Background

Good mental health is important for helping children and young people (CYP) to develop and thrive. As “universal services”, schools and colleges play a vital role in promoting positive mental health, identifying needs and providing early intervention in cases of mental ill health. Schools provide structure to the day, opportunities for physical activity and social connections – all things we know are important for our well-being. It is also a place in which students can learn key skills and tools to support positive mental health and resilience.

Schools decide on the provision of emotional health and wellbeing support for their pupils and there are a range of offers available to them to improve and protect the mental health and wellbeing of students. Guidance was published by the Government on Promoting and supporting mental health and wellbeing in schools and colleges (June 2021) and provides an overview of current support and resources. Despite this guidance, navigating the emotional health and wellbeing system can be challenging for schools due to numerous offers and referral pathways.

The Children and Young People (CYP) Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing Strategic Group, jointly chaired by Education and Public Health at Buckinghamshire Council, identified a need for a shared approach when working with and supporting Buckinghamshire Schools and Colleges regarding responding to the emotional health and wellbeing needs of CYP in those settings. To address this, it was agreed that the i-Thrive model would be the chosen model of school support that all parties would use.

It is recommended that schools and colleges use the model to complete an audit of the current range of provisions for emotional health and wellbeing available to their students, staff, leadership team and parents/carers. It is hoped that completing the tool will provide an overview of where schools are doing well with their wellbeing provision, and also inform an action plan so that they can continue to improve their practice. The tool is designed to be filled out by Senior Mental Health Leads in schools in collaboration with other members of staff, to give as true a picture as possible. It can also be used by Headteachers, SLTs, and Governors as well as other school staff. Not only will this bring a range of benefits to the school in planning their emotional health and wellbeing provision, but it can also be used to recommend practical steps on what a system-wide partnership planning and delivery approach should be.

Thank you to Brighton and Hove and West Sussex for allowing us to use their Whole School Approach to Emotional, Mental Health and Wellbeing spreadsheet format and support guide.