Mental Health & Well Being
At AWGS, we take pride in our nurturing and supportive ethos, where we endeavour to ensure each and every pupil and member of staff is valued and feels safe. We embrace our role, alongside our families and the community, in contributing to the developing emotional wellbeing of our children and their learning about being healthy, from a physical and mental health perspective.
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.
Early intervention to identify issues and provide effective support is crucial. We endeavour to support and promote mental health and wellbeing as per the DfE’s guidance, Mental Health and Behaviour in Schools:
• Prevention: creating a safe and calm environment where mental health problems are less likely, improving the mental health and wellbeing of the whole school population, and equipping pupils to be resilient so that they can manage the normal stress of life effectively. This includes teaching pupils about mental wellbeing through the curriculum and reinforcing this teaching through school activities and ethos;
• Identification: recognising emerging issues as early and accurately as possible;
• Early support: helping pupils to access evidence based early support and interventions;
• Access to specialist support: working effectively with external agencies to provide swift access or referrals to specialist support and treatment.
How Can We Get Help for My Child?
1. Talk to Us - Please talk to us in the first instance - Your child's class teacher is the best starting point. We can talk things through with you and make any reasonable adjustments necessary.
2. Additional Support - In school we have 2 trained ELSAs (Emotional Literacy Support Assistants), who can offer 1 to 1 and group support. We also have additional support from Louise, our Chaplain from "The Bridge".
3. External Support - Local agencies can also help - further information can be found on their websites, or through our Inclusion Manager (SENCo):
CAMHS (Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service) Access to CAMHS is usually through your GP. For further information, please go to: https://www.oxfordhealth.nhs.uk/camhs/wilts/
Barnardo’s Healthy Minds Wiltshire. This website has lots of information, practical tips and advice about supporting children and young people’s emotional wellbeing.
https://www.onyourmind.org.uk/
National helplines and advice website
- If you would like some guidance about talking to your child about emotions this BBC link has some great advice.
- Childline website offers a range of support and advice on anything that may be worrying you. They can offer counselling and 1-2-1 support
- MindEd for Families. MindEd for Families has advice from trusted experts.
- YOUNG MINDS is the UK’s leading charity committed to improving the emotional well being and mental health of children and young people. Click on this link to find out more information and for a Parent Phone line you can call for free advice.
- Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families - Tips for Talking to your Children about Mental Health