At Langdale Primary School, we consider the mental health of our pupils, staff and parents to be just as important as physical health.  Mental health includes our emotional, psychological  and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel and act. It also determines how we handle stress, relate to others and make choices.  Mental health is important at every stage of life from childhood through to adulthood and many factors can contribute such as biological factors, life experiences and family history.

ELSA

At Langdale, we have a full-time ELSA support worker, Jayne Allen. 

ELSA stands for Emotional Literacy Support Assistant. ELSA support in schools is a project designed to help schools support the emotional needs of their pupils. ELSA acknowledges that children and young people learn best when they feel happier and their emotional needs are being addressed.

We are proactive in providing support when it is needed and this part of the website is dedicated to sharing information to help develop a good emotional well being and resilience for all.

• Children's mental health week 2022
  Place2Be launched the first ever Children’s Mental Health Week in 2015 to shine a spotlight on the importance of children and young people’s mental health. Now in its eighth year, we hope to encourage more people than ever to get involved and spread the word. Children’s Mental Health Week 2022 - Growing Together From 7-13 February 2022, schools, youth groups, organisations and individuals across the UK will take part in Children’s Mental Health Week. This year’s theme is Growing Together. Growing Together is about growing emotionally and finding ways to help each other grow. Challenges and setbacks can help us to grow and adapt and trying new things can help us to move beyond our comfort zone into a new realm of possibility and potential. However, emotional growth is often a gradual process that happens over time, and sometimes we might feel a bit ‘stuck’.

• MIND
  MIND provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding.

• Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Wellbeing service
  Providing safe, convenient therapy – On-line, by phone or face-to-face

• North Staffs Mind
  A leading, independent mental health charity providing services in and beyond North Staffordshire for over 40 years, they deliver a range of trusted, specialist support to over 8,000 people every year. They believe that no one should face a mental health issue alone.

• Anna Freud national centre for children and families
  A Youth Wellbeing Directory is directory of free mental health services across the UK. Find free mental health support local to you on the Youth Wellbeing Directory.

• Nip in the bud
  Information and advice on children's mental health conditions

• Manup
  Mental health support for men.

• Barnados
  Supporting children with mental health and emotional wellbeing

• Children's mental health week
  This year's Children's Mental Health Week will take place on 7-13 February 2022. This year's theme is Growing Together

• 5 ways to wellbeing

Where to find support and information for bereavement

• At a loss
  Providing the UK's signposting website for anyone bereaved and those supporting them

• Winston's Wish
  Winston’s Wish supports bereaved children, young people, their families and the professionals who support them.

• Rainbow Trust
  Supporting families with a seriously ill child.

• Cruse bereavement support
  A helpline to access support from trained volunteers

Where to find support and information for cyberbullying

• National bullying helpline
  Cyberbullying - Information and advice for victims of online bullying or harassment

• NSPCC helping children deal with bullying
  Advice for parents and carers to help keep children safe from bullying, wherever it happens

• The Cybersmile Foundation
  The Cybersmile Foundation is a multi-award-winning nonprofit organization committed to digital wellbeing and tackling all forms of bullying and abuse online. We work to promote kindness, diversity and inclusion by building a safer, more positive digital community.

• Bullying UK

Where to find support and information for domestic abuse

• Refuge
  For women and children against domestic violence

• Women's aid

• Gov.uk
  Domestic abuse: how to get help

• Citizens advice
  Domestic violence and abuse - getting help

Where to find support and information for drug and alcohol problems

• Turning point
  Drug and alcohol addiction support

Wellbeing activities for children

• Bubble breathing exercises
  Blowing bubbles is great fun, and it has an added benefit too – the deep breathing required to blow bubbles can help you to relax and feel calm. ‘Bubble breathing’ can even be done without the bubbles, any time you want to feel calm. Simply take a deep breath in through your nose, then breathe out slowly through your mouth with your lips small, as if you were going to blow a bubble. This kind of breathing leaves more room for fresh inhaled air. You can even imagine any worries you might have floating away like bubbles.

• Jar of smiles
  Stress, sadness and frustration are very real feelings that everyone has sometimes. It’s ok to feel this way sometimes, especially when things are difficult. But there are things you can do to help yourself feel better when things are troubling you. Talk about it – telling an adult, a friend, or anyone who cares about you, how you feel is important. It means that others can help you. Maybe you’ll find out that other people feel the same way. Often, just saying what’s on your mind helps you feel better – almost like magic! Focus on something else – if we are feeling negative emotions, doing something we like, or telling ourselves something more positive can sometimes help us feel a bit better. It’s important to be kind to ourselves when we are having a difficult time. Why not swap your worries for a jar full of smiles?

• Friendship letter exchange
  Let your friends know you are there for them by sending them a reminder through the post.