Chadsmoor Federation's Mental Health & Wellbeing
ELSA
What is ELSA?
ELSA is an intervention which is trained by the EP service. ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) is the person who runs ELSA sessions which are a number of sessions individually designed and aimed to support pupils to understand and recognise their emotions and support them with strategies to cope in a more productive manner. ELSA can support pupils and staff but we are only human we can't 'fix' the difficulties which some pupils have.
Important Events in school
World Mental Health Day
World Mental Health Day took place on Tuesday 10th October 2023.
Photos from World Book Day
Health and Wellbeing updates March 2024
Children’s Mental Health Week 2024 focussed on the theme ‘My Voice Matters’. We had assemblies in each school to promote this. (file attached with support for parents)
On World Book Day, we looked at different wellbeing books and did work linked to them.
EYFS – The Worrysaurus
Year 1 – Happy
Year 2 – The Colour Monster
Junior School – The Book of Hopes
Wellbeing ambassadors
Each class has 2 Wellbeing Ambassadors. They can be identified by their green badge. These children work with Mr Moreton, Mrs Wainwright and Mrs Hackett to support other children with emotional wellbeing and mental health and use pupil voice to listen to children in school.
Affirmations
Each day, children say positive affirmations to help them with a positive mind-set. These have a different focus each month. Look out for our affirmation boards outside each school.
Each month, we have a different monthly mindfulness focus:
December – Finger Breathing
January – 5, 4, , 3, 2, 1 Grounding technique
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY0Ldqwmz_Q
February – The Body Scan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLoK5rOl8Qk
March – Belly Breathing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiMb2Bw4Ae8
Wellbeing Award
We are currently working towards a wellbeing award. This supports parents and carers, pupils and staff with their emotional wellbeing and mental health.
The Wellbeing Award Co-ordinators are Mrs Hackett and Mrs Gainey.
Safer Internet Day
On Tuesday 7th February we took part in Safer Internet Day.
We would like to share this link with families which contains some advice on how parents can help children to be safe online.
https://saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/safer-internet-day-2023/parents-and-carers
The advice helps parents with advice on tips how to start a conversation with their child about online safety, difficult and sensitive topic about the implications of not being safe online, how to support a child struggling online, where and how to report online concerns and how to ensure your child fully understands online safety and is acting on it.
Safer Internet Day 2023 online safety video for parents and carers
The online video from the UK Safer Internet Centre is guidance for parents on how to start discussions with children of all ages and how to offer trust and support to our children who are online.
Please see the below trusted links of organisations websites which offer further guidance and support not only for children but for parents and individuals who work with young people:
If you believe a child is struggling with online safety please let a member of staff know. Furthermore if you believe your child is a victim of online safety please report this urgently.
A few examples of where to report queries or concerns of online safety regarding children and young people are -
NSPCC Helpline 0808 800 5000 or help@nspcc.org.uk
Childline 0800 11 11
However if you think a child is in immediate danger please call the police on 999.
Children's Mental Health Week 6-12th February 2023
Children's Mental Heath week ran from Monday 6th to Friday 12th February 2023.
To promote this we held a non uniform "WEAR WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY" day for the children on the Friday.
This means that children came to school dressed in football kits, princess dresses, superhero outfits, pj's, jeans and jumpers, yellow, sparkles....whatever makes you happy!! (no donations needed).
The campaign highlights how access to mental health support is too often determined by where we live or who we are. But it shouldn’t be like this and we can change things. The idea behind this World Mental Health Day is to do one thing – ‘If we all do one thing, we can change everything’.
World Mental Health Day provides the opportunity to talk about mental health in general, how we need to look after it and how important it is to talk about things and get help if you’re struggling. Your mental health or well-being is just as important as your physical health. It is healthy to know and say how you’re feeling.
Mental Health and Wellbeing support
Below are various links that you might find useful. There is general information including information for children and for your own mental health and well-being, there is information to help and support your child with their mental health and well-being and there are also links to helplines:
NHS Better Health - Every Mind Matters