Mental Health & Wellbeing
Information for Parents and Carers
At Southfield Junior school, we offer a variety of support groups that can help children with their mental health and wellbeing. The staff at Southfield are excellent at spotting when some of our children need a little extra nurture and we create opportunities for this to happen. From getting outside in the outdoor learning sessions, immersing themselves in our sensory garden to using mindfulness activities to manage strong emotions, we provide a range of groups that can be tailored to meet the needs of our children. All of our activities are child-centred with the focus of giving them time to discuss their emotions as well as strategies to help regulate them.
Outdoor Learning
Mrs Law and Mrs Barber run a weekly group where the children explore the great outdoors! They look at the nature around us and how we have an impact on it. The children use our animal webcam to check for recent visitors to the school grounds, create digital drawings of nature and even climb trees! The children love getting out in the great outdoors and exploring everything that it has to offer.
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Mud Club and Gardening
Mrs Richardson offers the children a fantastic opportunity of getting their hands nice and dirty in both our sensory garden and vegetable garden. The children spend time learning about the different plants and vegetables in the gardens as well as how to care for the garden. Mrs Richardson encourages the children to care for the plants and they complete vital activities such as weeding, pruning, re-potting and harvesting. Time spent in the garden, especially our sensory area, provides the children with a sense of calm and quiet alongside achievement at seeing their efforts blossom – literally!
Wellbeing Groups
Mrs Morgan runs weekly wellbeing groups for our children. They are tailored to meet the needs of the children with some groups focusing on building confidence and self-esteem. Other groups look at fostering a positive attitude and mindset whereas some look at building and developing friendships. The group sessions focus on a weekly theme and include playing games, colouring and getting creative with wellbeing-focused projects.
ELSA
Mrs Milton is our Emotional Literacy Support Assistant and she works with children on a 1:1 basis. Mrs Milton has had specialist training from educational psychologists to support the emotional development of children and young people in school. ELSAs have regular professional supervision from educational psychologists to help them in their work.
The leaflet: Mental health problems in children and young people: guidance for parents and carers provides some useful tips for helping your child plus links to local and national services.
Local services for children & young people
- The School
Please talk to us about your concerns, so that we can work together to help your child feel better. Miss Chamberlain works on a Monday and Tuesday and can be contacted via the school admin office.
- Your GP
A GP can check any physical symptoms linked to your child’s health and talk with you about their emotional well-being making a referral to a specialist service if necessary.
Websites that offer information and advice
The following organisations provide reliable information and advice to help parent/carers to support their child when experiencing emotional difficulties :-
Young Minds: - Help for Parents
Information about all aspects of child mental health, including a Parent Helpline 0800 802 5544
You’re Never too Young to Talk Mental Health
Leaflet for parent/carers of primary aged children
Taking Mental Health with Young People at Secondary School:
Advice for parents and carers of primary aged young people
Self-Care – Top Tips for Young Parents and Carers
Advice for taking care of your own and child’s wellbeing
Lots of information and tips for children of all ages about feelings and difficult situations
Free learning resource about mental health for parents and carers
Lots of information about health topics including mental health, organised under different age groups i.e under 5’s primary age, secondary age, young adults
Leaflets on a range of topics to support your family’s mental health
24/7 text messaging help service for parents
Expert led podcasts to help you understand and support mental health issues
Anxiety Presentation for Parents
A Power Point presentation to help parents understand anxiety
There are lots of fantastic book suggestions on BooksforTopics: Mental Health if you would like to ask your local library or buy one for home.
Looking after your own mental health
In order to support your child, you need to stay strong and well yourself. It isn’t easy being a parent or carer especially when you are experiencing problems of your own such as relationship difficulties, money worries, problems with work. Often it helps to talk to someone, so don’t be scared about doing this, with friends, family, your GP or a support service. The following organisations can also offer information and advice to help you.
Samaritans Tel: free confidential listening service 116 123
NHS Choices: moodzone Helps manage stress, anxiety, depression. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/improve-mental-wellbeing
CALM Campaign against living miserably
Information and help around mental health particularly focussing on men
Swindon Mental Health Award
Southfield and Eastrop have both recently been awarded the Swindon Mental Health Award to add to our national award, Wellbeing Award for Schools. Both awards recognise our ongoing, outstanding work towards developing the support of mental health.