Why we offer extra support
Military life means frequent relocations and long absences. This can affect friendships, learning and mental health.
Our goal is to make every Defence student feel valued, understood and ready to succeed.
We understand the challenges of military life with its frequent moves, deployments and changes in routine.
We offer dedicated support to help your child feel settled, connected and ready to succeed.
Defence School Mentors
Defence School Mentors (DSMs) work in many of our schools to help with enrolment, wellbeing and learning support.
Their priority is to ensure every Defence student feels valued and supported. This is particularly important during difficult times such as a new posting or when a parent is away from home.
DSMs are funded by the Department of Defence and employed as part of the school team.
What Defence School Mentors do
- Help families moving to Canberra with enrolment and school selection
- Help students settle into new schools and make friends quickly
- Monitor students’ social, emotional and academic wellbeing
- Liaise with teachers and wellbeing teams to provide extra support when needed
- Connect families with Defence and community resources.
- Help with enrolment
- Academic and wellbeing support
- Activities and events for Defence students
- Support during deployment
- Support with a new posting
Help with enrolment
DSMs can be the first point of contact for Defence families who are moving to Canberra.
They will listen to what you’re looking for in a school and can put you in touch with the principal, who will guide you through the enrolment process.
Our schools welcome enrolments throughout the school year.
Academic and wellbeing support
DSMs can advise on Defence education allowances and help families to arrange tutoring.
They can also help families to engage with professional counselling services at school or through Defence.
Activities and events for Defence students
To help students feel welcome and build friendships, DSMs organise:
- Defence clubs – regular catchups to help students connect with other children of Defence members
- informal social gatherings for morning tea or lunch, helping to build friendships and community
- commemorative ceremonies for ANZAC Day, Remembrance Day and other significant events
- excursions and camps – opportunities to meet Defence students from other years and schools
- guest speaker sessions focusing on resilience and wellbeing strategies.
Support during deployment
When students have a parent away on deployment, DSMs provide extra care by:
- Regularly checking in with them to gauge how they are coping with the absence
- Notifying teachers to ensure additional classroom support is available
- Encouraging communication with the deployed parent through letters, video calls or journals.
- Stay positive about the move.
Support with a new posting
Leaving a school you love can be challenging. DSMs are on hand to help students:
- say goodbye to friends
- prepare for their new school.
