MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING POLICY

Date of Policy:	For Academic Year 2022-23
Date for Review:	August 2023
Lead for Review:	Assistant Head (PPPD)

Contents

Contents	2

Policy Statement	3

Introduction and purpose	3

Legislation and regulation	4

Guidelines	5

Training	6

Responsibilities	6

Monitoring and compliance	6

Appendices	7

Appendix 1: Protective Factors and Risk Factors	7

Appendix 2: Websites for Support	8

Policy Statement

This policy outlines how Guildhouse School London will work to promote the positive mental health and wellbeing of all of the school community to enable them to flourish. This policy therefore applies to all staff, students, visitors to the school and the wider school community. This policy dovetails with the school values – ‘be kind’, in particular.

Introduction and purpose

Within our school we aim to promote positive mental health and wellbeing for our whole school community (pupils, staff, parents and carers), and recognise how important mental health and emotional wellbeing is to our lives, in just the same way as physical health.

We recognise that children and young people’s mental health is a crucial factor in their overall wellbeing and can affect their learning and achievement. All children and young people move up and down the mental health continuum during their time in school. However, some face significant life events which can seriously impact their emotional wellbeing and can include mental illness.

The Department for Education (DfE) recognises that: “Schools have a role to play in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children” (Mental Health and Behaviour in School, 2018).

Schools can be a place for all students to experience a nurturing and supportive environment that has the potential to develop self-esteem and give positive experiences for overcoming adversity and building resilience. The school is also a place of respite from challenging home lives and offers positive role models and relationships, which are critical in promoting the wellbeing of all young people.

The role of the school is to ensure that students 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 students 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.

The aim is to help develop the protective factors which build resilience to mental health difficulties and to be a school where:

All students are valued

Students have a sense of belonging and feel safe

Students feel able to talk openly about their problems without feeling stigma or discrimination

Positive mental health is promoted and valued

Bullying of any kind (including cyber-bullying) is not tolerated

Legislation and regulation

Definition of mental health:

Mental health and wellbeing is defined as “a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.” (WHO)

Mental health and wellbeing is not just the absence of mental health problems. We want all our students to:

feel confident in themselves.

be able to express a range of emotions appropriately.

be able to make and maintain positive relationships with others.

cope with the stresses of everyday life.

manage times of stress and be able to deal with change.

learn and achieve.

Under the Equality Act 2010 a child or young person with a mental health illness is described as having a mental impairment and therefore a disability. A disability is described in law (the Equality Act 2010) as ‘a physical or mental impairment, which has a long-term (a year or more) and substantial adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to- day activities.’

The Equality Act requires early year’s providers, schools, colleges, other educational settings and local authorities to:

Not directly or indirectly discriminate against, harass or victimise disabled children and young people;

Make reasonable adjustments, so that disabled children and young people are not disadvantaged. This duty is known as ‘anticipatory’.

The school will operate within the law. The legal framework, statutory guidance, key policies and government strategies most pertinent to mental health can be found in:

The Mental Health Act (2007)

Mental Health (Discrimination) Act (2013)

The Equality Act 2010

The Children and Families Act 2014, Part 3

The Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014

The SEND Code of Practice (last updated 30 April 2020)

Working Together to Safeguard Children (July 2018, last updated 9 December 2020)

Keeping Children Safe in Education (September 2022)

Mental health and behaviour in schools (November 2018)

Transforming children and young people’s mental health provision: a green paper (last updated July 2018)

Guidelines

We will ensure that:

Schools will be proactive in identifying and supporting a child or young person with mental health difficulties, ensuring the student is at the centre of all decisions and take into account their feelings, wishes and views.

Schools will work closely with the local authority, external agencies and charitable organisations to ensure appropriate care is accessed to support the student.

All schools have procedures and professionals in place to enable them to fulfil their duties and to drive a caring and positive wellbeing centred ethos and vision.

Guildhouse School London will:

Provide a safe environment to enable students to express themselves and be listened to

Ensure the welfare and safety of all students

Identify appropriate support for students based on their needs

Involve parents and carers when their child needs support

Involve students in the care and support they have, ensuring the voice/views of the young person is always considered

Monitor, review and evaluate the support with young people and keep parents and carers updated

Guildhouse London will utilise the MHFA ALGEE framework to support with crisis situations and to inform the support process:

A - Approach, assess and assist the young person

L - Listen and communicate non-judgementally

G - Give support and information

E - Encourage appropriate professional support

E - Encourage other support

Staff are aware that mental health needs, such as anxiety, might appear as non-compliant, disruptive, or aggressive behaviour which could include problems with attention or hyperactivity. This may be related to home problems, English language challenges, difficulties with learning, peer relationships or development.

School staff will work alongside the designated member of staff for Access Arrangements to support identification and the assessment for a pupil to ascertain if they should be identified as ‘SEND Support’ under the category of Social, Emotional, Mental Health (SEMH) as part of the SEND Code of Practice.

If a student has received intensive and/or specialised external mental health professional support, the school has a duty of care to support students and will seek advice from medical staff and mental health professionals on the best way to support young people. We will carry out a risk assessment and produce an Individual Care Plan to support children to re-integrate successfully back to school.

Guildhouse London recognises that when a student is experiencing mental health problems it can be challenging for their friends, who often want to help them but are not sure the best thing to do and can also be emotionally affected, therefore appropriate support will be provided.

Guildhouse London also recognises the importance of support for parents/carers caring for a young person with a mental health difficulty. We will ensure regular communication between home and school.

Staff can signpost to additional sources of support outside of the school through the MHFA resources.

If there is a concern that a student is in danger of immediate harm, then the school’s safeguarding procedures are followed. If there is a medical emergency, then the school’s procedures for medical emergencies are followed.

Training

Guildhouse London has three Youth MHFA trained staff. MHFA training items for all staff are embedded within pastoral meetings regularly throughout the academic year.

Responsibilities

The following responsibilities apply in relation to this policy:

The Headmaster is responsible for ensuring a member of the senior leadership team is the designated mental health lead.

The Mental Health Lead is responsible for overseeing, coordinating, and championing mental health and wellbeing education and provision.

All staff are responsible for promoting positive wellbeing and identifying and supporting pupils experiencing mental health difficulties.

The Senior Leadership Team have overall responsibility for the implementation and approval of this policy.

Monitoring and compliance

The Mental Health Lead will monitor compliance with this policy within the school.

Appendices

Appendix 1: Protective Factors and Risk Factors

(Adapted from Mental health and behaviour in schools (November 2018)).

Risk Factors	Protective Factors
In the Child	Genetic influences Specific development delay Communication difficulties Physical illness Academic failure Low self-esteem SEND	Secure attachment experience Outgoing temperament as an infant Good communication skills, sociability Being a planner and having a belief in control Humour Problem solving skills and a positive attitude Experiences of success and achievement Faith or spirituality Capacity to reflect
In the Family	Overt parental conflict domestic violence Family breakdown (including where children are taken into care or adopted) Inconsistent or unclear discipline Hostile and rejecting relationships Failure to adapt to a child’s changing needs Physical, sexual, emotional abuse or neglect Parental psychiatric illness Parental criminality, alcoholism or personality disorder Death and loss – including loss of friendship	At least one good parent-child relationship (or one supportive adult) Affection Clear, consistent discipline Support for education Supportive long-term relationship or the absence of severe discord
In the school	Bullying Discrimination Breakdown in or lack of positive friendships Negative peer influences Peer pressure Inconsistent implementation of the behaviour policy Poor relationships with staff	Clear policies on behaviour and bullying ‘Open door’ policy for students to raise problems A whole-school approach to promoting good mental health Positive relationships between students and staff ‘Concern’ Button on canvas

Appendix 2: Websites for Support

Anxiety UK

www.anxietyuk.org.uk

OCD UK

www.ocduk.org

Depression Alliance

www.depressoinalliance.org

Eating Disorders

www.b-eat.co.uk and www.inourhands.com

National Self-Harm Network

www.nshn.co.uk

www.selfharm.co.uk

Suicidal thoughts Prevention of young suicide UK – PAPYRUS:

www.papyrus-uk.org

champions of young people’s mental health and wellbeing

www.youngminds.org.uk

www.mind.org.uk

Advice & support on mental health problems

www.minded.org.uk (e-learning)

tackle the stigma of mental health

www.time-to-change.org.uk

challenge attitudes towards mental health

www.rethink.org