HUMAN: Connect - Mental Health and Wellbeing Newsletter - Summer 1 2024

HUMAN: Connect, Southwark's Schools Mental Health Newsletter - Summer One 2024

Mental Health Awareness Week 2024 - Spotlight on Mental Health and Physical Activity

We hope you're settling into the summer term and enjoying the sunnier weather and longer days. As we reach the end of Mental Health Awareness Week 2024, based on the theme of "Movement: Moving more for our mental health", please see resources and updates below to provide support with wellbeing and mental health in your setting. 

Being active is important for our mental health, but so many of us struggle to get enough exercise. We know there are many different reasons for this, so this Mental Health Awareness Week we want to help people to find moments for movement in their daily routines. Please find more information and ways to get involved from The Mental Health Foundation

For Mental Health Awareness week, The Anna Freud Centre has put together a Toolkit that contains resources that explore the links between mental and physical health. Including materials to teach pupils more broadly about how to build good mental wellbeing and resources for staff, to both support your own mental health and to start conversations with your pupils.

Download the Toolkit here

School's in Mind: Spark change during Mental Health Awareness Week 2024 

To help you mark Mental Health Awareness Week, we’re here to remind you of the ways you can make a difference by contributing:

Schools in Mind's new Mental Health Awareness toolkit contains resources that explore the links between mental and physical health, as well as materials to teach students more broadly about how to build good mental wellbeing. Download here

Host an #EmpowerHalfHour - Rally your workplace and communities to dedicate 30 minutes to creating new, healthy habits. Utilise your exclusive Empower Half Hour Toolkit, packed with themed, simple, and mostly free activities for use this week and beyond - download your Empower Half Hour Toolkit today!

Watch last month’s exclusive webinar - Tune into Mental Health First Aid England's latest exclusive webinar recording, ‘Movement: Moving more for our mental health’, now available on their Online Learning Hub. Gain insights into the benefits of movement for mental wellbeing and tips for a successful Mental Health Awareness Week. Watch the exclusive webinar recording.

Complete your My Whole Self MOT - Ensure you’re prepared to support others by first prioritising yourself. Keep track of your own mental health with Mental Health First Aid England's updated My Whole Self MOT. Don’t miss out on this valuable resource that equips you to provide support when needed. Bookmark the My Whole Self MOT tool now.

New Blog from The Department for Education - PE and it's impact on mental wellbeing 

Many schools have seen improvements to pupil behaviour, confidence and wellbeing as a result of excellent PE and sports provision. The Department for Education's recent guidance enhancing physical education provision and improving access to sport and physical activity in school gives examples of effective practice in schools. 

Read the full blog here 

The Daily Mile 

The aim of The Daily Mile is to improve the physical, social, emotional and mental health and wellbeing of our children – regardless of age, ability or personal circumstances.  Register your school here, if you haven't already

Ford RideLondon FreeCycle Ride 

Ford RideLondon FreeCycle is the ultimate ride for cyclists of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. Set on a traffic-free route, the event is a unique opportunity to explore central London by bike – and it's completely free to take part! It will return for 2024 on Sunday 26 May.

Register your interest here and promote to your pupils 

Association for Physical Education

The subject association for physical education in the United Kingdom, provides quality assured services and resources and valuable professional support for members and the physical education, school sport and physical activity sector. For resources and upcoming events, please see here

Upcoming CPD and Training opportunities for Southwark Schools

Apply for Department for Education's Senior Mental Health Lead Training 

Apply for a £1,200 DfE senior mental health lead training grant and join the 7 in 10 schools and colleges, including over 8 in 10 secondaries that have already benefitted. The training will develop the knowledge, confidence and practical skills of your school or college mental health lead, with 89% undertaking the training, saying it enabled them to plan or improve their whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing. 

If you previously claimed a grant and your trained lead has left your school or college, you can also now apply for a 2nd grant. 

Further information here

Free Children & Young People’s Survey 2024 – “Wellbeing First: Mental Health and Resilience in Schools and Healthy Schools”

Southwark Council are to conduct an “IMHARS and Healthy Schools” survey of pupils in years 4 and 6 in primary and years 8 and 10 in secondary schools this term. Upon the successful completion of the survey, schools will receive a payment of £300

Benefits to your school include:

• Help to decide upon priority areas of development for the next 2 years 

• A starting point for discussion in staff, governor, and parent meetings as well as in classroom activities

• Inform the school community of positive health outcomes for pupils 

• Help you celebrate PSHE and pastoral work The information gathered also provides the Local Authority with valuable information about the lives of children in Southwark (only at LA level).

   

How to confirm your engagement

To confirm your school’s involvement in this year’s survey please register at http://sheu.org.uk/register.  When asked for year groups to survey please indicate years 4, 6, 8 or 10.  Please register your school if you have not done so already. 

Anna Freud's Schools in Mind seminar, 23rd May 16:30 - 18:00 for Mental Health Leads - In 2021, the Department for Education introduced a new scheme to offer funded senior mental health lead training to all eligible schools and colleges by 2025.This seminar will provide an update and insight into senior mental health lead training in schools and colleges. Book your free place 

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) 2 Day Course, 4th - 5th July , 9:15 – 16:30, The Park College

The free two day in-depth youth MHFA course is open to education staff in primary, secondary, special educational needs schools, sixth form, and further education colleges, as well as Pupil Referral Units and Alternative Provision staff in state funded Southwark schools.

Book your place

Wellbeing First: IMHARS Sharing Practice and Celebration Event - Friday 5th July 2024

We're pleased to invite you to our summer term sharing practice event, taking place at 160 Tooley Street. 

 The event will focus on sharing best practice between colleagues across schools and localities in Southwark. Including workshops and guest speakers discussing themes related to PD, PSHE and Wellbeing Education, Wellbeing in Schools, SMSC and new curriculum developments.

For Headteachers, SLT, PSHE and Wellbeing Education subject leaders, Healthy Schools Leads, SMSC & Mental Health Leads

Register here

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Community and Cost of Living Support available to parents and families in Southwark

Southwark Council have created a guide to the various forms of support available to individuals who are encountering financial difficulties. This is available through Community Southwark, for more information please click here.  

Cost of living support and information available from Southwark Council here. 

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Upcoming Dates for the School Calendar 

• Gypsy, Roma & Traveller History Month, May 2024 - Every June since 2008, people from across the UK have celebrated Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month. Through celebration, education and raising awareness, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month helps to tackle prejudice, challenge myths and to amplify the voices of Gypsies, Roma and Travellers in wider society. For more information, see here. 

• Pride Month, June 2024 - Pride Month takes place every year in June and is a celebration designed to recognise the influence of the LGBTQ+ community. Celebrating diversity and people's right to live how they choose without discrimination, Pride Month promotes positivity and equal rights for all. For resources for schools, please see Stonewall and Twinkl. 

• Windrush day, 22nd June 2024 - Windrush Day was introduced in June 2018 on the 70th anniversary of the Windrush migration, this date commemorates the enormous contribution of the Windrush generation and their descendants to Britain, please look out for events around Southwark commenorating the date, pack with ideas for celebrating Windrush within your Community here, Resources and Events at the Royal Maritime Museum Greenwich 

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 Wellbeing Resources for schools - Improving attendance

• New resources from the Department for Education's Education Hub - How to improve your child’s school attendance and where to get support 

  and Mental health resources for children, students, parents, carers and school/college staff  

• Improving attendance: Good Practice Webinars for Schools and Multi-academy Trusts - Please see below for a selection of webinars from the DfE with Schools and multi-academy trusts (MATs) sharing their different techniques for improving attendance rates in their settings. For access to the webinars, please see here

• Speaking to parents about attendance: Toolkit for Schools - Different factors are now influencing decision making for some parents, carers and pupils around whether a child or young person attends school. Starting to influence pupil, parent and carer behaviours is one part of tackling this issue. The DfE produced a toolkit which provides examples to help you communicate with parents and carers about school attendance and ensure high standards. Access the Toolkit here

• School Absenteeism resource from the Anna Freud Centre - New resources to support pupils and staff to identify and manage stress and new videos Addressing emotionally-based school avoidance | Anna Freud ​

Further Resources for Schools

• Ending Gender-Based Violence Teacher Toolkit – free resource and CPD accredited training from Tender for Secondaries The Teacher Toolkit is a free resource, developed to help schools facilitate important conversations with children and young people around GBV, and meet key elements of the RSE curriculum. It can also support staff’s vital safeguarding role. https://tender.org.uk/our-services/training/toolkit-training/ The Secondary Toolkit is available now: https://www.london.gov.uk/VAWGToolkit

• Resources from Mental Health First Aid England - New research reveals the need for suicide awareness and prevention training in the workplace, access further details and resources here. For MHFA England’s response to Government’s National Suicide Prevention Strategy, please see here. For Mental Health Awareness week Mental Health First Aid England has developed resources for 'Empower half hour', see here for details 

• Free Guide to tackling Student Anxiety in Primary and Secondary Schools - Educational psychology experts at the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools have developed a guide for teachers to address student anxiety. Inside 'How to tackle student anxiety' you will discover how to identify anxiety and give your students coping techniques – with action plans for three specific areas: Low level anxiety, Social anxiety around friendship groups and Emotionally Based School Avoidance. To download the resource, please click here

• The Black Students Mental Health Project - Good Thinking has partnered with the Black Students Mental Health Project (BSMHP) to host a range of mental wellbeing resources, including blogs, podcasts and videos, which have been created by the black community within London South Bank University (LSBU), for further details please click here. 

• Childhood trauma, migration & asylum: a free toolkit for providers of supported accommodation, Anna Freud Centre - The UK Trauma Council has published a toolkit for staff working in supported accommodation for unaccompanied asylum seeking children. Drawing on the evidence-base and voices of separated young people, this resource has been developed to increase the confidence of supported accommodation staff in recognising and responding to trauma of the children in their care. Access for free here

• Diversity Role Models - A charitable organisation working with schools to end LGBTQ+ bullying, by harnessing the power of storytelling to build empathy and celebrate difference. Free resources from Diversity Role Models includes Anti-bullying Staff Training for Schools, and Education Services including Primary and Secondary Workshops. 

• Good Thinking's toolkits collates resources for students, parents and carers and education sector staff, with a range of Good Thinking, Thrive LDN and TPHC resources as well as signposting to services such as The Student Room and YoungMinds. 

• Child Bereavement Network - In light of the escalating conflicts across the world, pupils in our schools may have family or loved one's impacted by conflict and violence. The Child Bereavement Network signposts support and advice for young people impacted and resources to enable teaching staff to talk to young people about war and conflict, please see here, including resources from Place2be on talking to young people about war and conflict. For further resources to support with trauma and bereavement in young people, please see the UK Trauma Council. 

Organisations providing Mental Health Resources and Support for Children and Young People 

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