How to create a mental health policy for schools
Schools have an important role to play, acting as a source of support and information for both students, and parents and carers. However, some school staff may feel out of their depth when faced with a student experiencing mental health problems. This guidance is designed to help schools to develop policies and procedures which will empower staff to spot and support students in need of help and to follow appropriate referral pathways and procedures. A well-developed and effectively implemented policy can prevent students from falling through the gaps.
“A boy in year 10 was suffering badly from anorexia and ended up in A&E – when staff were debriefed several of us realised that although we were very concerned about him, we had all assumed someone else was dealing with it – but nobody was. We now have a policy with a named member of staff who all these concerns are passed to.”
- A school staff member after using a mental health policy guide
Writing an effective policy for your school
When planning on using example policies, you might view them as a starting point,
giving careful consideration to how they can be adapted to provide the best fit for your
school. In writing your policy, you may find that ideas that worked well elsewhere also
translate well into your environment. However, some ideas may not fit with the unique
culture of your school and may need to be revised or may not be relevant at all. Your
own skills, knowledge and experience will help you to develop a policy that feels like a
good fit for you and your school.
Below we’ve outlined some advice to bear in mind, which we hope will help you to
ensure that you develop a policy that is truly in line with the needs of your school
community.
Download our full policy guide for more details and tips on the below.
Develop your policy with a "whole-school" approach to mental health at
the forefront.
- Keep it practical.
- Make sure your policy is clear and simple to use.
- Learn from past experience of schools and students.
- Include the voices and experience of students, and of parents and
carers.
Be prepared to take feedback on board and be flexible about making changes to ensure
your policy is as practical as possible and can be understood by school staff, students,
and parents and carers.
- Outline warning signs of students' changes in mental health for all staff to be alert to.
- Make it clear what to do next.
- Name key members of staff to contact with concerns about the mental health of a student, and keep the policy up-to-date with this information.
- Have a plan for disseminating your policy.
Consider including guidelines which keep expectations realistic. Policies should address how
staff can support students with mental health problems and ensure that, wherever
possible, students are not placed under undue stress which may exacerbate their
mental health problems.
The policy will be a key place to signpost relevant sources of support. In the first
instance, the support available within the school should be clearly communicated,
including:
- What support is available
- Who it is available for
- How the support is accessed
- What will happen when the support is accessed.
- Next, sources of local support should be outlined.
Take a look below for some ideas of organisations to signpost to.
General mental health and wellbeing
Apps
- eQuoo: a storyline and skills game which supports the development of resilience, personal growth and interpersonal relationship skills.
- MeeToo: a safe and secure forum for teenagers wanting to discuss any issue affecting their lives.
- ThinkNinja: a mental health app designed for 10 to 18 year olds. Using a variety of content and tools, it allows young people to learn about mental health and emotional wellbeing and develop skills they can use to build resilience and stay well.
Online Support
- Hub of Hope: a mental health database of local, national, peer, community, charity, private and NHS support.
- Childline: information, advice, support and tools for children and young people up to 19 years old. 0800 1111
- Kooth: free online counselling for 10-18 year olds.
- The Mix: advice, blogs, articles and 1-2-1 online chat and messenger options for older teens and young adults. 0808 808 4994
- Muslim Youth Helpline: non-judgemental, confidential support 7 days a week, 365 days a year including bank holidays and Eid.
- Shout: a free, confidential and anonymous text support service. Txt 85258
- YoungMinds: mental health support for young people and their parents and carers.
Books
- Adrian Bethune (2018) Wellbeing in the Primary Classroom: A practical guide to teaching happiness and positive mental health. London: Bloomsbury.
- James Hollinsley (2018) An Educator's Guide to Mental Health and Wellbeing in Schools London: Woodbridge: John Catt Educational Ltd.
Anxiety, panic attacks and phobias
Anxiety can take many forms in children and young people, and it is something that each of us experiences at low levels as part of normal life. When worrying thoughts, overwhelming anxiety, fear or panic are repeatedly present over several weeks or months and negatively impact a young person’s ability to access or enjoy day-to-day life, intervention is needed.
Apps
- Chill Panda: Tasks include simple breathing techniques and light exercises to take your mind off your worries.
- Worry Tree: Uses cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) techniques to help notice and challenge worries and create an action plan for managing worry.
- Thrive: helps prevent and manage stress, anxiety and related conditions. The game based app can be used to relax before a stressful situation or on a more regular basis.
Online support
- Anxiety UK: A range of free and paid for self-help resources.
Free anxiety resources from anxietyuk.org.uk
Books
- Lucy Willetts and Polly Waite (2014) Can I Tell you about Anxiety?: A guide for friends, family and professionals. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
- Carol Fitzpatrick (2015) A Short Introduction to Helping Young People Manage Anxiety. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Depression
Ups and downs are a normal part of life, but for someone who is experiencing depression, negative thoughts, feelings of failure, hopelessness, numbness or sadness may affect functioning over an extended period, having a significant impact on behaviour, motivation and ability to engage in day-to-day activities.
Apps
- Catch It: Learn how to manage feelings like anxiety and depression with Catch It. The app will teach you how to look at problems in a different way.
- MoodTools: A free app for managing depression with mood tracker, videos, meditations and thought diary.
Online support
- The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) 0800 585858
Get Help On: Depression
Books
- Christopher Dowrick and Susan Martin (2015) Can I Tell you about Depression?: A guide for friends, family and professionals. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
- Nadja Reilly (2015) Anxiety and Depression in the Classroom: A Teacher’s Guide to Fostering Self-Regulation in Young Students. London: W.W. Norton & Company.
Self-harm
Self-harm describes any behaviour where a young person causes harm to themselves in order to cope with thoughts, feelings or experiences they are not able to manage in any other way. It most frequently takes the form of cutting, burning or non-lethal overdoses in adolescents, while younger children and young people with special needs are more likely to pick or scratch at wounds, pull out their hair or bang or bruise themselves.
Apps
- Blue Ice: an evidence based app to help young people manage their emotions and reduce urges to self-harm.
- Calm Harm: an app designed to help people resist or manage the urge to self-harm.
- Self-Heal: A free app to help with the management of self-harm. Includes distraction task suggestions, useful contacts, information on self-harm and a gallery of inspirational images.
Online support
- Alumina (Formerly Self Harm UK): Free self-harm support for 14-19 year olds.
- Harmless: Provide a range of services to support people who self-harm, and those that support them.
Books
- Tina Rae and Jody Walshe (2015) Understanding & Preventing Self-Harm in Schools: Effective Strategies for Identifying Risk and Providing Support. Buckingham: Hinton House.
- Carol Fitzpatrick (2012) A Short Introduction to Understanding and Supporting Children and Young People Who Self-Harm. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
- Keith Hawton and Karen Rodham (2006) By Their Own Young Hand: Deliberate Self-harm and Suicidal Ideas in Adolescents. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Suicidal thoughts
Young people may experience complicated thoughts and feelings about wanting to end their own lives. Some young people never act on these feelings though they may openly discuss and explore them, while other young people die suddenly from suicide, apparently without any warning.
Apps
- distrACT: easy, quick and discreet access to information and advice about self-harm and suicidal thoughts.
- Stay Alive: a pocket suicide prevention resource for the UK, packed full of useful information. Can be used by individuals who are having thoughts of suicide or if you are concerned about someone else who may be considering suicide.
Online support
- Samaritans: Young People and Suicide.
- Papyrus: prevention of young suicide.
- The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM): helpline support and webchat 0800 585858
Books
- Terri A. Erbacher, Jonathan B. Singer and Scott Poland (2015) Suicide in Schools: A Practitioner’s Guide to Multi-level Prevention, Assessment, Intervention, and Postvention. New York: Routledge.
Obsessions and compulsions
Obsessions are intrusive thoughts or feelings which are disturbing or upsetting; compulsions are the behaviours carried out in order to manage those thoughts or feelings. For example, a young person may be constantly worried that their house will burn down if they don’t turn off all switches before leaving the house. They may respond to these thoughts by repeatedly checking switches, perhaps returning home several times to do so.
Online support
- OCD UK: advice, information, and support services for those affected by OCD.
- OCD Youth: aims to increase awareness and access to support for anyone under 25 affected by OCD.
Books
- Amita Jassi and Sarah Hull (2013) Can I Tell you about OCD?: A guide for friends, family and professionals. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
- Patricia Rice Doran (Ed) (2016) PANDAS and PANS in School Settings: A Handbook for Educators. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Eating problems
Problems with eating, along with preoccupation with weight and shape, may develop as a way of coping with difficult emotions or experiences. Some young people develop eating disorders such as anorexia (where food intake is restricted), or bulimia nervosa (a cycle of bingeing and purging). Early intervention is crucial to protect physical and mental health.
Apps
- Recovery Record: Technology-enabled best practice for eating disorder treatment.
Online support
- Beat Eating Disorders: helplines, chatrooms and resources.
- NHS Advice for parents: eating disorders.
Books
- Bryan Lask and Lucy Watson (2014) Can I tell you about Eating Disorders?: A Guide for Friends, Family and Professionals. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
- Pooky Knightsmith (2015) Self-Harm and Eating Disorders in Schools: A Guide to Whole School Support and Practical Strategies. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
For further e-learning opportunities MindEd is a free educational resource hub on children, young people and adult mental health.
Resources
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