Mental Health and Wellbeing
At St. Joseph's Camberwell Catholic Schools' Federation we recognise that each and every child is made perfectly in the image of God. We care for and prioritise not only children's education but also the Spiritual, Social, Emotional, Mental Health and Wellbeing of our whole community. We take a whole school approach to promoting positive mental health, aiming to help children become more resilient, happy and successful and to work in a pro-active way to avoid problems arising.
We value positive mental health and wellbeing. We believe that if children have good mental health they:
- feel confident and have positive self esteem
- feel and express a range of emotions
- are resilient when things are not going so well
- build and maintain good relationships with others
- feel engaged with the world around them
- live and work productively
- adapt and manage in times of change
Supporting Children in School
At St. Joseph's Camberwell Catholic Schools' Federation we have a kind and caring environment for pupils, and as part of our curriculum we focus on being healthy both in mind and body.
This year we are in the process of training an appointed mental health lead within our school. This person, together with the Leadership Team, will b eresponsible for overseeing the whole-school approach to wellbeing.
They will provide staff, children and parents with the knowlegde and confidence to understand and recognise signs of poor mental health in pupils and know where to go with any concerns.
They will oversea the provision the school gives to pupils with mental health difficulties.
They will be proactive in developing links with specialist services, referring pupils if they need to. We are also part of a mental health support team
If you have any concerns or worries about your child's mental health or wellbeing please do not hesitate to contact your child's teacher. As a team we can work together!
| What is Wellbeing? |
Wellbeing is about our thoughts, feelings, emotions and ability to react to life. A good sense of wellbeing is feeling ok and able to cope, even when life or situations are challenging.
Sometimes our wellbeing is affected by things out of our control: illness, a stessful family situation or crisis.
When our wellbeing is affected and we don't feel able to cope, this can lead to mental health concerns: sadness, depression and unhelpful thoughts that can stop us from enjoying and coping with daily life.
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5 Ways to Wellbeing - |
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A message from The Duchess of Cambridge about children's mental health! |
| How do we promote positive mental health and wellbeing? |
- Creating and applying consistent ethos, policies and behaviours that support mental health and resilience, and which everyone understands.
- Promoting positive relationships between staff, children and parents/carers/families.
- Focusing on the 5 steps to wellbeing (see video) and 'Zones of regullation'.
- Helping children to develop social relationships, support each other and seek help when they need it.
- Promoting self-esteem and ensuring children understand their importance in the World.
- Helping children to be resilient learners and to manage setbacks.
- Teaching children social and emotional skills and an awareness of mental health.
- Identifying those children who need further support in their wellbeing and planning and auctioning this support to meet their individual needs, including working with specialist services, parents and carers.
- Developing an open culture where it's normal to talk about mental health and wellbeing.
- Mindapples
- Rainbows
- Lego Play
- Volcano in my Tummy
- Friendshipgroups
- Sensory breaks
- Drawing and Talking
What Additional Support is Available at School?
- Learning Mentor Support
- 12 Youth Mental Health First Aiders
SENCO with non-class based time to support children and families in both Schools'
School Home Support with non-class based time to support families and children.
| Websites especially for children |
Young Minds
A website for children and young people. There are different sections offering information and advice on signs and symptoms, seeking help and looking after yourself. Some handy advice for parents too. Please click on the image to be directed to the website.
| Other Websites which offer support |
The following websites have been vetted and approved by the NHS. We recommend that parents always look at and test out apps and games for themselves before introducing their children to them:
The Anna Freud Centre
The Anna Freud Centre is transforming mental health by working with infants, children, young people and their families, their communities and professional to deliver timely evidence-based support for all. Please click on the image below to be directed to the website.
Positive Penguins
Aimed at 8-12 year olds. This app helps children to understand their feelings and challenge negative thinking. Four positive penguins take children on a journey to help them better understand the relationship between what they think and what they feel.
Please click on the imagine to be directed to the website.
CAMHS 
This site was created for young people, carers and professionals to pool together lots of helpful resources from across the internet that are avilable to help support your mental health and well-being. Please click on the image to be directed to the website.
