Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing

 

Ensuring that all young people at The Hart School receive support for their emotional well-being is one of our key priorities this year.

We have an in-school Mental Health Wellbeing Leader, Jenny Budinger who offers counselling and support to our students.  Three members of staff are trained as ELSA (Emotional Learning Support Assistant) who work with students on areas including self-esteem, anxiety and low mood.  The Hart School also has funded Malachi Counselling, who work with students on their emotional wellbeing.

Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing

Children and Young People – Mental health problems affect approximately 1 in 10 children and young people, including depression, anxiety and conduct disorder and are often a direct response to what is happening in their lives.  

Alarmingly, 70% of children and young people who experience a mental health problem have not had appropriate interventions at a sufficiently early age. 

The emotional wellbeing of children is just as important as their physical health.  Good mental health allows children and young people to develop the resilience to cope with whatever life throws at them and grow into well-rounded, healthy adults.  

Things that can help keep children and young people mentally well include:

• Being in good physical health, eating a balanced diet and getting regular exercise
• Having time and the freedom to play, indoors and outdoors 
• Being part of a family that gets along well most of the time
• Going to a school that looks after the wellbeing of all of its pupils
• Taking part in local activities for young people 

Other factors are also important, including:

• Feeling loved, trusted, understood, valued and safe
• Being interested in life and having opportunities to enjoy themselves
• Being hopeful and optimistic
• Being able to learn and having opportunities to succeed
• Accepting who they are and recognising what they are good at
• Having a sense of belonging in their family, school and community
• Feeling they have some control over their own life
• Having the strength to cope when something is wrong (resilience) and the ability to solve problems 

Most children grow up mentally healthy, but surveys suggest that more children and young people have problems with their mental health today than 30 years ago.  That is probably because of changes in the way we live now and how that affects the experience of growing up. 

Reference – www.mentalhealth.org.uk

What mental health problems commonly occur in our children?

• Depression affects more children and young people today than in the last few decades, but it is still more common in adults.  Teenagers are more likely to experience depression than young children.
• Self-harm is a very common problem among young people. Some people find it helps them to manage intense emotional pain if they harm themselves, through cutting or burning, for example.  They may not wish to take their own life. 
• Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) can cause young people to become extremely worried. Very young children or children starting or moving school may have separation anxiety. 
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can follow physical or sexual abuse, witnessing something extremely frightening or traumatising, being the victim of violence, severe bullying or surviving a disaster. 
• ADHD: Children who are constantly overactive (hyperactive), behave impulsively and have difficulty paying attention may have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). 
• Eating Disorders: The number of young people who develop an eating disorder is small, but eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa can have serious consequences for their physical health and development.         

Mental Health Support

Community Mental Health Services
Mental health difficulties can make day to day living hard, affect relationships and your ability to hold down a job. There are a range of Community Mental Health Services available which aim to help you recover and achieve the things that are important to you.

Mental health can affect anyone at any time in their lives. They are very common and it is important not to be embarrassed about seeking help.

If you a dealing with a mental illness, the Community Mental Health Services aim to help you by:

• Helping you identify and diagnose the problem
• Helping you to feel safe
• Offering a range of treatment options
• Helping with your recovery
• Getting you involved in social activities
• Helping you to feel more independent

Community Mental Health Services are made up of social workers, community mental health nurses, occupational therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists and support staff.

https://www.mpft.nhs.uk/services/mental-health-community-services

South Staffordshire Access Team

• Telephone: 0808 196 3002
• Email: access.staffordshire@mpft.nhs.uk

 

Calm Harm-Self Harm App
Calm Harm is an award-winning app developed for teenage mental health charity stem4 by Dr Nihara Krause, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, using the basic principles of evidence-based therapy called Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT). Calm Harm provides tasks to help you resist or manage the urge to self-harm. You can make it private by setting a password, and personalise the app (if you wish). You will be able to track your progress and notice change.Mind.org.uk
This service provides advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understandin