Mental Health and Wellbeing

At St Stephen’s we are committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our pupils and staff. We know that everyone experiences challenges that can make us vulnerable and at times anyone may need additional emotional support.

We take the mental health of our pupils as seriously as we do their physical health.

We endeavour to ensure that children are able to manage times of change and stress. We aim to ensure that they are supported to reach their potential or access help when they need it. We also have a role in ensuring that children learn about: what they can do to maintain positive mental health; what affects their mental health; how they can help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues and where they can go if they need help or support.

At St Stephen’s we have a designated leader for mental health called our Mental Health Champion:

Mrs Fillan

Deputy Head Teacher (Pastoral) DSL and SENDCo

Mental health is a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community,

(World Health Organisation, 2014)

In school, we support children’s mental health through:

Calming classrooms
Exciting learning opportunities
Strong positive relationships with staff
A behaviour policy built on a relational approach
Teaching of personal, social, health and relationships education (including online safety)
Social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) interventions, such as Feeling Art Book; Play and Lego therapy; friendships groups; managing emotions through stories
Helping children to be resilient learners and to manage setbacks
Accessing external support when needed such as Step 2 Counselling service
Supporting and training staff to develop their skills and their own resilience
Developing an open culture where it’s normal to talk about mental health

Family Hubs

Across the Bradford district our Family Hubs support families with children and young people of all ages and at every stage of family life.

Family Hubs are places in the heart of the community where you can attend appointments, meet with staff for a chat, or take part in courses and activities.

This section has more information about our Family Hubs and what they offer, including a timetable of events for each hub.

We also have lots of advice, information and resources based on age group and links to other organisations who can help with family life.

Family hubs – timetables

What is mental health?

We all have mental health. Your mental health affects how you feel, think and act. It refers to your emotional, psychological and social wellbeing. Your mental health can change on a daily basis and over time, and can be affected by a range of factors.