Mental Health & Wellbeing

Over 50% of mental illnesses start before the age of 14, and 1 in 10 children and young people are coping with the challenges of a mental health difficulties. Schools are on the frontline when it comes to supporting children and young people’s mental wellbeing. Our staff are ideally placed to recognise and respond to early signs of mental health difficulties in children and young people and offer support and links to pathways. This page identifies how staff at Great Sankey High school support children and young people by responding to the mental health and emotional wellbeing of our pupils.

Over the course of their education, children spend over 7,800 hours at school. With such a huge amount of time spent in the classroom, schools provide an ideal environment for promoting good emotional wellbeing and identifying early behaviour changes and signs of mental distress. The social and emotional skills, knowledge and behaviours that children and young people learn in the classroom can help them to build resilience and set the pattern for how they will manage their mental health throughout their lives.

Emotional wellbeing is a clear indicator of academic achievement, success and satisfaction in later life. Evidence shows that mental health and wellbeing programmes in schools, can lead to significant improvements in children’s mental health, and social and emotional skills. Wellbeing provision in schools can also lead to reductions in classroom misbehaviour and bullying.

Guide to investing in your relationships

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How do we support our students?

At Great Sankey High School we prioritise supporting our young people to build emotional resilience and help them to cope with and bounce back from adversity. We have a tiered response to supporting all students. Our universal whole school approach is available to all students to educate, support and encourage good mental health, along with supporting students with strategies to overcome difficulties and directions to further support.

Universal whole-school approach

Dedicated Pastoral Year teams.
Highly trained Safeguarding staff.
Mental Health First Aiders and Senior Mental Health Lead
Wellbeing Wednesdays- every week in form time.
Assemblies- throughout the academic year.
PSHE curriculum
It's not ok - self reporting system which can be used by any student to safely submit concerns so that we can support when and where needed.

Targeted approach

Examples may include, but are not limited to:

1:1 and small group Intervention work with pastoral staff
- anger management
- emotional based school refusal
- anxiety
- social skills
- self-esteem
School counsellors, Gill Buchan and Katie Rhodes - (referral via Pastoral Year groups)
ADHD Foundation – neurodiverse therapeutic counselling - (referral via SENDCo)
School Nurse drop in service in school (Thursdays via Pastoral Year groups)

Sources of support

Kooth - online mental wellbeing community. Free, safe and anonymous. Commissioned by the NHS.
Youth in Mind - Drop-in service for young people aged 7-19. Opening Hours - 7 days a week 3.30pm-7.30pm.
Merseycare Mental Health Crisis Response team - children and adolescents up to the age of 18. Access 24 hours a day and seven days a week. 01744 415 640
Mind Works - Young people's CAMHS mental health drop in:
- Tuesday - Warrington Youth Cafe, New Town House, Buttermarket street, Warrington, WA1 2NH 12.00pm-1.00pm
- Tuesday - Orford Youth Base, Orford Youth Centre, Capesthorne Road, Warrington, WA2 0JF 3.30pm-5.00pm
- Wednesday - Orford Youth Base, Orford Youth Centre, Capesthorne Road, Warrington, WA2 0JF 4.00pm-5.00pm
- Wednesday - Warrington Youth Cafe, New Town House, Buttermarket street, Warrington, WA1 2NH 5.00pm-6.00pm

CAMHS - If you have any concerns or questions regarding emotional wellbeing support you can call CAMHS directly on 01925 575 904. This number is available Monday to Friday 9am-5pm. If you need support outside of these hours, you can contact the CAMHS response team every day until 9pm on 01744 627 618.
If you need immediate medical advice or support outside of these hours, you should visit your local A&E Department, or call 999 in an emergency.

Pupil Mental Health & Wellbeing

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ChatHealth

ChatHealth is a text messaging service to answer the health and wellbeing needs of young people, parents and carers in the Warrington area. Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has teamed up with ChatHealth to provide the service.

The text number for Warrington's 11-19 Young People's Service is: 07507 330 101

It offers a safe way for users to get in touch anonymously and confidentially with a health care professional via a mobile phone. Professionals are on hand to discuss a variety of health and wellbeing issues, including anxiety, child development, mental health and sexual health. Evidence has shown that young people in particular like that ChatHealth offers discreet contact with health professionals, in a quick, easy, anonymous and non-judgemental way.