Mental Health and Wellbeing

Our Vision and Values around Mental Health and Wellbeing

at St. Luke’s Primary.

At St. Luke’s, we all understand that a healthy mind and feelings of social, spiritual and mental contentment are as important as being physically well. We have embraced a whole-school ethos around supporting mental health and wellbeing in a number of ways, and we do our best to support not only our children, but everyone in our wider community with this. We have a number of approaches to support the mental wellbeing of our whole school family, whilst encouraging our all those involved in our school to learn, to succeed, and to value one another.

Leadership, teaching and support staff are confident in their understanding about the role and importance of mental health for all those in our community. We do not diagnose mental health conditions as teachers and staff, but we know our children and families well. We use this knowledge and understanding to encourage positive, honest and productive conversations with our children around mental health, in an age-and-stage appropriate manner. This starts as early as our Early Years Foundation Stage (Reception), and carries on in many ways right through to the children’s transition to secondary school. We are also able to signpost families to self-referral support, where a specific need is identified by staff or parents themselves.

Some examples of how we support our community in the journey towards gaining or maintaining healthy levels of wellbeing are listed below, although this is not an all-inclusive list of the offering we provide:

A detailed, robust and tailored PSHE curriculum which goes above and beyond the national statutory requirement – this is continuously evolving to best support the needs of our pupils.
Individual and group programmes led by staff in school such A Confident Me.
Outside courses and support for parents/carers and children such as Parenting the Anxious Child and RELAX kids (run by Early Help), and SWACA.
A focus from our Governing Board and School Improvement Plan on the wellbeing of our pupils, parents/carers and staff.
A Mental Health Lead in school (Ben Green) who works closely with the governing body.
Support from the Mental Health in Schools Team and school have an assigned Educational Mental Health Practitioner – Joanne Harrison (referrals via class teacher can be made as required and available).
Pastoral support for children, our adult workforce and our families from our Vicar (Matt Davis).
We celebrate and teach about a healthy mind at regular points throughout the year including special events such as World Mental Health Day and Children’s Mental Health Week.
Displays around school.
Collective worships and class worships which specifically highlight the importance of mental health and wellbeing.
Worry Monsters in classrooms for children to highlight their concerns to their teachers.
Adults who will always listen and an open-door policy for parents and carers.
A Buddy system across school as well as the pupils’ Buddy Bench.
Our Anti-Bullying Ambassadors.
Inclusive curriculum teaching about different families and the LGBTQ+ Community in and age-and-stage appropriate manner.
A detailed and robust high school transition process for our children in Year 6 to ensure that they start their high school with the same success and confidence that they left St. Luke’s with.
Year group email addresses so that parents and carers can keep staff informed of issues and concerns quickly so that these can be supported and addressed in a timely fashion.
The plan to survey all children in Years 3-6 on their mental health and wellbeing at regular intervals throughout the year so as to identify needs quickly and highlight those who need support.
Staff consultation on workload, making and feedback, and wellbeing on an annual basis to ensure happy, healthy staff and a suitable work/life balance.
Wellbeing Insets with staff to encourage team-building and a sense of community.
The signposting of additional agencies and support for families (please see the list below and files attached to this webpage).

With all of these elements embedded across our school, we cannot fail to have children who flourish, families who feel supported and staff who thrive in their roles.

Designated Safeguarding Lead – Sharon Cowey

Mental Health Lead in School – Ben Green

PSHE Subject Lead – Sarah Fegan

EMHP (Education Mental Health Practitioner) – Joanne Harrison

Sefton services

http://www.southseftonccg.nhs.uk/mental-health-support-children

Sefton MHST (Mental Health Support Team)

https://linktr.ee/seftonMHST?utm_source=qr_code

CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services)

https://www.camhs-resources.co.uk/websites

The Venus Centre / The Star Centre

https://www.venuscharity.org/service/star-centre

"At the Star Centre we work to support the mental health and emotional wellbeing of our young people. We work with children, young people and their families living in Sefton to provide a wide range of support and therapeutic interventions. We support ages 5-18 – typically offering support directly to parent/carers for young people under the age of 12."

Parenting 2000

https://parenting2000.org.uk/

"We are based in the metropolitan borough of Sefton on Merseyside and run a range of services that provide emotional and practical support, and information targeted at vulnerable children, young people and families in our community.

Our activities are delivered to members of the community from Parenting 2000’s two centres based at Mornington Road in Southport and The Youth and Community Centre in Crosby as well as peripatetically from other community venues, including a doctors surgery, schools and HM Prisons Services."

NHS signposting

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/children-and-young-adults/mental-health-support/supporting-a-child-or-young-person/#:~:text=You%20may%20also%20hear%20these,counselling%2C%20family%20therapy%20and%20medicines.

NSPCC

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/childrens-mental-health/

Mindfulness

https://www.headspace.com/mindfulness/activities-for-kids

BBC Parents’ Advice

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/parents

Tutorful Parents’ guide to anxiety

https://tutorful.co.uk/guides/the-expert-guide-to-help-your-child-with-anxiety

Health for Kids

https://www.healthforkids.co.uk/