Mental Health First Aid in Wales
As License Holders of Mental Health First Aid in Wales our mission is to provide high quality evidence-based mental health information, training, education and services that are accessible and affordable to all. Our goal is to build resilience in individuals and reduce stigma in the community. Why is Training important? Training is essential to equip people with the tools, understanding and confidence to deal with all kinds of mental ill-health and wellbeing issues. Given the current climate in the UK surrounding mental health, the likelihood of encountering issues both personally, and professionally is almost guaranteed. Available Courses Include: • Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid Wales • Mental Health First Aid Wales Instructor Training • ASIST, Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training • MHA (Mental Health Awareness) as well as MHA for Managers • Stress Management • Debt and Suicide • Bespoke training courses developed upon request Training in Mind also hold the License to deliver Teen Mental Health First Aid in Wales, which will Pilot in early 2020. Mental Health First Aid Mental Health First Aid is an invaluable program which provides knowledge and resources to persons that are developing a mental health problem, experiencing a worsening of an existing mental health problem, or in a mental health crisis. The first aid is given until the appropriate professional help is received or the crisis resolves. The Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid Wales courses are based on international MHFA Guidelines. The curriculum content is evidence-based, with the input of mental health professionals, researchers, and consumer advocates. Participants will gain improved knowledge of mental illnesses and their interventions, knowledge of appropriate first aid strategies and confidence to help individuals experiencing a mental health problem. Topics covered include: Developing mental health problems • Depression • Anxiety problems • Eating disorders • Psychosis • Substance use problems Mental health crises • Suicidal thoughts and behaviours • Non-suicidal self-injury • Panic attacks • Traumatic events • Severe psychotic states • Severe effects from alcohol or other drug use • Aggressive behaviours Testimonials Instructor Training – “This inspirational training has allowed me to train staff in my school in the essential YMHFA skills. The content is detailed and relevant to Wales and the young people we are working with. I felt empowered and ready to begin the training and well supported in all aspects of the preparation for my subsequent courses.” MHFA Wales, 2 day Course – “I would just like to express my sincere thanks to you… for the course last week, I found it very beneficial and I am sure it will assist me and give me a greater knowledge in dealing with mental health problems, should they arise when out and about on Duty. It will also be useful to have the knowledge and advice to pass onto others.” Contact Mental Health First Aid Wales on: Tel: 01495707360 Email: info@mhfawales.org Or enquire using our online form at: www.mhfa-wales.org/index.php?route=information/contact
How to tackle anxiety and mental health in school
What can schools do about the increasing issue of anxiety and other mental health issues that many children are now suffering from? This is an important question for all schools and educators. Beverly Smalley, Education Specialist at TTS Group, looks at ways teachers can recognise the issues at hand and what they can do to effectively support those suffering. In a recent survey of wellbeing by PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) for children aged 15, the UK came 38th out of 48 countries in terms of how happy they felt. This shows the scale of the issue at hand – which begs the question: In our relatively affluent society, what is causing these problems? Why are young people so unhappy and why does it seem to be an increasing factor for this particular generation? Looking at the facts – there seem to be two major differences between now and the previous generation: social media and heightened school pressures. Social media The biggest and most obvious difference is the rise and absolute dominance of social media. This is almost certainly a factor in the mental health decline we are seeing. It can lead to anxiety in so many ways and with the rise of influencers, young people are constantly comparing themselves and everything they do with celebrities and their lavish lifestyle, leaving many feeling worthless. As social media platforms are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year – it is almost impossible to get away from, with many only really switching off once they are asleep. School pressures In the UK, we test children from the minute they start school and assess them on an almost daily basis. Many young children are given excessive amounts of homework very early with a vast curriculum, which is simply overwhelming to students. Things like being graded and scored against other students and can be a source of embarrassment for some students who don’t perform as well in written examinations or when under extreme pressure. Schools and teachers are also under a great amount of pressure from the government and because of this, around one in five teachers (18%) are expected to leave the classroom in less than two years and two-fifths of teachers, school leaders and support staff want to quit in the next five years – blaming “out of control” workload pressures and “excessive” accountability, according to a poll by the country’s biggest teaching union. A number of teachers agree that the UK should adopt the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence which puts wellbeing at the heart of learning, stating: ‘The responsibilities of all include each practitioner’s role in establishing open, positive, supportive relationships across the school community, where children and young people will feel that they are listened to, and where they feel secure in their ability to discuss sensitive aspects of their lives; in promoting a climate in which children and young people feel safe and secure; in modelling behaviour which promotes health and wellbeing and encouraging it in others; through using learning and teaching methodologies which promote effective learning; and by being sensitive and responsive to the wellbeing of each child and young person’ They also like the idea of each child having a specific member of staff for each child who they can rely on in any situation but specifically for mental health and resilience help. Although, this is difficult to really put into practice. With the ever-growing concerns about mental health, let’s hope that schools somehow manage to make it more of a priority despite the huge external pressures they are under; not just giving a nod to it or ticking another box, but so that pupils know their concerns and wellbeing really are taken seriously. It’s too late for my daughter; she will look back on those formative years and feel the school system failed her. There must be change or we are stacking up huge problems for the future.
Sex and relationships education stalling in schools
Sex and relationships education will soon become a legal requirement in every child’s education. With only nine months to go before this process starts*, a survey of young people suggests that teaching of the subject in schools is flat-lining, and for many the ‘talk’ with parents is not filling in the gaps. In a poll commissioned by the Sex Education Forum, 16 and 17-year-olds were asked to rate aspects of their RSE at school and home. Only 41% per cent rated their school-based RSE as good or very good, slightly lower than a similar poll (45%) conducted in 2018. At home, young people rated the RSE they received from their parents or carers as only slightly better, with 48% saying it was good or very good. The findings, being presented at the national conference ‘Final Countdown to Statutory RSE’ on 29th November, found that at the other end of the scale, one in six (17%) young people rated their school RSE as bad or very bad, and 19% said the same of their parents, raising concerns that a lack of consistency and fear of addressing more sensitive topics is depriving some young people of learning that would support their safety and well-being. In schools, the topics that had been covered most adequately were how babies are conceived and born, bullying, puberty, condoms and contraception, the medically correct terms for genitalia and STIs. The topics where young people were least likely to say they had learnt all they needed to at school were sexual pleasure, pornography and FGM. LGBT+ teaching was another area of concern, with 18% of young people saying they learnt nothing about LGBT+ issues at school, and a further 28% said they had not learnt all that they needed to about LGBT+ issues. Young people said parents were more likely than schools to fully discuss marriage and other committed relationships with them, with nearly three-quarters of 16-17 year olds saying they had learnt everything they needed to about this from discussions with their parents. Young people were also more likely to say they’d had adequate learning about healthy and abusive relationships from their parents compared with schools. Young people are more likely to have learnt about ‘how babies are conceived and born’ from school than home, with 14% of young people not having learnt about this from parents/carers at all compared with only 3% who didn’t learn this at school. Other findings include: Nearly 1 in 5 (19%) young people had not learnt the medically correct names for genitalia from parents and carers, compared to just 1 in 20 (5%) who had not learnt this at school. Condoms, contraception and STIs are topics missed out by around a fifth of parents/carers compared with 1 in 20 respondents not learning about these topics at school. Near 1 in 10 (9%) of young people had not learnt anything about puberty from their parents/carers Lucy Emmerson, Director of the Sex Education Forum, said: “As we rapidly approach a new era in relationships and sex education, young people are making it loud and clear that school and parents both fall short in discussing issues that are pressing and relevant for them. We call on the future Government to confidently lead the way, to make a proper investment in teacher training in this specialist subject, and to give clarity that all schools are expected to provide LGBT+ inclusive education. Ultimately young people want to learn from home and school, and research shows that RSE is more effective when both are involved. We’d like to see future Ministers being ambitious and setting out a strategy to support parents in their role as educators and commitment to see through the changes in schools”.
Recruitment for education roles slows down in the run up to the general election
As the UK gears up for its fourth general election since 2010, increased economic uncertainty has led to a significant drop in job advertisements across the education industry. In fact, according to data from the UK’s leading job board, CV-Library, the number of advertisements fell by 4.9% month-on-month and a further 1.6% year-on-year. The findings, which explore job market data from November 2019 and compare this with the previous month and the same period in 2018, also reveal that while the number of jobs on offer are down, average salaries for these roles have increased by a slight 1.3% year-on-year. Lee Biggins, CEO and founder of CV-Library, comments: “We know that the country is facing a massive teacher shortage and this has only been worsened by the fact that the government missed its targets for secondary school teacher recruitment for the seventh year in a row. Clearly, this is causing the industry’s employers to feel cautious about their hiring efforts, though this isn’t unusual at this time of year. “With the sector facing ongoing skills shortages, the marginal increase in pay will do little to encourage people who are on the fence about starting a career in education.. As we approach a typically busier period for recruitment, we hope to gain some clarity on how we will navigate through these tumultuous times.” Interestingly, it isn’t just employers putting on the brakes this month. In fact, applications to education jobs also fell by 17.9% in November, with the industry experiencing the second highest drop in this area. Lee Biggins continues: “It’s important to remember that while these numbers are certainly exacerbated by the current political climate, this time of year is usually quieter for recruitment across the board. Because of this, it’s a good time to take stock of where your company is currently at and start thinking about your future hiring needs. In doing so, you’ll ensure that you’re ready to recruit when the dust has settled after the general election and when many candidates will be looking for a change after the Christmas period.”
Thera-Build® with LEGO®
Thera-Build® is a LEGO®-based therapeutic approach for improving children’s emotional well-being. Participation in Thera-Build® groups can help to boost self-esteem, support social development, build positive attachments and encourage purposeful conversation. The methodology was developed by Alyson Thomsen, a former senior teacher and LEGO® Education Certified Trainer. Aly continues to work with families, schools, charities and Trusts to provide quality commissioned projects for children, and also provides training for parents, carers and professionals. Training covers: · The value of LEGO® as a therapeutic tool. · The fundamentals of Thera-Build® and its therapeutic aims. · The theory behind the methodology. · How to resource and organise a Thera-Build® intervention. · LEGO® building tips, technical vocabulary and advice. · The importance of purposeful play. · Helpful strategies for creating a secure therapeutic relationship. · Practical activities to help children learn to co and self-regulate. · Lots of ideas for LEGO® building experiences! Find more about Thera-Build® here: www.bricks2learn.com
Happiest days of their lives?
The Schools Health Education Unit, based in Exeter since 1977, has just released a major report about the emotional health and wellbeing of young people. Headline Findings ο Boys had significantly higher self-esteem than girls; this difference becomes more marked as children get older. ο The oldest girls (Year 10, 14-15yo) score less well than all other groups for self-esteem, resilience, worrying (for any topic and multiple topics), satisfaction with life and social confidence. Trends ο Worrying about school-work increased among all groups since 2002, especially among 14-15yo girls. ο Self-esteem seems stable or improving in the primary phase, but self-esteem among 14-15 yo girls has declined in the last decade. Angela Balding, Surveys Manager for SHEU, says: “We believe there is much support in our figures for the widely-held belief that young people’s emotional wellbeing has declined in recent years, as seen in results for self-esteem, satisfaction, and worries. “This decline is found in secondary school pupils rather than primary school pupils, and most strongly in Year 10 females (14-15yo). Emotional Health and Wellbeing in Young People into 2019 is available for download on application to SHEU. Visit http://sheu.org.uk/ehwb2019 for details. What about your school? The data analysed in the report come from SHEU surveys commissioned by local authorities and schools across the UK. If you would like to find out what is going on in your school, contact SHEU on admin@sheu.org.uk or tel.(01392) 66 72 72. Free research news links service (email or online) https://sheu.org.uk/links Free open-source online journal https://sheu.org.uk/journal
Lighting control for schools
Lighting control has seen dramatic changes in recent years as the advent for energy efficiency, costs saving and creating mood lighting has become a hugely desired need and aspect for all sectors. Lighting control systems vary depending on the need of their usage. Some are good for Architectural lighting, or Commercial lighting whilst others suit Residential lighting or venues. Lighting control has come a long way today and a plethora of products exist to suit all needs. Hence it is vital, if not key to understand and appreciate the type of products, their suitability and sustainability to synergise with your project. As we work with the majority of key brands, we are skilled and experienced in assisting you with the right advice, budget and recommendation of the key elements for your project. Aspects we can advise you on, for example, are understanding and guiding you through the control strategy and energy savings aspects. We have experience, expertise and knowledge on the majority of leading brands to cater to these specialist needs from lighting control equipment supply, installing, programming and providing support for all major systems including control gears, user interfaces, ballasts, circuit boards, dimmers, switch plates, touch screens, iphone and tablet programming. We can fix most issues we encounter on various systems with our expertise and specialisation. We truly believe in service and more importantly find the best solution for each site – be it short or long term. We can work to small or large budgets. We are a flexible company and therefore attempt to attend call outs within 48 hours as much as possible. Part of this flexibility means we can provide out of hours or work around normal hours service. As we say in our motto….’Believe in service only’ We have engineers who can visit sites at short notice; our hourly rates and call out charges are very competitive, be it in or out of hours; we can provide annual maintenance and service contracts. Since being established in 2011, Balkar Lighting Limited has successfully managed to provide a much needed service for lighting control systems to hundreds of satisfied clients. We have carried out work in hotels, private residences, commercial buildings, historic buildings, galleries and restaurants through to new build projects.
Tackling fires and the cost of extinguishers in educational premises
A fire within an educational building can cause devastation, let alone put young lives at risk. With a 1 in 20 chance of a fire breaking out in your premises there is good reason to ensure that you have adequate firefighting provisions to tackle small fires. Balancing this fact against tight budgets can cause some educational establishments a huge headache. The P50 service-free range of fire extinguishers helps address these issues, giving you all the firefighting power that you need while also saving you up to £300 over the lifetime of each extinguisher. The P50s are available as foam, powder and wet chemical extinguishers and are constructed from composite plastic with an aramid core for strength. All other components are made from stainless steel and chrome plated brass and as such the extinguisher will not corrode, no matter how harsh the environment. These extinguishers have a 10 year warranty and do not require an annual service by a trained extinguisher service engineer or a refill after five years. They only require an annual visual inspection by one of your team – you save the money for the annual service visit and the cost of the refill. After 10 years the extinguishers can be factory refurbished, giving you another 10 years lifespan. P50s save you money and are kinder to the environment. For more information visit www.safelincs.co.uk or call our Customer Care Team 0800 612 6537
Educating the ‘whole child’
“It is clear that we have reached the limits of using data alone as a proxy for educational quality.” Amanda Spielman, HM Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills writes in an opinion piece for Schools Week (January 2019). “Inspection should capture the things that no data measure can, no matter how well constructed. We need to look at how a school has achieved results, not just take them at face value, and at the things that aren’t and often can’t be measured.” At the beginning of the school year, Ofsted’s Education Inspection framework (EIF) came into effect, encouraging nurseries, schools and colleges to implement a holistic approach to culture, putting emphasis on the wellbeing of teachers and pupils – not on data and statistics. The shift in focus details the importance of ambitious curriculums that give all learners the knowledge they need to succeed in life, not just in the classroom, as well as environments that cultivate positive relationships between learners and staff, allowing students to concentrate on learning and teachers on teaching. Significantly, it states educating the ‘whole child’ and the influence education settings can have on young peoples’ lives. The new EIF is inclusive and it’s time. What is the ‘whole child’ and a ‘whole school approach?’ Educating the ‘whole child’ means not only teaching the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in classes, but helping each individual to develop their confidence, resilience, and independence. It’s ensuring the wellbeing of the person through a framework that supports and enriches, recognising when a child or teacher may be struggling or facing issues, and equipping the whole school, from teachers to governors with the knowledge and toolkits to help. Fortis Therapy and Training are the creators of ‘Tribe’, a programme of wellbeing support that successfully engages all within the learning environment, leading to a true, positive culture change. Each package of support is bespoke to the school’s requirements, which is determined following thorough consultations. It incorporates a large range of training, coaching, mediation, reflective practice, and creative therapeutic interventions and engagement tools with a fully qualified, experienced Fortis Therapist. Alexis Powell-Howard is a Psychotherapist and the Managing Director of the multi award winning Fortis Therapy and Training. She says: “It is imperative that we help children and young people to find their Tribe and to thrive in school as well as supporting teachers in their personal and professional lives. Ofsted are right, that these improvements are notoriously difficult to measure on a matrix or graph, but there are ways of capturing the difference a whole school approach makes. We cannot underestimate the resilience this new focus will bring for our children into adulthood too.” Fortis Therapy and Training are multi-national award-winning providers of mental health and emotional wellbeing support working across the UK. For more information, call 01472 241794, email enquiries@fortistherapy.co.uk, or visit fortistherapy.co.uk. Image credit: Chris Lynn & Business Hive