Mental Health at

St Michael's

“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)

At St Michael’s Catholic Primary School, we endeavour to support the wellbeing of pupils, parents and staff alike. We know that everyone experiences challenges in life that can make us potentially vulnerable and at times, we may need additional emotional support. We take the view that positive mental health is everybody’s business and that we all have a role to play.

At St Michael’s we aim to promote positive mental health for every child, parents/carers and staff.

We offer different levels of support:

• Universal Support- To meet the needs of all our pupils through our ethos and our wider curriculum. For instance developing resilience for all.
• Additional support- For those who may have short term needs and those who may have been made vulnerable by life experiences such as bereavement.  
• Targeted support-  For pupils who need more differentiated support and resources or specific targeted interventions such as wellbeing groups or personal mentor

Evidence shows that a child’s emotional health and wellbeing influences their cognitive development and learning, as well as their physical and social health and their mental wellbeing in adulthood. Those with positive mental health are able to achieve their improved academic outcomes and continue to thrive throughout their adult life.

The department for Education recognises that, in order to help their pupils succeed: schools have a role to play in supporting them to be resilient and mentally healthy.

Working In Partnership with Families

Parents/carers are often very welcoming of support and information from the school about supporting their children’s emotional and mental health. We have a dedicated pastoral support team here at St Michael’s who in order to support parents/carers will:

• Highlight sources of information and support about common mental health issues on our school website.
• Ensure that all parents are aware of who they can to talk to, and how to get the support they need if they have concerns about their own child or a friend of their child.
• Make our mental health policy easily accessible to parents.
• Share ideas about how parents can support positive mental health in their children through our regular review meetings.
• Keep parents informed about the mental health topics their children are learning about in PSHE and RSHE and share ideas for extending and exploring this learning at home.

For further information including links to Childline and CAMHS see Pastoral Care Tab

The Mental Health Crisis Line is: 

• available 24 hours a day, seven days a week
• for people experiencing a mental health crisis, who need urgent support
• for people concerned that a friend or family member is in a mental health crisis
• for people who live in Warrington, Halton, Knowsley or St Helens 
• for people of all ages, including children and young people
• free to call: 0800 051 1508

More information about the Mental Health Crisis Line can be found on the links below:

Domestic Abuse

The National Domestic Abuse helpline has seen a 25 per cent increase in requests for help since the lockdown began, according to a leading charity. Refuge, which runs the phone and online service, has warned self-isolation could aggravate existing tensions and remove potential escape routes. In the initial stages of the lockdown it saw a 150 per cent increase in the number of people accessing the national domestic abuse website www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk.

In addition to the Government guidance on domestic abuse, Safe Lives has produced an excellent guide for victims and survivors of domestic abuse staying safe during COVID-19. The Employer’s Initiative on Domestic Abuse has also published help for employees when home is not a safe place. Please use these resources to support you and your family.