Views & Opinion Putting well-being at the heart of your school Comment by Dr ASHA PATEL, CEO of education not-for-profit Innovating Minds Schools need to have processes in
Lockdown exposed the inequalities in our society and the massive number of children with poor mental health. While some children managed to do schoolwork and to keep in touch with friends, many were cut off and experienced feelings of loneliness and social isolation. This separation created a cycle of disengagement that will prove hard to overcome. Many school leaders think it is time for
change, but all the signs are that policy makers want things to return to normal – the old normal with rules, traditions, sanctions and rewards but pupils, teachers and parents are not the same as they were before Covid19. In April, the Centre for Social Mobility at
the University of Exeter conducted an online survey of around 2,200 parents and teachers around the country who shared their experiences and concerns about school closures. Almost three quarters of respondents (72 per cent), said school closures would have a negative impact on pupil wellbeing and safety. There were fears that some children would not be in a safe
environment at home and certainly there were well documented increases in incidents of domestic violence. At Innovating Minds, we are responding to this by training facilitators nationwide and internationally to deliver The Healing Together™ programme to support children impacted domestic abuse and violence. What was perhaps less predictable was that many children especially
those with special needs and those who feel vulnerable found lockdown was a huge relief. It provided a sense of peace and security. According to DfES figures, when schools reopened, only 88% of children attended in the first week and there are concerns than some children will never return to education. If schools are to encourage children to re-enter school and keep them
there, they must take this opportunity to make wellbeing a priority and provide more support for staff and students than in the past. This will be harder for some schools than others. The Sun headline: 'Parents’ fury as head sends 70 kids home for
breaking tough uniform rules with ‘unpolishable’ shoes and missing blazers' is a sharp contrast to the news that some schools have abolished detentions. Shonogh Pilgrim, Principal of Ansford Academy in Somerset, said: 'When we questioned why we did them none of us could come up with an answer more satisfactory than, 'We do it because they wasted our time so we will waste theirs'. So, we’ve decided to get rid of them and try hard to be a no exclusion school.' As part of a whole school approach to mental health, staff need to
reflect on their practice and underlying attitudes. This can be a contentious issue, and many come to see that punitive approaches do not work but are still very much in force in schools, if only subconsciously. Another factor is that in the past there has often been a clear divide between education and health with teachers feeling that they had neither the skills, training, experience or, in some cases, the inclination to take on personal issues that affect their students. Some subject teachers feel that mental health is a pastoral concern and worry that if t hey intervene they may 'do the wrong thing.'
place. Fortunately, many schools have now appointed Mental Health Leads who provide early support in schools and colleges and foster a joined up approach between health and education. This is a great first step. Now more than ever before, we all need data, to keep track of children in school, children working from home and children who are at risk of disappearing.
A good first step is to accept that all
behaviour is communication. Staff who are reluctant to embrace change are communicating just as much as a child who throws a book at a teacher.
• Get staff to find alternatives to sanctions – a drawing class, breathing exercises, relaxation techniques are often more productive than a punishment in the log run and may give pupils strategies for future occasions
• Provide training and guidance for staff so they engage in regular reflective practice where they consider incidents reflecting on: what happened, decisions that were made, actions that were taken and the consequences
• Make sure there is a clear process to follow whenever a concern is raised about a pupil’s mental wellbeing
• Focus on promotion of good mental health and resilience and early interventions
• Promote a universal approach to mental health across the curriculum
• Seek ideas from young people, parents, carers and governors of ways to improve the mental health of the whole community
• Develop a system of support buddies for staff and for students who are struggling
• Find specialist mental health services and signpost them to staff, pupils and families
• Make contact with schools that are strong on well-being and promoting good mental health. The Schools Advisory Service has done work in this area
• Look for self-assessment tools such as our EduPod that lets schools audit their provision, gather key statistics and evidence, create action plans and measure impact
Schools have a key role to play in early identification, intervention and
prevention and have the advantage of being a familiar setting, but it is important that staff are supported and feel confident to play their part. This is the time to make sure your school has a sustainable mental health strategy in place.
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www.education-today.co.uk
October 2020
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