HUMAN: Connect - Mental Health and Wellbeing Newsletter - March 2024

HUMAN: Connect, Southwark's schools Mental health Newsletter

March 2024

A space for knowledge exchange and collaboration across the borough. Promoting local action and programmes, training opportunities, resources and national guidance. 

For further information or queries, please email learningandachievement@southwark.gov.uk  

Thank you to all the schools who joined us for the Wellbeing First: Sharing Practice and Celebration Event on the 15th March. It was wonderful to celebrate the achievements in personal development, PSHE/RSE, and sustainable innovative practice across Southwark. 

Resources and photos from the event can be found here. 

Wellbeing First: IMHARS Sharing Practice and Celebration Event - Monday 24th June 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

CPD and Opportunities:

“Wellbeing First: Improving Mental Health and Resilience in Schools (IMHARS) and Healthy Schools” Children & Young People’s Survey 2023 – free SHEU Survey

We are excited to confirm that the schools survey will be rolled out this autumn term.  We very much that hope that your school will be able to take part. This attached letter tells you more about the survey and how to get involved.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.   This is undertaken for us by the Schools Health Education Unit (SHEU) in Exeter, and is free to schools. 

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 12.  Please register your school if you have not done so already. 

For schools that have registered, please complete the survey with your selected pupil group as soon as possible. 

Please do not hesitate to ask any questions either emailing Angela at SHEU angela.balding@sheu.org.uk or georgia.moss@southwark.gov.uk in our SELA team.

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) 2 Day Course, 20th - 21st May and 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 London schools.

Book your place

PSHE Resource Bank, Version 5 ^{(pdf, 2.9mb)}- A directory of organisations and resources that support the teaching and learning of PSHE and Wellbeing in Primary Schools – Updated March 2024

Free Mental Health Lead Training Opportunity - Eligible schools and colleges may now apply for a 2nd  senior mental health lead training grant if they previously claimed a grant and their trained senior mental health lead has left the post. This is in recognition that the previous lead may not have had the opportunity to implement their learning and embed a whole school/college approach (WSCA) to mental health and wellbeing. Ensure your schools don't miss out - the deadline to apply for the grant & book onto a course is 31st March 2024.

Full details of the grant and how to apply can be found here.

Training opportunities from Thrive can be found here.

Education Endowment Foundation - Support personal, social and emotional development in the early years and Clarity is king - Reducing extraneous load

New Wellbeing First: IMHARS Film on Wellbeing in School Governance  - On the role School Governors play in building a whole school, inclusive and trauma-informed approach to Wellbeing as part of ethos, vision and values, please see here

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Spotlight on Support Resources for Young People 

• GTC Scotland - A guide outlining key terms and approaches to understanding the links between neurodiversity, equality and inclusion in education. Please see here

• Childhood trauma, migration and asylum -  toolkit for education staff working with children and young people who have been affected by war, migration and asylum.. Please see 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 ahead of the new academic year, 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. 

• Mentally Healthy Schools and Anna Freud Centre Resource Hub - This resource hub is for classroom and wellbeing support. New resources include Childhood trauma, migration and asylum: animation and toolkit for education settings 

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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 Calendar 

• Neurodiversity Celebration Week, 18th - 24th March 2024 - Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a worldwide initiative that challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences. It aims to transform how neurodivergent individuals are perceived and supported by providing schools, universities, and organisations. Find details for how your school can get involved here. 

• International Day of Transgender Visibility, 31st March 2024 - Trans Day of Visibility takes place every 31 March. It marks a time to celebrate trans and non-binary people, and to raise awareness of the discrimination faced by the community worldwide. Find further details on Stonewall's Trans Hub and resources and toolkits for schools from Stonewall, including the Trans Inclusive RSHE Lesson Packs, Creating a Trans inclusive setting video resources and  and  LGBTQ+ Inclusive Books for Children and Young People. 

• Stress Awareness Month, April 2024 -  Stress Awareness Month has been held every April, since 1992 to increase public awareness about both the causes and cures for our modern stress epidemic. For resources to support teachers and pupils in managing stress, please see Mentally Healthy Schools Stress Awareness Month Toolkit, The Samaritans Pack on managing stress, and Mentally Healthy Schools Resources for teachers.

• World Health Day, 7th April 2024 -  the theme for World Health Day 2024 is 'My health, my right’ - This year’s theme was chosen to champion the right of everyone, everywhere to have access to quality health services, education, and information, as well as safe drinking water, clean air, good nutrition, quality housing, decent working and environmental conditions, and freedom from discrimination. For more information, please see resources from the World Health Organisation. 

• 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 resources from Stonewall and Twinkl. 

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 School Wellbeing Resources

• 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

• To support the use of the Toolkit in schools, Tender are offering free, CPD accredited and online training to teachers and school governors in every London borough.The details of Southwark’s upcoming sessions are below. You can find further information and all sessions here: https://tender.org.uk/category/toolkit-training/

• 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. This includes information of how MHFA England can help your organisation embed suicide prevention into your mental health and wellbeing strategy,

• Key research findings in children and young people’s mental health highlighted in latest report - The Evidence Based Practice Unit, a collaboration between Anna Freud and UCL Faculty of Brain Sciences, has released its Key Findings Report for 2023. Access Report Here

• 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 ​

• 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. 

• BBC Moodboosters - BBC Moodboosters has teamed up with BBC Children in Need for this ambitious new initiative to inspire primary school age children around the UK to get moving and learning about their mental health and wellbeing. Find out more here. 

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

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