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Mental health in schools in Scotland

We are delighted to be offering our Skills for Life mental health promotion programmes free of charge to primary schools across Dumfries and Galloway. This is thanks to funding from the Kavli Trust - the Kavli Trust owns the Castle McLellan pâté factory in Kirkcudbright, and the Kavli Trust is a generous supporter of good causes in the UK and abroad. We are thrilled that they will be funding our work in the region until 2023.

As well as running our Zippy’s Friends (for 5-7 year-olds) and Apple’s Friends (for 7-9 year-olds) programmes, Dumfries and Galloway primary schools will be among the first in the world to run our new programmes for children aged 9-12. Passport, for 9-10 year-olds, will be launched in September 2019, and SPARK Resilience, for 10-12 year-olds, will be available from September 2020.

We will also be working with schools to develop and test additional resources for the years when children are not involved directly in a programme. In addition, we will be offering our adaptation of Zippy’s Friends to special schools and schools with specialist resource provision, ensuring that children with autism, and other additional needs, do not miss out on good mental health.

We want to offer extra support to some of the most vulnerable children. That’s why we will collaborate with local organisations to adapt our programmes for looked-after children, young carers and refugee groups.

This is a unique opportunity to offer joined-up mental health support to children across the primary age range and to learn more about the combined impact the Skills for Life programmes can have.” “What we learn and develop in Scotland, thanks to funding from the Kavli Trust, will not only impact the programmes across the UK but will also be shared with our partner organisations in over 30 countries around the world.” - Lizzie Poulton, Programme Manager at Partnership for Children

We are pleased to be working in partnership with Dumfries and Galloway Council to reach the schools. Council staff will work alongside us to recruit and support schools, and plan and deliver training. We will benefit from their local expertise while our programmes will enhance the work they are already doing with schools to promote children’s mental health.

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Partnership for Children
28 May 2019