Children and Young People's Mental Health: A Framework for Promotion, Prevention and Care

5. SCHOOL YEARS - UNIVERSAL

Context

5.1 Schools have an important role in promoting mental health amongst children and young people, and much of this is about creating the right environment for them to learn and thrive. When young people were asked what made them feel good ³⁸, a common response was "doing well in school". Education policy and practice already has a strong focus on promoting and supporting emotional wellbeing and the Health Promoting Schools concept broadens this focus beyond the curriculum to a "whole school approach". During the SNAP review, teachers indicated that they frequently recognise mental health need amongst children and young people and would welcome training to develop their capacity to make a difference.

5.2 The Additional Support for Learning Act ³⁹ was passed in 2004 and comes into effect from autumn 2005. This new legislation is intended to modernise and improve the current system for identifying and addressing the needs of all children and young people who may face a barrier to learning and need additional support. The Act also introduces a new concept of "additional support needs" which is much broader than "special educational needs" and encompasses emotional and mental health needs.

Overarching philosophy & culture

5.3 Being Well - Doing Well⁴⁰ highlights "the importance of creating an ethos of care, respect, participation, responsibility, and fairness to all" in schools. A positive school ethos is vital for young people to learn and develop and is described by the Scottish Schools Ethos Network ⁴¹ as being "linked with a sense of pride and loyalty, with a welcoming feel, appropriately high expectations, positive relationships, purposeful leadership, recognition of the motivation power of praise and a concern for the wider community". It is also essential to recognise the needs of teachers and other school staff for practical, emotional and social support.

Transitions

5.4 Children and young people are particularly vulnerable at times of change in their lives. Thus, much of the work needs to be focused on those periods of change in a young person's life such as starting school, moving from primary to secondary school and leaving school.

SERVICE ELEMENTS	ACTIVITY	OUTCOMES	KEY PARTNERS
Involvement of children, young people, parents and carers in developing information, resources and services to support mental health and wellbeing	Work with schools to ask children and young people for their views on what would be helpful for their emotional and mental wellbeing. Involvement of children and young people in developing (and possibly delivering via peer education) support systems and resources. Work with schools to ask parents and carers for their views on the skills/needs of children and young people in terms of mental health and wellbeing. Development of stigma reduction programmes, linked with the See Me⁴² campaign. Identification of specific groups and systematic efforts to seek their views through e.g. focus groups/interviews/surveys. Mechanisms to seek the views of children, young people, their carers and school staff on specific interventions. Seek feedback from children and young people receiving care and treatment on their experiences. Work with schools to seek views on experiences of and ways to tackle stigma associated with mental health problems.	Children and young people feel that their views are valued. The development of resources, services and approaches to promote and support mental health are informed by the views of children, young people and their carers. All pupils are aware of mental health issues and ways to eliminate stigma.	Children & young people School health workers Health promotion staff Learning Disability Local Area Co-ordinators NHS Primary Care team Education authority School staff Voluntary sector NHS CAMHS staff (inc. Primary Mental Health Workers) Educational Psychology Scottish Health Promoting Schools Unit School Board Parent Teacher Association
Contribution to school policies on tackling bullying	Involvement in the development and implementation of proactive anti-bullying policies in schools. Provision of advice and support for the establishment of buddy/peer support systems in schools. Links established with the Scottish Anti-Bullying Network by those developing/overseeing school policies. Proactive work with schools for reintegration of children and young people following an episode of absence, particularly if they have been absent due to mental ill-health.	Young people being bullied feel able to come forward for help. Those being bullied are supported. Help is provided for those bullying to address their behaviour and the reasons for it.	NHS Primary Care team Educational Psychology Health promotion staff Education authority School health workers School staff (esp. guidance staff) Children & young people Social work services School Board Voluntary sector Parent Teacher Association Scottish Anti-Bullying Network
Provision of training and consultation for teaching, non-teaching and out of school care staff	Identification of a named link person within each NHS CAMHS team for each school or cluster of schools. Provision of support for schools in becoming health promoting schools. NHS CAMHS staff work with local authorities to plan and provide training opportunities in mental health for school staff, including the impact on mental health of child protection issues. NHS CAMHS staff provide ongoing consultation and advice to school staff. Development and agreement of a referral protocol with school staff. Regular planning and review meetings between NHS CAMHS and school staff on training, service delivery and assessment of children and young people.	School and out of school care staff have a basic understanding of emotional and mental health and development. School and out of school care staff recognise the importance of their contribution to children's mental and emotional wellbeing. School and out of school care staff have a basic understanding of protective factors and how these can be nurtured. School and out of school care staff understand and are able to identify risk factors. School and out of school care staff know what specialist advice and support is available to them and how to access it. Referral protocols and pathways for NHS CAMHS are agreed and transparent.	NHS Primary Care team School health workers Health promotion staff NHS CAMHS staff (inc. Primary Mental Health Workers) Educational Psychology Education authority School staff Voluntary sector School Board Parent Teacher Association Children & young people Child Protection Committee
Provision of training for teaching and non-teaching staff on specific issues relating to mental health e.g. aggressive behaviour, self-harm, ADHD, the mental health impacts of child protection issues	NHS CAMHS staff work with local authorities to plan and provide topic-specific training for school staff.	Staff understand pupils' behaviour and feel more confident in responding. Staff are supported and feel confident in implementing specific approaches to address these issues.	NHS Primary Care team NHS CAMHS staff (inc. Primary Mental Health Workers) Educational Psychology School health workers Education authority School staff Voluntary sector School Board Parent Teacher Association Child Protection Committee
Provision of support for schools in developing and delivering activities to promote emotional literacy	Build on Choose Life⁴³ initiatives already established. Provision of more intensive support to those children and young people who are identified as being likely to develop problems in the future. CAMHS staff ensure that children and young people receiving mental health care and treatment are enabled to access mainstream activities which promote emotional literacy.	Children and young people feel comfortable talking about their feelings and emotions. Staff feel confident to introduce emotional literacy activities.	Health promotion staff Children & young people School health workers NHS Primary Care team NHS CAMHS staff (inc. Primary Mental Health Workers) Educational Psychology Education authority School staff Voluntary sector Choose Life staff
Provision of support for schools in developing and delivering activities to promote peer support, especially at times of transition	Build on Choose Life initiatives already established. Work with schools to develop role of PSE sessions in exploring issues around mental health and wellbeing, including information on mental illnesses Work with children and young people to identify, explore and address anxieties around transitions	Pupils feel confident in supporting their friends. Pupils at risk are supported by their peers. Pupils experiencing problems are supported by their peers. Children and young people feel less anxious about and are prepared for transitions.	Health promotion staff Children & young people School health workers NHS Primary Care team NHS CAMHS staff (inc. Primary Mental Health Workers) Educational Psychology Education authority School staff Learning Disability Local Area Co-ordinators Voluntary sector Choose Life staff
Links with education authorities to support the mental health and wellbeing of school staff	Work with education authority to plan and provide a range of supports for staff to access before they become unwell e.g. counselling/stress management/relaxation opportunities. Build on See Me⁴⁴ initiatives on mental health in the workplace.	Staff feel valued and supported, and are therefore more able to support others.	Health promotion staff NHS Primary Care team School health workers School staff Staff organisations Voluntary sector School Board Parent Teacher Association See Me staff Scotland's Health At Work ⁴⁵
Provision of confidential, accessible and non-stigmatising counselling support for staff and pupils both within and outwith schools	Work with the local authority to plan and provide non-stigmatising and accessible counselling support for staff and pupils, including those receiving care and treatment for mental illness. Counsellors feed recurring themes into school development processes, recommending any action to address issues within the control of the school.	Both staff and pupils have opportunities to talk in confidence when they are feeling troubled. Common issues are identified and efforts made to prevent recurrence.	Health promotion staff Children & young people School health workers NHS Primary Care team NHS CAMHS staff (inc. Primary Mental Health Workers) Educational Psychology Education authority School staff Learning Disability Local Area Co-ordinators Staff organisations School Board Voluntary sector
Provision of group support sessions on particular issues or at particular times of stress	Work with schools to provide group sessions as part of the regular activity of the school (preferably peer-led). Work with schools to develop role of PSE sessions in exploring issues around mental health and wellbeing including information on mental illnesses.	Pupils understand their emotions. Pupils have opportunities to discuss their emotions. Pupils develop coping techniques. Pupils feel able to support one another.	Health promotion staff Children & young people School health workers NHS Primary Care team NHS CAMHS staff (inc. Primary Mental Health Workers) Educational Psychology Education authority School staff Learning Disability Local Area Co-ordinators Voluntary sector, including churches/faith communities
Provision of support for parents in dealing with issues relating to adolescence	Work with schools, community and voluntary organisations to plan and provide generic sessions for parents and carers on a variety of topics such as maintaining relationships. Work with schools, community and voluntary organisations to plan and provide sessions for parents and others who care for children and young people who may be at risk of developing mental health difficulties.	Parents/carers have a better understanding of issues for adolescents. Parents/carers understand their child's behaviour and feel able to respond.	Health promotion staff Children & young people School health workers NHS Primary Care team NHS CAMHS staff (inc. Primary Mental Health Workers) Learning Disability Local Area Co-ordinators Educational Psychology Education authority School staff School Boards Parent Teacher Associations Voluntary sector, including churches/faith communities
Provision of information about local support services and access, including internet resources	Development of accessible information resources on a wide range of general mental health issues, for use within schools. Development of targeted information resources on a wide range of specific issues. Ensure the availability of information resources in a range of formats and in a range of settings.	Staff and pupils know what information and support is available to them and are able to access it.	Health promotion staff Children & young people School health workers NHS Primary Care team NHS CAMHS staff (inc. Primary Mental Health Workers) Learning Disability Local Area Co-ordinators Educational Psychology Education authority School staff Voluntary sector

Page updated: Thursday, May 25, 2006

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