Mental Health And Counselling In Schools
WHY IS A CHILD’S MENTAL HEALTH IMPORTANT IN SCHOOL?
The importance of a person’s mental health and wellness being in a good state is now widely recognised and accepted.
Mental health refers to your social, emotional, and psychological well-being.
A child and young person’s mental health influences every part of their life including education and schooling and if left untreated it can have a negative impact on a child’s education.
HOW CAN A SCHOOL HELP YOUR CHILD WITH ANY MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES?
Schools must have a mental health and well-being policy detailing how the school can support children with their mental health and promote well-being. There are many things a school can do when they recognise a child who needs help with their mental health.
PASTORAL CARE – When a child feels they need help with their mental health they should first talk to their form tutor or year head about their issues. Teachers will listen to a child and take the appropriate steps to help the child. Teachers should be able to notice by themselves without a child informing them that a child is struggling with their mental health. The form tutor or teacher can put the child’s name forward for school counselling.
It is very important that the teachers notice what is happening around a child and ask questions. Perhaps the child is distressed because of bullying in school and this is affecting their mental health. It also may be because the child is not coping and struggling to focus and concentrate in lessons or understand a subject. The child could be stressed with exam pressure.
It is not always easy for a teacher to notice a child whose mental health is deteriorating. With the load of work a teacher has, many signs of a child’s mental health problem can go unnoticed.
SCHOOL COUNSELLING – Most schools now-a-days will have qualified experienced counsellors available to talk to your child and discuss any issues and problems they have. The counsellor will help your child find solutions, understand their issues and try to find peace and harmony within themselves. However, there is no legal obligation for a school to have a counsellor available for children to access.
LINK TO DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION GUIDE FOR COUNSELLING IN SCHOOLS – A BLUEPRINT FOR THE FUTURE.
CAMHS – If a child or young person’s mental health issue is having a very detrimental effect on their education and the school feels the child needs more help than what the school counsellors can offer then a referral to CAMHS will be made. CAMHS is a NHS mental health service for children and young people. A child’s GP can also refer a child to CAMHS. CAMHS have primary mental health workers, social workers, therapists, psychotherapists, psychologists, and occupational therapists.
LINK TO DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION GUIDE – MENTAL HEALTH AND BEHAVIOUR IN SCHOOLS – NOVEMBER 2018
SOME THINGS THAT CAN HAVE AN EFFECT ON A CHILD’S MENTAL HEALTH?
For more details and an in depth write up on the few topics mentioned below plus more please click on the link below to our Help Guide 4 – Safeguarding your children.
LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE 3 – SAFEGUARDING YOUR CHILDREN
Here we have just given a few lines on a few topics:
EXAM STRESS – Although many students can take exams and tests in their stride, there are those students who find the thought of exams and sitting them very physiologically distressing, emotionally overwhelming and a constant worry about performance.
LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR ACADEMIC AND EXAM STRESS
MOVING FROM ONE SCHOOL TO ANOTHER – When a child moves from one school to another for example primary school to secondary school it is called transitioning. This can bring about a lot of fears in children and have a negative effect on their wellbeing and mental health.
LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR SCHOOL TRANSITIONS
CYBERBULLYING – This can be a very frightening experience for a child and very mentally distressing.
LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR ONLINE STALKING & ONLINE BULLYING
GENDER IDENTITY – This may cause confusion in children not knowing if they identify as non-binary, male, female gender fluid for example. It can also cause children to withdraw and feel isolated.
LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR GENDER IDENTITY
HOME ENVIRONMENT – The stresses of a home environment such as arguments, parents in fighting and financial worries can have a very negative impact on a child’s mental health.
ABANDONMENT – A parent leaving the life of a child can be a very traumatic experience. The child may blame themselves, suffer low self esteem and develop attachment issues to the other parent.
LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR CHILD ABANDONMENT
A NEGATIVE BODY IMAGE – With the many images that bombard our children on social media on a daily basis it is very easy for them to feel they cannot match up to these images and standards. This can have a negative effect on their mental health. Feeling ugly, not worthy or good enough is detrimental for a child’s mental health and can cause social isolation, low self-esteem, lack of confidence, anxiety, withdrawal, depression and self-harming.
LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR BODY IMAGE
SOCIAL MEDIA – For some children social media can be an avenue for them being bullied, being exposed to inappropriate material and suggestions, being groomed and becoming overwhelmed.
LINK TO OUR L.I. P HELP GUIDE FOR ONLINE STALKING AND ONLINE BULLYING
LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR ONLINE CHILD ABUSE AND ONLINE CHILD GROOMING
DRUGS AND ALCOHOL – Drugs and alcohol can have a detrimental effect on a child’s health when they are used as a coping mechanism for other issues that may be happening in the child’s life. Drugs and alcohol can be used to dumb down trauma, feelings, and family breakdown.
LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR DRINKING
LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR DRUGS
PUBERTY – Puberty is a huge emotional event in a child’s life There are changes and growth in a child’s body and brain. This can make them feel vulnerable, sensitive, and confused. Puberty can bring on anxiety, ADHD, and antisocial behaviour.
LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE TO PUBERTY
WHEN IS MENTAL HEALTH CONSIDERED A DISABILITY?
Under the equality act 2010 disability includes mental impairment. The symptoms must be long term (12 months or over) although not consecutively, and have a very negative effect on a child or young person’s capacity to perform normal everyday tasks.
Mental impairments can include the following:
Panic attacks, phobias, depression, dyslexia, dyspraxia, schizophrenia, autistic spectrum disorders, personality disorders, PTSD, self-harming, anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder, low mood, and eating disorders.
LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBSITE FOR THE EQUALITY ACT 2010
WHEN IS MENTAL HEALTH CONSIDERED A SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEED (SEN)?
A child suffering from some mental health, emotional and social issues can be considered as one with special educational needs (SEN) if the issues the child is suffering from make education and learning much more difficult than other children of the same age.
Talk to the SEN department at your child’s school. There will be a special teacher there called a SENCO (special SEN coordinator) who looks after the welfare of all SEN children at the school and they will be able to advise you further.
WHERE CAN YOU AS A PARENT TALK, GET HELP AND ADVICE?
You can contact NSPCC – If your child has suffered from mental health issues you can contact the NSPCC and speak to them about your concerns. If the child is in danger they will call the police.
LINK TO WEBSITE FOR NSPCC – CONTACT US
You can contact FAMILY LIVES – Family lives was previously known as parentline. You can speak to them about your concerns that your child has suffered from mental health issues.
LINK TO WEBSITE FOR FAMILY LIVES – CONTACT US
You can contact SAMARITANS – The samaritans are a free organisation that you can talk to about your concerns. Call their helpline on 116 123. They are available 24 hours a day. You can email them, chat online or write them a letter.
LINK TO WEBSITE FOR SAMARITANS – CONTACT US
You can contact SUPPORTLINE – Supportline can provide confidential emotional support over the phone about your concerns. Their helpline number is 01708 765 200. You can also email them.
LINK TO WEBSITE FOR SUPPORTLINE – CONTACT US
You can contact MIND – Mind has a free confidential helpline on 0300 123 3393 where you can get support for any issue with mental health. You can also email them.
LINK TO WEBSITE FOR MIND – CONTACT US
You can contact your local authority child services – You can call them directly or look on their website to see if there are any local support groups where you can get support.
LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBSITE TO FIND YOUR LOCAL AUTHORITY
You can contact VICTIM SUPPORT – Victim support is a charity that can help individuals who have been the victim of a crime. They have a free confidential support telephone line and live chat. They are independent of the police.
LINK TO WEBSITE FOR VICTIM SUPPORT – CONTACT US
You can contact other organisations –
LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE 16 – CONNECT WITH CHARITABLE ORGANISATIONS THAT COULD HELP YOU..
You can read our help guide for where you can reach out to get help if your child is a victim –
LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR WHERE CAN YOU REACH OUT TO GET HELP IF YOUR CHILD IS A VICTIM
WHERE CAN YOUR CHILD TALK, GET HELP AND ADVICE?
Your child can contact CHILDLINE – If your child has suffered from mental health issues and they need to talk to someone, they can call childline.