Emotionally Healthy Schools

Emotionally Healthy Schools — Nantwich Education Partnership

For 2017-2019, the local authority has received a large grant to develop 'emotionally healthy' schools across Cheshire East. This is a really valuable opportunity. We are all aware of the ever increasing need for our young people to develop strategies to cope with the pressures they face.

Through joint working with health, the council and schools a whole programme of training and interventions are being offered to pupils and staff. As a cluster the Nantwich Educational Partnership (NEP), are first in line to receive all the benefits of what promises to be an excellent initiative. The scheme is currently being funded for two years and across Cheshire East schools are being asked to engage in a wide range of training opportunities both directed at staff and at pupils.

We have already had whole town training on a how health and well-being support for our staff and young people can bring about better live outcomes for all in our care. All schools are also being offered workshops to help staff to recognise signs of anxiety, stress and mental health challenges that young people may have and how we can best support and guide them to professional help. Within schools, staff have professional development opportunities planned throughout the year to better equip pupils to recognise and manage their emotions, develop resilience and cope with times of transition and change.

Our whole town INSET in February 2018 followed an Emotionally Healthy Schools agenda, with workshops held across town schools led by the NHS's Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and Visyon, led by Tools for Schools; a charity that supports the emotional health of children, young people and their families.

The Nantwich Education Partnership aim to have increased our capacity within our town to better support our young people's mental health. We are actively engaging in the initiative as we believe this is a powerful and timely programme that has the potential to improve outcomes for our community. This is a government funded initiative which is currently being provided at no direct charge to schools.

Should you want to know any more about the programme then please call into school and speak to Mrs Cador who is our school's lead for the programme.

Below are a few websites that you might find helpful or check the Cheshire East Live Well webpages:-

www.minded.org.uk

www.familylinks.org.uk

www.youinmind.org

www.headspace.com