Children's Mental Health and Wellbeing

At St. Martin's, we are committed to supporting our whole school community’s positive mental health and well-being. We recognise that mental health and emotional wellbeing is just as important to our lives as physical health.

We endeavour to ensure that children can manage times of change and stress. We aim to ensure that they are supported to reach their potential or access help when they need it. We also have a role in ensuring that children learn about: what they can do to maintain positive mental health, what affects their mental health, how they can help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues and where they can go if they need help or support.

At our school, we aim to promote positive mental health and well-being for our whole school community; pupils, staff, parents and carers, and recognise how important mental health and emotional well-being is to our lives in just the same way as physical health. We recognise that children’s mental health is a crucial factor in their overall wellbeing and can affect their learning and achievement.

Mrs Jenkins is the Senior Mental Health Lead (SMHL) and has the strategic oversight of the approach to mental health and wellbeing across the school. Her responsibilities include working with professionals and agencies to support mental health and well-being. At St Martin’s we work cohesively to create a supportive and nurturing environment for both students and staff, whether through one-to-one sessions or group activities, we foster a safe and empathetic space for pupils to express themselves and develop essential emotional skills.

We work in collaboration with the Mental Health Support Team (MHST), CAMHS, Educational Psychologists and Primary Mental Health Workers. This comprehensive network underscores our dedication to creating a supportive and flourishing environment for the well-being of our whole school community.

If you would like more information please see Mrs Jenkins or if you are concerned about your child’s mental health, you can use the MHST online referral form. Please click here for the form.

Please see below for further information and useful websites.

NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/ 

PLACE TO BE: https://www.place2be.org.uk/our-services/parents-and-carers/ 

Anna Freud national Centre for Children and Families: https://www.annafreud.org/resources/family-wellbeing/ 

Young Minds: https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/parents-a-z-mental-health-guide/racism-and-mental-health/