When children have good emotional wellbeing they are more resilient, make better choices and are able to concentrate on their learning, helping them to retain information more easily. Supporting good mental health and emotional wellbeing can support children to make healthier choices as they move into adulthood.

Resources available online

Better Health’s every mind matters resources helps teach PSHE, RHE and RSHE to Upper KS2, KS3 and KS4 students, with flexible, ready-to-use content co-created with teachers, and young people.

While you support students, Every Mind Matters is here to support you by providing simple, practical advice for a healthier mind. Topics include self-care, worry, sleep, exam stress and much more.

As children from all ages are showing difficulties and behaviours relating to a variety of mental health issues, it is important that schools have a designated person or team who can support individuals, deliver interventions and signpost families to support.

Future In Mind provide schools in Telford with the relevant training to be able to better support children and their families to manage and overcome these issues. The programme works via a yearly subscription entitling designated leads to attend 4 training days per year, receiving specialised training and take away materials to use back in school.

Health for Kids is a fantastic resource when teaching children about their own health and understanding their bodies. Topics that are covered include:

  • health
  • feelings
  • illness
  • getting help
  • body image
  • brushing teeth

The site is designed for children to use themselves or as part of lessons, and it would support in the RHSE curriculum. There is also a "Grown-ups" section of the website where there are resources to support parents with their growing children and topics for parents with children with additional needs.

The Mental Health Foundation website has a wealth of online resources for you to access free as a school. There are resources for you to use with your pupils to highlight the importance of mental and emotional wellbeing and also support your RSE curriculum.

There are also lots of resources targeted towards staff wellbeing, helping staff to understand and improve their mental and emotional wellbeing. Topics include rethinking rest and loneliness. There is also access to online learning and development courses if you want to learn more about your own wellbeing as well as how to support others.

Finally, there are resources that you can signpost parents and carers to that will give them tips to help them support their children's mental and emotional wellbeing on a range of topics, including healthy relationships, body image and sleep.

In Scotland a free training package promoted by the Mental Health Foundation has been developed that is supporting school teachers working with children to help them tackle mental health in schools. The programme is broken down into three section, and by creating an account you can dip in and out of the training at a time to suit you.

As this is a Scottish programme some signposting and references are not local for us, but the learning is something that everyone can benefit from.

Whether you are a teacher, parent, carer, professional or community worker Young Minds has information and resources designed to support you to help young people with their mental health and emotional wellbeing. This includes topics such as:

  • exams
  • anxiety
  • ADAH
  • eating problems
  • coping with life

Young Minds also have a section for young people themselves, where they can gain information and support for topics that interest them or would like help with. This includes live case studies where other young people have shared their experiences.