Staff need opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills in the overall area of ‘emotional health’ to ensure that they feel able to handle, for example, the impact of bereavement or family breakdown on pupils. 

Increasing their awareness of what they bring in terms of interpersonal skills to teaching and learning is key to developing an ethos where emotional health and well-being can flourish. 

To arrange support for your staff please contact Liz Bates, Education Adviser.

To develop an emotionally healthy school you will need to consider a range of issues such as:

• Supporting staff to support pupils
• Teacher well-being
• Introduction to counselling skills
• Developing self-esteem, assertiveness
• Conflict Resolution  / Peer mediation / Managing difficult feelings
• Tackling bullying including sexual bullying
• Mental Health Awareness
• Circle Time
• Managing Stress
• Domestic Violence.

There are also some issues that occur that can challenge the emotional health of a school such as:

• Loss & bereavement
• Self harm & suicide
• Eating Disorders.

School staff can either attend a course on these areas or can arrange bespoke in-school support. Please contact Liz Bates, Education Adviser.

New areas of support available to schools and settings, for example: 

Sexual bullying and relationship violence (and links to safeguarding). The wide availability of pornography is having an effect on young people's perceptions of what is normal, appropriate and acceptable in a relationship.

Protective Behaviours looks at creating an internal measure of safety - do I feel safe? It then helps pupils to develop strategies for self-protection which are applicable to young people's whole lives, raising self-esteem, communication skills, problem solving, conflict resolution and making appropriate behaviour choices.

Using drama techniques to support learning and emotional development is an exciting way to recognise the importance of feelings and emotions whilst remembering that feeling are feelings, behaviours are a choice.

For more information contact Liz Bates, Education Adviser.