Inspirational teachers hold the key for “can do” students
Many children and young people have this debilitating habit of putting themselves down. They feel that somehow they are unworthy and will never be as good as anyone else and so begins the downward spiral into low self-esteem, but it doesn’t have to be this way – and teaching professionals hold the solution. It’s one of the ironies of life that children and young people frequently set ridiculously high expectations for themselves and when they fail to reach those levels they respond negatively and assume they are failures. It’s not uncommon for young people to describe themselves as “stupid” or “not good enough” and so begins a pattern in life that reinforces itself with an expectation that failure will automatically happen every time they try something new – and of course they are never disappointed. Teaching professionals witness this every day in classroom situations where students have already given up because they believe they will not achieve the right results. Even worse, students suffering this level of low self-esteem believe that they alone are the failures. It is one of the reasons why we developed courses that teaching professionals can use to combat areas of negativity and low self esteem and these are available for a very low annual cost via our website – www.powerfulpositivethinking.org/courses The mission of course is to reverse those levels of negativity before it turns into mental illness when children simply give up which is why positive thinking courses are now proving so effective at schools and academies worldwide. Children can be taught that failure should be a learning experience. The world’s greatest entrepreneurs and successful business people have all failed on numerous occasions but have learned from their mistakes and tried again and again until they found the formula that worked. Part of the success formula means eliminating debilitating negative phrases and replacing them with “can do” options. “People will think I am stupid” can be replaced with people will “think I am cool for trying.” Words such as “I am not good enough” can be replaced with “I will always do my best.” In our courses for schools we find that it’s the students who can quickly think of other alternative positive phrases to replace the negatives and once they get the idea it can automatically become habit forming with attitudes changing into “can do” from “can’t do.” When you use life examples to remind students that success has to be earned and worked for – and that failure can be used as a positive for the next time -then they begin to get the message. Always remember that billionaire Richard Branson started his business from a phone box and X Factor stars that made it to the big time will always tell you of those months and years learning their craft in dusty clubs and music halls – and getting this message across starts with the right words from inspirational teachers and counsellors like you. Michael Younge is founder of Powerful Positive Thinking which provides positivity courses for schools and academies worldwide. To know more visit: www.powerfulpositivethinking.org/courses Email michael.young@powerfulpositivethinking.org for more information
Raising child self-esteem takes patience
Andrea Chatten, the founder of mental health service Unravel, is the Lead Children’s Emotional & Behavioural Psychologist and author of The Blinks novels. Here, she discusses raising child self-esteem and its effect on behaviour… I have always been fascinated in children’s emotional and behavioural difficulties. Starting out as a teacher, I recognised that, although it was my role to educate them in maths, English and the ten plus subjects that they needed to be taught, but these children needed more. I felt passionate and committed to help these children understand some of the difficult and complex feelings that they were experiencing, and which hugely affected their well-being. No matter how clever they had the potential to be, unless they received lots of emotional understanding and different ways of doing things, these kids could miss out on the most important thing we want for children – happiness. When I became a parent I found myself challenged with the level of responsibility and pressure to ensure that my children did not become as emotionally vulnerable as some of the children who I had worked with for many years. Parenting was by far the most difficult job that I had done as it was the most important. Don’t get me wrong the love and commitment I had for my class really wasn’t much different to what I felt for my own children but this role was about me helping my children evolve from the blank canvas that they were born as. As parents, carers and teachers, we are fundamental in how our child’s canvas develops. How much colour is present? How much grey? How the colours are dispersed, how bright those colours are and more importantly how appealing the final product is within our culture. Raising children with good self-esteem takes patience, huge, regular bundles of patience, as children translate patience into love. Patience means being gentle. Patience makes us listen more actively. Patience means we find time in this crazy fast world to stop and just be in the moment with our children. This love then becomes locked away inside of children and activates a core message that runs through them like a stick of rock. In order for children to develop a good level of self-esteem the message needs to be positive – “I am ok. I’m not perfect, I have faults but I am ok. I am worthy of love.” Reading this may make you feel pressured as it is your job and you, like every champion of the children in your care has made mistakes. You too just need to be ok, not perfect, you have flaws and bad days too. I had to have a serious word with myself when both my children were small. Coping day to day with sleep deprivation, a hungry breastfeeding baby and a toddler was tough. Some days I was not the best Mum. As I had only ever worked with children with emotional and behavioural difficulties, it seemed so easy to mess up children and damage their self-esteem. Please let me reassure you now it isn’t that easy. Long term damage to self-esteem develops over time. Not from a bad day here and there, though how we re-engage with our child afterwards is essential. Apologies and explanations mean we take responsibility for negative actions and don’t leave them with the child. It also means that we model real emotions and make mistakes a normal part of being human. If we don’t re-connect emotionally afterwards, that can make children feel like it is their fault and they aren’t good enough. It is this internal dialogue that can begin the spiral of low self-esteem. Children’s self-esteem starts with us. We have to find as many ways to show children that we not only love them but like them. Also, it is essential that if our children have pushed us into going off them, that this stage is only ever temporary and we the adults get back on them as soon as possible. Children are highly sensitive to this emotional withdrawal and that too fosters low self-esteem. Raising children with good self-esteem is not difficult if we practise positive interactions and keep reflecting throughout the process. None us are perfect but with love, patience, and emotional warmth our children’s canvases can be bright, colourful and most of all happy. Top tips to help support your child’s emotional well-being 1. Get in sync – emotional connection is key. It is normal to disconnect with our children, life is demanding. However, when children don’t feel positively connected to us, it impacts on their well-being which is often communicated by negative behaviours 2. Communicate as much as possible from as early as possible. Talking with each other is how we learn, and problem solve, and it starts younger than we once thought. If you want to be having meaningful conversations with your teenager’s start being open and honest when they are two or three. 3. Listen to what your children tell you – they will teach us. It can be difficult hearing hurtful things from our children, but they are telling us what they need. Don’t hear what they say actively listen. 4. Avoid general praise – be specific. Avoid using words like good and bad with kids. This can negatively impact on identity and well-being. Instead reward and praise the action, progress or value. They are less likely to reject this kind of praise and it fosters healthier self-esteem 5. Keep reflecting. The only difference between a positive parent and a negative parent is reflection. It certainly won’t stop us making mistakes, but we might make fewer mistakes and certainly not keep making the same ones! 6. Help children to name and claim emotions. Our emotions are designed to keep us alive. We must acknowledge them otherwise the brain will turn the volume up on them meaning we feel emotions much more intensely. Once we name them our brain relaxes in the hope, we will then do
The wellbeing of teachers
Wellbeing seems to have become a buzzword throughout 2019, with terms like ‘self-care’ and ‘self-love’ growing in popularity. But in the midst of the craze, it is easy to forget what it is all about, and how important wellness and good mental health are – particularly in the world of Education. It is no surprise that the demands of teaching and the fast-paced nature of education can take a toll on the mental health of a teacher, especially if the support system around them isn’t as strong as it could be. But what role do we, as a recruitment business, play in supporting the teachers we have placed and the businesses that we work with? How can we make this world a better one, and have teachers staying in education for longer? At the start of 2019, it was declared that the government had set up an initiative to improve the mental health and wellbeing in the education sector. The Advisory Group was set up in partnership with MIND to investigate and improve the way in which wellness is seen in the sector. But as far as we can see, the problem still persists and we want to change that. As recruiters, it is important for us that the people we place find passion in their place of work, that they feel valued and progress into a career they love. Education is our speciality, but we see it all too many times where members of staff are inundated with work or feel they have no one to speak to. Oftentimes, the support is there, but accessing it can be tricky, or there is a sense of stigma attached to reaching out to the support system at the school or college. This is what we want to end. Teachers are wonderful and they are responsible for shaping students into the humans they become. If they feel stressed or pressured, they won’t be performing at their best, and therefore the students will not be getting the best. This could be a tragedy in the making. By speaking out, we can make the gap between struggle and support smaller, and give the teachers and students a better chance at education. The industry needs better communication, which gives room for difficult conversations and the reassurance that help is at the other end, as opposed to the fear of job loss or lost confidence. We are committed to the people we place and will be on hand to speak, even if you are no longer new to your role, if we can help, we will. We also want a call for better resilience training and for teachers to be given those coping tools that could make their lives so much easier. From workshops to e-learning, when you have the tools to tackle wellbeing and mental health, it much less feels like a battle and becomes more manageable. It is no surprise that workload plays a huge part in these challenges, but when budgets are smaller and deadlines are tighter, it can be hard to say ‘no’ when something is becoming tricky as a teacher. There should be no shame in reaching out for help and pushing back on projects that do more harm than good. We want to make wellbeing a key part of education, and change the perception that has been blanketed over the sector. We know it won’t be an easy task but we are prepared for the journey and we are lucky to have great allies on our side within the industry. Together, we can make sure the teachers and education providers of the present and the future are fully equipped and empowered to deal with the daily challenges of teaching, and are free to reap the rewards of teaching too. Albert Einstein said, “I never teach my pupils, I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.” In order for this to be true, we need to create the conditions where teachers are able to offer that without question or doubt. At Dovetail and Slate, we are working and looking to a future of better wellbeing and mental health for our teachers, and we will work with our providers to make this a reality. If you want to chat further about the wellbeing of teachers, we are only a phone call away.
Promoting positive mental health and wellbeing in teachers
Promoting positive mental health and wellbeing in teachers By Helen Kirk-Brown, Director of Hays Education, South East The Teacher Wellbeing Index 2018, a report generated by the Educational Support Partnership, notes that 67% of education professionals describe themselves as stressed and 31% have experienced a mental health issue in the past academic year. Worryingly, 57% of all education professionals have considered leaving the sector over the past two years as a result of health pressures. Teacher wellbeing needs to be enhanced for the sake of the teachers, their colleagues and, ultimately, the children. Funding is a major challenge, so what simple low-cost actions can your school take to enhance mental wellbeing? We’ve put together our top tips on how you can promote positive mental health to your teachers. 1. Encourage staff to share their stories Whether it’s via an informal staff room chat, an agenda point on a staff meeting or encouraging staff to post blogs on your intranet. It will help an individual not to not feel isolated – to understand that other people have had similar experiences and come out the other end. Be it a work-related or personal challenge they are facing. 2. Promote mindfulness You can promote apps to download (many are free or offer a reduced subscription for teaching staff) or run a yoga session. It is proven that mindfulness helps. You could introduce mindfulness books into the staff room or school library. Is there a guest speaker you could invite in to talk to your staff? Some schools have Mindfulness Gurus. 3. Communication is key Some schools have designed posters with Top Tips for Wellbeing or with signposts to get help if needed, such as the Employee Assistance Programme, to drive awareness and help. How often do you talk about it with staff, SLT or in Governors’ meetings? 4. A charitable focus With the funding challenges within the sector, charity has to start at home, however, it is recognised that collectively raising money for a charity is beneficial for an individual’s mental health. Indeed, if you are doing a physical challenge, it will boost your physical health too! In our recent What Workers Want report, social responsibility is a key factor that people look for from their employers as it links to positive mental wellbeing. 5. A staff charter Do you have a staff charter? Staff charters encourage a positive work-life balance and take positive steps in addressing some of the underlining reasons teachers feel stressed. Some of the actions include: • After school meetings have a published finish time and it’s kept to • A minimum of one evening per week where teachers don’t take work home 6. A school dog Don’t laugh. Some universities and many private sector companies now have dogs at their places of work… again, it is proven that looking after a dog significantly boosts happiness levels. Some schools have introduced them already with great results so look to see if there are any near you that you could learn from. The kids will love it!
Mental health and wellbeing in the classroom
Mental health and wellbeing in the classroom by Paul Matthias, National Director of Hays Education As mental health and wellbeing becoming an increasing priority for schools, we’ve put together our top tips on how you can promote positive mental health in your classrooms. 1. Building awareness Giving students the knowledge and awareness about mental health is the first step in forming a culture of positive mental health in school. A useful initial activity would be to have an assembly to form an open discussion about what students think mental health is and addressing the reality of mental health and its different forms. This concept could be rolled out termly and even extended out to the wider community by inviting parents to also attend. Parental involvement would aid in creating a sense of community, all dedicated to building awareness of mental health and wellbeing. 2. Tackling stigma It’s important to go further than raising awareness of mental health in schools. Try to tackle the possible stigma and prejudices surrounding mental health in order to set the right tone and culture in your classrooms. This could also be addressed with a Q & A section as part of the assembly, so any thoughts or questions surrounding mental health can be answered. This will help students to be more understanding and compassionate to anyone who may be dealing with mental health issues. 3. Communication is key Having a clear focus on mental health awareness in the classroom and school lets you have a basis for communication between you and your pupils. By openly addressing what mental health is you will build confidence in your students, allowing them to feel more comfortable when talking about mental health. The more that communication is encouraged will ultimately help maintain a positive wellbeing ethos in the school. 4. Promote life skills Actions can often be better than words, therefore it’s useful to introduce life skills to students to help them to sustain positive mental well-being which they can take with them for throughout their lives. For example, meditation is a popular technique that some schools have adopted. Lessons can also be adapted with activities for students to help them learning how to, relax, self-manage, and be compassionate. These activities will give students the tools for both their own well-being and aiding others. 5. Assign dedicated roles Alongside the first four tips, it’s a good idea to assign a dedicated ‘Mental Health Champion’ within the school. This person will have the task of ensuring mental health awareness is maintained and that any activities you should decide to integrate into school life are acted on. Also, publicly assigning this role to a member of staff within the school gives everyone a clear point of contact should there be any questions, suggestions or concerns about mental health and wellbeing.
How to prepare a mental health policy for your school
In recent years an increasing number of children have shown signs of suffering from mental health issues, with three children in every classroom reported to have a diagnosable mental health disorder according to a Young Minds charity report. As well as affecting a student’s emotional wellbeing, their educational attainment can also be negatively impacted if they’re struggling to cope with their current mental state. So, as exam season commences, it’s fundamental that those within the industry take extra care and precautions to ensure students thrive during this defining time of their lives. HighSpeed Training explains how to compile a thorough mental health policy document. What is a Mental Health Policy Document? A school mental health policy aims to promote positive mental wellbeing by setting a framework as to how the school will offer support for its students and staff, ensuring that a comfortable and inclusive atmosphere is adhered to during academic and extracurricular activities. Why is a School Mental Health Policy Necessary? During the exam season, the school environment faces the danger of becoming a catalyst for increasing mental health problems. As such, a school should have an effective mental health policy already implemented prior to the end of the academic year when important exams (such as GCSEs and A-Levels) take place. The main aim of the policy is to demonstrate to both students and parents that the wellbeing of those associated with the institute, including students, staff and parents, is a top priority. Additionally, it should highlight the school’s ongoing commitment to understanding the severity of mental health issues within education so that teachers can encourage students to come forward and discuss any difficulties they might be facing. It’s important that the policy showcases the school’s investment in this subject, both for issues that arise at school and at home and not only during the high-pressure testing period, but all year round. Key Components of a Mental Health Policy To compile a policy that will provide maximum impact in a school environment, it’s vital to include the following sections: · Policy Statement · The Policy Scope · The Policy Aims · Key Staff Members · Teaching about Mental Health · Support at School and in the Local Community · Signposting · Identifying Needs and Warning Signs · Managing Disclosures · Confidentiality · Whole School Approach · Working with Parents · Working with Other Agencies and Partners · Supporting Peers · Training · Policy Review Factors to Consider When Writing A School Mental Health Policy It is essential that a school policy is thorough, insightful and accessible to all those in the community. The policy should therefore be: Practical: To ensure maximum impact, the policy needs to be comprehensive and show the school understands student mental health problems. The key areas to include should be what procedures will be put in place to tackle mental health issues and address the importance of positive mental wellbeing, particularly during the time period where pressure ramps up. Clear: The policy should be accessible for everyone and therefore written in clear, direct language and follow a logical structure. Relevant: It is imperative that school-specific details are included in the policy. Where appropriate, aim to include relevant staff names, or bespoke policies and procedures so that the information feels tailored to the school. Current: A mental health policy should reflect the school’s current state at all times, so if there are any changes to the school’s operations or workforce these will have to be updated accordingly. Well-considered: To get the most from a mental health policy, set aside a sufficient amount of time to carefully consider what’s included. When implemented, the policy should cover all aspects of mental health within education in order to have a positive reflection on the school and the wider community. High Speed Training, which provides safeguarding professional training courses for the education sector, has created a template to help schools create their own mental health policy, including all the essentials. For more information and to contact a member of the team, simply visit www.highspeedtraining.co.uk. Written by Ellie Collier, High Speed Training
Why mental health support for teachers must begin in the training year
The prominence and importance of mental health provision is growing in schools – both for pupils and staff – and we are living and breathing the rhetoric around it. In order for teachers to best support children in their care, looking out for their own wellbeing is of the utmost importance, but related support for them should begin within Initial Teacher Training (ITT). It was back in February last year that I first raised this publicly as a necessity. Speaking to NASBTT’s members – primarily School-Centred ITT providers and School Direct Lead Schools – I was hearing first-hand about a new generation of troubled teachers who needed help. Through my own investigation I discovered that in some local authority areas, up to 78% of child and adolescent mental health service referrals were turned away during the period in which last year’s trainees were pupils. There was a clear correlation and worrying pattern emerging. One of the things that concerns me greatly within teacher training is that we are increasingly seeing the trainee teachers themselves presenting with increasing mental health issues. Some of the adolescents, therefore, who fell through the cracks at school are now coming back as adults into an environment where they were first exposed to these feelings of anxiety, mental health issues and exam pressures. Teacher training is a very intense year, and they are going back into schools and presenting quite severe mental health issues. These are people being asked to look after the mental health of the children in their care. If you are not able to take care of your own mental health, it makes you less able to be responsive to the mental health of the children in your class. Last year I took part in the Royal Foundation’s ‘Mental Health in Education’ conference exploring the key issues and barriers around mental health, what teachers need to know and the level of training required, and how to overcome the challenges and support and encourage providers of ITT and NQT training to focus on mental health. This has been the catalyst to two key developments. Firstly, HRH The Duchess of Cambridge, who was involved in the event, and her charity’s staff were interested in receiving more quantitative data to support our observations so we reached out to our members to find out what change over the past three years they have encountered in the frequency and severity of mental health issues presenting in their trainees. As a result we are now working with the Royal Foundation on advice and guidance on mental health and wellbeing of children for all trainee teachers. Secondly, we have devised our own Establishing a Counselling, Wellbeing and Mental Health First Aid Provision for Trainee Teachers programme, which has been extremely well received. It is pleasing to see this issue getting the attention that is required, and we look forward to giving even more exposure to our practical solutions this year, not least through our ‘Essential Guides for Early Career Teachers’ book series. Emma Hollis is Executive Director of the National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers (NASBTT)
How Play Therapy influenced the Child Mental Health Charter
Monika Jephcott is CEO of Play Therapy UK (PTUK) is the UK’s leading play therapy professional organisation, with 1,650 therapists registered under the brand. Here, she explains how PTUK had their say on a pivotal charter which is set to change the face of mental health treatment for children in the UK… In 2018, PTUK joined the All-Party Parliamentary Group on a Fit and Healthy Childhood to contribute alongside experts from other organisations to the production of two reports on child mental health in the UK. The Child Mental Health Charter emerged from these reports and calls upon the Government to put children at the heart of reforming the Mental Health Act in 2019. The basis of the Charter is derived from a number of recommendations for improving the mental health support currently available to the UK’s children. The most important of these recommendations were used to form the Charter’s six key principles, the application of which will make a positive difference in the lives of children and their families by addressing significant defects in current policies: 1. Focus on the Needs of Children – The therapeutic requirements of children are hugely different from those of Young People and therefore these two groups should no longer be categorised together under the term ‘CYP’ 2. Protect Children – At present, almost anyone can work therapeutically with children, which leads to unsafe and ineffective practice. It is crucial that any individual who works therapeutically with children must be registered through an independent government-approved agency such as the Professional Authority’s Accredited Register programme 3. Invest in a Properly Qualified Workforce – Standards for the training required to work therapeutically with children have been set at Level 7 by three leading professional bodies including PTUK. A similar benchmark needs to be in place across all professional organisations working in the Child Mental Health field. 4. Ensure Policy is Informed by the Best Available and Appropriate Evidence – Continuous practice-based evidence gathered over time provides a much more reliable ‘evidence base’ for working with children and it is this that should be used to inform practice and policy rather than the far less reliable sources traditionally used. 5. Focus on the Needs of Parents and Carers – High-quality support must be made available through schools for the parents and carers of children with SEND issues in order to better understand and support their child. 6. Making Policies Work – This can be achieved largely through the optimised allocation of funding and ‘joined-up working’ initiated and improved through the exchange of data. PTUK is the Campaign Leaders for the Charter with myself and our Registrar Jeff Thomas meeting regularly with MPs in Westminster to present the case there. So far, we have achieved major success with the tabling of Early Day Motion #2285 which has been supported to date by 54 MPs. At our Reception to launch the Charter, supporters from many different organisations, MPs and the Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention came together to share expertise and discuss the urgent need for placing children at the centre of reforming the Mental Health Act. Our next goal is for the six principles of the Charter to be included in the new Government’s Queen’s Speech followed by a Bill to enact legislation. We still need as much support as possible from professionals across the country to help drive the Charter forward. Please pledge your support by visiting childmentalhealthcharter.com and adding your name to the list of supporters, as an organisation or individual. You can also ask your constituency MP for their support in Parliament. For advice on how to do this please contact me at mokijep@majemail.com Application of the Charter’s principles will ensure that a high-quality service with measured outcomes will be provided for the 20% of primary school children needing therapeutic support throughout the UK. By addressing this long-neglected policy area, our Government can truly make a positive difference in the lives of children and their families. About PTUK Play Therapy UK (PTUK) is the largest and most progressive organisation governing Therapeutic Play and Play Therapy in the United Kingdom. We manage the Register of Play and Creative Arts Therapists, accredited by the Professional Standards Authority, and accredit the training programmes run by the Academy of Play and Child Psychotherapy in partnership with Leeds Beckett University.
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