Mental Health

Mental Health & Emotional Wellbeing Vision Statement

St. Patrick’s is a Catholic Primary Schools which is part of the Bishop Hogarth Trust. With Christ at the centre of all we do, we aim to nurture and promote the importance of resilience, independence and communication as fundamental values linked to Wellbeing which prepare children for life in the wider world.

“Mental health is a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.” (World Health Organisation)

Positive emotional wellbeing includes the ability for children and young people 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 and be able to deal with change
• Learn and achieve

St. Patrick’s recognises that children’s mental health is a crucial factor in their overall wellbeing, as well as their learning and social and emotional achievement.

The role of the school is to ensure that children can manage times of change and stress, supported in reaching their potential and to access help when they might need it. School also has a role in reducing the stigma surrounding mental health issues across the whole school community. The aim is to help develop the protective factors which build resilience and to be a school where we:

• Develop an ethos and environment that supports learning and promotes the wellbeing of all
• Promote resilience in pupils
• Ensure pupils feel safe and supported
• Develop a sense of belonging, encouraging participation of all within the school community
• Encourage pupil relationships and give pupils the opportunity to talk about concerns with school staff

Meet the team

As a school we have a dedicated team comprised of pupils (KS2), staff, governors and parents who are striving to provide the best mental health and wellbeing support to all members of our school community.

Mr Fletcher- Wellbeing Lead (Pupils and staff) Mental Health First Aider.

Mrs Wilson – PSA, SLT support

Mrs Atkinson – Intervention support

Mrs Obarzanowska – Rights Respecting Schools lead

Miss Bullen

N. Mitchinson – Well-being governor

R. Devereux

We are all here for you and can offer help and support if needed.

Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families

The Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families has developed and delivered pioneering mental health care for over 60 years.

How does the Anna Freud support school?

Schools in Mind has been developed and is supported by The Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families. The following publications have been released and developed by the Anna Freud child mental health experts. It explains in simple terms what to do if you are worried about a child or young person in your school, and includes information on a range of topics including anxiety, low mood and self-harm.

Supporting Mental Health and well-being in schools

Talking Mental Health with Young People at secondary school

This leaflet developed by the Centre’s child mental health experts and featuring an introduction form the Centre’s Chief Executive, Professor Peter Fonagy, provides simple advice and guidance to parents and carers about how to make conversations about their child’s feelings part of everyday conversation. The teenage years are both exciting and challenging to parent and carers. It can be hard to know whether your child’s feelings and behaviour are normal or becoming a problem.