Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing at Kew
The Pastoral Team at Kew Riverside includes: Mental Health Lead Teacher: Ardeep Virdi Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs): Liz Strong, Laura Wrigglesworth and Rachel Chambers Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA): Jessica Tuckey Dedicated Safeguarding Governors: Michelle Green, Patrick Neave, Peter King School Nurse: Pat Fosu Why do we care about mental health? At Kew Riverside we feel strongly that no stigma should be attached to the term 'mental health' and we recognise the importance of supporting and educating children to look after their mental health and wellbeing, just as we would their physical health. Although there is no single accepted definition, the following one proposed by the World Health Organisation is frequently used: Mental Health is a state of wellbeing in which the individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to his or her own community. We understand that a person’s mental health may encompass a range of strengths as well as difficulties, and these can range from mild to severe. According to the NHS 2017 survey, there has been an increase in overall rates of mental disorder. The area with the highest increase is emotional disorders, about one in 10 5-10 year olds had at least one disorder. In an average primary school of the same size as of Kew Riverside it is expected that:
With this in mind, we take our responsibility to nurture and educate your children very seriously, and it is important to us that all pupils at Kew Riverside feel secure and happy, and that they have the ability to recognise, name and appropriately manage the many different emotions they will experience as they grow up. We are, after all, preparing future citizens of the world! How do we support children to have a healthy mental wellbeing? We invest heavily in pre-emptive work, which includes:
We also prioritise interventions for groups or individuals who might need further support, such as:
In addition to this we are committed to ensuring our staff team are well qualified and trained in supporting our children
What can you do if you have a concern? If you are concerned about your child, we can both support them in school and support you in understanding which services are available, guiding you through the process of getting support. We work very closely with social care, the NHS, Educational Psychologists and CAMHS (Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services), as well as local charities such as Man & Boy. If you are worried about your child or about the impact a family member’s mental health may have on them, and you would like to speak to a member of staff about your concerns, please do make an appointment to see Ardeep or Laura. Further Reading For parents and carers looking for more information to help understand their child's, or their own, mental health, we recommend the following websites: Charlie Waller Memorial Trust, click here Papyrus, prevention of young suicide, click here Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, click here Richmond-upon-Thames, MIND, for better mental health, click here
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