Introduction

This guide has been developed for parents and carers to further support with your child(ren)’s wellbeing as well as your own.

Positive Minds; is a 10 week wellbeing programme delivered within the school setting to Year 6 students in the summer term. The programme aims to improve children’s knowledge and understanding around mental health, as well as provide tools to help them be prepared for future change, particularly transitioning to secondary school.

You have received this guide as we are delivering the Positive Minds; programme in your child(ren)’s school. In addition to our schools’ programme, we have a parent provision to aid supporting your wellbeing and increasing your awareness. Although there is a lot of misconception and stigma around mental health, EVERYONE has mental health, just like we all have physical health.

Mental health just means our emotional, psychological and social wellbeing. It affects how we think, feel and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others and make choices (The Mental Health Foundation) Mental health is on a spectrum and is something that can change and fluctuate every day for many different reasons. It is normal for the state of our mental health to change, but we should raise our concerns when we find ourselves feeling mentally unwell for a long period of time, that is different to your individual normal.

^{Source - Positive Minds; Education - January 2021}

Developing resilience is a lifelong skill that we believe is vital for all children and adults.  Our teachers are really committed to helping the children develop their resilience skills and have undertaken specific training to aid them in their delivery on the extra lessons and is therefore taught as part of our year 5 curriculum

There are 6 lessons that will be taught to the children which talk them through these main 4 skills:

• Harnessing emotions

• Noticing the gremlins

• Reframing the gremlins

• Keeping perspective

The lessons aim to teach the following competencies:

What will the Lessons Involve?

Resilience and harnessing positive emotions
Children discuss not jumping to conclusions over emotions because we express them in different ways. It is always better to ask rather than assume.

Connecting the brain, emotions and thoughts
The class discuss and work through some questions about how the brain works and its 3 parts.

Introducing the 'gremlin beliefs'
Children will learn about what we call unhelpful beliefs (gremlin beliefs).

Optimism & evidence
Children begin to come up with questions that question gremlin beliefs to check the accuracy of their thinking.

WoBbLe
Children recap last lesson reinforcing that we can control how we feel and behave by questioning gremlin beliefs to gain evidence. Children take part in a gratitude circle.

Children will gain an understanding that when we are uncertain about something or somebody, we can assume the worst is going to happen and the 'catastrophising gremlin belief' takes control.  Controlling these anxious thoughts before they take over is a crucial skill. 

Resilience planning
Children discuss how they can use their resilience skills to be flexible and not get stuck into fixed, inaccurate thinking. Children create a resilience mind map. Mapping out and including all the things that they are going to do and techniques that will work for them.

^{Autumn term
Source: https://bounceforward.com/teach-resilience/}

Referrals to the School Nursing team can be made online through the website https://www.hct.nhs.uk/our-services/school-nursing/ 

The duty school nurse number is 0300 1237 572.

Reminder: visits to the opticians and dental checks are free on the NHS for children under 16.  

Change 4 Life is a great resource for parents and has some good recipes and healthy eating snack ideas: https://www.nhs.uk/change4life.

Health advice to help your children grow and flourish:
 https://www.healthforkids.co.uk/hertfordshire/

If your child or young person in a mental health crisis 

The NHS and our local hospitals are really busy at the moment, so if you’re experiencing a mental health crisis, the quickest way to get help at any time of the day or night is to call our freephone number: 0800 6444 101, or call NHS 111 and select option 2 for mental health services. 

In the case of serious illness or injury, dial 999 for emergency services

If you are already using these services

If you are already receiving support from the service and need help please contact:

Your care co-ordinator on the number provided to you or if you need help in the evening, weekend or bank holiday call 0800 6444 101. 

Email: hpft.spa@nhs.net for non-urgent enquiries  

Live webchat service

If you'd prefer to speak online, click on the SPA red button here. This service is available Monday-Friday, 7am-7pm.

Alternative Contacts

Samaritans Tel: 116 123, 24 hours a day, every day

Childline Tel: 0800 1111   via 1-2-1 chat between 7.30am and 3.30am every day.

HOPELINEUK (papyrus): Tel: 0800 0684141 Text: 07786209697 Email: pat@papyrus-uk.org, 10am-10pm weekdays, 2pm-10pm weekends and bank holidays.

Most referrals to our services are made by GPs

If you are experiencing mental health problems and need help please speak to your GP (family doctor). They will discuss the issues you are facing and refer you to our services, if appropriate. To register with a GP in your area go to www.nhs.uk

^{January 2021}

 https://unravelsupport.co.uk/grief

This 'Grief Support' booklet is a FREE practical guide to supporting yourself and the children in your care who are experiencing feelings of loss and grief.

www.stand-by-me.org.uk
When someone dies we can be totally unprepared. Even if the death is expected it can be difficult to know how to best help the children and young people we care for.

Stand-by-me offers information, advice  and support to help children, young people and their families living in North Hertfordshire & Stevenage understand and manage their grief.​​

Click here for an A-Z of mental health. 

When you’re living with a mental health problem, or supporting someone who is, having access to the right information - about a condition, treatment options, or practical issues - is vital.

www.annafreud.org
'We’re transforming mental health by working with infants, children, young people and their families, their communities and professionals to deliver timely evidence-based support for all.'

https://www.mind.org.uk/
Mind provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem.

 www.nhs.uk/CYPMHS
Please follow the links for information about Children and Young People Mental Health Services (CYPMHS)

www.youngminds.org.uk/guide-to-camhs/

PARENTS GUIDE TO SUPPORT A-Z

This A-Z gives you advice on how to help your child with specific mental health conditions, and life events which might be negatively affecting their wellbeing. it will also show you where you can get help.

www.hpft.nhs.uk/spot-the-signs
Spot the Signs is a suicide prevention campaign, helping to remove the stigma of talking openly about suicide. They provide training courses and signpost to mental health services available in Hertfordshire.

Spot the signs campaign is run in partnership with: 

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
https://www.hpft.nhs.uk/get-help/

Herts County Council 

 www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/mental-health

 
www.mindinmidherts.org.uk

Hertfordshire Mind Network
Hertfordshire Mind Network deliver essential mental health support in Hertfordshire, providing a diverse range of services over seven Wellbeing Centres and other venues across all ten districts of the county. The services are available to all residents in Hertfordshire over the age of 18 and they offer dedicated services for 15-18 year olds.
https://www.hertsmindnetwork.org/

The Living Room
 www.livingroomherts.org

The Living Room have developed a range of services to support adults suffering with the illness of addiction and their family members and carers. If you are currently using drugs or alcohol, The Living Room can help you find harm reduction services in Hertfordshire to help you safely reduce before you join.  

Young Carers' Crew

 
www.young-carers-crew.org
Support for young carers in North Herts.

 www.nicco.org.uk/

Almond Hill has  joined the Red Box Project, a national community organisation committed to giving young people access to fre menstrual products in schools.

As a result, we now have a selection of menstrual products available for students to access during school hours. This includes a range of pads in all absorbencies, night pads (and tampons). It also contains clean underwear, should it be needed. The box is stocked from donations from our local community, who support the project and its aims.

Any student who needs to receive items from the box, whether it's one item to get them through the day or several packs to ensure they're able to attend school throughout their period, will be able to access it via their teacher. Students should ask for the Red Box where they will be able to take away whatever they need.

We will be speaking to students about the box but you may also want to take this opportunity to talk to your children about their needs and how the box might be able to help them.

If you have any further questions, or would like to know more about the Red Box Project, you can email Gerry The Red Box Coordinator for Stevenage at; 
theredboxprojectstevenage@gmail.com. There is also a Facebook page of the same name, Gofundme page and Twitter @RedStevenage