“Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community.” (World Health Organisation, 2022)
The definition of mental health is the subject of much debate since it is reliant on social context and is therefore both complex and multi-faceted. Mental Health is something that we all have and, just like physical health, something that we need to consciously nurture.
Head teachers across all phases of education are rightly concerned about the mental health and emotional wellbeing of the children in their care. Here in Liverpool, we are wholeheartedly committed to partnership working. We are working with the Families Programme and the NHS Core Commissioning Group alongside other organisations to improve mental health outcomes for children and young people.
Since 2017, the Liverpool Whole School Approach (WSA) has been working with schools across the city to support mental health and emotional wellbeing following an initial citywide review. Some key areas of focus have been:
Please see the 2022 Whole School Approaches to Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing in Liverpool city-wide impact report document.
“Every day in a hundred small ways our children ask, ‘Do you see me? Do you hear me? Do I matter?’ Their behaviour often reflects our response.”
Each term LLP host network meetings for school staff taking a lead on mental health in their schools. We have meetings for operational leads (learning mentors, pastoral staff, SENCOs) and one for senior strategic WSA leads (SLT). To sign up for our next events please visit our events page.
WSA Senior Mental Health Leads Training
ROAR Whole School Approach (WSA) supports senior mental health leads to develop a coordinated and evidence-based approach to access and implement the WSA model in their school setting.
The training has been developed in partnership with colleagues from Education to give senior leaders an overview of key principles (based on the PHE model) to promoting emotional health and wellbeing across education. The training has grown out of Liverpool’s long-standing multi-agency city-wide WSA and the development of mental health support teams in schools.
The course works in synergy with the ROAR WSA assessment tool, which gives senior leaders a baseline report to develop and implement an action plan to see mental health and emotional wellbeing considered in all aspects of school life. Supported by ten stand-alone modules, the course will support senior leads to develop each principle of their whole school approach, using resources, further training and support whilst maximising the role of local mental health support teams.
Participants can also access further ROAR Training (ROAR primary/secondary, Early Years, ROAR SEN, ROAR Culture and ROAR supervision training) to develop specific principles such as recognising need. Senior MHLs are encouraged to bring along additional staff to specific modules to build their mental health team in school.
https://www.roarresponse.com/roar-whole-school-approach/
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