Overview

Alignment with Be You Domains

Mentally Healthy Communities
Family Partnerships
Learning Resilience
Early Support
Responding Together

Alignment with Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF)

Not applicable

Alignment with Australian Curriculum

Health and PE

Target audience

Primary school

Target groups

Individual
Small group
Whole class
Whole school

Aims

Highway Heroes enables primary school children to learn evidence-based social and emotional skills to respond positively and appropriately to the various challenges they will meet throughout their development. The 20 fully resourced Lesson Plans & Lesson Outlines (more detail) incorporate discussion, interactive exercises and role play to ensure that the children have the confidence to use the skills in the playground and their interpersonal relationships. There is a strong emphasis on learning emotional self-regulation skills and these 'inside' skills are also the foundation of using the 'outside' skills - that is the responses, reactions and behaviours towards others or in the situation they are experiencing.

Program theory

Highway Heroes is based on the following theories and frameworks: Cognitive behavioural therapy Narrative therapy Positive psychology Solution focused therapy Social learning theory The two authors have a combined six decades of experience as child and adolescent therapists and Highway Heroes is based on their combined therapeutic experience in developing social, emotional and learning skill-building group programs for primary school children. Drawing on cognitive behavioural therapy, narrative therapy and social learning theory, Highway Heroes teaches emotional self-regulation (Emotional Highway), peer relationship skills (Social Highway) and learning persistence (Learning Highway). Each of the twenty fully planned lessons teaches a concept or a tool that lays the foundational skills for emotional self-regulation, positive peer relationships or learning engagement in a complete and holistic social and emotional wellbeing curriculum.

Topics

There are four teacher/therapist Modules for school years 1-3 and 4-6. Each Module comprises a different social, emotional or learning wellbeing focus. They are grouped into 3 'Highways': The Social Highway (Playground) The Emotional Highway (Emotional self-regulation) The Learning (Classroom) Highway The Social Highway modules comprises two separate modules: Module 1: Sticking Up 4 Me: Beating Bullying & Taming Teasing Module 2: Connecting 4 Friendships: Playground Resilience & Wisdom The Emotional Highway comprises one module: Module 4: Strategies 4 Managing Me: Mood Management & Resilience The Learning Highway comprises one module: Module 3: Tricks 4 Getting Things Done: The Secrets of Staying Power & Grit The lesson resources and the experiential learning activities and processes for school years 1-3 and 4-6 in Highway Heroes are developmentally informed with group problem-solving, discussion and role play rehearsals for key skills.

Cost

There are a number of options ranging from a Premium Digital Subscription for three years or one year, which includes both Highway Heroes and the early years program Little Highway Heroes, plus the hard copy versions of both. An online video training suite both or either program, plus parent video workshops and other accessories are also included - depending on the subscription level. All products are also available individually as either a digital annual subscription or in a hard copy version as a one-off purchase.

Program structure

Highway Heroes comprises 4 Modules for school years 1 to 3 and school years 4 to 6: a total of 8 modules. Each module covers a different area of social, emotional and learning wellbeing as outlined above (see 'topics covered'). Each Module has 5 fully resourced, structured lessons with Lesson Plans (brief) and Lesson Outlines (detailed) plus a 6th introductory lesson on the 'Highway of Life' metaphor (in every Module), comprehensive parent information, home activities and pre and post evaluation for teacher, child and parent. The lessons follow the same structure for each level: psychoeducation on the topic, discussion, interactive activities to explore the skill being learned, its application, role plays to model the skill, summary discussion and home activity explanation.

Instructor

External facilitator

Instructor training

Currently, the program's authors, Helen Davidson and Claire Orange conduct all training - which can also be provided face to face.

Supporting resources or materials available with program

Other (please specify)

Other materials

Digital posters; and a range of wrist bands showing skills achieved

Ongoing support

A video training package for education and health professionals on each of the Highway Heroes modules, plus a video parent workshop is included with some subscription levels. The same package is also available for separate purchase outside of a subscription. Further resources for parents are on the website www.bestprograms4kids.com A Parenting Podcast – ‘Inside Out’ Raising Emotionally Strong Kids featuring Helen and Claire in conversation will commence in Term 4 2026. Claire and Helen are based in Australia and available for online consultations and staff training.

Parent involvement

Homework
Written information provided to parents

Origin of program

Australia

BEST Programs 4 Kids Pty Ltd

Program authors

Helen Davidson and Claire Orange

: 207 Flamborough Street, Doubleview WA 6018 Australia

: +61 410 387 787

: info@bestprograms4kids.com

: Visit website

Ratings

2/4 Evidence

3/4 Implementation

Summary of evidence factors

This is a summary of the evaluation or research study characteristics that contribute to the program’s evidence rating.

Positive impact on at least one outcome for children and/or young people?	Yes
Link between program description and theory of change	Comprehensive
Study design	Pre-post cohort
Independence	None

Summary of implementation factors

This is a summary of the program’s characteristics that contribute to its implementation rating.

Feedback sought from participants	No
Feedback sought from instructors	Yes
Groups program is not suitable for	Not assessed
Training provided during study	Face to face, all instructors, online
Ongoing instructor support provided during study	Yes

Context

This is a summary of the context in which the evidence for the program was established.

Study Participants	Primary school
Country of Study/s	Australia
Location of Study/s in Australia	WA
Evaluation of program in culturally and linguistically diverse populations	Yes
Evaluation of program in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people	Yes
Evaluation of program in low socioeconomic groups	Yes
Developmental based adaptations to program design and delivery	Yes
Evaluation of program in children and young people with disability and/or learning difference	Yes

Last updated: 25 June 2026