability. Future research should investigate the effectiveness of Play Active over longer implementation periods and its scalability potential. Trial registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (reference number 12620001206910, registered 13/11/2020, https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=378304&isReview=true )

Development of physical activity policy and implementation strategies for early childhood education and care settings using the Delphi process

Background: The aim of this study was to gain consensus on an evidence informed physical activity policy template for early childhood education and care (ECEC) and determine best-practice dissemination and implementation strategies using the Delphi process. Methods: Three-round modified Delphi methodology. During round one an expert working group developed an evidence informed ECEC specific physical activity policy template. Rounds two and three involved national online surveys to seek insight from a group of experts on the draft physical activity policy template. Results: Ninety per cent of experts reported ECEC services are fully responsible for having a physical activity policy. There was consensus on the components of the policy and key physical activity and sedentary behaviour statements and recommendations. The most effective methods for disseminating a physical activity policy to ECEC providers included online (websites, social and electronic media), ECEC targeted launch events, direct mail outs and via professional associations. Twenty five key strategies related to management, supervisors and educators; the ECEC physical environment; communicating with families; and accreditation, monitoring and review, were identified as necessary for the successful implementation of physical activity policy in ECEC. Experts reached consensus on nine of these strategies indicating they were both easy to implement and likely to have a high level of influence. Key barriers and enablers to implementing ECEC-specific physical activity were also identified. Conclusions: This evidence informed physical activity policy template for ECEC provides recommendations on the amount of physical activity and sedentary time (including screen time) children should have whilst attending ECEC and aligns with national/international guidelines. A number of effective physical activity policy implementation strategies for ECEC were identified. An important next step is advocating for the introduction of legislative requirements for services to have and implement a physical activity policy.</p