Please click on the blue links below to access our latest news items
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Trailblazer - Improvements to CYP Mental Health Provision
Somerset has been successful in gaining NHS England and DfE funding to develop two new Mental Health Support Teams for schools. The teams will be responsible for delivering direct support to children with mild to moderate mental health needs alongside strengthening schools’ understanding and application of a graduated response to children and young people’s mental health underpinned by the Somerset Wellbeing Framework.
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Somerset Wellbeing Framework - Registration Open
After a hugely successful first year, we are now recruiting a second phase of schools to sign up to our locally grown framework for developing a 'whole school approach' to mental health. Schools that register will be provide with guided support to complete the Wellbeing Audit and guaranteed places on Mental Health First Aid and Relationships, Sex and Health Education Training courses.
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Ready Steady RSHE! (Relationships, Sex and Health Education)
A further reminder to schools that from September 2020, the following subjects will become compulsory:
• Relationships Education for primary schools
• Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) for secondary schools
• Health Education in all state maintained schools
The new RSHE guidance replaces previous PSHE guidance, putting healthy relationships and wellbeing at the heart of curriculum design. Sign up now to the Somerset accredited RSHE training!
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Somerset Gets SUGAR SMART
SUGAR SMART is a campaign run by Sustain to help local authorities, organisations, workplaces and educational settings to reduce the amount of sugar we all consume. Anyone can pledge to become SUGAR SMART – from councils and schools to restaurants, hospitals and independent companies. Our local campaign is launching this Autumn, starting with actions for schools. Becoming a SUGAR SMART school will improve the health of the children and young people in your school and help you to achieve an award as part of the Somerset Wellbeing Framework. For further details click on the link above or contact Nicola Crocker
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Mental Health First Aid Training is Back!
Public Health are very pleased to announce a new round of 1 and 2 day Mental Health First Aid courses. Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) courses are for everyone who works with, lives with or supports young people aged 8-18. They will teach you the skills and confidence to spot the signs of mental health issues in a young person, offer first aid and guide them towards the support they need. In doing so, you can speed up a young person’s recovery and stop a mental health issue from getting worse.
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The Body Positivity Project
LIFEbeat have been working with pupils in Somerset secondary schools on the subject of Body Image and its impact on the lives of young people. The project sought to create a ‘culture of openness’ amongst participants around the subject, linking it back to emotional mental health and aimed to develop an acceptance amongst young people that it is ok to talk about emotions, the challenges of physical development and the impact of social media. The project resources and process are now available for all schools with a countywide campaign day in the spring.
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E-BUG Improves Attendance
Public Health England have been running a very successful e-Bug health education resource aimed at 4-18 year olds and focuses on microbes, hygiene, the spread, treatment and prevention of infection and antimicrobial resistance. Evidence and recent pilots in South Gloucestershire showed that hand hygiene and infection control interventions reduce absenteeism in schools. Public Health England are expanding their programme this year due to the pilot success. If you are interested in delivering this programme we would love to hear from you. Please contact Jess Bishop, Health Protection Manager, SCC Public Health
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Young Minds is Saying Hello Yellow on World Mental Health Day
Young Minds is leading the way on fundraising and creative activities to get everyone involved in World Mental Health Day on 10th October. Schools can download resources including posters, stickers, bunting, activity sheets such as inventing your own superhero!
Alongside Young Minds, Public Health England, with support from some of the most respected organisations in the field, is launching a new mental health campaign called 'Every Mind Matters' in October 2019. The campaign aims to support everyone to feel more confident in taking action to look after their mental health and wellbeing by promoting a range of self-care actions for any age.
World Mental Health Day really puts mental health in focus and serves as a great opportunity to engage children, young people and parents in building resilience, managing their own wellbeing and knowing how to seek help if ever they need it.
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