Mental Health

At QEII School we aim to promote positive mental health and wellbeing for our whole school community (children, staff, parents and carers), and recognise how important mental health and emotional wellbeing is to our lives in just the same way as physical health.  We recognise that children’s mental health is a crucial factor in their overall wellbeing and can affect their learning and achievement.  All children go through ups and downs during their time in school and some 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’.  Schools can be a place for children and young people to experience a nurturing and supportive environment that has the potential to develop self-esteem and give positive experiences for overcoming adversity and building resilience.

 

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

 

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 communicate openly with trusted adults about their problems without feeling any stigma
  •          Positive mental health is promoted and valued
  •          Bullying is not tolerated

We work in close partnership with outside agencies, including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), the Educational Psychology team and Behaviour Support to ensure the best outcomes for all our children.

 

Mental Health Team 

Mental Health Lead – Alison Mullineux

Mental Health First Aiders – Alison Mullineux, Karen Marklew, Susan Hodges and Nicky Godden

School Nurse – Emily Morphew

Community Mental Health Liaison Nurse – Penny Knopp