Children’s Wellbeing
Like all schools we are becoming increasingly conscious of the helpful role we can play in promoting the mental health of children, staff and families.
Parenting and, indeed teaching too, although rewarding, is not always easy and sometimes can be really challenging.
Luckily there is help out there. One resource that comes highly recommended by other schools and families is the website of the charity Young Minds who seek to promote the mental health and well-being of children and young people. They have a free helpline available for parents (0808 802 5544) which provides confidential expert advice.
Good mental health is important for helping children and young people to develop and thrive. At Cotham Gardens, a whole school approach aims to provide a good education, supported by high quality pastoral care, to enable our pupils to develop into resilient adults with good mental health. This includes making sure that pupils and students know how to keep physically and mentally healthy.
We aim to create a safe and calm environment where mental health problems are less likely, improving the mental health and wellbeing of the whole school population, and equipping our pupils to be resilient so that they can manage the normal stress of life effectively.
Our strategy is underpinned by our school’s core values and golden rules:
Values
- Self-help: we help everyone to help themselves.
- Self-responsibility: it is up to us as individuals to make good choices.
- Democracy: we listen to each other and value what everyone says.
- Equality: we are all given the same chances to do our best.
- Equity: we make sure everyone is given the right support to reach their potential.
- Solidarity: we stick together.
Golden Rules
- Show respect
- Be kind
- Be responsible
- Try your best
The Mental Health and Well-being Lead works closely with the SENDCO, Designated Safeguarding Lead and Learning Mentors, to lead a graduated response:
Prevention: this includes teaching pupils and students about mental wellbeing through the curriculum and reinforcing this teaching through school activities and ethos.
Identification: recognising emerging issues as early and accurately as possible.
Early support: helping pupils and students to access evidence informed early support and interventions.
Access to specialist support: working effectively with external agencies to provide swift access or referrals to specialist support and treatment.
By providing an effective whole school approach to mental health and well-being we will see improved attainment, attendance, reductions in behavioural problems, as well as happier, more confident and resilient children.
Other useful resources can be found out:
www.bristolccg.nhs.uk/media/medialibrary/2017/06/Emotional_health_and_wellbeing_directory
www.bristol.gov.uk/social-care-health/parenting-courses-currently-running-in-bristol
In June 2017 NHS Bristol Clinical Commissioning Group, in partnership with Bristol City Council, launched the Emotional Health & Wellbeing Online Directory. The Directory has been designed with the aim of providing a single, searchable source of information of different services and resources, including NHS commissioned providers such as CAMHS, Off The Record and www.kooth.com.