Positive Mental Health
Supporting positive mental health
Schools can play a critical part in many different ways to help promote good mental health in children and to prevent later problems. We do this in many ways through:
- a positive and supportive school ethos that creates an environment that enhances children and school staff's mental health.
- delivery of curriculum-based activities, supporting key social and emotional skills.
- build on and celebrate positive peer relationships and school staff relationships.
- capitalise on the many 'light-touch' daily contacts that staff have with children and families.
As a staff we model positive self-care, resilience and strong social and emotional skills.
Mental Health Support Team MHST
We work with the Halton Mental Health Support Team (MHST) service, which aims to promote the early detection and prevention of mental health problems across the whole school, and strengthen links between schools and mental health services.
The team will provide direct, ongoing support to schools around mental health and wellbeing. This will include:
- Providing direct interventions to pupils with mild to moderate mental health conditions, such as anxiety, low mood or behavioural difficulties.
- Where young people require specialist support, making onward referrals for pupils to local services, such as child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS).
- Providing training, education and advice to school staff to help them better support their pupils around mental and emotional wellbeing.
- Championing mental wellbeing and resilience across the whole school community, providing guidance around issues such as bullying and coping with exam stress.
If you have any concerns please discuss with your child's class teacher or our Family Support Worker.
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services - also known as CAMHS
The CAMHS service in Halton support children and young people up to age 18 with their emotional and mental health and wellbeing.
When we talk about your mental health, we mean how you feel and how you cope with the things going on in your life. This could be connected to anything from school, your friends or even your family life. If you feel you aren’t coping too well with the ups and downs of life, it may be that you need some support to help you manage them better.
If you do need help, CAMHS will work together with you and your family to decide what support you need to have good mental health and wellbeing. Our aim is to help young people get the support they need to tackle any problems early on before they get worse, and to act quickly if they do.
Halton CAMHS
Thorn Road Clinic
Thorn Road
Runcorn
WA7 5HQ
Tel: 01928 568 162 (9am-5pm, Mon-Fri)
If you need support outside these hours, you can contact the CAMHS Response Team every day until 9pm, on 01744 627 618.