Mental Health and Wellbeing

At Pickhurst Academy, we are deeply committed to supporting the emotional health and wellbeing of all our pupils. We believe that promoting wellbeing, building resilience, and supporting good mental health are essential to ensuring every child can achieve their full potential — both in and beyond the classroom.

With so much time spent in school, we recognise that it provides the ideal environment to nurture positive emotional wellbeing, notice early signs of mental distress, and develop lifelong coping strategies. We understand that everyone faces challenges at times, and we are dedicated to providing the care, understanding, and support our pupils need to feel safe and valued.

Our staff have received training in the ‘Zones of Regulation’ approach, which helps children to identify, understand, and manage their emotions effectively. This forms an integral part of our whole-school wellbeing strategy.

In addition, many of our staff have completed Youth Mental Health Awareness training to enhance their understanding of children’s mental health and wellbeing.

Please click on the links below to read our:

• Wellbeing Learning Journey

Lead Mental Health Awareness Champion: Mrs. Bracey, Inclusion Officer/Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead,

Miss D’Costa, Assistant Headteacher/Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

NHS Helplines

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.

The Anna Freud National Centre

The Anna Freud Centre shares quality-assured information, advice and resources to help primary schools understand and promote children’s mental health and wellbeing.

The Children’s Society

The coronavirus has disrupted the life of every child in the country. Feeling anxious or overwhelmed is completely understandable at a time like this, especially if you are struggling with mental health or are concerned about someone with a physical illness. Our mental and emotional health resource vault is full of advice on issues that may be worrying young people.

Young Minds

YoungMinds is the UK’s leading charity committed to improving the emotional wellbeing and mental health of children and young people. Advice on depression, anxiety, ADHD & self-harm

YoungMinds Parents Helpline
0808 802 5544 (9.30 to 4.00pm, Mon- Fri)
web: www.youngminds.org.uk

We offer free, confidential online and telephone support, including information and advice, to any adult worried about the emotional problems, behaviour or mental health of a child or young person up to the age of 25.

Place2be

The wonderful organisation who promoted Children’s Mental Health
Call – 020 7923 5500

Place2Be is a children’s mental health charity with over 25 years’ experience working with pupils, families and staff in UK schools.

Mental Health Foundation

The Mental Health Foundation is a charity specialising in research and policy development, with a focus on preventing mental health problems. They provide a range of content designed to give you more information about mental health and to help you to look after your mental health.

Samaritans

Telephone: 116 123 (24 hours a day, free to call)
Email: jo@samaritans.org
Website: www.samaritans.org

Provides confidential, non-judgemental emotional support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those that could lead to suicide. You can phone, email, write a letter or in most cases talk to someone face to face.

Rethink Mental Illness Advice Line

Telephone: 0300 5000 927 (9.30am – 4pm Monday to Friday)
Email: info@rethink.org
Website: http://www.rethink.org/about-us/our-mental-health-advice

Provides expert advice and information to people with mental health problems and those who care for them, as well as giving help to health professionals, employers and staff. Rethink also runs Rethink services and groups across England and Northern Ireland.

Childline

Telephone: 0800 1111
Email: http://www.childline.org.uk/Talk/Pages/Email.aspx
Website: www.childline.org.uk

Childline is a private and confidential service for children and young people up to the age of nineteen. You can contact a Childline counsellor for free about anything – no problem is too big or too small.