Tools for Schools
My Wellbeing and Safety Plans To support and guide the ongoing work schools and frontline practitioners undertake with young people, a series of Wellbeing and Safety Plans and accompanying guidance documents have been created. These have been produced by the Educational Psychology Service and Safeguarding in Education Team, in conjunction with other relevant safeguarding and wellbeing services and schools.
It is hoped undertaking these plans with children and young people will further promote wellbeing, increase feelings of self-worth in the young person and emphasise balanced thinking, strength-building, active coping, and resilience while maintaining their safety.
These plans are supplementary to services and support already in place and are not designed to replace an assessment by an appropriate mental health professional, accessing appropriate support, statutory guidance, or your organisations own safeguarding policies and procedures.
Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA): Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) is a broad umbrella term used to describe a group of children and young people who have severe difficulty in attending school due to emotional factors, often resulting in prolonged absences from school. This guidance has been produced by the West Sussex Educational Psychology Service (EPS) and includes information booklets for parents, children and young people.
Mental Health of Children and Young people in England, 2017 [PAS] This survey series provides England’s best source of data on trends in child mental health.
Local Transformation Plan (LTP) The West Sussex Local Transformation Plan (LTP) is a plan for improving children and young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing services across the county.
The Royal College of Psychiatrist have a number of leaflets and resources you can download from their website.
Mentally Healthy Schools Mentally Healthy Schools brings together quality-assured information, advice and resources to help primary schools understand and promote children’s mental health and wellbeing. Their aim is to increase staff awareness, knowledge and confidence to help school staff support pupils.
Anna Freud Supporting Mental Health and Wellbeing in Schools The Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families has produced a booklet for primary and secondary schools to support all staff working in school settings to understand how best to help children and young people in their care.
YMCA Right Here is a health and wellbeing project for 11-25 year olds based in Brighton, England. They are an award winning project that works with a team of youth ambassadors to improve health outcomes for young people locally and nationally.
Reading well: helps the reader to understand and manage health and wellbeing using helpful reading. There are five booklists available including lists for children and young people.
Spurgeons cares holistically for the whole family, through counselling children and supporting parents.
Measuring and monitoring children and young people’s mental wellbeing: A toolkit for schools and colleges Public Health England and the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families are committed to improving health outcomes for children, young people and their families, and collaborated to fund and develop this toolkit.
Doc Ready We know that it can be difficult to talk to people when you’re having difficulties with your mental health. Doc Ready helps you get ready for the first time you visit a doctor to discuss your mental health.
Promoting Emotional Resilience document produced by West Sussex County Council and Sussex Partnership NHS Trust A resource pack: Helping children to find ways to function in a world where bad things happen.
Apps for wellbeing and mental health There are now more and more apps out there that can help with anything from managing your general wellbeing to those for more specific health concerns. Listed on this link for FREE* apps to get you started. Whilst these apps can be useful, they are not a replacement for seeking medical advice if you have concerns about any symptoms you are experiencing.
Autism and Mental Health – Autistica Guide Autism Research Charity. Autism and mental health: A guide to looking after your mind.
Charlie Waller Memorial Trust CWMT Free mental health training and resources. They support and educate young people in looking after their mental health.
Counselling Directory Counselling Directory was set up by a team who know how difficult it can be to find the support and information you need. Being a team who between them have experienced various mental health issues, they know how it feels to be overwhelmed, isolated and somewhat lost.
MindED MindEd is a free educational resource on children and young people’s mental health for all adults.
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England: offers a range of training to empower people to spot signs of mental ill health and offer first aid support. By improving mental health skills, confidence and access to support, the training assists in reducing stigma, increasing wellbeing, and encouraging people to thrive at work. View their Take10 Together: Starting the conversation resource.
Young people may want to check out the Your Space website. The site offers a wealth of support and guidance for young people, including health, personal safety and jobs.
Last updated 23 January 2024