Mental Health and Wellbeing - Students
What is Mental Health?
‘Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realise their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community.
It has intrinsic and instrumental value and is integral to our well-being.’
Mental Health can be both positive and negative and can be as simple as having a bad day.
At NHESC, we understand that putting mental health and wellbeing first in all we do is essential.
Mental Health Team: Mrs. Hughes. Miss Charalambou, Miss Emery, Mrs Fulton and Miss Kelly-Flattery
STUDENTS Mental Health and Wellbeing:
- Daily meet and greet
- Weekly mentoring
- Weekly PSHE lessons
- Weekly Enrichment
- Weekly therapeutic horse-riding sessions
- Termly celebration of achievement
- Mental Health and Wellbeing assemblies
- Free School Meals
- Free uniform and resources
- Free educational trips and visits
- Free cultural trips and visits
- Free gym membership at Everyone Active
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Kitemark
- Bereavement support
- Toot Toot (Anonymous reporting)
- Easter eggs, Christmas Stockings, Birthday cards
- Yearly whole school Panto Trip
- Yearly whole school Christmas dinner and gifts
- Therapeutic approach
- Zones of Regulation
- GRIT Growing Resilience in Teens mentoring and mental health support
- Drawing and Talking one to one therapeutic intervention sessions
- Trauma Informed one to one therapeutic intervention sessions
- Wellbeing Walks
- An identified member of staff to speak to
- Student Voice representative
Kooth - online support for children and young people
Kooth provides a safe, secure means of accessing help about any subject that matters to you via the internet and New Services are now available online to support 10-18 year old’s by visiting: https://connect.kooth.com/all-resources
Useful websites for mental and physical health and wellbeing
- Beat Eating Disorders – UK based charity who provide support and guidance to anyone affected by eating disorders and their loved ones
- Chat Health – secondary age pupils can text any health questions to a Hertfordshire based Public Health Nurse on 07480 635050 (Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm)
- Childline – chat with a counsellor online or over the phone – 0800 1111 (24 hours)
- Health for Teens – covers a range of health topics for teenagers
- Togetherall – Mental health information and details of support within Hertfordshire
- Just Talk – talking about mental health, for young people, parents and professionals.
- Kooth – Free, safe and anonymous online support for young people
- Mind – mental health information and support
- Samaritans is a free 24/7 emotional support service available to people of all ages. Call 116123 or email jo@samaritans.org
- The Mix – national support for young people under 25
- Services for Young People – Hertfordshire information and advice for young people YC Herts also have a document containing useful websites for young people. Please click here to view. YC Herts also run a Young Men’s Project group on Mondays 6.30 – 8.30pm.
- Young Minds – national information and advice for young people
- Spot the Signs – NHS guidance for suicide prevention
- Time to Change – mental health advice
- The Ollie Foundation – suicide prevention advice
- Hertfordshire County Council Parent and Carer Support
- MindEd – educational resource on children & young people’s mental health for all adults
- Anna Freud – National Centre for Children and Families – A mental health charity
- Zero Suicide Alliance
Self-care and Support for Young People
Tips for Talking with Young People
Helpful Resources for Young People's Mental Health
Just Talk - Mental Health
Depression
What does it look like in a young person?
- Sadness or hopelessness
- Irritability, anger, or hostility
- Tearfulness or frequent crying
- Withdrawal from friends and family
- Loss of interest in activities
- Poor school performance
- Changes in eating and sleeping habits
- Restlessness and agitation
- Feelings of worthlessness and guilt
- Lack of enthusiasm and motivation
- Fatigue or lack of energy
- Difficulty concentrating
- Unexplained aches and pains
- Thoughts of death or suicide
What we do
- Weekly 1:1 mentoring
- Inform parents/ carers to refer to the GP
- Refer to our in house wellbeing councillor
- Communicate effectively with parents and carers
- Involve the student in cultured trips and experiences
- Provide hot meals and uniforms
- Praise and reward young people
What you can do
- Communicate
- Encourage social connection
- Make physical activity a priority
- Know when to seek professional help
- Support
- Take care of yourself and the rest of the family
Summer emotional wellbeing and self help tools
Dear Parent/Carer
Summer Emotional Wellbeing Support and Self Help Tools
Please see listed below the range of services that will be available to support your child throughout the Summer to help them look after their mental health and wellbeing:
• Services for Young People offer a range of emotional wellbeing support as well as programmes and activities over the summer break. More details can be found here – https://servicesforyoungpeople.org/support-for-young-people/
• Herts Mind Network offer messaging and telephone support for young people – https://www.hertsmindnetwork.org/services-for-young-people/
• Chat Health text messaging support can be accessed on weekdays via the school nursing service. Secondary school aged young people can text any physical or mental health question or concern to 07480 635 050
• Kooth online support for 10 – 25 year olds – https://www.kooth.com/
• Togetherall 16+ (online support for parents, professionals, and year 13 students) – https://togetherall.com/en-gb/
• Just Talk Five ways to wellbeing e-learning and other information on self-help tools – https://www.justtalkherts.org/just-talk-herts.aspx
• SPA (single point of access) for more specialist mental health services: HPFT’s freephone 24/7 helpline: 0800 6444 101
Stand By Me - Bereavement Support for Secondary School Students
We work with bereaved children, young people (aged 18 and under) and their families in North Herts.
Mrs Star – Bereavement Lead at NHESC