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Mental Health and Wellbeing

We all have mental health, just like we all have physical health. Sometimes we feel well, and sometimes we don’t.

Mental health is complicated because it’s about how we think, feel and act, and this is always changing.

When our mental health is good, we enjoy being around other people and we feel able to take on challenges and new experiences. But when our mental health is not so good, we can find it much harder to cope.

At St. Wilfrid’s, we believe in promoting positive mental health and emotional wellbeing to ensure that our school is a community where everyone can thrive. 

Meet our Mental health and Wellbeing Team at St.Wilfrid’s;

Mrs McCoulough – Senior Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead, PSHE & relationships Lead, DSO

Miss Morton – ELSA*, DSO

Mrs Streets – ELSA*

Mrs Watson – SENCo

Mrs Wright  - KS2 TA responsible for Mental health and wellbeing drop-ins

*ELSA stands for Emotional literacy support assistants - teaching assistants who are trained to provide emotional and social skills support to children.

What is mental health?

Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the normal stresses of life, realise their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community.

Mental health includes our emotional and social wellbeing. It affects how we think, feel and act. Good mental health and wellbeing is just as important as good physical health. Like physical health, mental health can range across a spectrum and can fluctuate on a daily basis and change over time.

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What happens here at St. Wilfrid’s?

In school, we teach children about what it means to have good mental health and wellbeing throughout our curriculum. Our PSHE and relationships scheme of learning, together with our school values focus on developing children’s social and emotional skills which can prevent poor mental health from developing and help all children cope effectively with setbacks and remain healthy. It is about helping children to understand and manage their thoughts, feelings and behaviour and build skills that help them to thrive.

We take part in national events such as Children’s Mental Health Week and Anti-bullying Week and we have trained ELSAs who work with children who need extra support with their emotions or anxieties.

What if my child is experiencing difficulties with their mental health and wellbeing?

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Mental health doesn’t mean being happy all the time yet neither does it mean avoiding stresses altogether. One of the most important ways to help your child is to listen to them and take their feelings seriously. In many instances, children and young people’s concerns and worries usually pass with the support of their parents and families. It is helpful for the school to know what they are going through at these times, so that staff can be aware of the need and support this. Coping and adjusting to setbacks are critical life skills for children, just as they are for adults, but it is important that they are nurtured to develop positive coping strategies. If you are ever worried about your child’s mental health and wellbeing then, just as you would about any concerns that you have about their learning, come and talk to us. Sometimes children will need additional support for a short period – this may be in the form of a daily check-in with a trusted adult, time to talk through what they are feeling and support in developing ways of moving forwards with this.

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Click on this parents’ leaflet for some good tips for talking to your child about mental health

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Looking after yourself

If things are getting you down, it’s important to recognise this. Talk to someone you trust and see what they think. It is easy to go on struggling with very difficult situations because you feel that you should be able to cope and don’t deserve any help. Come and talk to us in confidence and let us know when things are tough. As much as you try to hide how you are feeling from your child, they can notice even the smallest changes. Asking for some support from your family, a friend or your doctor for a referral to a counselling service is a sign of strength. You can’t help your child if you are not being supported yourself.

Below are some links to useful websites that you may find helpful:

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