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Mental Health

The mental health of our students and staff is of the utmost importance to us here at Whitstone School.

Secondary school can be a turbulent time for students, as they are beginning to find their place in the world and dealing - often for the first time - with relationship problems, family issues and of course the potential for additional stress from learning, revision and exams.

Here at Whitstone School, we know each one of our students well because of our Aspire (tutor) system and therefore any change in behaviour or demeanour is noted quickly and concerns are shared between the relevant parties within school.

Our pastoral team is highly trained and always available for students should they need any additional support – be that some time in a quiet place to gather themselves, advice, guidance, or simply someone to listen.

Mental Health Awareness is a topic ingrained in our PSHE curriculum in every year, with topics including self-care, mental health awareness, dealing with exam stress, relationships and family pressures.

At Whitstone School we have a fantastic communication tool in ePraise, whereby parents and carers can be in direct contact with teachers and support staff within school.  If you have any concerns about your child’s mental health, you can contact their Aspire Lead (or indeed any preferred contact within school) and they will be treated with extra vigilance, but also discretion in helping to find the route of the problem.  

Should there be a particular mental health issue that needs addressing, the school will put in place a plan – alongside the student’s parents/carers, their mental health professional and the student themselves – to ensure that the students mental health needs are met in order that they can thrive within the Whitstone School environment.

For more information about supporting young people’s mental health, see:

Useful links

Somerset Big Tent: https://www.somersetbigtent.org.uk/

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) - Single Point of Access (SPA) Team and New CAMHS Eligibility criteria: https://www.somersetft.nhs.uk/camhs/somerset-camhs-home-page/camhs-single-point-of-access/ 

Mental Health Support Team (MHST): MHST and Community Wellbeing services, and what practitioners do: https://www.youngsomerset.org.uk/Pages/Category/wellbeing-support

Aggression/ Anger

NHS Livewell: http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/family-health/Pages/teen-aggression-and-arguments.aspx

Family Lives: http://www.familylives.org.uk/advice/teenagers/behaviour/teen-violence-at-home/

Young Minds: https://www.youngminds.org.uk/young-person/blog/how-i-learnt-to-address-my-repressed-anger/

Alcohol and Drugs

Talk to Frank: http://www.talktofrank.com/

Change for life: http://www.nhs.uk/Change4Life/Pages/drink-less-alcohol.aspx

Drink aware: https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/

 Turning point: https://www.turning-point.co.uk/services/sdas#event-slides2

 Anxiety

Mindful: www.mindful.org

Anxiety UK: www.anxietyuk.org.uk

Behaviour

Family Lives: https://www.familylives.org.uk/browse/30119/boundaries-and-discipline

Bullying:

Young minds: https://www.youngminds.org.uk/young-person/coping-with-life/bullying   

 Family Lives: https://www.bullying.co.uk/

Childline: https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/bullying-abuse-safety/

Children’s social care:  http://www.somerset.gov.uk/organisation/departments/childrens-social-care/    0300 123 2224 Mon-Fri 8am-6pm

Emotionally Based School Avoidance:

Somerset Support Services: https://www.supportservicesforeducation.co.uk/Page/20029

Not Fine in School: https://notfineinschool.co.uk/home

 Gender Identity Development (Young People):

Gender Identify Development Service (Tavistock and Portman): http://gids.nhs.uk/young-people

Mermaids: http://www.mermaidsuk.org.uk/

2BU: https://www.2bu-somerset.co.uk/

Gender Identity Development (Parents & Carers):

Gender Identify Development Service (Tavistock and Portman): https://gids.nhs.uk/parents-and-carers/ 

Grief:

Grief encounters: https://www.griefencounter.org.uk/

Cruse: http://www.cruse.org.uk/

Sue Ryder: https://www.sueryder.org/how-we-can-help/bereavement-information/supporting-a-child/supporting-young-people-with-grief

Winston’s Wish: https://www.winstonswish.org/

LGBTQ:

2BU: http://www.2bu-somerset.co.uk/

 Neurodevelopment:

Autism and ADHD Pathway:https://beta.somerset.gov.uk/education-and-families/the-local-offer/education/autism-and-adhd-pathway/

Obsessive compulsive disorder:

OCD UK – Teens: https://www.ocduk.org/teens/

OCD UK – Children: https://www.ocduk.org/features/an-introduction-to-ocd-in-children/

OCD UK – Parents: https://www.ocduk.org/parents/

 Online counselling websites:

Mood juice: http://www.moodjuice.scot.nhs.uk/    

Kooth: www.kooth.com

The Mix: offer free and confidential support for the under 25s. Email and Webchat support are at their website. http://www.themix.org.uk/

Young minds: https://www.youngminds.org.uk/young-person/mental-health-conditions/anxiety/

Online safety:

NSPCC: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/parental-controls/

NSPCC: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-you-can-do/get-expert-training/keeping-children-safe-online-course/

Thinkuknow: https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/14_plus/Need-advice/Sexual-exploitation/

GOV: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/490001/Social_Media_Guidance_UKCCIS_Final_18122015.pdf.pdf

 

Parental support:

Somerset Parent Care Forum: https://somersetparentcarerforum.org.uk/

 Professional Choices: https://professionalchoices.org.uk/

 Relate: https://www.relate.org.uk/

 

Sensory Integration:

Sensory integration: https://www.sensoryintegration.org.uk/

Understood: https://www.understood.org

Self harm:

In Charley’s memory: https://www.incharleysmemory.com/

 National Self Harm Network: www.nshn.co.uk/

Young minds: https://www.youngminds.org.uk/young-person/my-feelings/self-harm/

Sexual abuse:

The Bridge: https://www.thebridgecanhelp.org.uk/

 Barnardo’s: http://www.barnardos.org.uk/what_we_do/our_work.html

Survivor Pathway: http://www.survivorpathway.org.uk/

Somerset and Avon Rape and Sexual Abuse Support: https://www.sarsas.org.uk/

Sleep:

Teen sleep: http://www.teen-sleep.org.uk/

NHS: http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/insomnia/Pages/insomniatips.aspx

Cerebra: http://w3.cerebra.org.uk/

 Work/volunteering:

Princes Trust: https://www.princes-trust.org.uk/help-for-young-people/programmes

 Somerset Skills And Learning : https://sslcourses.co.uk/index

 Talking to young people about self-harm/suicide:

Samaritans: https://www.samaritans.org

Papyrus:  https://www.papyrus-uk.org

Young Somerset Resources:

To find out more about what our LI CBT practitioners do, you can look at the Young Somerset website: https://www.youngsomerset.org.uk/Pages/Category/wellbeing-support

 Week 1: What to expect from sessions with an assessing LI CBT practitioner, and a brief introduction to CBT:

https://www.youngsomerset.org.uk/week-1-introduction-to-the-programme 

Week 2: The psychoeducation of anxiety and low mood:

https://www.youngsomerset.org.uk/week-2-the-psychoeducation-of-anxiety-and-low-mood 

 Week 3:  Ways to manage anxiety and low mood:

https://www.youngsomerset.org.uk/week-3-ways-to-help-yourself/