Social and emotional well-being’ refers to a “state of mental health and wellness. It involves a sense of optimism, confidence, happiness, clarity, vitality, self-worth, achievement, having a meaning and purpose, engagement, having supportive and satisfying relationships with others and understanding oneself, and responding effectively to one’s own emotions”.

– Professor Katherine Weare (National Children’s Bureau, 2015)

At Reigate School we believe well-being is ‘everyone’s business’.

Reigate School recognises that children cannot learn effectively unless they feel secure. We promote self-confidence and self-worth in an environment that promotes mutual respect, where children know their concerns will be listened to and acted upon.

The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, including their mental health and emotional well-being, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We raise awareness and understanding amongst staff and children of matters involving emotional wellbeing and mental health.

We aim to address difficulties at the earliest opportunity and support children with mental health issues in partnership with appropriate external agencies with relevant expertise.

We recognise that only medical professionals should (and are qualified to) make a formal diagnosis of a mental health condition.

Our school policy on Emotional Well-being and Mental Health (Here) goes into more detail on all of these matters.

Routine is key to having good well-being and mental health. As part of this routine children are placed in tutor groups with a designated member of staff as their Form Tutor who sees them at the start of every school day in tutor time.

Year groups are led by three Heads of Population (Year 7) or a Head of Year with Assistant Heads of Year (Year 8-11).

Pastoral support includes:

• tutor time with the Form Tutor every morning;
• creating a supportive tutor time environment where everyone feels listened to, understood and empowered;
• communicating with parents/carers positively and realistically to create a partnership approach
• recognising and responding to needs;
• liaising with appropriate agencies to enlist advice and/or support;
• clear transition arrangements;
• effective use of the rewards and behaviour process;
• identification and monitoring of Pupil Premium, SEND students, Young Carers and other vulnerable groups;
• providing opportunities for ‘student voice’ through the house system and extra-curricular clubs/events etc.;
• providing opportunities to build relationships and have a sense of belonging such as peer mentoring, becoming a prefect and attending extra-curricular activities.
• meetings with internal and external professionals;
• individual health care plans for those who require them;
• Careers meetings with written summaries alongside other careers support.

Our school promotes emotional well-being through the formal and informal curriculum.

This includes:

• a structured day with familiar routines to help build a sense of security and a level of predictability;
• creating a supportive classroom environment where everyone feels listened to, understood and empowered;
• clearly identified rewards and sanctions;
• setting appropriately challenging tasks;
• staff committed to securing progress for children through effective teaching and adaptation of resources/methods;
• encouraging co-operation and collaboration;
• the teaching of Life Skills and Personal Development under the three areas of Relationships, Living in the Wider World and Health and Wellbeing.
• developing social interaction skills
• encouraging and developing coping strategies and resilience;
• support for those with additional Special Educational Needs.

Key aspects of life can impact on a child’s well-being. Sleep, diet, exercise and engaging in face-to-face activities are essential to well-being as is careful management of social media and computer/screens use.

General support can be accessed here:

• Information for parents

Sleep

Regular sleep and keeping to a sleep routine are very important. Curfews and boundaries relating to use of electronic devices including mobile phones, tablets, PCs and games machines is vital to support a healthy sleep routine.

These links provide more guidance about sleep.

• https://teensleephub.org.uk/
• https://sleepcouncil.org.uk
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=bom6ZrVwGIc

Social Media and Online Safety

It is essential that parents and carers are knowledgeable about online safety. The NSPCC provides helpful information here:

• www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/

Their guidance provides clear information about the age ranges of different social media apps and advice about how to control internet settings and social media access.

See additional links in our Safeguarding E-Safety section.

Research shows that pursuing hobbies and interests supports well-being.

There is a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities for children at Reigate School. Most of these activities are free and generally take place after school. The list of activities can be found on the school website and children are encouraged to participate in these to enable them to extend interests and talents beyond the classroom or to learn something completely new.

Involvement of parents and carers is vital to the emotional well-being of our children.

We encourage parents/carers to communicate with us through contact with Form Tutors and Heads of Year in the first instance. We also provide regular opportunities to promote partnership with parents/carers, including:

• Induction Evening for parents/carers of new in-take Year 7 children;
• Meet the teacher evening in September for Year 7 parents/carers to meet their child’s Form Tutor;
• Parents’/Carers’ Evenings;
• Information evenings for different year groups;
• Open door policy for parents/carers to communicate with school through the Head of Year;
• Annual questionnaires;
• Involvement in reviews for children with special educational needs;
• School website information about well-being and mental health.

Sometimes children need well-being support beyond that outlined above.

• A child may directly request help by speaking to a member of staff who should then relay this information to the appropriate Head of Year/Head of Population.

• A parent/carer may request help or raise a concern about their child’s well-being.
• A member of staff may raise a concern. Safe-guarding concerns are referred to our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).

Heads of Year/Heads of Population discuss appropriate courses of action on an individual basis, liaising with the child, parents/carers, and relevant internal school teams including the Pastoral Team (led by an Assistant Headteacher) and the Emotional Well-being Team (led by an Assistant Headteacher). This may lead to a referral being made to the school well-being team or to external agencies.

When a referral comes into the school well-being team the Mental Health Lead for children identifies the practitioner best placed to provide the first level of support. The intervention is provided and progress is monitored. Often this first phase of support is enough for the child but sometimes they may need further support either in-school or through referral to an external team. Sometimes a child needs referral to an external team as the first step.

Children are supported at Reigate School by those who are trained to work with children with emotional well-being or mental health issues. There is in-school support including:

Mentoring Counselling Emotional Literacy Support (ELSA)

Child Well-being Practitioners

Information of further help and support for parents/carers and children is on this website.

Children are also encouraged to access information and support through our emotional well-being information boards and electronic noticeboards.

We can also contact external teams to seek further support:

Educational Psychologist Learning Space ASD Outreach

The Lucy Rayner Foundation Specialist Teachers in Practice (STIPS)

CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services)

MHST (Mental Health Support Teams) including the Primary Mental Health Worker

School nurse team

There are a range of risk and resilience factors that may mean a child needs help. It is recognised that some children and young people “such as those in special circumstances or those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities will be at greater risk of developing mental health problems.” (National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services). However, anyone can experience difficulties with their mental health: “when risk factors and stressful life events outweigh the protective factors, even the most resilient individual can develop problems” (Surrey CAMHS).

Surrey CAMHS identify three main areas of risk and resilience:

1. The child (including low self-esteem, physical illness, developmental delay, temperament);
2. The family (including parental conflict, family breakdown, inconsistent or unclear discipline, parental psychiatric illness, death and loss);
3. The environment (including socio-economic disadvantage, homelessness, discrimination).

A child may have Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) or other events that have an impact on them and affect their behaviour or emotional state.

Surrey CAMHS states that we should be concerned if:

• There is a change in the child’s usual behaviour, emotions or thoughts;
• The problem is persistent or follows a pattern;
• It is severe enough to interfere with the child’s everyday life;
• There is a disability to the child or the carers.

These should not be considered in isolation but as “warning signs” that determine further inquiries.

Risk factors are factors that raise the likelihood of a mental health need occurring.

There are three main areas:

1. Child
2. Family
3. Environment

Child

• Genetic influences
• Low IQ and learning difficulties
• Specific developmental delay
• Communication difficulties
• Difficult temperament/inflexible
• Physical illness, especially if chronic and/or neurological
• Academic failure
• Low self-esteem

Family

• Overt parental conflict
• Family breakdown
• Inconsistent or unclear discipline
• Hostile and rejecting relationships
• Failure to adapt to child’s changing developmental needs
• Abuse – physical, sexual and/or emotional
• Parental psychiatric illness
• Parental criminality, alcoholism and personality disorders
• Death and loss – including loss of friendships

Environment

• Socio-economic disadvantage
• Homelessness
• Disaster
• Discrimination
• Other significant life events

Resilience factors are factors that lower the likelihood of a mental health need occurring.

There are three main areas:

1. Child
2. Family
3. Environment

Child

• Secure early relationships
• Being female (early in life pre-teen)
• Higher intelligence
• Easy temperament when an infant
• Positive attitude, problem-solving approach
• Good communication skills
• Planner, belief in control
• Humour
• Religious faith
• Capacity to reflect

Family

• At least one good parent-child relationship
• Affection
• Clear, firm and consistent discipline
• Support for education
• Supportive long-term relationship/absence of severe discord

Environment

• Wider supportive network (e.g. in teachers, youth leaders, etc.)
• Good housing
• High standard of living
• High morale school with policies for behaviour, attitude and anti-bullying
• Schools with strong academic and non-academic opportunities
• Range of sport/leisure opportunities

It is important to note the “complex interplay between risk and resilience factors. As the number of risks accumulate for children or young people, more protective factors are needed to act as a counter-balance”.

Below are some links to helpful information and resources.

Crisis Line: freephone number - 0800 915 4644

Staffed by a team of experienced, trained call handlers and mental health nurses.

A 24 hour, 7 days a week mental health crisis line for children, young people and their families and carers in Surrey.

Available for children and young people up to the age of 18, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND).

Provides emotional well-being support, advice, and signposting to a range of community services for children, young people and their families and carers who are in a mental health crisis. The number is available to those who are already receiving mental health services, and also for those who are not. No referral is needed.

A key aim of the crisis line is to help support young people, carers and families within their own homes and in the community and, whenever possible, help avoid the need for children and young people to go to hospital in a crisis.

Talking to a child about mental health

Advice for parents and carers: talking mental health with young people at secondary school | Anna Freud

Worry

Seven ways to support children and young people who are worried | Anna Freud

https://weheartcbt.com/for-parents

Anxiety

• Let's talk about anxiety: animation and teacher toolkit | Anna Freud
• https://weheartcbt.com/for-parents

Anxiety is a natural, normal feeling we all experience from time to time. It can vary in severity from mild uneasiness through to a terrifying panic attack. It can vary in how long it lasts, from a few moments to many years.

All children and young people get anxious at times; this is a normal part of their development as they grow up and develop their ‘survival skills’ so they can face challenges in the wider world. We all have different levels of stress we can cope with - some people are just naturally more anxious than others and are quicker to get stressed or worried.

Concerns are raised when anxiety gets in the way of a child’s day to day life, slowing down their development, or having a significant effect on their schooling or relationships.

Eating Disorders

• www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk

Anyone can get an eating disorder regardless of their age, gender or cultural background. Many eating disorders involve low self-esteem, shame, secrecy and denial.

Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are the major eating disorders. People with anorexia live at a low body weight, beyond the point of slimness and in an endless pursuit of thinness by restricting what they eat and sometimes compulsively over-exercising. In contrast, people with bulimia have intense cravings for food, secretively overeat and then purge to prevent weight gain (by vomiting or use of laxatives, for example).

Self-harm

• www.harmless.org.uk
• https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/parents-a-z-mental-health-guide/self-harm/
• self-harm-2020.pdf (mind.org.uk)

Self-harm is any behaviour where the intent is to deliberately cause harm to one’s own body for example:

• Cutting, scratching, scraping or picking skin
• Swallowing inedible objects
• Taking an overdose of prescription or non-prescription drugs
• Swallowing hazardous materials or substances
• Burning or scalding
• Hair-pulling
• Banging or hitting the head or other parts of the body
• Scouring or scrubbing the body excessively

Further Sources of Support and Information

Local organisations:

Chat health poster has to go in here from current website but I don’t know how to do this.

To look for other apps go here: ORCHA

Recommended reading list

Suitable for parents/carers and teachers

Some may be suitable for children depending on topic/child

www.reading-well.org.uk/books/books-on-prescription/young-people-mental-health