Wellbeing and Mental Health at Hepworth Junior and Infant School
Mental health is everybody's business! We can and we should help each other to feel the best we can!
At Hepworth School, we recognise that good mental health and well being is absolutely vital for our pupils and staff alike. We aim to provide a safe and supportive environment within which we provide our pupils with strategies to promote good mental health.
We use a variety of preventative approaches so that all children can feel empowered and in control of their mental health. This runs through everything we do at Hepworth School, from the content of our PSHE lessons, 'Circle' time, how we greet the children as they enter the classroom, the use of our 'Feelings Door' and the 'Zones of Regulation' through to our class rewards, our stimulating and inclusive currriculum and our promotion of outdoor learning!
Many children, at some point, may need some extra support; we have a number of strategies to help children at these times. These include pastoral sessions on a small group or 1 to 1 basis, "checking in" times at the start of the school day or more structured PSHE intervention groups.
In addition to this, we will make referrals to outside agencies if a child has more long term or serious issues with mental health. With these agencies, we would develop targeted support in line with our SEN policy. Our aim, however, is early intervention and we would hope to provide the appropriate support for your child before your concerns about their wellbeing reach this point.
If you have concerns about your child's mental health and wellbeing, please contact your child's class teacher, or one of our Designated Wellbeing Leads:
Alison Robery and Mark Crouch.
You may wish to speak to our SENDCo: Amanda Spencer.
Well-being govenor - we have decided that all governors will share the well-being lead as it covers so many aspects of school life.
Books to buy and support at home -
https://to-be-read.co.uk/product-tag/wellbeing/
Online Support for Parents and Children
There is a wealth of information and help online that can support you and your child, or anyone else you may know. Why not spend some time having a look at some of the links below?
Support for your child in Kirklees
The 'Thriving Kirklees' website has links to a wealth of information and support services, including am online support service called Kooth, text support services, support groups and counselling services for which you can make your own referrals.
Click on the link below to access 'Thriving Kirklees:'
Workshops and support groups to help your child:
Northorpe Hall Child & Family Trust is an independent charity, working closely with NHS and Kirklees Council health and care services. The staff and volunteers provide essential services supporting the health and wellbeing of Kirklees children, young people and families. These services include free workshops for parents and children, covering a wide range of topics such as Understanding and Supporting Anxiety, Back to School Support and Healthy Relationship with Food. There is also a regular 'Chill and Chat' peer support group for parents/carers in Kirklees who have children experiencing challenges to their emotional and mental health.
Click on the link below to access Northorpe Hall: https://www.northorpehall.co.uk/
Click on the link below to directly access the workshop page:
Night Owls - night time support (8pm - 8am).
West Yorkshire Night OWLS is a confidential, out of hours help line for children, young people, their parents and carers who live in Kirklees, Bradford, Leeds, Calderdale and Wakefield. If a child or young person you care for is in a crisis and you are concerned about their emotional wellbeing contact Night OWLS.
Click on the link below to access Night OWLS:
NSPCC
The 'NSPCC' website has useful advice for parents on how to support a child who may have depression, anxiety or other mental health issues.
Click on the link below to access the NSPCC help page:
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/childrens-mental-health/
PARENTS online
Parenting can be really tough. PARENTS Online provides free online emotional support to parents from parents, with professional training and lived experience.
Click on the link below to access the PARENTS Online website:
National Help for Adults
The 'Hub of Hope' website is the UK's leading mental health support database. It brings all support services together in one place. It is the UK's first signposting tool for mental health.
Click on the link below to access Hub of Hope:
Online Wellbeing
We all have our part to play in keeping children safe online. Check out the NSPCC online safety guide:
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/
You may also like to read the Digital Parent Guide produced by Vodaphone by clicking on the link below:
Kirklees Local Offer - wellbeing page
You may like to have a look at the emotional support/ wellbeing page on the Kirklees Local Offer website. This is where all the services available to children and young people with additional needs in Kirklees are set out. (The link to the homepage is on the school website Special Educational Needs page.)
https://www.kirkleeslocaloffer.org.uk/emotional-wellbeing-mental-health-button-landing-page/
Click on the link below to access information on this website about mental health apps that you and your child may find useful for emotional wellbeing:
Rural Place Partnership Project 2022-2023
Our school is currently part of a project called the Rural Place Partnership Project with Northorpe Hall Child and Family Trust.
The aims of the project include:
- Supporting schools, parents and community organisations to understand mental health and wellbeing issues faced by children, young people and families.
- Providing schools and families with tools, resources, skills and networks to take a more preventative approach and ensure early intervention, help and support.
Look out for more information over the coming academic year of strategies, initiatives and workshops taking place as part of this project.
Attention ALL Parents - This will take just 30 seconds to read and is a fantastic opportunity!
We have been contacted by The AIM Group who deliver Free online Level 2 Accredited Courses to Parents to help better understand some key issues around young people's mental health and wellbeing, along with a range of other qualifications that may help with developing your own careers.
Here's some of the most popular subjects available:
- Understanding Autism (learn how individuals process sensory information, understand characteristics, understand conditions, learn how speech, language and communication differ in people with Autism)
- Understanding Children and Young Peoples Mental Health (Understand factors which may affect Young Peoples mental health, the impact that they have and how to support them with these issues)
- Understanding Behaviour That Challenges (supporting positive behaviour, effective communication & how to manage challenging behaviour)
- Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties (understand characteristics of ADHD, ADD, Dyslexia & Dyscalculia, importance of early diagnosis, assessment methods available to diagnose learning difficulties)
- Mental Health Awareness
- Self-Harm and Suicide Awareness and Prevention
- Climate Change
These are just the popular qualifications, but they have over 45 available!
( including Business, IT Skills, Social Care, Customer Service and more...)
The qualifications are completed within a 10 - week period in your own leisure. They are equivalent to a GCSE Grade C, so you are required to write comprehensive answers for some questions, so they aren't multiple choice courses. You can do as many as you like, however you can just do one at a time.
The only criteria you must meet to be eligible, is:
- Aged 19 or over on or before 31st August 2020
- Have lived in the UK/EU for 3+ years
- Not already on a Government funded course
If you are interested in undertaking one of these Free Online courses or would like further information, then please complete the following link ASAP. This will then allow The AIM Group to contact you to discuss and get you started on your chosen course:
https://theaimgroup.co.uk/booking-form/0014J00000qE9eD
If you have any questions prior to expressing interest, call Lois Smith (our account manager) on 0203 900 3091 extension 235 or drop her an email at lois.smith@theaimgroup.co.uk
Kind Regards,
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