Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.
At Longdon Park School we aim to promote positive mental health for every member of community, staff and student. We pursue this aim using both universal, whole school approaches and specialised, targeted approaches aimed at vulnerable students. In addition to promoting positive mental health, we aim to recognise and respond to mental ill health.
In an average classroom, three children will be suffering from a diagnosable mental health issue, and children with learning disabilities are over 6 times more likely to have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder than their peers who do not have learning disabilities.
By developing and implementing practical, relevant and effective mental health policies and procedures we can promote a safe and stable environment for students affected both directly and indirectly by mental ill health.
Parent/Carer Mental Health Advice
What is mental health?
Our mental health refers to psychological, emotional and social well-being. Mental health affects how we think, feel and behave along with how we deal with stressors of day to day life and make choices. Having positive mental health allows people to; realise their full potential, work productively, deal with the day to day stresses of life and make meaningful contributions to their community.
Warning signs of a mental health problem:
Showing one or more of the following behaviours or feelings could indicate the beginning of a mental health problem:
- Eating too much or too little
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Isolating away from people
- No enjoyment in usual activities
- Having low or no energy
- Feeling numb and that nothing matters
- Unexplained aches and pains
- Feeling helpless/hopeless
- Smoking, drinking or using drugs
- Feeling confused, forgetful, on edge, angry, upset, worried or scared more than usual
- Arguing more with friends and family
- Mood swings causing problems in relationships
- Persistent thoughts and memories you can’t get out of your head
- Hearing voices and believing things that aren’t true
- Thinking of harm to self or others
- Inability to perform daily tasks
Ways to maintain positive mental health:
- Connect with others – Good relationships are important for your mental wellbeing as they help build a sense of belonging and self-worth, give you an opportunity to share positive experiences and provide emotional support.
- Be physically active – Being active can improve mental wellbeing by raising self-esteem, helping to set goals and achieving them and causes chemical changes in the brain helping to positively change mood. Although, make sure the activities are being enjoyed otherwise they will have the opposite effect.
- Learn a new skill – This can boost self-confidence and self-esteem whilst building a sense of purpose.
- Give to others – Acts of giving and kindness create positive feelings and a sense of reward whilst helping to connect with other people.
- Pay attention to the present moment – Mindfulness can help you enjoy life more and understand yourself better. It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.
Who can you and your child speak to in school?
