Analyse Your Situation - School Mental Health Hub

The Minds Ahead Hub for School Mental Health

2. Analyse Your Situation

A tool to reflect on the current provisioning in your setting:

What does your school or college already do to promote and protect the mental health and wellbeing of all?

Use the statements below as a reflective tool to get a snapshot of your current provision and to highlight strengths and areas to develop.

This tool is not an exhaustive summary of the many dimensions of school mental health, but it does provide a simple bird’s-eye view of the components of an effective holistic approach to school mental health.

To what extent is each of the following statements true in your context…

1. Consider the whole child

Involving children and young people

Working with parents and carers

2. Consider the whole school and plan strategically

Leadership

Mental health and wellbeing are an explicit part of the school or college vision
There is a planned, strategic Whole School Approach to promoting mental health and wellbeing
There is an overall strategic lead for school mental health and leaders at all levels with a responsibility for this area
Strategies to promote wellbeing and mental health are based on secure evidence
Initiatives to support wellbeing and mental health are effectively evaluated
A deep knowledge of the local context, and strong relationships with the local community, inform the approach to wellbeing and mental health
There is a consistent language around wellbeing and mental health across the school community
Mental health and wellbeing for the whole school community are explicitly promoted within policies and procedures
Senior leaders regularly and explicitly talk about and champion the importance of mental health and wellbeing
Leaders demonstrate vulnerability and talk honestly about their own wellbeing and mental health
Mental health and wellbeing considerations affect the way strategic decisions are taken

Culture and Environment

The physical environment of the school promotes wellbeing and mental health
School routines promote wellbeing and mental health
Teachers create a deliberate classroom culture that promotes wellbeing and mental health
There is a culture of protecting and promoting the wellbeing of staff
There is a culture of protecting and promoting the wellbeing of children and young people
Interactions between staff are supportive and caring
Interactions between staff, children and young people are supportive and caring
Staff are encouraged and supported to look after their own wellbeing
Children and young people are encouraged and supported to look after their own wellbeing
There is a strong anti-bullying culture and bullying is dealt with effectively
Diversity is celebrated and their is a strong culture of inclusion
There are calm, safe places children and young people can go to if they are experiencing difficulties

3. Look at the whole picture and take preventative measures

Mental health and wellbeing for the whole school community are explicitly promoted within policies and procedures
School systems and processes are organised with staff workload and wellbeing in mind
Staff receive effective training on how to support their own, and their colleagues’, mental health and wellbeing
Staff receive effective training on how to support young people’s mental health and wellbeing
Staff receive support identifying children and young people who are experiencing mental health difficulties
Staff have strategies for developing resilience and promoting wellbeing within their teaching
Staff develop strong trusting relationships with children and young people
Opportunities are identified within different subject areas to discuss and promote mental health and wellbeing
There is high quality PHSE teaching delivered by trained school staff
There is a range of extra-curricular opportunities that support mental health and wellbeing
Children and young people are encouraged and supported through high stakes tests and exams, without ‘teaching to the test’ or being exposed to undue pressure

4. Look at the whole system and be proactive

Identifying concerns

Providing additional support

Making referrals to external agencies

5. Consider your role and be reflective, as the lead for mental health:

You see supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people as a key part of your role
You are open to learning more about school mental health and are proactive in deepening your own knowledge
You proactively champion and talk about mental health and wellbeing in your setting
You have introduced preventive measures to promote mental health and wellbeing
You have planned how promoting mental health and wellbeing can infuse all aspects of your work
You know what to do if you have a concern about a child or young person’s mental health
You have effective strategies for looking after your own mental health and wellbeing
You are prepared to challenge your own beliefs and assumptions, using evidence and reflection to develop deeper levels of self-awareness

Download this resource here (PDF)

References

This tool was developed using the following sources:

This hub is for anyone working in a school or college who is passionate about promoting the wellbeing and mental health of children, young people and adults. The Hub is split into four areas and aims to equip you to do four things:

1.
Understand the issue

Information on what School Mental Health involves and why it matters

2.
Analyse your situation

An audit tool to reflect on the current provisioning in your setting

3.
Take action

Simple steps to promote and protect wellbeing and mental health in your setting now

4.
Go Deeper

Links to training and support to develop greater expertise in this area