Emotional wellbeing and mental health
How can schools implement a whole school approach to EWMH?
The Wiltshire emotional wellbeing and mental health strategy clarifies effective practice in education settings, with links to local and national resources.
A focus on Emotional Health and Wellbeing is critical to the social development and educational achievement of children and young people. To reflect this, schools have had a duty to promote health and wellbeing since 2007.
What are the characteristics of a child- friendly school?
- reflects and realises the rights of every child;
- sees and understands the whole child in a broad context;
- is child-centred;
- is gender sensitive;
- promotes quality learning outcomes;
- provides education based on the reality of children's lives;
- is flexible and responds to diversity;
- acts to ensure inclusion, respect and equality of opportunity for all children;
- promotes mental and physical health;
- enhances teacher capacity, morale, commitment and status;
- is family focused;
- is community based.
Current DfE funded support
The current range of government funded mental health support for schools and colleges includes the following, some of which is being delivered locally in Wiltshire:
- Wellbeing for education recovery
- The Link Programme
- Relationships, health and sex education (RHSE) training module
- Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs)
- Psychological first aid training+
- Senior Mental Health Leads Training
Useful national links
Mentally Healthy Schools
information, advice and resources for primary schools
Mental Health Crisis learning resources from HEE
Hear directly from young people about what helps in a moment of crisis: Mental health crisis learning resources (secondary)
Anna Freud school campaign materials
School and College resources from Anna Freud
Child Outcomes Research Consortium (CORC) page for schools
Charlie Waller Memorial Trust
Child mental health toolkit for schools
The National Children’s Bureau (NCB) has developed a free toolkit for school leaders wishing to assess and improve the support their school provides for children’s well being and mental health.
Measuring and monitoring children and young people’s mental wellbeing: A toolkit for schools and colleges
Public Health England have produced this toolkit that aims to raise awareness amongst school and college staff of the range of validated tools that are available to help measure subjective mental wellbeing amongst the student population.
We are supporting Wiltshire schools to help promote better mental health, build resilience and identify and address emerging mental health problems early on. Some of the resources include:
Summary of local survey data on pupil EWMH
The report from Wiltshire's Youth Mental Health Conference in November 2019 can be found here.
Support for young people, parents and carers
The Wiltshire Children and Young People Wellbeing Service is now available from HRCG Care Group for 5-18 year olds
Support for Wiltshire Schools
From January 2020 Wiltshire Council have been working with NHS England to deliver new Mental Health Support Teams in Wiltshire schools.
Wiltshire Libraries support Reading Well for children and young people (primary and secondary)
Thrive Hubs, in twelve secondary schools were formed during 2016-2017
Staff wellbeing ideas, support and CPD
Local CPD for school staff
Youth Mental Health First Aid Training (KS 2-4)
Senior Mental Health Leads Training
Five to Thrive: Attachment, Trauma and Resilience Training
Wiltshire Children and Young People’s Mental Health Network - please email CandF.Commissioning@wiltshire.gov.uk to join these online meetings. The Network will provide opportunities to bring together stakeholders working to support Children and Young People’s Mental Health.
More local CPD including Healthy Schools and PSHE events
Support for teaching about wellbeing and mental health
List of teaching resources - online links for schools (January 2021)
Teaching mental wellbeing, teacher training module - from the DfE (June 2020)
The SEAL (Social Emotional Aspects of Learning) curriculum was a comprehensive approach to promoting the social and emotional skills that underpin effective learning, positive behaviour and EHWB in primary and secondary schools.
Other links
Resources to support mental health, wellbeing and responses to Covid-19 can be found here.
