Health and Wellbeing

HEALTH AND WELLBEING TEAM

Staff and Governor Wellbeing Team

Mrs H Slocombe – Senior Mental Health Lead

Mrs Worthington - Wellbeing Governor

Mrs J Ashcroft – SENCO/PSHE Lead

Jayne Aspinall - Education Mental Health Practitioner - Mental Health Support Team (MHST)

Mrs Gilchrist – Wellbeing Team

Mrs Clayton - Wellbeing Team

Mrs Cliffe Jones - Wellbeing Team

Mrs Balmer - Wellbeing Parent

The Wellbeing Ambassadors are made up of pupils from Y2-Y6 classes.

Year 2: Darcey C and Fraser W

Year 3: India S and Thomas B

Year 4: Robert F and Josie-Mo F

Year 5: Myla M and Daniel B

Year 6: Isla B, Daniel L and Tiana M

Statement of Intent – Why Mental Health and Wellbeing is important to us:

At St Julie Catholic Primary School, we aim to promote positive mental health and wellbeing for our whole school community and recognise how important mental health and emotional wellbeing is to our lives. We acknowledge and understand that children’s mental health is a crucial factor in their overall emotional wellbeing and can affect their learning and achievement at school. Our personal mental health and emotional wellbeing is a universal, significant and powerful feature of who we are as human beings - it is an indicator of social, emotional and physical wellness. Young people’s happiness, life satisfaction and positive functioning are influenced by mental health and emotional wellbeing. Good mental health and emotional wellbeing allows individuals to learn, grow and develop as individuals – it is an integral and essential aspect of human life to ensure that young people can make the most of their unique potential, flourish and show resilience when they face any challenges in life.

The Department for Education (DfE) recognises that, ‘in order to help their children to succeed; schools have a role to play in supporting them to be resilient and mentally healthy.’ Schools can create a nurturing and supportive environment for young people to ensure that they reach their full potential; develop their self-esteem; overcome adversity and build their resilience.

Our role, in school, is to encourage positive mental health and emotional wellbeing and ensure that our children are equipped with the necessary skills to manage their feelings, emotions and any experiences that they may face in life. Furthermore, our aim is to help develop protective factors, and build resilience, in a school where:

All children are valued
All children have a sense of belonging and feel safe
All children feel able to talk openly, to a trusted adult, about their mental health and emotional wellbeing
All children feel that positive mental health and emotional wellbeing is promoted and valued

At St Julie Catholic Primary School, we are passionate about making a difference to the lives of young people. We believe in working together, as a community, team and family. We act with determination. Whatever issues our students, their families, the school, our team or the community face, we always support each other, react compassionately and pull together.

Mental Health Support Teams in Schools :: Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

Jayne Aspinall is our school’s Educational Mental Health Practitioner supporting children and families at St Julie’s and is part of the Mental Health Support Team. Mental Health Support Teams provide direct mental health support to primary and secondary schools in Halton, Knowsley, St Helens and Warrington. The service aims to promote the early detection and prevention of mental health problems across the whole school, and strengthen links between schools and mental health services. Follow the link for more information:

https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk/mental-health-support-teams

Below are ideas, suggestions and websites to support you and your family

Mental Health and Wellbeing Resources

General mental health and wellbeing support, building resilience and staying well

Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families provide support to children and young people, sharing clear, simple advice and resources.

‘On My Mind’ aims to empower young people to make informed choices about their mental health and wellbeing through advice, support, tips and self-care strategies.

Websites: https://www.annafreud.org/coronavirus-support/support-for-young-people/ https://www.annafreud.org/on-my-mind/

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BBC Bitesize offers support, advice and tips to children and young people on a host of areas including mental health, wellbeing, resilience, identity and healthy relationships.

Website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/collections/life-and-wellbeing/1

Every Mind Matters have expert advice and practical tips to help you look after your mental health and wellbeing, including sleep, self-care, and dealing with change.

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

Kooth free, safe and anonymous online mental wellbeing community, accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. It includes: a magazine, discussion boards, messages or live chat with their team, a daily journal you can fill in

Website: https://www.kooth.com/

Now and Beyond the UK's first multidisciplinary directory for children and young people's mental health and wellbeing providers. Includes information about locally available services.

Website: https://nowandbeyond.org.uk/help-and-support

The Think Ninja (freely available and adapted for COVID-19) app educates children and young people about mental health, emotional wellbeing and provide skills young people can use to build resilience and stay well.

App: https://www.nhs.uk/apps-library/thinkninja/

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World Mental Health week 2022

The theme of 2022's World Mental Health Day, set by the World Federation for Mental Health, is 'Make mental health and wellbeing for all a global priority.'

World Mental Health Day is when we are encouraged to think about our own mental health and that of those around us so to raise awareness the children can come to school wearing something green with their school uniform on Friday 14^th October.

If you know anyone who is struggling, please encourage them to seek help and support.

World Mental health day also provides us with the opportunity to think about the practical things we can do to support our own mental Health:

Anti-bullying week – wear Odd Socks to school

We started our week with Odd Socks Day in school and the children talked about how it is ok to be different and how we respect each other’s differences. The children shared stories that reminded everyone about how to be a good friend and to celebrate that we are all unique. During the week the children thought about what bullying is and focused on STOP – Several Times On Purpose.
With this year’s theme for national Anti-Bullying Week 2022 being reach out to stop bullying many Random Acts of Kindness have been even more apparent around school. In assembly this morning the children shared the small gestures they have made to each other through helping, sharing, taking turns and looking out for each other. There were many surprises for each of the staff with handmade cards, pictures, treats and even specially made (with the help of an adult) hot chocolate! There has also been lots of music and singing of the many songs that make us feel happy, celebrate individuality and remind us to treat people with kindness every day.

Mental Health Week

Children's Mental Health Week

The next Children’s Mental Health Week will take place on 6-12 February 2023. The theme for this year is LET'S CONNECT

Human beings thrive in communities, and this connection is vital for our wellbeing, and our survival. When we have healthy connections – to family, friends and others – this can support our mental health and our sense of wellbeing. And when our need for rewarding social connections is not met, we can sometimes feel isolated and lonely – which can have a negative impact on our mental health.

Let's Connect is about making meaningful connections for all, during Children's Mental Health Week - and beyond.

For Children’s Mental Health Week 2023, we’re encouraging people to connect with others in healthy, rewarding, and meaningful ways.

On Friday 10th February the children enjoyed Dressing to Express themselves. In the Junior assembly this morning the children started the day on a high note by singing 'Reach for the stars' and then sang and jumped around to 'I'm blue.'

Thank you to those who came to the coffee morning to meet Jayne Aspinall, our new Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP). Our Wellbeing Ambassadors started the event by talking to everyone about what we already do at St Julie’s to look after our wellbeing and our own mental health. They demonstrated how the Zones of Regulation are used every morning as they come into class and showed the books and stories we read, and the Worry Jar or box in every classroom.

Children's Mental Health Week 2024

This week we have been taking part in Children’s Mental Health Week. The week was launched with an Assembly for the whole school led by the Schools’ Mental Health Support Team speaking about the theme this year ‘My Voice Matters’.

Our children were able to say that talking to a friend, family or trusted adult about a worry can help them to feel better. They shared ideas about the many different activities that they can do that make them feel happy.

Today the children dressed to express themselves and showed their own unique styles. They enjoyed a carousel of wellbeing activities in their houseteams. It was a joy to see the older children supporting the younger children, truly showing we are a caring family school.