If you wish to talk to someone about how you are feeling, you can post your thoughts into our nurture postbox or you can use this contact form to contact Mrs Mason and Mrs Willis
SEMH
What do we mean by ‘social, emotional and mental health needs’?
The World Health Organisation describes emotional and mental health as ‘a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively... and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.’
When we talk about children and young people having ‘emotional and mental health needs’, we usually mean children and young people who do not feel they can cope with life and/or enjoy things, and who may not able to achieve their potential in learning and developing.
The SEN Code of Practice 2015 also adds the word ‘social’ to this definition, to point out that sometimes feelings and behaviours in children and young people are linked to their ‘social’ life: what’s going on in their family, with their friends, and in the community they live in.
Social, emotional and mental health needs can be very different in different children and young people. Some of the issues that might be involved are
- Having problems with peers (children and young people the same sort of age)
- Difficult times at home
- Experience of a traumatic situation
- Special educational needs and or disabilities such as autism conditions, learning disabilities or physical disabilities.
- Any other issue which is affecting how a child or young person feels and behaves, to the point where every day life becomes a problem
What can we do to help? .
It is important to remember that all children and young people experience difficult feelings and situations in their lives. Families often play the biggest role in helping children learn how to cope with difficult feelings and experiences. Schools, and other services in children’s daily lives, also play a big part in this. For most children and young people, this will be enough to help them cope with difficult times. For other children, if their feelings, thoughts and behaviours affect their everyday life and stop them from making progress, or risk harm to themselves or others, they may be considered to have social, emotional and mental health needs. They may well need extra help.
Universal services: services for everyone: Children’s Centres, health visitors, schools, early years settings, GPs, play and leisure facilities, information, advice and guidance services
In school Miss Marsh and Mrs Dove offer our children 1:1 or group nurture support. If you feel that your child requires additional support with their Social, emotional and mental health, please contact Mrs Twigg, Mrs Joinson-Spencer or Miss Roberts who will be more than happy to help.
Well-Being
At Waterside 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.
At our school we:
- help children to understand their emotions and feelings better
- help children feel comfortable sharing any concerns or worries
- help children socially to form and maintain relationships
- promote self esteem and ensure children know that they count
- encourage children to be confident and ‘dare to be different’
- help children to develop emotional resilience and to manage setbacks
We offer different levels of support:
Universal Support- To meet the needs of all our pupils through our overall ethos and our wider curriculum. For instance developing resilience for all.
Additonal support- For those who may have short term needs and those who may have been made vulnerable by life experiences such as bereavement.
Targeted support- For pupils who need more differentiated support and resources or specific targeted interventions such as wellbeing groups or personal mentors.
At Waterside, we understand the need for everyone in our school to have a healthy lifestyle. This helps pupils and staff to do their best and build on their achievements. We actively promote physical and emotional health, and aim to equip pupils with the understanding and skills they need to make informed decisions about their health, both now and in the future. By championing healthy eating, healthy lifestyles and emotional health and well-being, we are aiming to continue to raise standards and improve levels of pupil achievement.
Class teachers are always available to support your child, but sometimes you might want to talk confidentially about an issue or seek the support of outside agencies. If you would like to talk to one of our mental health and well-being leads please call the school office to book an appointment.
Five ways to well being
Evidence suggests there are 5 steps we can all take to improve our mental wellbeing. If you give them a try, you may feel happier, more positive and able to get the most from life. Click the image below to watch a short video about these 5 ways.
Our Nurture Provision
At Waterside we support all our children to achieve their full potential and recognise in order to do this there are times when they may require nurture provision. Nurture provision seeks to support our children to overcome barriers in their learning brought about by social, emotional or behaviour difficulties through short term, focussed intervention strategies. We recognise the need for children to form secure and happy relationships in their formative years and therefore we ensure our nurture groups provide the opportunity to revisit those early nurturing experiences.
The Six Principles of Nurture are:
- Children’s learning is understood developmentally
- The classroom offers a safe base
- The importance of nurture for the development of wellbeing
- Language is a vital means of communication
- All behaviour is communication
- The importance of transition in children’s live
The interventions can take part as a small group or can be targeted to individual pupils following programmes. The Learning Mentors carries out assessments to ensure they plan, do and review children’s progress over time. They also work closely to ensure the interventions support the academic and emotional development of children when in their classroom.
Where to go for help?
Young Minds
YoungMinds is the UK's leading charity committed to improving the emotional wellbeing and mental health of children and young people.
Advice on depression, anxiety, ADHD & self-harm
YoungMinds Parents Helpline
0808 802 5544 (9.30 to 4.00pm, Mon- Fri)
web: www.youngminds.org.uk
We offer free, confidential online and telephone support, including information and advice, to any adult worried about the emotional problems, behaviour or mental health of a child or young person up to the age of 25.
Eating disorder advice
Beat
Adults over 18 including parents, teachers or concerned adults
0345 634 1414 - . (Mon-Wed, 1pm-4pm)
Support forums (7 days a week) email: help@b-eat.co.uk
Under 25s.
0345 634 7650 - (Mon-Wed, 1pm-4pm)
Support forums (7 days a week) email: fyp@b-eat.co.uk
web: www.b-eat.co.uk
Beat provides helplines for adults and young people offering support and information about eating disorders and difficulties with food, weight and shape. We also have an email service and an online one to one service.
Addiction advice
FRANK
0300 123 6600 (UK), 24 hours a day
live chat (UK), 2-6pm
email
SMS: 82111 - Need a quick answer? Text a question and FRANK will text you back.
website: www.talktofrank.com
Telephone: 116 123 (24 hours a day, free to call)
Email: jo@samaritans.org
Website: www.samaritans.org
Provides confidential, non-judgemental emotional support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those that could lead to suicide. You can phone, email, write a letter or in most cases talk to someone face to face.
Rethink Mental Illness Advice Line
Telephone: 0300 5000 927 (9.30am - 4pm Monday to Friday)
Email: info@rethink.org
Website: http://www.rethink.org/about-us/our-mental-health-advice
Provides expert advice and information to people with mental health problems and those who care for them, as well as giving help to health professionals, employers and staff. Rethink also runs Rethink services and groups across England and Northern Ireland.
Telephone: 0300 304 7000 (4:30pm-10:30pm)
Website: www.sane.org.uk/what_we_do/support/helpline
Saneline is a national mental health helpline providing information and support to people with mental health problems and those who support them.
Telephone: 0800 1111
Email: http://www.childline.org.uk/Talk/Pages/Email.aspx
Website: www.childline.org.uk
ChildLine is a private and confidential service for children and young people up to the age of nineteen. You can contact a ChildLine counsellor for free about anything - no problem is too big or too small.
Website: http://elefriends.org.uk/
Elefriends is a supportive online community where you can be yourself. Elefriends is run by Mind.
If you're a carer needing support you can contact all of the above as well as Carers Direct and the Princess Royal Trust for Carers, both of whom are able to provide support and advice on any issues affecting you.
APPS
Live a happier, healthier life with just a few minutes of meditation a day on the Headspace app.
XenZone is a provider of online mental health services for children, young people and adults.
Kooth, from XenZone, is an online counselling and emotional well-being platform for children and young people, accessible through mobile, tablet and desktop and free at the point of use.
Please click on this link if you wish to be directed to Kooth.
Colorfy is a lovely colouring mindfulness app that first started off in print version. Based in science of creativity and how colouring can create a feeling of flow that is associated with a meditative state. It is beautiful, and just looking at the lovely colours made me feel happy. You can paint from pre-loaded templates or even create your own.
The Mix is the UK’s leading support service for young people. We are here to help you take on any challenge you’re facing - from mental health to money, from homelessness to finding a job, from break-ups to drugs. Talk to us via online, social or our free, confidential helpline.