A whole school approach to emotional health and mental wellbeing

As the need for effective mental health promotion in children is more important than ever we have launched our Skills for Life as a Whole School Approach to Wellbeing Resource which has been created to provide schools with practical advice and resources to embed the Skills for Life programmes effectively as a whole school approach to emotional health and mental wellbeing.

As children spend so much of their time in school, schools play a key role in helping children develop resilience and coping skills. A whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing is a co-ordinated multi-component approach that is used across an educational setting to give schools a framework for supporting the emotional health and wellbeing of all staff and pupils.

The Skills for Life programmes are a proven way to promote good mental health and help all children develop skills which will enhance their present and future emotional wellbeing.

The resource is designed to help Skills for Life trained schools maximise the positive impact of our programmes in line with Public Health England’s 8 principles for promoting a whole school and college approach to promoting mental health and wellbeing and makes suggestions for good practice in each area:

1. Management and leadership of a Skills for Life school
2. Creating the ethos and environment of a Skills for Life school
3. Embedding the Skills for Life programmes across the curriculum
4. Skills for Life pupil voice
5. Supporting staff health and wellbeing through the Skills for Life programmes
6. Monitoring the Impact of the Skills for Life programmes
7. Involving parents and carers in the Skills for Life programmes
8. Coordinating support with the Skills for Life programmes

Using the reflection questions throughout the document, schools will be able to complete the Skills for Life audit, which will highlight key areas of strengths and opportunities for growth.