Mental Health and Wellbeing

At Heasandford Primary School we aspire to unlock the potential in every child so that they are happy, healthy and will achieve their very best to be fully prepared for the next stage of their journey.

What is mental health?

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

Good mental health and wellbeing is just as important as good physical health. Like physical health, mental health can range across a spectrum from healthy to unwell; it can fluctuate on a daily basis and change over time.

How can we look after our mental health?

• Talk! Talking about your feelings can help you to stay in good mental health.
• Keep active. Regular exercise can help boost your self-esteem, and help you concentrate, sleep and feel better.
• Eat well. Your brain needs a mix of nutrients in order to stay healthy and function well, just like the other organs in your body.
• Keep in touch. Keep open lines of communication with friends and close ones.
• Ask for help!  None of us are superhuman. We all sometimes get tired and overwhelmed by how we feel or when things don’t go to plan.
• Take a break. A change of scene or pace is good for your mental health. This could include doing an activity such as yoga or some mindfulness.
• Do something you’re good at. Enjoying yourself can help beat stress!

How to help your child.

If you are ever concerned about your child’s mental health and wellbeing, come and talk to us in school. We have a number of staff who are trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid and there are many things we can put in place in school to provide your child with all of the support they need. We also work with a team of Educational Mental Health Practitioners who can provide support to both you and your child.

The trained Mental Health First Aid staff in school are: 

Miss Box, Miss Ponton, Mrs Fitzpatrick, Mr Burnett, Mrs Burrows, Miss Kyle, and Mr Tahir.

Look after yourself!

As parents of children at our school, we also care about your mental health and wellbeing. If you are ever struggling with your mental health or things just feel like they are getting too much, then please do speak to your child’s teacher and you will be directed to someone in school who can support you.

There are many places online that you can visit for free advice and information relating to all manners of mental health and wellbeing (see links below).

Useful links

Anna Freud

Advice and guidance for parents and carers to help them support a child or young person experiencing poor mental health and wellbeing.

https://www.annafreud.org/parents/

Young Minds

Resources for parents and schools to enable them to support young people effectively. For urgent help there’s a free 24/7 Crisis Messenger service for information.

https://www.youngminds.org.uk/

Mental Health Foundation

A charity whose mission is to help people understand, protect and sustain their mental health. Lots of advice and information on a variety of mental health related topics.

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/

Every mind matters

A Public Health England and NHS site to help people take simple steps to look after their mental health, improve their mental wellbeing and support others.

https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/

Mind

A mental health charity providing advice and support to anyone experiencing a mental health problem. This site is aimed more at adults so would be useful to any parent or family member needing support.

https://www.mind.org.uk/

Lancashire Family Hubs Network

https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/children-education-families/family-hubs/