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I have emotional health concerns about a child
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 all of us 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 confidential and 'dare to be different'
- Help children to develop effective emotional strategies 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.
Additional 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 bespoke support and resources or specific targeted interventions such as wellbeing groups and individual support, Lego therapy, personal mentors.
Our Lead Pastoral Worker/ELSA is Mrs Clifford
Our Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing Lead is Mrs Culshaw.
Useful Links for Parents
Parents can seek support for a child's mental health and wellbeing. On occasion, a child's mental health issues do not present at school and only at home - for these situations, school can help, but it is important that you engage with the services below and speak to your GP.
| SerVIce | description |
|---|---|
| Cheshire East Livewell | Find out about the mental health and wellbeing services offered within Cheshire East |
| My Mind | My Mind is a website for parents and young people. It has information on how to support your child in looking after their mental health, how to access help and support, and details of support services in your local area. |
|
If you are concerned about the immediate safety of yourself or another child/young person please contact: The Cheshire Mental Health Crisis Line on: 0800 145 6485 |
Open Access sessions: As parents/carers you can talk to staff members and get advice Parent Empower Hour: These sessions help establish support networks between parents whose children are experiencing emotional difficulties. They include sharing stories and advice in a safe space to know that you're not the only one. Other services: One-to-one therapy, Therapeutic groupwork, Family support work, Therapeutic play, Creative activities, Mentoring, Cognitive behavioural therapy and Solution-focused brief therapy |
| Young Minds | Young Minds offer advice to parents/ carers worried about a child or young person under 25. This could be related to: their behaviour, emotional wellbeing, or mental health condition. |
Self-Harming
Self-harm describes any behaviour where a young person causes harm to themselves in order to cope with thoughts, feelings or experiences they are not able to manage in any other way. It most frequently takes the form of cutting, burning or non-lethal overdoses in adolescents, while younger children and young people with special needs are more likely to pick or scratch at wounds, pull out their hair or bang or bruise themselves.
Online support
Books
Pooky Knightsmith (2015) Self-Harm and Eating Disorders in Schools: A Guide to Whole School Support and Practical Strategies. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Keith Hawton and Karen Rodham (2006) By Their Own Young Hand: Deliberate Self-harm and Suicidal Ideas in Adolescents. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Carol Fitzpatrick (2012) A Short Introduction to Understanding and Supporting Children and Young People Who Self-Harm. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Self-harming incidents
There is an arrangement which is in place with regard to all children living in Cheshire East. This agreement aims to support children who are affected by self-harming behaviour.
Where a child under the age of 16 attends A&E or is admitted onto a hospital ward following a self-harm incident, the hospital will communicate this, at the earliest opportunity, to the Safeguarding Lead in school. This will help to ensure that the school are able to support children and young people in a way that means they feel safe and included. There may be the need, in some cases, for ongoing communication with CAMHS in order to meet the needs of the child.
We are committed to working in partnership, to safeguard and protect children across Cheshire East and provide the best possible care and support for our pupils.
In the meantime, if you would like to speak to someone further about this or require further information, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Safeguarding Team.
Depression
Ups and downs are a normal part of life for all of us, but for someone who is suffering from depression these ups and downs may be more extreme. Feelings of failure, hopelessness, numbness or sadness may invade their day-to-day life over an extended period of weeks or months, and have a significant impact on their behaviour and ability and motivation to engage in day-to-day activities.
Online support
Depression Alliance: www.depressionalliance.org/information/what-depression
Books
Christopher Dowrick and Susan Martin (2015) Can I Tell you about Depression?: A guide for friends, family and professionals. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Obsessions and Compulsions
Obsessions describe intrusive thoughts or feelings that enter our minds which are disturbing or upsetting; compulsions are the behaviours we carry out in order to manage those thoughts or feelings. For example, a young person may be constantly worried that their house will burn down if they don’t turn off all switches before leaving the house. They may respond to these thoughts by repeatedly checking switches, perhaps returning home several times to do so. Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) can take many forms – it is not just about cleaning and checking.
Online support
Books
Amita Jassi and Sarah Hull (2013) Can I Tell you about OCD?: A guide for friends, family and professionals. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Susan Conners (2011) The Tourette Syndrome & OCD Checklist: A practical reference for parents and teachers. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass
Suicidal Feelings
Young people may experience complicated thoughts and feelings about wanting to end their own lives. Some young people never act on these feelings though they may openly discuss and explore them, while other young people die suddenly from suicide apparently out of the blue.
Online support
Prevention of young suicide UK – PAPYRUS: www.papyrus-uk.org
On the edge: ChildLine spotlight report on suicide: www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/research-and-resources/on-the-edge-childline-spotlight/
Books
Keith Hawton and Karen Rodham (2006) By Their Own Young Hand: Deliberate Self-harm and Suicidal Ideas in Adolescents. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Terri A.Erbacher, Jonathan B. Singer and Scott Poland (2015) Suicide in Schools: A Practitioner’s Guide to Multi-level Prevention, Assessment, Intervention, and Postvention. New York: Routledge
Eating Problems
Food, weight and shape may be used as a way of coping with, or communicating about, difficult thoughts, feelings and behaviours that a young person experiences day to day. Some young people develop eating disorders such as anorexia (where food intake is restricted), binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa (a cycle of bingeing and purging). Other young people, particularly those of primary or preschool age, may develop problematic behaviours around food including refusing to eat in certain situations or with certain people. This can be a way of communicating messages the child does not have the words to convey.
Online support
Beat – the eating disorders charity: www.b-eat.co.uk/about-eating-disorders%
Eating Difficulties in Younger Children and when to worry: www.inourhands.com/eating-difficulties-in-younger-children
Books
Bryan Lask and Lucy Watson (2014) Can I tell you about Eating Disorders?: A Guide for Friends, Family and Professionals. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Pooky Knightsmith (2015) Self-Harm and Eating Disorders in Schools: A Guide to Whole School Support and Practical Strategies. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Pooky Knightsmith (2012) Eating Disorders Pocketbook. Teachers’ Pocketbooks
