Definition
“Mental health is a state of wellbeing in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.” (World Health Organisation)
Mental health and wellbeing
At Lime Hills, we are committed to supporting the positive mental health and wellbeing of our whole school community (children, staff, parents and carers). We have a supportive and caring ethos, and our approach is respectful and kind, where each individual and contribution is valued. We endeavor to ensure that children can manage times of change and stress and aim to ensure that they are supported to reach their potential or to 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. At our school we know that everyone experiences life challenges that can make us vulnerable, and, at times, anyone may need additional emotional support. We take the view that Positive mental health is everybody’s business, and we all have a role to play.
Only appropriately trained professionals should attempt to make a diagnosis of a mental health problem. Education staff, however, are well placed to observe children day-to-day and identify those whose behaviour suggests that they may be experiencing a mental health problem or be at risk of developing one.
If staff have a mental health concern about a child that is also a safeguarding concern, immediate action should be taken, and they should speak to the designated safeguarding lead or a deputy.
We promote a mentally healthy environment through:
- Promoting our school values and encouraging a sense of belonging;
- Promoting pupil voice and opportunities to participate in decision-making;
- Celebrating academic and non-academic achievements;
- Providing opportunities to develop a sense of worth through taking responsibility for themselves and others through restorative conversations and natural consequences
- Providing opportunities to reflect
- Small classes and key adults
- By learning in the classroom and outdoor learning
- Enabling access to appropriate support
We pursue our aims through:
- Universal, whole-school approaches;
- Support for pupils going through recent difficulties including bereavement;
- Specialised, targeted approaches aimed at pupils with more complex or long-term difficulties including attachment disorder;
- Recognising, responding and referring when an outside service is deemed an appropriate approach;
- Wellbeing initiatives.
Lime Hills Academy will commit to undertake the following.
- The appointment of a senior mental health lead for 2025-2026 to replace the lead from 2022- 2024, who can support the development of knowledge and act as a point of expertise to promote the wellbeing and mental health of learners. This colleague will have sufficient training in mental health and safeguarding for them to carry out their role effectively. In the interim the Principal will lead on mental health with the support of two trained mental health first aiders and an ELSA.
- Early identification of vulnerability to mental health problems by reviewing attendance, behaviour, attainment, and safeguarding records at least on a termly basis.
- Ensure that learners can report and share concerns
- Staff will follow a safeguarding process in terms of reporting concerns so the DSL/Deputy DSLs/ SENCO can assess whether there are any other vulnerabilities can be identified and proportionate support considered.
- Staff will ensure the immediate health and safety of a learner who is displaying acute mental health distress. This may require support from emergency services via 999 if the leaner is at risk of immediate harm.
- DSLs/Deputies will consider whether a case can be managed internally, through early help, or should involve other agencies as required in line with section - Multi-Agency Working.
- The setting will communicate and work with the learner and parents/carers to ensure that interventions are in the best interests of the child.
- DSLs will liaise with staff to ensure reasonable adjustments are made and develop ways to support achieving positive educational outcomes.
- Only appropriately trained professionals should attempt to make a diagnosis of a mental health problem – DSLs and the senior leadership team should be able to access specialist advice through targeted services or through their locality Primary Mental Health Specialists from Child and Family Consultation Services.
Contextual safeguarding approach to mental health
- Lime Hills Academy will ensure that preventative measures in terms of providing safeguarding on the curriculum will provide opportunities for learners to identify when they may need help, and to develop resilience.
The setting will take a ‘whole school approach’ to:
- deliver high quality teaching around mental health and wellbeing on the curriculum.
- having a culture that promotes mental health and wellbeing.
- having an environment that promotes mental health and wellbeing.
- Making sure pupils and staff are aware of and able to access a range of mental health services.
- supporting staff wellbeing
- And being committed to pupil and parent participation
Staff roles and responsibilities, including those with specific responsibility
Whilst all staff have a responsibility to promote the mental health of students, staff with a specific, relevant remit include:
Mental Health Lead & PSHE Lead Secondary – Lis Jolley
Mental Health Lead & PSHE Lead Primary – Zoe Jenkins
Designated Safeguarding Lead– Zoe Jenkins
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead Secondary – Ellie Street, Clara White Deputy
Designated Safeguarding Lead Primary – Owen Wolfe
Primary Mental Health First Aider – Josh Oakes
Secondary Mental Health First Aider – Yusuf Ali Mohammed
Elsa – Claire Speight
Our Mental Health Lead:
- Leads and works with all staff to co-ordinate whole school activities to promote positive mental health and wellbeing;
- Ensures Mental Health is a feature of PSHE and whole school culture re: teaching about mental health;
- Provide advice and support to staff and organises training and updates;
- Works alongside Lead DSL to ensure appropriate safeguarding and risk are assessed and responded to accordingly;
- Liaise with mental health services and makes individual referrals to them; delegated to the DSL
- Ensures that there are staff trained - Mental Health First Aid training affiliated to Mental Health First Aid England;
Definition
“Mental health is a state of wellbeing in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.” (World Health Organisation)
Teaching about mental health
At LHA we take a whole-school approach to promoting positive mental health, aiming to help children become more resilient, happy and successful. In addition to this, LHA helps to support pupils to work in a pro-active way to avoid problems arising. The skills, knowledge and understanding needed by our pupils to keep themselves mentally healthy and safe are included as part of our developmental PSHE curriculum. The specific content of lessons will be determined by the specific needs of the cohort we’re teaching.
We will also use the Jigsaw programme to ensure that we teach mental health and emotional wellbeing issues in a safe and sensitive manner. We do this by:
- Creating and applying consistent ethos, policies and behaviors that support mental health and well-being;
- Adhering to a positive, restorative approach to behavior management;
- Helping children socially to form and maintain relationships;
- Helping children to feel comfortable about sharing any concerns or worries;
- Teaching children emotional skills and an awareness of mental health so that they understand their emotions and feelings better;
- Promoting self-esteem and ensuring children understand their importance in the world;
- Helping children to be resilient learners and to manage setbacks;
- Identifying children who have mental health challenges and planning support to meet their needs, including working with specialist services, parents and carers;
- Supporting and training staff to develop their skills and their own resilience;
- Developing an open culture where it’s normal to talk about mental health.
Targeted support
The school will offer support through targeted approaches for individual pupils or groups of pupils which may include:
- Reflection
- Restorative approaches;
- 5 Point scales
- Managing feelings resources
- Managing emotions resources;
- Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA);
- Play Therapy;
- Horse riding
- Swimming
- Outdoor play and learning
- Pets as Therapy (PAT) dog sessions;
- Therapeutic activities including art, Lego and relaxation and mindfulness techniques.
The school will make use of resources to assess and track wellbeing as appropriate including:
- The Boxall Profile and Interventions
- Attendance.
Signposting
We will ensure that staff, pupils and parents are aware of what support is available within our school and how to access further support. Within the school (noticeboards, café area, meeting rooms, heart space, toilets, wellbeing rooms, classrooms, etc.), we will share and display relevant information about local and national support services and events.
The aim of this is to ensure pupils understand:
- What help is available;
- Who it is aimed at;
- How to access it;
- Why they should access it;
- What is likely to happen next.
Early identification and warning signs
All staff will be vigilant in identifying a range of possible difficulties that may be contributing to a pupil’s poor mental health, including:
- Attendance;
- Punctuality;
- Relationships;
- Approach to learning;
- Physical indicators;
- Negative behaviour patterns;
- Family circumstance;
- Recent bereavement;
- Health indicators.
School staff may also become aware of warning signs which indicate a pupil is experiencing mental health or emotional wellbeing issues. These warning signs should always be taken seriously and staff observing any of these warning signs should communicate their concerns with the Safeguarding Team
Possible warning signs include:
- Changes in eating/sleeping habits;
- Becoming socially withdrawn;
- Changes in activity and mood;
- Talking about self-harm or suicide;
- Expressing feelings of failure, uselessness or loss of hope;
- Repeated physical pain or nausea with no evident cause;
- An increase in lateness or absenteeism.
Assessment, interventions and support
All concerns are reported to the designated adults within school and needs are assessed through a triage approach to ensure the child gets the support they need, either from within the school or from an external specialist service, as quickly as possible.
Working with parents and carers
Parents or carers can approach their child/children’s class teacher if they have mental health concerns. This will be cascaded to the Mental Health Lead for assessment.
To support parents and carers we will:
- Provide information online on mental health issues and local wellbeing and parenting programmes;
- Share ideas about how parents and carers can support positive mental health in their children;
- Make our emotional wellbeing and mental health policy easily accessible to parents;
- Keep parents informed about the mental health topics taught in PSHE and share ideas for extending and exploring this at home;
- Organise workshops and presentations on mental health, anxiety, resilience and steps to wellbeing.
When a concern has been raised, the Mental Health Lead and/or a member of the Safeguarding Team will:
- Contact parents to discuss the outcome of any assessment (Although there may be cases where parents and carers cannot be involved due to child protection issues);
- Discuss any relevant referrals to external agencies;
- Signpost parents to further information or provide resources to take away;
- Create a chronology of actions and events;
- Agree mental health care and protection plan where appropriate including clear next steps. This could include drawing up an individualised wellbeing cycle support plan, this would be created and shared with the pupil, parents and relevant professionals;
- This may include:
- Details of a pupil’s condition and or concern;
- Special requirements and precautions/risks;
- Medication and any side effects;
- What to do in an emergency;
- Wrap (wellness and recovery action plan).
- Discuss how parents can support their child through strategies or signposts to parenting support groups;
- If the pupil presents a medical emergency then the normal procedures for medical emergencies should be followed, including alerting the first aid staff and contacting the emergency services if necessary.
Disclosure and Confidentiality
Staff will follow the school’s policy with regard to confidentiality.
Pupils should also be made aware of the boundaries of confidentiality should they choose to make a disclosure to a member of staff.
A member of staff cannot promise confidentiality if concerns exist.
Working with specialist services
As part of our targeted provision, the school will work with other agencies to support children’s emotional health and wellbeing. Children may be referred to one of the following services for additional support:
- Educational Psychology Services;
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS);
- Children’s and Family Services;
- Early Help;
- Holding on and letting go (bereavement service);
- Barnados (healthy relationship support);
- Rising Sun (domestic violence and abuse support for young people).
Training
All staff will receive regular training about recognising and responding to mental health issues as part of their regular child protection training in order to enable them to keep pupils safe. The MindEd learning portal provides free online training suitable for staff wishing to know more about a specific issue. Training opportunities for staff who require more in depth knowledge will be supplied via our Mental Health Lead who is a mental health first aid instructor (Affiliated to MHFA England).
Any additional CPD will be supported throughout the year where it becomes appropriate due to developing situations with one or more pupils.
Links to other policies
This policy links to our Safeguarding policy, Attendance policy, Relationship and Sex Education policy, Medical policy, Health and Safety policy, Online Safety policy, Equality statement, Anti Bullying policy, Risk Assessment policy, SEN policy and our Behaviour statement.
Monitoring and evaluation
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy will be published on the school website - hard copies are available on request. The policy will be reviewed every three years, the wellbeing provision will be continuously monitored and any changes required to the policy will be updated accordingly.
Useful links
Young Minds is one of the UK’s leading charities for children and young people’s mental health
https://www.youngminds.org.uk/
Anna Freud Centre for Children and Families- is a charity dedicated to providing training and support for child mental health services
https://www.annafreud.org/
Place to Be is one of the UK’s leading mental health charities
https://www.place2be.org.uk/
NSPCC help and advice for parents and families dealing with mental health problems in everyday life
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/childrens-mental-health/
Barnados run many services supporting young people's emotional health and wellbeing, from one-to-one counselling to group work and schools-based programmes.
https://www.barnardos.org.uk/what-we-do/helping-families/mental-health
