Wellbeing

At Epinay School, supporting student and staff wellbeing and encouraging positive mental health are
high priorities for our school community. We all have mental health, and it is important that we look
after it. Our wellbeing page provides information, support and guidance for students, parents/carers
and staff around wellbeing and promoting a positive mental health.

Our approach is to ensure we promote a safe and supportive learning environment alongside
offering appropriate and care for emotional development of all students. Wellbeing is central to our
school community and underpins everything we do. We want our students to be happy, healthy, and
confident individuals, both in and outside of the classroom. Our aim is that all individuals realise
their full potential and develop resilience and various coping mechanisms to help them with day to
day pressure of life and stresses it brings.

Our wellbeing team has vast experience of working with students with social, emotional and
behavioural difficulties, including a play therapist, music therapist, rebound trainer and mental
health champions.

Our team

  • L.Murphy, strategic lead for mental health and wellbeing/DSL
  • R.Jopling, multi- agency key worker and counsellor
  • K.Dewing, mental health and wellbeing governor
  • C.Coutakis, lead practitioner for mental health and wellbeing
  • S.Campbell, play therapist
  • S.Vincent and S.Struthers, rebound trainers

Mental health champions

  • L.Murphy
  • J.Brewis
  • J.Hayes
  • R.Jopling
  • S.Struthers
  • L.Walker
  • S.Wilkinson
  • K.Cruickshanks

Strategies used to support pupils and young adults manage mental health and wellbeing

Epinay Business and Enterprise School has a range of strategies that have been implemented to
support pupils and young people with mental health and wellbeing, these are constantly changing
and evolving. Through the school’s QA cycle, these strategies are reviewed termly and impact
measured.

Sarah Campbell – Therapeutic Play Practitioner – Accredited by and Registered with PTUK.
Therapeutic Play is a way of supporting children with mild to moderate social, emotional and
behavioural difficulties and can help identify any greater challenges or needs the child may have. It
recognises play as the child’s natural means of self-expression and provides them with the
opportunity to use this to explore their thoughts, feelings and problems.

Muti-Agency Key Worker is available for informal sessions to support pupils and young adults with
any issues that may be negatively impacting them, allowing them to explore their worries and
anxieties in a safe and confidential environment. The sessions can explore a wide range of issues;
bullying, anxiety, low self-esteem, self-harm, sexuality, family and relationship difficulties,
friendships and eating issues. Our MAKW will listen to the pupils and young adults without
judgement, signpost where appropriate and liaise with parents.

PITSTOP offers school based mentoring for all aged pupils and young adults who require extra
support in dealing with any issues that may arise from home/school, 1:1 sessions are provided in a
safe, quiet environment with privacy and assurance from trained staff to talk through and manage
their concerns.

Relationship Works and Real provides bespoke one-to-one, or small group educational
interventions for young people aged 5- 24 who are experiencing difficulties due to a range of issues,
e.g. addressing overthinking and anxiety, transgender issues, exposure to extremist methodologies,
healthy relationships, sexual exploitation, inappropriate touch, anger management etc. Relationship
Works support young people who are displaying problematic behaviours which impact upon
themselves and others.

Healthy Minds: Jade Smith is our Healthy Minds, Mental Health Practitioner, NHS South Tyneside.
She provides early intervention support for children and young people who are experiencing, or who
are at risk of developing, emotional, behavioural and psychological difficulties or who require
support in relation to resilience building. The mental health practitioner works on a referral process,
then 6-week programme to promote resilience, encourage the development of self-care skills, self-
help techniques and explore different coping strategies.

Link to Healthy Minds information and video

Humankind offer specialist LGBT+ Support for young people aged 11 to 25 in South Tyneside. This
service provides a one to one support offer, family work, peer support networks and workshops.

Escape interventions: work with 4-25 year olds and their parents/carers. It is their goal to help and
support as many children, young people and their families to overcome any barriers to personal
success through using a holistic approach – treatment of the whole person, taking into account all
factors that contribute to their problems, rather than just the symptoms of distress. The therapies
are tailored around needs; they are not time-limited as each person’s journey is different and you
can receive as many sessions as necessary to improve your mental health.

MATRIX works with young people under the age of 18 in South Tyneside, their families and carers.
The service provides help, support and advice to those whose lives have been affected by drug and
alcohol misuse or those who are at risk of developing drug and alcohol problems.

Bright Futures provides a range of support services to young women, including one-to-one help,
group sessions, community programmes and health and wellbeing clinics that directly address the
key issues they face today.

Signposting links:

Youngminds.org

Place2be.org

Cruse Bereavement Care

Student Wellbeing
Students are encouraged to learn more about mental health and self-care, developing their
resilience for the future. Students are introduced to wellbeing through the PSHE scheme of work,
Monday and Friday assemblies, pastoral days and themed weeks or days. We also take part in
awareness raising activities for mental health charities, celebrating positive wellbeing throughout
the school year. We send out advice through the school facebook page and our school newsletter.

Positive coping strategies
If you do feel the need to talk to someone, please speak to those around you who may be able to
help, including family and friends.
A good resource to try is NHS (Every Mind matters) and is available for students and parents
https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters

Self-care
This is important in managing your wellbeing and mental health. Please visit the following website
and explore some excellent resources from challenging negative thoughts to goal setting, letting off
steam to relaxation techniques.

https://www.annafreud.org/resources/children-and-young-peoples-wellbeing/self-care/

https://www.kooth.com

If you feel your mental health is really suffering, please make an appointment with your GP.

If you are in crisis, please phone 111 or Samaritans (free) on 116 123.

Mental Health Apps
To look after your mental health, it might be worth visiting the websites below which may be of use
to you. Some have excellent apps that will help you with mindfulness, relaxation and coping with
stress.
Calm www.calm.com
Headspace www.headspace.com

 

As part of Children’s mental Health Week, Green Class have been focusing on spreading kindness. We created a kindness cloud to promote vocabulary associated with the word kindness and read a class text linked to having positive mental health.

 

 

 

 

 

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackeay.  As part of Children’s Mental Health Week this book was presented to Epinay School. “I would like to donate this book in the hope that those that read it start to look at themselves and others with more kindness and understanding. Learn to be kind to each other. You never know what someone is going through from the lads at Walk and Talk.” Jordan Trotter.

 

 

Click here to see Epinay School’s powerpoint assembly for Children’s Mental Health Week

Staff Wellbeing –Staff had a lovely surprise visit from the coffee van. Breakfast treats to start the day!