Coulsdon C of E Primary SchoolWellbeing
What Is Mental Health?
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. (MentalHealth.gov)
Positive mental health allows people to:
- Realise their full potential
- Cope with the stresses of life
- Work productively
- Make meaningful contributions to their communities
Children’s emotional well-being is just as important as their physical health. Good mental health helps them develop the resilience to cope with whatever life throws at them and grow into well-rounded, healthy adults. (Mental Health Foundation).
Schools can be a place for children and young people to experience a nurturing and supportive environment that has the potential to develop self-esteem and give positive experiences for overcoming adversity and building resilience. For some, school will be a place of respite from difficult home lives and offer positive role models and relationships, which are critical in promoting children’s wellbeing and can help engender a sense of belonging and community.
Our role in school is to ensure that children are able to manage times of change and stress, and that they are supported to reach their potential or access help when they need it. We also have a role to ensure that children learn about what they can do to maintain positive mental health, what affects their mental health, how they can help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues, and where they can go if they need help and support.
Our aim is to help develop the protective factors which build resilience to mental health problems and to be a school where:
- All children are valued.
- Children have a sense of belonging and feel safe.
- Children feel able to talk openly with trusted adults about their problems without feeling any stigma.
- Positive mental health is promoted and valued.
- Bullying is not tolerated.
In addition to children’s wellbeing, we recognise the importance of promoting staff mental health and wellbeing.
Where to get information and support for support on specific mental health needs:
Emotional Health and Well-Being Support for Children in Croydon.
Anxiety UK www.anxietyuk.org.uk
OCD UK www.ocduk.org
Eating Disorders www.b-eat.co.uk
National Self-Harm Network www.nshn.co.uk www.selfharm.co.uk
Suicidal thoughts Prevention of young suicide UK – PAPYRUS: www.papyrus-uk.org
Mental Health www.youngminds.org.uk champions young people’s mental health and wellbeing www.mind.org.uk advice and support on mental health problems www.minded.org.uk (e-learning)
Mental Health www.time-to-change.org.uk tackles the stigma of mental health www.rethink.org challenges attitudes towards mental health
Other Resources for further support:
Top Tips to Support Mental Health
Try these at home with your children:
Mindfulness Meditation for Kids