Family and Friends Circle wellbeing lesson plan
A primary wellbeing lesson for Foundation students that helps Australian teachers introduce the idea of a family and friends circle through a structured, ready-to-teach lesson. Students learn to identify the trusted people in their lives, including family members, friends and other safe adults, and practise recognising who they can ask for help when they need support.
Healthy Relationships & Communication
Snapshot
Family and Friends Circle
This lesson gives teachers a structured way to introduce the idea of a support network and help Foundation students recognise who they can turn to for help.
Prep time:
5 to 10 minutes
Lesson length:
45 to 50 minutes
Key Focus
Identifying trusted people and safe ways to ask for help
Lesson Format
Teacher-led discussion and structured activities
What students will learn
By the end of the lesson, students will be supported to:
Recognise
recognise the different people who make up their family and friends circle
recognise that trusted adults at school and home can offer help and support
recognise everyday situations where asking for help is a helpful choice
Understand
understand that everyone has people in their life they can ask for help
understand that asking for help is a safe and responsible choice
Practise
practise naming people in their own family and friends circle
practise simple phrases they can use to ask a trusted person for help
practise identifying who to ask in different everyday situations
Who this lesson is for?
This lesson is designed for Foundation students who are beginning to learn about relationships, trust and safe help-seeking. It suits students who are developing early language for identifying the people in their lives and starting to understand who they can turn to for support.
It is suitable for:
primary wellbeing lessons
Health or PDHPE teaching
pastoral care, circle time or advisory sessions
transition to school programs
early protective behaviours learning
Suitability should be based on more than age alone. Teachers should consider the lesson focus, student maturity, cohort needs, classroom culture, existing discussion norms and available support pathways.
Best used when
Use this lesson when students need clear, practical language for recognising unkind behaviour and knowing what to do next.
Introducing the topic Use when students are new to thinking about their family and friends circle and who they can turn to for support.
Starting a protective behaviours unit Use when building foundational help-seeking language before more specific safety learning.
Building classroom culture Use when establishing early expectations around trust, respect and support in the classroom.
Supporting transition to school Use when students are settling into new routines and relationships and benefit from identifying trusted adults.
Reinforcing pastoral care routines Use when revisiting who students can go to for help during circle time or advisory sessions.
Practising help-seeking language Use when students need practice naming trusted people and simple phrases for asking for help.
The lesson can be used proactively with the whole class. It does not need to follow a specific incident.
Why this lesson matters
Young students are still learning who they can turn to when they need support, and building this understanding early helps them feel more confident asking for help. Family and Friends Circle gives students practical language for recognising the trusted people around them, rather than waiting until they are unsure or upset to work this out. This proactive approach helps students build a habit of reaching out early, whether the need is small or significant. For teachers, the lesson supports a classroom culture where help-seeking is seen as a normal, safe part of everyday life.
How this lesson supports wellbeing
This lesson supports student wellbeing by building practical social and emotional skills students can use in everyday school life. It helps students develop:
Capability How the lesson supports it
Social awareness Students identify the different people who make up their support network.
Relationship skills Students consider how family members, friends and trusted adults can offer support.
Help-seeking Students practise recognising when and who to ask for help.
Communication Students build simple language for asking a trusted person for support.
Protective behaviours Students learn that trusted adults are there to help when something feels difficult.
Belonging Students reinforce that everyone has people who care about them and can help.
For teachers and school leaders, the lesson contributes to broader wellbeing, respectful relationships, child safety and pastoral care goals in Australian primary schools.
Teaching notes & Delivery Considerations
This lesson includes content about unkind behaviour, exclusion and asking adults for help. It should be taught with calm, clear discussion norms.
Before teaching
Remind students not to name classmates or share private family details
Frame the discussion around general examples rather than personal stories
Identify the trusted adults available at school that students can be reminded of
Be prepared to follow your school's child safety, wellbeing or child protection procedures if a student discloses harm or says they feel unsafe.
During delivery
Use simple, everyday examples of situations where someone might need help
Give students time to name people in their own family and friends circle
Reinforce that everyone's circle can look different
Allow students to respond through discussion, drawing or simple sharing depending on confidence
Supporting safe discussion
Keep the focus on identifying trusted people rather than specific problems
Remind students that privacy matters and they do not need to share personal details
Reinforce that asking for help is a safe and responsible choice
Adaptation options
Use drawing activities for students who find verbal sharing harder
Use partner or small group discussion for confident groups
Spend more time identifying trusted adults at school if students need extra support
Some students may mention family circumstances during this lesson. Keep responses calm and general, and follow your school's usual support pathways if needed.
