At Wilthorpe Primary School, we aim to promote positive mental health and well-being. We recognise that children’s mental health is a crucial factor in their overall well-being and can affect their learning and achievement. All children go through ups and downs during their school life and some children face significant life events.

The Department for Education (DFE) recognises that: “in order to help their children succeed, schools have a role to play in supporting them to be resilient and mentally healthy”.

We want all children to:

• Feel confident in themselves.
• Be able to express a range of emotions appropriately.
• Be able to make and maintain positive relationships with others.
• Cope with the stresses of everyday life.
• Manage times of stress and be able to cope with change.

All of which, will help our children learn and achieve.

Our aim is to help develop the protective factors which build resilience to mental health problems and to be a school where:

• All children are valued.
• Children have a sense of belonging and feel safe.
• Children feel able to talk openly with trusted adults about their problems without feeling any stigma.
• Positive mental health is promoted.
• Bullying is not tolerated.

This is underpinned by our core values of: independence, determination, kindness, pride and respect and our PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education) curriculum.

What Is Mental Health?

Being healthy means that our body and our mind are in good condition and that we feel well. It is important that we help children to make healthy choices so that their bodies work as well as possible. Doing all we can to help keep children’s bodies healthy can help them to feel happy too.

Mental health is all about how we are feeling and the thoughts we are having. It can affect how we behave and the choices we make.

Just like with their bodies, it is important that we do things to help children’s minds to be healthy, stay in good condition and feel well. Having a healthy mind can help children feel good on the inside and can help them to do well in lots of different situations.

Sometimes, just like our body, our mind doesn’t feel well. We might feel very worried, frightened or extremely sad. We might have thoughts which feel uncomfortable and which make us behave in a way that hurts ourselves or others.

Positive mental health is not about being happy all of the time. It is about feeling well, being able to enjoy life and knowing what to do if we have troubling thoughts and feelings.

How Can I Help My Child to Develop Positive Mental Health?

There is a lot we can do to help keep children’s minds healthy and help them to cope when they have uncomfortable feelings.

We can help children by encouraging them to:

• Talk about how they are feeling;
• Be physically active each day;
• Eat healthily;
• Drink enough water;
• Ask for help if something is troubling them;
• Feel safe;
• Have time each day when they can be calm and quiet;
• Spend time each day doing something they love;
• Spend time outside;
• Be creative;
• Spend time with people who make them smile;
• Get enough sleep;
• Limit their time watching TV and on social media, the Internet or other electronic devices;
• Only view, use or play age-appropriate material;
• Help others;
• Remember they are special just the way they are!

What Are Some of the Signs That Children Might Be Struggling with Their Mental Health?

Sometimes, children find it hard to cope with and manage uncomfortable thoughts, feelings and emotions; this can affect their mental health.

Some of the signs that a child might be struggling with their mental health could include:

• Constant anxiety which interferes with daily life;
• Loss of interest with engaging in life;
• Feeling sad and irritable for a long time;
• Sudden and dramatic changes of mood;
• Extreme distress and anger;
• Persistent changes in sleeping patterns;
• Feeling worthless;
• Becoming quiet and withdrawn including regular self-isolation;
• Ongoing and extreme appetite changes.

Children don’t choose to have difficulties with their mental health, just like they don’t choose to have difficulties with their physical health. Just like with any physical health issues, it is important for anyone struggling with the thoughts and feelings they are having to get help to feel better, and for those around them to support them the best they can.

How Can I Support My Child If They Are Struggling with Their Mental Health?

Sometimes children hide how they are really feeling. This can be because they don’t know how to express their feelings and can mean that they feel increasingly hopeless and unable to ask for help.
It is important that we share with children the message that it is OK to experience times of difficulty with mental health, that it is nothing to be ashamed about and of the necessity of getting help to feel better.
If a child you know is struggling with their mental health, there are people who can help:

• Talk to someone you trust at school.
• Talk to your doctor.
• Contact CAMHS ( child, adolescent mental health service ) Single point of access team 01226 644819

Useful Links

There are lots of way to feel calmer. It's about finding what works for you. Try some of our breathing exercises, activities, games and videos to help let go of stress. https://www.childline.org.uk/toolbox/calm-zone/
We have all got Mental Health - https://youtu.be/DxIDKZHW3-E 
Five ways to well-being - https://youtu.be/yF7Ou43Vj6c 

Telephone Numbers

Childline - Call: 0800 1111 (24 hours)

Comforts, advises and protects children 24 hours a day and offers free confidential counselling.

NSPCC Helpline

Call: 0808 800 5000 or email help@nspcc.org.uk

If you're worried about a child, even if you're unsure, contact our professional counsellors for help, advice and support.

Samaritans Helpline

Call free on: 116 123 – 24 hours helpline

https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/talk-us-phone/

Young Minds

Call the Parents Helpline: 0808 802 5544 (Monday to Friday 9.30am – 4pm, free for mobiles and landlines)

https://youngminds.org.uk/