Carlton Colville Primary School

We commit to supporting positive Mental Health and Wellbeing for our whole school community. This encompasses, pupils, staff, parents and carers. Mental health and emotional wellbeing have equal importance to that of physical wellbeing.
Children’s mental health is integral to their wellbeing. Positive mental health or otherwise will impact their learning, development and overall achievement We will always strive to improve our school’s mental health provision. This will include: -

• Mental Health support for pupils
• Staff training and updates.
• Advice, guidance and signposting for parents and carers who are supporting children with Mental Health difficulties.
• Additional wellbeing education for our pupils. Wellbeing support will be included in lessons, assemblies, community visitors’ and bespoke School Mental Health days.
  We all have an important role to play in supporting children’s Mental Health. We teach them how to recognise and manage their emotions. We teach them resilience and how to access the support when they need it.
  We will provide a nurturing and supportive environment for all. We want our whole school community to experience: -
• A feeling of self-value and respect.
• A sense of belonging and safety
• An ability to talk openly and in confidence about problems. There will be no suggestion of stigma.

The school Inclusion Team meets regularly with Class Teachers. Children identified as needing Mental Health support are referred to the Pastoral Team.  Other Mental Health referrals may originate from parents or outside services.  Each referral is treated individually and on its own merits.
Our Pastoral Leader / Senior Mental Health Lead will decide the most appropriate course of action. We have trained Mental Health Champions, Pastoral and Key Workers all able to support our children in group sessions or 1:1. We deliver bespoke sessions for low level Mental Health concerns both to individuals and groups.
Typically, pupil support in school will include but not be limited to the following: -

• Zones of regulation – An approach used within the whole school to encourage and support self-regulation within children.
• Anxiety support.
• Anger Management support
• Confidence and Self Esteem
• Resilience.
• Bereavement.
• School Mental Health days.

In addition, we can offer the following in school support to parents and carers of children with Mental Health needs: -

• Regular Parent meetings around Mental Health difficulties at home.
• Parent information and coffee mornings.
• Parent workshops to focus on specific parent highlighted MH difficulties.
• 1:1 parent support.

• We are a project school for the Suffolk Mental Health Support Team (MHST). Through MHST we can provide a variety of specialised family support. They facilitate parent led workshops focussing on parent concerns and experiences. They also provide 1:1 and family support. We are making arrangements for MHST to audit our Mental Health provision.
• We work closely with Specialist Educational Services (S.E.S).
• Suffolk Children & Young People Emotional Wellbeing Hub (provides information advice and support for anyone up to the age of 25 concerned about Mental Health. Can be accessed direct on-line.
• Suffolk Young Carers.
• Suffolk Mind – telephone 0300 111-6000
• Point 1 (Ormiston Families) telephone 0800-977-4077
• “Place2Be” (Parenting Smart – parenting advice from child Mental Health experts – accessed online - parentingsmart.place2be.org.uk)

• Encourage open discussion at home about Mental Health and wellbeing. Children should be aware that Mental Health difficulties are common for all. Everyone moves through the Mental Health spectrum as we go through life.
• Encourage listening, empathy and avoid judgement.  If any concerns, advice is always available from GP / School Staff.
• Model positive habits (exercise / healthy eating etc).
• Consider phone / laptop / electronic game usage? (Impact on sleep etc).
• Observe / question changes in a Childs behaviour?

We had the ladies from the Mental Health Team working with the children for Mental Health Day this year

Apps for Young People
Ollee is an app to help children aged 8 - 11 explore their emotional wellbeing developed by BBC Children In Need. 
Calming and breathing strategies 
Finger Breathing Pooky: - (Pooky Knightsmith)

Box Breathing Pooky (Pooky Knightsmith)

Top phrases for calming anxious children (Pooky Knightsmith)

Keeping Calm – Hunter and Eve

Mindful Moments

What is mindfulness? How do you do it? (Cosmic Kids) 

Be the pond (Cosmic Kids)

General information:

• Anna Freud 

• Charlie Waller Memorial Trust

• Young Minds 

• Suffolk Children and Young People’s Emotional Wellbeing Hub 

• parentingsmart.place2be.org.uk - ( practical advice for parents and carers of children aged 5-11 )