Mental Health of the School Community: Collaboration agreement signed between Mater Boni Consilii St Joseph school Paola (Malta) and Minds Ahead (UK)
“Through this collaboration agreement with Mater Boni Consilii St Joseph Paola we will also have the opportunity to offer accredited programmes to Maltese educators, provide training to educators, parents and students on mental health, organise national conferences and webinars and offer national professional learning development sessions to the Maltese community”. – Dean Johnstone, CEO and […]
Minds Ahead calls for an asset-based approach to mental health in schools, in response to the Children’s Commissioner Report
The Children’s Commissioner released a report calling for additional mental health support in school and sets out six ambitions for every child. Minds Ahead believe that an asset-based approach toward mental health within schools is vital and responds to the aims flowing from the research within this report. We also value the recognition given to schools […]
Fundraising event: Minds Ahead is proud to have teamed up with Sheffield Children’s Hospital
Minds Ahead, a social enterprise organisation which works with schools, colleges and other organisations to provide practical solutions to support the mental health needs of pupils, staff and parents, has teamed up with Sheffield Children’s Hospital to help renovate the mental health crisis room at the hospital. “We change pupils’ mental health for the better […]
Tackling mental health inequalities
There is a solid evidence base that whilst mental health challenges or illness can affect anyone, the risks are higher for some groups who face structural discrimination, such as those living in poverty, Black and Asian, LGBTQ+, or having a physical disability. The Centre for Mental Health has made recommendations to tackle these inequalities. Those relevant […]
How To Help Students Get The Most Out Of Mental Health Week 2022
Young people face many challenges that can affect their mental health. From exam stress to cyberbullying – sometimes they may come to you for crucial advice and guidance across a variety of issues. So, let’s explore how you can help the children around you improve their mental health, whilst discussing some key symptoms and signs […]
Inequality and impact on mental health
In this Ted talk, epidemiologist Richard Wilkinson looks at the evidence linking social inequality and mental ill-health. The impact of inequality on mental health and our social relationships As a school leader, it is well worth considering how inequalities are either reinforced or reduced, within your school and what more can be done to reduce […]
School culture: which elements are perceived to be most important for student mental health?
A qualitative study in three English secondary schools identified four overarching dimensions of school culture that were perceived by respondents to impact on student mental health. Key findings from the study in UK secondary schools on school culture and student mental health: The research explored four aspects of culture: Dimensions of school culture Respondents identified […]
The #BeeWell Survey: Girls, LGBTQ and transgender young people more likely to experience emotional difficulties
A large survey run across Greater Manchester, as part of the #BeeWell programme, of which Minds Ahead is a partner, has found significant differences in the mental health of young people who are girls, transgender or none-heterosexual. The #BeeWell Survey: Key findings The large survey carried out in Autumn 2021 questioned over 40,000 year 8 and […]
Infographic: The School Mental Health Specialist
Read our infographic about this DfE assured qualification, and enquire now before September 2022 start date. Funding assisted! The School Mental Health Specialist will know first hand the needs of their students and can, through training, development and supervision, match these to the culture and processes within the school. The School Mental Health Specialist programme […]
Minds Ahead will present at the Child Mental Health and Wellbeing in Schools Digital Conference
The Child Mental Health and Wellbeing in Schools Conference will take place on Tuesday, 21 June 2022. Claire Sewell, Programme Lead for the Schools Mental Health Specialist programme and Learning & Development Specialist at Minds Ahead will be speaking about the School Mental Health Specialist programme at this online event. The School Mental Health Specialist, a […]
Young people’s mental health, social media and myth busting
In February 2019 Rachel Schraer, writing for the BBC’s ‘Reality Checker’, wrote that the increase in young people (under 16) with mental health conditions had risen from 11.4% to 13.6% between 1999 and 2017. This, it was asserted, was much smaller than expected. This analysis stood in stark contrast to the Children’s Commissioner’s report on […]
Why having a school mental health specialist as part of the staff team is vital to support young people’s mental health?
STEER Education’s Young People’s Mental Health in the UK report shows that now more than ever, schools and colleges need to be supported to address the complexities of young people’s mental health. We highlight parts of the report and what needs to happen to be able to provide additional and focused support in schools and […]
Levelling up wellbeing – a mission without a plan!
On the 2nd of February the government released their Levelling Up strategy. The government were right to have wellbeing as one of their 12 levelling up missions. However, it is very disappointing to see a policy agenda for 11 of these missions, with the wellbeing mission being left out. The government is aiming that ‘by […]
Child mental health crisis: Personal reflections on the increase in mental health referrals
By Adam Gillett* On the 5th February 2022 the BBC ran a significant news story entitled ‘Children’s mental health: Huge rise in severe cases, BBC analysis reveals’. The report highlighted the staggering statistic that there had been a 77% rise in the number of students needing specialist treatment for severe mental health issues. The article […]
Quiz for School and College Staff: Test Your Proficiency in Children’s Mental Health Facts
Share this quiz with your colleagues! Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter Share on linkedin LinkedIn Share on whatsapp WhatsApp Share on email Email Share on print Print It’s time to empower education professionals to support the mental health needs of the whole school community! Minds Ahead is here to help. School and […]
How do staff create a positive work-life balance in a residential setting where the expectation is 24/7 availability?
By Katy Tinman. Katy is one of the first cohort on our MA in Leadership of School Mental Health & Wellbeing. This blog discusses her dissertation research that she did as part of the course and was supported with by the Minds Ahead and Leeds Beckett University Team. After 8 years working in residential care […]
Give the gift of gratitude this Christmas with TAP Thank and Praise!
By Kerry Hill (FCCT MA) As we approach 2022, we reflect back on two years of incredibly difficult times globally, as well as nationally. This Christmas may again be one which is unlike previous ‘normal’ holiday seasons, (which in some ways seem a distant memory), without large social gatherings celebrating together, connecting and sharing in […]
Anti-Bullying Week and children’s mental health: What small action will your school do to break the bullying cycle?
November 2021 and we continue to address the issues and concerns around bullying. We are all very aware that the experience of being bullied can have an immediate and lasting impact on children’s mental health. Whilst an annual event such as Anti-Bullying Week provides an opportunity to highlight the issues and to spread awareness about […]
Young people’s mental health and wellbeing post-COVID: Making Extra-Curricular Activities Impactful
A report earlier this year from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on a ‘Fit and Healthy Childhood’ cited that engaging in activities beyond the home will have a significant impact on young people’s mental health and wellbeing post-COVID. The report argued that extra-curricular activities, in particular sporting events, would help reconnect students with their peers […]
Infographic: 5 things schools can do to reduce the number of children experiencing mental ill health
By Jane Hull, Deputy Headteacher at SS Peter & Paul’s Catholic Primary School. Jane is one of the first cohort on our MA in Leadership of School Mental Health & Wellbeing. This blog discusses her dissertation research that she did as part of the course and was supported with by the Minds Ahead and Leeds […]
Technology and mental health support: How can a locally developed wellbeing app effectively support remote education?
Tim Milburn, Deputy Head at Harrogate Grammar, shares his experience of implementing a new mental health app during lockdown, which he studied in depth for his masters dissertation. The inevitable, far reaching grip of COVID 19 reached schools across the nation in March 2020 and led to the longest period of enforced closure in post […]
Spotting the signs of poor mental wellbeing in students in secondary schools
Trying to spot when a young person is struggling with their mental wellbeing unless they verbalise it is one of the toughest parts of working in inclusion in a busy secondary school. The reason why? All of the tell-tale signs can be linked to puberty and natural developments. For example, all of the below are […]
‘Mental health is the top issue for children and young people today’ – which is why schools and colleges are investing in specialist support
A large survey of 4 to 17-year-olds in England by the Children’s Commissioner has found that mental health is their main concern, with girls twice as likely as boys to be worried about their mental health and concern about mental health increases as the young person ages. The report found that children and young people […]
Top tips for teachers to support good mental health and wellbeing
Most of us know that physical health and mental wellbeing are closely related and that paying attention to things like sleep, diet, movement and exercise are important. As teachers, we advise students, colleagues, friends and family on such matters but how often do we practice what we preach? Teachers mental health and wellbeing: From knowing […]
Our mental health awareness badge for those leading mental health across their school or college
At Minds Ahead, our work is exclusively focused on improving the mental health of the educational community so we have created a mental health awareness badge to recognise our school and college leaders for helping us being one step closer to our goal of revolutionising mental health in schools and colleges for generations to come. […]
Teacher Wellbeing – More Than Just a Breakfast?
Writing in the Guardian, Adams observed that workload for teachers is leading to a recruitment and retention crisis (Adams, 2018). In recent years staff wellbeing has come sharply into focus and staff mental health is as important as student mental health, with a recent Guardian article citing that ‘the number of teachers seeking mental health […]
We are a training provider on the DfE assured list! Don’t miss the chance to apply for a DfE grant to fund your senior mental health lead training programme
We are proud to announce that, as the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools in partnership with Leeds Beckett University, our Senior Mental Health Lead Training programmes have been approved to be a part of the Department for Education Approved Training Course Provider Framework. All state schools and colleges in England will […]
GCSE results and the correlation with children and young people’s mental health
GCSE results day 2021 is today and according to The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) study, published in the BMJ Open Journal, mental health at ages 11-14 was independently linked to educational success at age 16. The study analysed responses from 1,100 children aged 11-14 from the Understanding Society study and used the National […]
Creating mentally healthy schools after the pandemic: Insights from primary school teachers
A survey conducted by Pearson in April 2021, has highlighted the importance of acknowledging the impact of Covid-19 and lockdowns on students and staff since returning to school. The findings are based on the views of 2,941 primary teachers who participated in a Teacher Tapp survey. Teachers include primary school classroom teachers, middle leaders and […]
Consultation: The views from senior leaders on mental health in schools and colleges
Working with our partners at Leeds Beckett University, as the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools, we consulted with highly engaged senior leads for mental health from 12 schools to inform the House of Commons Select Committee evaluation of the government’s implementation of mental health strategy. Here we share their views: The […]
Use the new Department for Education training grant to fund senior mental health leadership courses
From September 2021 any state school or college will be able to access a grant of about £1,200 to cover the costs of completing senior mental health leadership training. As part of the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental health in Schools, we have been delivering senior mental health leadership development courses since 2017, with […]
How reading can be an effective strategy to improve mental wellbeing in schools and colleges
When faced with the need to improve and look after our mental health, the first things that often come to mind are often exercise and reading. The relationship between reading and improved mental health is often repeated, often cited and often misunderstood. It is salient to unpick the importance of reading in relation to mental […]
Playing a key role in the national roll-out of DfE funded training for mental health leads!
Under our partnership with the Carnegie School of Education at Leeds Beckett University, as the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools, we are the national quality assurance provider for all DfE funded training courses for senior leads in schools and colleges! The Department for Education (DfE) recognises that: “in order to help […]
The MYRIAD study: Are some schools contributing to the rise in mental health issues amongst young people?
The causes of mental health wellbeing and mental health illnesses for our children and young people are well documented, as are the wider structural or socioeconomic contexts that are clear and reliable factors that impact upon mental health. However, specifically focusing on the impact of school-level factors on children and young people is a relatively […]
Teacher mental health: Will The Education Staff Wellbeing Charter plan make a difference?
The Education Staff Wellbeing Charter has been launched by the Department of Education, and applies to schools, colleges, and further educational institutions in England. It was co-created by the DfE’s expert group on staff wellbeing, which included OfSTED and the teaching unions. According to the guidance document: The Education Staff Wellbeing Charter is a declaration […]
Measuring wellbeing and mental health in schools
When discussing mental health I often get asked on the best way to measure wellbeing by school leaders and educational professionals. Before answering the question it is worth considering the desire and risks of measuring. Why measure wellbeing in schools? Like any activity before diving in, it is important to step back and consider what […]
Understanding the mental health issues of children and young people post-pandemic: returning to the same school, living in a different world
Research and literature regarding the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people has become more frequent and widespread over recent years, as data and trends show an increasingly concerning picture. In the year prior to the global pandemic, referrals to children’s mental health services rose by 35% however there was only a 4% […]
How effective are resilience building programmes within Primary Schools?
By Priya Mitchell MA, School Counsellor and Designated Lead, The British School Al Khubairat As the sole Counsellor within an International School with 1900+ students on roll, my diary is constantly full and it can be difficult to find appointments for the near daily referrals to the Counselling Service. Having completed the 1st Year of […]
Bridges and Walls: where are the walls that are acting as immovable barriers to your mental wellbeing and what can you do to make things better?
Bridges and walls are often used metaphorically to indicate connectors and enablers on the one hand and barriers or boundaries on the other. Bridges, walls and our mental wellbeing Bridges can help us: get from A to B, quickly and efficiently have adventures and new experiences connect learning from past experiences and hopes for the […]
Weighing up the costs of counselling as a mental health school-based intervention
Counselling is one of the most common school-based interventions for mental health and wellbeing for young people. This type of therapy allows young people to explore their thoughts and emotions in a non-judgemental, safe and confidential environment. Most schools source out their own counselling provision from an external provider paid through their existing budgets and will likely […]
Embarking of school mental health research: the efficacy of mental health interventions
By Adam Gillett MA, (Assistant Principal – Inclusion), Penistone Grammar School The MA in Leadership of School Mental Health & Wellbeing has been one of the best things I have done in my professional career, but writing the dissertation was probably the hardest. The structure of the course is so well done and the assignments so […]
Young people’s mental health: School-based anti-homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying projects improve LGBT+ mental health
It is well documented that young people who identify as LGBT+ are more likely to face bullying, discrimination and mental health challenges, compared to their heterosexual peers. Key findings on young people’s mental health support in schools International research summarised by NIHR School for Public Health Research has found that there is a link between […]
Pupils’ mental health infographic: What do they think will help them catch up on the education they have missed?
The Jack Petchey Foundation asked over 5,000 young people aged 11-19 how the government should support them to catch up on the education they have missed since schools first partially closed in March 2020. Pupils’ mental health: Top 5 responses Which of the following would you find useful to help you catch up on the […]
Schools return: How the transition between home and school can be effectively achieved?
On January 5th 2021, schools were asked to provide learning that their students could access from home. Now in March – so long as the data is at a pre-determined position – our children and young people will return to learning, face-to-face, in schools after a second extended period of online learning from home. Our […]
Growing our team for the School Mental Health Specialist programme
We are extremely excited to announce that Dominique Zakkour and Claire Sewell have joined our team at Minds Ahead as Learning and Development Specialists. They will be the tutors on the School Mental Health Specialist Programme as well as working with the wider Minds Ahead team. Welcome to the Minds Ahead team! Dominique Zakkour Claire […]
Mental health support for young people after pandemic: Preventative and early-intervention strategies needed in schools and colleges
The Education Policy Institute has examined aspects of mental health among secondary age children and linked these to social, demographic and other key factors and influencers. They recommend that schools are given the resources to support mental health as well as more access to training, support and guidance. Recommendations relevant to schools and colleges: A […]
Case study: Our MA has helped Headteacher Kerry Hill to promote and champion positive mental health amongst her pupils, staff and the school community
“(…) I don’t want robots in my building, I want people who care, who feel and love what they are doing. And that it just means that we have to support the whole person in terms of the staff member, just as we have to support the whole child.” What difference did it make to […]
Ways to get online mental health support for teachers and students
We have put together a list of some of the online mental health resources that are available in the UK to support you and others in your community, profession or setting. If you are thinking about ending your life or acting on thoughts of suicide, please call emergency services on 999 or The Samaritans on […]
The mental health of children and young people during the coronavirus pandemic: Insights on recent research
This report is part of a series developed in partnership with the Child Outcomes Research Consortium. This paper looks at the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the mental health of children and young people. Children and young people with pre-existing mental or physical health conditions, LGBTQI+ young people and children and young people of […]
Mental health in schools: Belonging is essential for well-being
There is a robust link between having a sense of safety, belonging and well-being and the student’s engagement and performance in education. Research by UCL has found that having a sense of belonging at primary, secondary, FE & HE is a reliable predictor of attainment and is often lower among marginalised ethnic groups. There is evidence that the […]
Teachers’ mental health and wellbeing: Recent report reveals that we must act now
“It is time to start taking the mental health of our teachers and educators seriously.” – Education Support The latest annual report of school and college wellbeing staff by Education Support has shown there is more work to do to protect the mental health of the education workforce. This survey was conducted in the middle of […]
Mental health support for parents and children in the UK: Parental judgement is harming mental health
A large scale research project by the Royal Foundation exploring the early years (0-5) has found that parental judgements are harming mental health. 70% of parents said that they were judged as parents, this is most likely to be because of how their child behaves or how they manage that behaviour. Parents say that being […]
Mental health facts in the UK: Mental health is created in communities
The final report by the Centre for Mental Health, The Commission for Mental Health Equality, is a key reading for any education professional interested in improving mental health in their setting. It firmly positions mental health as something beyond the individual but is something that is a collective good and a collective responsibility. The report highlights […]
Summary of Mental Health & Wellbeing of England’s Children & Young People, 2020
In this video we present an infographic on the key points from two key government reports: DfE State of the Nation report, into children & young people’s wellbeing, 2020 & NHS Digital Mental Health of C&YP Wave 1 follow up (2020): https://youtu.be/xVLATJt9Q0o At Minds Ahead, we have developed a new and comprehensive school-based mental health […]
How happy are children and young people in Britain? – 2020 Good Childhood Report key findings
The Good Childhood Report (Oct 2020) undertaken by the Children’s Society, reports on the level of ‘subjective wellbeing’ and happiness for children and young people. It draws on a wide range of sources including its own consultations with young people aged 8 to 19 and the OECD PISA data which covers over 600,000 15 years […]
Minds Ahead contributed to and is quoted in the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition Annual Report 2020
We highlight parts of the report and our response to these key elements: The report calls for a continued investment and commitment to the whole education approach to mental health All of our work at Minds Ahead is about contributing to and enhancing the whole education approach to mental health, whether that be our innovative and deepening […]
Black lives matter: the steps we have taken
Over the past months we’ve seen demonstrations globally in response to the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis Police in the United States. We know that racism and anti-Blackness are not only an American problem, but one that is just as pervasive in the UK. Minds Ahead is committed to addressing mental […]
Development of the new Post Graduate ‘School Mental Health Specialist’ course that launches in September 2021.
This innovative course is for the key colleagues working in schools and colleges providing mental health support to children and young people. Across two years of intensive learning and development, the course comprises six modules, each with a mix of face to face meeting and online learning. The course will go through a validation process […]
Staying at home – Ways to wellbeing #coronatimes
We realise there is a lot of information online at the moment to support yourself and your family through these stressful times. Therefore, to save you some time we’ve categorised what we’ve found using the 5 Ways to Wellbeing Framework to allow you to focus on what you need to. For evidence on this framework […]
Minds Ahead speaks to LBC news
On the 19th of March at 8.40am Shelly spoke with Liza Aziz on what Minds Ahead think the DfE should be considering to protect the wellbeing of staff and students. Click the play button below to listen to this interview considering the announcement on the 18th March. To view the Google doc Shelly mentioned […]
Department for Education fails to integrate Mental Health into Safeguarding Policy
The Department for Education are consulting on changes to the main safeguarding policy used by schools and colleges, ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ (KCSIE), The aim is to make clear that safeguarding and promoting children’s mental health is a whole school and college responsibility and that systems should be in place to ensure this. However, […]
Key findings from the longest running health behaviour study of young people
A national survey of the health of secondary aged pupils was published in January 2020. The data was collected in 2018 and examined the school environment and found these key points: – Nearly a quarter of young people said they liked school “a lot”, while around half of like school “a bit”. The amount of […]
Developing the evidence-base: public mental health
Public mental health takes a population approach to mental health. This improves the coverage, outcomes and coordination of the prevention of mental illness as well as mental wellbeing promotion. It aims to sustainably improve mental health for the population by working with a range of public, third sector, other organisations, local communities and individuals. Having attended several […]
PISA Wellbeing data – what should a school leader take away from it?
The PISA Wellbeing data was released late December, by which time most people were winding down and getting ready for minced pies, doughnuts and other cultural appropriate food. It is a rather lengthy document of 350+ pages so we’ve highlighted three points to consider that may prompt discussion and evaluation with your team: UK […]
Key take aways from the Teacher Wellbeing Survey
Tackling stress in our schools Almost three quarters of staff working in schools and colleges describe themselves as stressed, a figure which rises to 84% for senior leaders. These statistics have increased in the last three years. For the third year, Education Support has produced a report summarising the mental health and wellbeing of professionals […]
Three take aways from ‘Psychological health in teenage girls’ Chapter 4 of the first ‘State of the Nation’ report
Chapter 4 of the first ‘State of the Nation’ report on wellbeing was a deeper dive into the psychological health in teenage girls. With my psychology background this interested me and seeing a large data set and an acknowledgement that correlation doesn’t equate to causation always makes me feel excited about reading a report! Here […]
6 questions for schools to consider following the State of the Nation report on wellbeing
The Department for Education released their first ‘State of the Nation’ report into children and young people’s wellbeing. There is a strong link between subjective wellbeing and a host of other life outcomes. The report only looks at children aged 10-24 years. Wellbeing declines as children get older The age of the child is the […]
International representation at the School Mental Health Specialist Design Group
I was privileged to attend a round table discussion at the House of Commons on the 9th October on the topic of Mental Health Specialists within schools which was chaired by Minds Ahead and attended briefly by Nicky Morgan (M.P). The professionals sitting around the table all had the same passion – to improve the […]
Heather Madsen, Headteacher of Red Oak Primary school, Lowestoft, reflects on the first meeting of the School Mental Health Specialist Design Group
A gathering of professionals from a range of backgrounds across Educational settings and specialists in Mental Health attended Parliament on Wednesday 9th October to discuss, debate and evaluate the ways in which schools could develop an accredited programme of study enabling key staff to manage and support mental health and well being within schools. Given the […]
Four proactive strategies for mental health in schools
The Department for Health and Social Care are consulting on a new strategy focused on ‘proactive, predictive and personalised care’ aimed at prevention rather than fixing problems once they emerge. This is a wide-ranging consultation addressing diet, smoking, physical activity, immunisations, genetics and resistance to medications. This article looks at the mental health aspects in […]
Kate Greaves
Kate is our Learning and Development Specialist Coach, focussing on supporting our DfE funded SMHL programmes, providing coaching supervision for our School Mental Health Specialist programme and supporting our masterclass provision to the wider education community. Having worked in high schools and sixth form colleges as a teacher and leader for nearly 20 years, Kate […]
