Emotional Health and Wellbeing
Statement of Mental Health Intent
Dronfield Junior School Inclusion Team is passionate about making a difference to the lives of our pupils. We believe in teamwork; working with each other, with teachers and colleagues across the school, with the wider school community and most importantly with the pupils in our school. We act with an unrelenting commitment to developing a sense of belonging. Whatever issues our pupils, their families, the school, our team or the community face, we always support, react and pull together. Finally, we are committed to making a difference; we are not passive players in pupils’ lives but active participants who can, and do, make a real difference. We encourage our staff and pupils to relate well to one another with respect, curiosity and honesty. These are a reflection of the school’s curriculum intent statement and core values, in particular:
Respect and Resilience, Excellence, Autonomy, Curiosity and Honesty (REACH)
Our moral purpose can therefore be summarised below -
- Team work
- Commitment
- Belonging
- Respect
What Inclusion and Effective Mental Health Interventions Means to Us
- The child stays at the centre of every conversation.
- We prioritise those who need our help most, but we intervene with all.
- When pupils are in school, we can support and educate them – attendance matters.
- Pupils learn best when there are clear rules and simple consequences.
- Staff teach best when there are clear rules and simple consequences.
- We use evidence-based practice for all our interventions.
Expectations of Each Other
- Have read and understood Part 1 of Keeping Children Safe in Education.
- Keep up to date with our behaviour, Social, Emotional, Mental Health (SEMH), attendance and safeguarding policies and protocols.
- Attend fortnightly Inclusion Team meetings on time and are prepared
- Ensure wave one pastoral work is evidenced.
- Speak to pupils, staff and each other with courtesy, respect and understanding.
Mental Health and Pastoral Intent Statement
Nurturing good mental health and wellbeing
Combining ELSA, trauma-informed and attachment aware training, we are able to offer emotional health and wellbeing sessions. Through these, children are able to explore and develop emotional awareness and understanding, have guidance on finding strategies to self-regulate more effectively, build self-esteem, better recognise signs of strong emotions, develop social and friendship skills, or have support for loss, bereavement or other adverse experiences.
Here is a list of websites and apps that are helpful for managing mental health (from NHS Midlands Partnership including Derby and Derbyshire NHS):
ELSA support (free resources)
https://www.elsa-support.co.uk/category/free-resources/
Place2Be
https://www.place2be.org.uk/our-services/parents-and-carers/
Place2be (parent portal) - Mental health support for parents and carers. The site offers advice and resources for parents and carers to help support their child or young person’s wellbeing.
Parenting Smart
https://parentingsmart.place2be.org.uk/
Practical tips from mental health experts to support children's wellbeing and behaviour.
Action for Children
Action for Children works in partnership with Derbyshire Federation for Mental Health, to provide a service called 'Build Sound Minds Derby and Derbyshire'. The Service is a comprehensive early intervention service for children and young people aged 0-17 who are experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties.
Build Sound Minds
https://services.actionforchildren.org.uk/derbyshire/build-sound-minds/
Build Sound Minds Derby and Derbyshire has been commissioned by NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) and will therefore be able to accept referrals for all children and young people who are registered with a Derbyshire or Derby City ICB GP Practice.
Build Sound Minds offers one-to-one support, group work, telephone support and a digital offer.
Download the parent leaflet here,
Parent Talk
Parent Talk - Support for Parents from Action For Children
Down-to-earth parenting advice you can trust.
We’re here for you, when you need us. Find answers to parenting questions in our advice articles. Or talk to a parenting coach about anything that’s worrying you. It’s all free, and no topic is too big, small, or embarrassing.
Winston's Wish (grief)
Winston’s Wish is a charity that helps children, teenagers and young adults (up to the age of 25) find their feet when their worlds are turned upside down by grief.
Calm Harm
An app to help teenagers manage/resist the urge to self harm by providing a range of distraction techniques.
Stem4
A charity that promotes mental health in teenagers as well as encouraging them to build resilience and manage difficult emotions via online resources.
World Mental Health Day
World Mental Health Day is happening on Tuesday 10 October 2023. The official theme for this year's event is 'Mental health is a universal human right', as set by the World Federation for Mental Health. World Mental Health Day is about raising awareness of mental health and driving positive change for everyone’s mental health. It’s also a chance to talk about mental health, how we need to look after it, and how important it is to get help if you are struggling.
Five Ways to Wellbeing (derbyshire.gov.uk)
World Mental Health Day 2023 | Mental Health Foundation
We invite children to come to school on Tuesday 10th October wearing yellow (socks, a scarf, a bobble/scrunchie, a T-shirt, a hat or an item of clothing with yellow on it) to support the #HelloYellow campaign. Donations of £1 to YoungMinds via ParentPay are welcomed to support this worthy charity working to promote the wellbeing of children and young people.
In assembly Mrs De Almeida showed the children the Get Britain Talking video Britain Get Talking | Assembly Video (itv.com) to link with this. The also learned a song called ‘One Call Away’ which is about supporting others.
We have encouraged all our children to share their worries big or small by talking, writing or drawing.
Children's Mental Health Week 5th February 2024
It has been Children’s Mental Health Week this week and classes in school have been focussing on different aspects of mental health. This year’s theme of My Voice Matters is about empowering children and young people by providing them with the tools they need to express themselves. When we feel empowered, this can have a positive impact on our well-being. Children and young people who feel that their voices are heard and can make a difference have a greater sense of community and self-esteem.
This year, the aim is for children of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to be empowered to work together to create a positive change for their mental health and wellbeing. Please see the link below to some recommended books that promote awareness of children’s mental health that you may wish to share with your child at home.
Children's Mental Health Week: 5 Book Recommendations on the BooksForTopics Blog