Mental Health and Wellbeing

MentalHealthWell beingforAll graphic

At Richard Wakefield, we are committed to supporting the positive mental health and wellbeing of our whole school community (children, staff, parents and carers). We recognise that mental health and emotional wellbeing is just as important to our lives as physical health. 

We endeavour to ensure that children are able to manage times of change and stress. We aim to ensure that they are supported to reach their potential or access help when they need it. We also have a role in ensuring 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 or support.

Teaching about Mental Health and wellbeing

We take a whole school approach to promoting positive mental health, aiming to help children become more resilient, happy and successful. We do this by: 

  • Creating and applying a consistent ethos, policies and behaviours that support mental health and resilience, and which everyone understands. 
  • Focusing on the 5 steps to wellbeing and ‘Zones of regulation’.
  • Helping children to develop social relationships, support each other and seek help when they need it. 
  • Promoting self-esteem and ensuring children understand their importance in the world. 
  • Helping children to be resilient learners and to manage setbacks. 
  • Teaching children social and emotional skills and an awareness of mental health. 
  • 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. 

Parents and Carers

Parents or carers should approach their child's class teacher if they have any mental health and wellbeing concerns. In addition to offering universal support within school, we may also discuss with you additional support mechanisms available to you from the following agencies:

  • School Nursing Service
  • CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service)
  • Play Therapist
  • Action for children 
  • Build sound minds
  • Malachi
  • Winston’s wish 
  • Bridge the gap
  • Educational Psychologist focussed sessions 

Online resources to support mental health and wellbeing can be found on the following websites:

https://youngminds.org.uk/

https://www.annafreud.org/

https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/