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Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health

What is Emotional Wellbeing / Pastoral Support?

As all learning, we promote a range of wellbeing through our curriculum. Weekly PSHE lessons on relevant topics, addressing anything addressed in the media or issues within the local community. 

 

We have various staff trained in a range of Pastoral Support strategies and Interventions including Emotional Literacy (ELSA) which can be delivered as a small group or 1:1 intervention, Lego Therapy and Grief and Loss. 

 

Children can suffer wellbeing difficulties at many times throughout childhood, from self-esteem and belonging to bereavement and anxiety.  We use a range of literature to support us including Ruby’s Worry and the Colour Monster.  Encouraging children to talk and have their voice is important which we promote this in Class Worship and weekly Personal, Social, Health and Education (PSHE) sessions.

The MindUP Programme is a unique evidence-based framework that teaches social and emotional learning skills, linking cognitive neuroscience, positive psychology and mindful awareness. Research shows, teaching children about their brain development, helps to understand their mental health.  

 

The programme has 15 lessons through practical approaches. They are relevant and suitable for children from the ages of 3 to 11, helping use the knowledge, understanding and skills they are taught to navigate the challenges of the 21st century with resilience, kindness and compassion. As this is our first year rolling out the lessons, all children will begin at the beginning and looking at Core Practice, breathing and mindfulness activities. 

 

MindUP is a fantastic way to promote the mental health and emotional wellbeing of our school community through class activities and whole school practice too. The interactive teaching and learning approaches, learning through senses, complemented by whole school mindful practices, helps to create an exciting learning environment within which children can thrive academically, socially and emotionally. Being knowledgeable behind why we need to take part will enable greater success. 

What if my child suffers with SEMH difficulties?

To begin, you and the teachers may have discussions and identify that your child is suffering with social or emotional difficulties and may put some strategies in place. From this, they would refer their concern to the SEND team.  Following from this, the SEND team would then liaise with the teacher and parents to make sure the right intervention would be put in place to support the child/children involved.  Assessments using a range of methods including scaling our concerns would happen before any intervention begins.  This then supports with our assess-plan-do-review cycle and evaluate the success of the intervention. We can feedback on these sessions, although must respect the privacy and confidentiality which has been established through trust.

Any disclosures and Child Protection issues will be reported to the Designated Safeguarding Lead, Mrs Orme or her Deputy, Miss Hailes  and dealt with as appropriately.

 

The Colour Monster

Children often find it hard to share their emotions, whether they can or cannot articulate how they are feeling or whether they are yet to comprehend feelings.  The Colour Monster is a great stimulus beginning with a story that we use.  Often, this is primarily used within our younger years to encourage children to explore their feelings through colours.  We have found this approach gives children a visual to recognise their feelings and through support, guidance in managing these emotions. 

Here are some visuals that you can use at home to relate the emotions to the colours as we would in school. Confused (or mixed up) is often how children may express their feelings, and through talking and sharing experiences, together, we can guide children in managing and expressing their emotions. 

What Pastoral interventions do we offer?

In School Interventions 

 

  • Lego Therapy
  • Emotional Literacy Support (ELSA)
  • Drawing and Talking 
  • Friends for Life (Fun Friends)
  • Small group or whole class
  • Special Friends (for children with ASD)
  • Grief and Loss/Bereavement Support
  • Sensory Circuits
  • Time to Talk
  • Socially Speaking 
  • Feelings detectives

 1:1 or small group

 Supporting :

Relationships                           Self-esteem

Confidence                              Trust

Dealing with Emotions             Social Interaction

Friendship Anxieties                Self-belonging

Mindset                                    Empathy

Anger Management                 Separation

  

 

What if my child needs more?

There are additional sources and agencies that can help. Below are a list that you can contact for addition support. 

 

 

Should you need further support on SEMH and the Pastoral support we offer, please read our Information Report and Local Offer found here

Below are a list of useful websites that can offer support and resources for children's mental health and wellbeing.

Braveheart Education – support for supporting vulnerable children:

https://www.bravehearteducation.co.uk/

Kooth – free on-line mental health counselling/community for children:

https://www.kooth.com/

MindEd – free mental health advice:

https://www.minded.org.uk/

Place2Be – mental health support:

https://www.place2be.org.uk/

Place2Be – mental health support:

https://parentingsmart.place2be.org.uk  

The Child Bereavement Network:

http://www.childhoodbereavementnetwork.org.uk/

Casy Couselling – A local counselling service for children, based in Newark:

http://www.casy.org.uk/

Every Mind Matters - NHS Mental Health advice:

https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/

Lincolnshire Local Offer – Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Services:

https://lincolnshire.fsd.org.uk/kb5/lincs/fsd/family.page?familychannel=2_9_9


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