MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING AT OAKFIELD LODGE SCHOOL
All Schools have an essential role to play in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of their pupils, by developing approaches tailored to their particular needs. The majority of children and young people have good mental wellbeing most of the time, however early intervention to identify issues and provide effective support is crucial for those who show signs of developing problems. Research evidence shows that half of all lifetime mental health problems develop by the age of 14; over 75% before the age of 24 and affect up to 1 in 4 people. Sound mental health supports stability, social integration, resilience and success in school, work and within the community.
The school role in supporting and promoting mental health and wellbeing can be summarised as:
• Prevention: creating a safe and calm environment where mental health problems are less likely, improving the mental health and wellbeing of the whole school population, and equipping pupils to be resilient so that they can manage the normal stress of life effectively. This will include teaching pupils about mental wellbeing through the curriculum and reinforcing this teaching through school activities and ethos;
• Identification: recognising emerging issues as early and accurately as possible;
• Early support: helping pupils to access evidence based early support and interventions;
• Access to specialist support: working effectively with external agencies to provide swift access or referrals to specialist support and treatment.
At Oakfield Lodge School we offer 3 trained Mental Health First Aiders to spot the initial signs and symptoms of common mental health issues and provide non-judgemental support and reassurance.
Oakfield Lodge is an accredited ACSEED Award school; a quality assurance mark granted to schools that have made supporting the mental health of their students a considerable strength.
Our Mental Health First Aiders
AcSEED
Oakfield Lodge is an accredited AcSeed school.
The AcSEED Initiative is a concept founded by young people with direct personal experience of mental illness at a young age. Their combined experiences have been used to identify and recommend a range of best practices that could have helped significantly in identifying and supporting their emerging emotional difficulties during school years.
The AcSEED Award is a quality assurance mark presented to schools that have made a substantial effort to support the mental health of their students. It encourages and rewards the provision of high quality emotional wellbeing services, from the broad provision of information right through to appropriately targeted intervention. Based on best practices, the scheme defines a set of standard criteria that all schools must meet in order to receive the award.
Any UK primary or secondary school can apply for The AcSEED Award which requires an initial self-assessment and subsequent review and ratification by representatives of The AcSEED Initiative.
More information can be found at: http://www.acseed.org
AcSEED accredited schools in Cheshire East:
Adelaide School
Alsager School
Audlem St James Primary School
Beechwood Primary School
Cranberry Academy
Edleston Primary School
Hollinhey Primary School
Holmes Chapel Primary School
Leighton Academy
Mablins Lane Community Primary School
Manor Park School and Nursery
Marlfields Primary Academy
Middlewich High School
Monks Coppenhall Academy
Parkroyal Community School
Pear Tree Primary School
Pikemere Primary School
Sandbach High School
Shavington Academy
Smallwood C of E Primary Academy
St Thomas More Catholic High School
The Fermain Academy
Westminster Nursery School
Wheelock Primary School
Wistaston Academy
Talking about Mental Health in Schools
Looking after yourself during the pandemic
Coronavirus and managing your mental health and wellbeing:
A resource pack for teenagers to help manage feelings about coronavirus:
Suicide: Help Resources
Cheshire East Self-Harm Pathway
The Self-Harm Pathway has been developed by a collaboration of the Emotionally Healthy Schools Pilot, the Chimney House Group of schools, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP), CWP Young Advisors and CWP Listen Up Groups.
It is intended as a pathway and practical guide for professionals working with children and young people to ensure appropriate support is put in place.
SELF HARM A giude for school staff
Support for Students
Support for Parents
Useful Documents from Cheshire East