Mental Health and Wellbeing
Mental Health & Wellbeing at St Francis Xavier’s RC Primary School
At St Francis Xavier’s RC Primary School, we are committed to supporting the emotional health and wellbeing of our pupils and staff. We know that everyone experiences life challenges that can make us vulnerable and at times, anyone may need additional emotional support. We take the view that positive mental health is everybody’s business and that we all have a role to play. Our whole-school ethos underpins everything we do to support the mental health and wellbeing of our pupils and staff.
Share God’s Love
Follow our dreams
eXcel in all we do
We offer different levels of support to promote a mentally healthy environment:
Universal Support
- Promoting our school virtues and encouraging a sense of belonging
- Promoting pupil voice and opportunities to participate in decision-making
- Celebrating academic and non-academic achievements in order to promote self-esteem
- Providing opportunities to develop a sense of worth through taking responsibility for themselves and others
- Providing opportunities to reflect during collective worship
- Access to appropriate support that meets their needs
- Helping children to better understand their emotions and feelings.
- To provide trusted adults with whom children can share any concerns or worries (listening partners for all)
- Helping children to develop emotional resilience and to manage setbacks
- Well-structured RSE, PSHE and SMSC curricula
- High aspirations for all
- Engendering positive relationships with staff
- Developing an awareness of social and environmental responsibility via Catholic Social Teaching
- Parent/carer, child and staff workshops – run by WEST e.g. Building Resilience
- CHAT – Children’s Health and Advice Team
- School Nurse Service
- Monitoring attendance
Additional support - For those who may have short-term needs and those who may have been made vulnerable by life experiences e.g. bereavement.
- Weekly briefing – to inform staff of any children about whom there is a concern or specific need e.g. a child with a new medical need, family event
- Listening partners alerted to children who may require additional support
- Student and Family Support Worker (SFSW) – low level intervention e.g. light-touch check-ins, one off meetings to address a specific, short-term need
- Mindfulness groups – provided by an outside agency
- Breakfast Club to ease transition to the school day
Targeted support - For pupils who need more differentiated support and resources or specific targeted interventions.
- ELSA - Emotional Literacy Support Assistant
- WEST – Wellbeing and Emotional Support Team provide EMHP…
- CAMHS – Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
- MELO – Provided by Onside, offers early intervention and emotional resilience support for children and young people aged 0 - 25 years. Services include individual and group therapy, specialist interventions, and risk management support.
- LUMI NOVA – A digital therapeutic mobile game supporting children with fears, worries and anxiety. Designed for children aged 7-12 years
- Support for parents in overcoming barriers to good attendance
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Team at St Francis Xavier’s
- Mrs C Darcy (SENCO & Senior Mental Health Lead) - responsible for promoting wellbeing for our staff and pupils
- Mrs E Christopherson (Headteacher and Designated Safeguarding Lead)
- Miss H Burgess (Assistant Headteacher and Deputy Safeguarding Lead)
- Miss J Poole (Student & Family Support Worker and ELSA - Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) - leads ELSA sessions, builds social and resilience skills, as well as offering 1:1 support for targeted pupils
- WEST (Wellbeing and Emotional Support Team) - provides training for staff, workshops for children and parents and small group or 1:1 support for children. An Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP) works in school for half a day per week.
Where can I get help if I have concerns about my child's mental health or wellbeing?
You can:
- Go to your GP as a first port of call as they are a useful place to gain medical support and signposting to local services.
- Talk to your child’s class teacher about your child's needs or your concerns.
- Talk to the school’s SENCO/Mental Health Lead (Mrs Darcy).
- Speak to a School Nurse. The Single Point of Access (SPOA) provides children and young people aged 5-19 and their families with advice from the school nursing service.
School Nursing Team phone: 07813 451034
Parents/carers can contact them directly or a referral can be made via the school or GP.
- Young Minds - The Parents’ Helpline is available to offer advice to anyone worried about a child or young person under 25.
- Early Help – children and family well-being service. School can help parents to access this service.
- Education Mental Health Practitioners can work with children and young people (CYP) in school who are experiencing some mental health difficulties. Where appropriate, a referral will be made by school. This will be considered by WEST (Wellbeing and Emotional Support Team) at a weekly panel meeting, to assess whether or not further support will be offered.
Useful links
Some useful resources that you could use at home to support your child’s mental health are below:
Advice for parents and carers: talking mental health with young people at primary school
This leaflet which was created alongside the Talking Mental Health Animation & Toolkit. It features an introduction from their Patron, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge, who supported the You're never too young to talk mental health campaign, stating the campaign's resources "demonstrate how we can help children express their feelings, respond appropriately, and prevent small problems from snowballing into bigger ones."
Young minds parents’ survival guide –
https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/for-parents/parents-survival-guide/
Helping children at the start of a new school term
https://parents.actionforchildren.org.uk/school-life/school-behaviour-wellbeing/new-school-term/
Kooth
Offers free, safe, and anonymous online mental health support for children and young people aged 10 to 18 years (for our older pupils).
- Users can use a live text chat with trained counsellors and emotional wellbeing practitioners from 12pm to 10pm on weekdays and 6pm until 10pm on weekends.
- A variety of self-help activities that users can engage in at their own pace. These activities are designed to help manage stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues.
- https://www.kooth.com/signup/available-in-many-areas
Bereavement
If you have suffered a bereavement and feel that school can support, please do contact us.
NHS bereavement support
Winston’s Wish
Simple and practical ways to ease anxiety, manage stress, lift your mood and sleep better
https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/- A public health England and NHS site to help people take simple steps to look after their mental health, improve their mental wellbeing and support others.
Useful Booklets/Publications:
Public Health England How Healthy Behaviour Supports Children's Wellbeing
The Anxious Child Booklet for Parents