Positive Mental Health
Supporting positive mental health at GSP
Schools can play a critical part in many different ways to help promote good mental health in children and to prevent later problems. We do this in many ways through:
- a positive and supportive school ethos that creates an environment that enhances children and school staff's mental health.
- delivery of curriculum-based activities supporting key social and emotional skills.
- build on and celebrate positive peer relationships and school staff relationships.
- capitalise on the many 'light-touch' daily contacts that staff have with children and families.
As a staff we model positive self-care, resilience and strong social and emotional skills.
A number of staff are trained to be Mental Health first aiders in school.
Future in Mind project
We are part of the Warrington Primary School's Future in Mind offer, which commenced in March 2019. This project gives us regular access to two Registered Mental Health Nurses. The aims of the School link project are:
- To embed a culture of joint working across health and education to ensure the wellbeing needs of all young people are met.
- To enable school staff to have a named contact from children’s mental health services.
- To provide regular consultation to key pastoral and SEN staff within each school.
- To set up a system of supervision and support for staff who have undertaken specific training around mental health and are regularly involved in providing support or brief interventions to young people.
- To identify training needs and in partnership with Public Health and schools, and continue to provide a regular training offer for school staff.
Education for Wellbeing research programme
GSP has also taken part in the Education for Wellbeing researcg programme, the largest randomised controlled trial of school-based interventions for mental health and wellbeing in the UK. Our involvement in this important study has been critical in improving the evidence available to the department, schools and others in how best to support the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people.