WELLBEING AND MENTAL HEALTH

The Wellbeing of our school community is paramount and we take pride in the care and support we provide to our learners. We recognise that if children are able to understand their emotional wellbeing and know how to stay mentally, physically and emotionally well, they are better equipped to achieve success and happiness. 

Honywood fosters excellent relationships between learners and the adults who work in the school and this provides an environment where each young person is fully supported and knows where to go if they need help and support. The first layer of support begins with their Learning Group Leaders (LGLs) who have a key role in providing wellbeing support for the learners in their learning group. They are an important part of the learner's life at school, providing a regular and friendly face at the start and end of each school day. The learners also have the support of their Cohort Leader (CL) who also adds an additional layer of support to their LGL. 

Through our PSHE curriculum, learners are able to develop their knowledge and understanding about important themes which can impact on their mental, physical and emotional health. This programme is delivered by their LGL, which provides a trusting and supportive environment where these themes can be explored in a sensitive and nurturing way.

To help promote and support Wellbeing, the learners have access to the school's wellbeing website which provides a range of supportive tools and links to various topics which can affect young people's mental health. 

In addition to the initial support provided by LGLs and CLs, learners have access to group interventions that support them in a variety of ways, which include a focus on their emotional and mental wellbeing. These interventions are led by some of our own staff and by the Education Mental Health Practitioners (EMHPs).

Honywood School utilises YouHQ to monitor and flag wellbeing issues for our learners. It can signpost learners to support courses to complete. Every 2 weeks the app requests a World Health Organisation designed survey called the WHO-5. The survey asks learners to scale how they have felt around 5 areas of their wellbeing. This information is directly linked to our safeguarding system and the chat function on the app emails directly to the safeguarding staff.

As part of our response to mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, low mood and self harm, we as a school always request that families seek GP support and medical guidance. 

 

Where families or school staff have concerns that a child is at immediate risk of harm the guidance we provide families is to attend A&E and request Crisis Team support. 

Mid and South Essex Mental Health Support Team

Additional support in school is provided by Children and Young People’s Mental Health Practitioners and Education Mental Health Practitioners. MHST’s are a service designed to support children and young people with mild to moderate mental health and emotional wellbeing in education settings. 

MHSTs aims to:

  • support children and young people with mild to moderate mental health problems through evidence-based interventions

  • support schools in developing their whole school approach to mental health

  • provide timely advice to school staff and to liaise with other services in order to help children and young people get the right help and stay in education.

As a school, we have access internally to wellbeing and mental health services. If you have any concerns about a child in your care please contact. 

Kerry Nichols, Designated Safeguarding Lead and Senior Mental Health Lead knichols@honywoodschool.com