Top tips for pupil wellbeing
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An estimated three children in every classroom experience a diagnosable mental health problem, and there is growing recognition supporting pupils’ emotional health can have a beneficial impact on attitudes to learning. Place2Be’s Director of Clinical Services, Dr Fiona Pienaar discusses how teachers can play an active role in supporting children’s wellbeing, alongside their academic progress.
As the leading provider of school-based children’s mental health services, we understand that teachers are juggling a lot and that a busy workload can sometimes feel overwhelming. Every class is different, but there are lots of opportunities for teachers to promote positive wellbeing, and help children to build their resilience as they grow up.
Here are a couple of examples:
Published 19 August 2016
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Jo Crew
on 30 August 2016
Undiagnosed
We are struggling with a 14yr old daughter with a mental health issue but as yet are undiagnosed (5 yrs with Camhs, East Bristol) The theory is that she is not diagnosable because she did not pass her assessment back in 2010, but it is acknowledge that she has anxiety and panic disorder so she was in therapy for this (and this only) She also has OCD, SPD and Pica. I would say there were more than 1 in 3 undiagnosed children in any given class (secondary school) and many who haven't even got to the Camhs stage yet. I would be delighted to tell you the whole story of Moya and her school experience, alas it is probably too long for this section. One thing I can tell you is that never at any point in her school day (and there have been nearly 400 of them) has she had a support system, a place to go or a person to go to. This cannot be right I hear you say? The teachers I have encountered do not have the time to consistently follow up on any child's well being unless that child spends time out of school or does something (behaviour) to compromise someone else's safety. 3 weeks ago Moya ended up in hospital because she had eaten sponge (foam sponge: Pica) and although we had been in a meeting about this with the school, the sponge we found had come from school, so in my eyes how are teachers suppose to follow my daughter around in case she finds sponge to eat (it is in chairs and part of mats) the staff are already awash with other children's problems, emotional or otherwise. In my eyes and 9 yrs experience in this situation, I feel this is the tip of the iceberg and very worrying for the young that go through this. Jo Crew, Bristol.