As you will be aware, the Wellbeing for Education Return programme is funded by the Department for Education and has been launched this Autumn. It aims to provide support to staff working in schools and colleges to help them respond to the additional pressures some children and young people may be feeling as a direct result of the pandemic, as well as to any emotional response they or their teachers may still be experiencing from bereavement, stress, trauma or anxiety over the past months.
The training put together for the Wellbeing for Education Return project has been created nationally with input from heath partners, mental health experts, local authorities, and schools and colleges. Funds have been provided to Local Authorities in order to implement the programme in a way that suits their local area.
In Northumberland, we have recruited a project lead who is working very closely with the Senior Mental Health coordinator who is already in post. These two members of staff sit within the Educational Psychology team. Between them, but working with our partners in Health teams, they are organising delivery of the training programme to nominated staff in schools and colleges, and will be available to provide advice to school leaders through to March 2021.
In Northumberland, the first step is delivery of the training package to as many schools/colleges as possible this term. The opportunity to attend this is delivered via the virtual Senior Mental Health Lead Conference being held on Thursday 5th November. There is an expectation that staff who receive the training then cascade it to all staff within their school/setting. More detail will be provided at the conference.
The three main sessions will cover:
• Whole school implementation, looking at both the neuroscience as well as strategies to build resilience and wellbeing
• Understanding some specific presentations, including anxiety, bereavement and loss, stress and trauma
• Staff wellbeing
We will be following an interactive workshop format for these sessions with opportunities to discuss, with colleagues from other settings, the content delivered. There will some additional prerecorded resources to further support staff.
To book a place on the Conference please use
this form.
If your setting is unable to attend the conference
and/or you would like to discuss further support in
cascading the training to staff in your setting, please
contact nell.gair@northumberland.gov.uk
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