Student Mental Health
There are lots of useful websites below to help students cope with exam stress
To support young people’s mental health, the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust are offering parent/ carer workshops throughout the year. Please see below for more information and to book.
Norfolk & Waveney Children’s and Young People’s Health Services have partnered with BFB Labs to offer the Lumi Nova App for free. The app is mobile game which can help 7-12 year olds learn to self manage their fears and worries. Sign up below.
The NHS Wellbeing website has lots of services on offer including webinars on improving anxiety, improving sleep, wellbeing in the workplace and relaxation tips.
Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week takes place every year. All students watch a mental health assembly based on well being and managing stress.
ChatHealth texting service
ChatHealth texting service is available all year round for children, young people (up to 19 years of age) and their parents or carers to seek help or support from the School Nursing Service. Texts are responded to by a member of the school nursing team between 9.00 am and 4.30 pm Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays). A School Nurse can be text on 07507 333356.
Keeping calm, grounding and breathing techniques
TIPP
When emotions are heightened, you can use TIPP skills to bring down the intensity. These are:
- Temperature – by changing body temperature, we can quickly decrease the intensity of an emotion.
- Intense Exercise – by engaging in intense cardio/aerobic exercise, we engage our physical body in a way that de-escalates intense emotions.
- Paced Breathing – try to slow breathing down by using any breathing exercises.
- Paired Muscle Relaxation – practice tensing muscles as you breathe in for 5-6 seconds. Notice the feeling. Then relax them as you breathe out, paying attention to how that feels as you do it. Go through each muscle group in the body and tense then relax each one.
Mindfulness videos
https://youtube.com/watch?v=e6sSkYLlll8%26nbsp%3Bhttps%3A
https://youtube.com/watch?v=93IRgw2VnOs%26nbsp%3B
Families wishing to access support from YMCA Suffolk Shine Project can do so here, via their referral form.
Safe Hands Thinking Minds have resources available for supporting children and adults around anxiety, worry and stress.
Rise Above has lots of playlists for your mind, however you are feeling and aims to build resilience and support good mental health in young people aged 10 to 16.
The Think Ninja app educates 10–18-year-olds about mental health, emotional wellbeing and provide skills young people can use to build resilience and stay well.
The Every Mind Matters website aims to support everyone, including children and young people, to feel more confident in taking action to look after their mental health and wellbeing by promoting a range of self-care actions.
The Young Minds website provides online information on mental health support to children and young people.
Resources from University of Bath and the Tell Me about Loneliness project provide advice and tips about how to tackle loneliness and are thoroughly rooted in evidence of young people’s experiences during loneliness.
The Let’s Talk Loneliness campaign website provides a whole host of resources and information for those feeling lonely, including blogs and podcasts from those who have experienced loneliness.
Children and young people can access free confidential support anytime from government-backed voluntary and community sector organisations by:
- texting SHOUT to 85258
- calling Childline on 0800 1111
- calling the Mix on 0808 808 4994
The First Response 24/7 freephone line is for people in Norfolk and Suffolk and is for anyone who feels their mental health is being adversely affected and need help. It is staffed by mental health professionals from NSFT, to provide reassurance, self-help advice, support and signposting.
At Ormiston Denes Academy, we strive to ensure all students are supported so that they are able to achieve their full potential. At our disposal, we have a highly experienced and effective pastoral team, with a broad range of specialist knowledge and understanding. This student-centered integrated team includes:
- Heads of Year and Pastoral Managers
- Raising Achievement Support Mentors
- Safeguarding Officer
- School Counsellor
- Thrive Manager and Thrive Mentor
- Disabilities and Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (DSENCo)
- School Nurse
If parents or carers have any concerns about children’s mental health, they should seek support. You can find a list of support available in your area via the Youth Wellbeing Directory, or a list of helplines in this resource library.
You could also contact:
School Nursing hub – 03456078866
School Nursing Chat Health text messaging service – 07507 333 356 (Monday – Friday 9-4.30pm, not available bank holidays)
Childline – under 19s can call 0800 1111 for free support
Education Support – school staff can call 08000 562 561 or text 07909 341229 for 24/7 help and advice
Kooth is a transformational digital mental health support service. It gives children and young people easy access to an online community of peers and a team of experienced counsellors.
Kooth are offering young people’s webinars in Norfolk and Waveney. See below for more information and to book.
Parent/ Carer information letter from Kooth
Click here to sign up.
SHOUT – text ‘Shout’ to 85258 for 24/7 crisis text support
Supporting students facing mental health issues
YoungMinds Parents Helpline – Call 0808 802 5544 for free Mon-Fri from 9.30am to 4pm
Useful Links:
Anna Freud – self care strategies for young people
BBC’s Wellbeing resources for families
Centre for mental health resource
Every Mind Matters – self care tool
Just One Service Lowestoft and Waveney
NHS urgent mental health helpline
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an educational course which teaches people how to identify, understand and help a person who may be developing a mental health issue. In the same way as we learn physical first aid, mental health first aid teaches how to recognise those crucial warning signs of mental ill health.
The MHFA course is an internationally recognised course designed specifically for those people that teach, work, live with or care for young people aged 8 to 18 years.
The course includes:
- Spotting the early signs of a mental health problem.
- Raising confidence in helping someone experiencing a problem.
- Providing help on a first aid basis.
- Helping to prevent someone from hurting themselves or others.
- Helping to stop a mental illness from getting worse.
- Helping someone recover faster.
- Guidance towards the right support.
- How to reduce the stigma of mental health problems.
Three members of staff have completed the MHFA course:
- Mrs M Read
- Mrs A Palmer
- Ms A Gee