Emotional wellbeing and mental health: whole school and college approach (WSCA)

Taking a coordinated and evidence-informed approach to mental health and wellbeing in schools and colleges leads to improved pupil and student readiness to learn.

Department for Education (DfE) guidance for headteachers and college principals on the WSCA 8 principles for promoting emotional health and wellbeing in schools and colleges can be found on the following link:

Promoting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing

Emotional mental wellbeing in education team (EMWiE)

The EMWiE Team support all educational settings, from early years to further education to embed a WSCA to emotional and mental wellbeing. The team work together consulting and co-producing with school staff, pupils, parents, carers and the wider community. 

The EMWiE Team offer the following:

• Emotional Mental Wellbeing in Schools Mark
• Mental Health Leads (MHLs) Training/ Refresher Training
• Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Training

Emotional mental wellbeing in education schools mark

The Emotional Mental Wellbeing in Schools Mark guides education settings through a self-review process of their mental health and emotional wellbeing offer to help identify strengths and areas for improvement. Aligned to the Department for Education’s eight principles that formulate a suggested whole school and college approach to Promoting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing, the Schools Mark has replaced the previous Healthy Young Minds in Herts Kitemark award and is free for schools to complete.

Each of the principles focus on several specific criterion. Schools will identify themselves as working in a Developing, Effective, or Advanced capacity, and use the potential improvements that can be made in each area to inform a whole school Mental Health Action Plan.

On submission of their self-review document schools will be visited by an assessor. During the two-hour visit, the assessor will explore evidence and impact which supports the setting’s own findings. This information will contribute to an overall score and culminate with a rating being awarded to the setting.

The Emotional Mental Wellbeing in Schools Mark is designed to be used as a continuous improvement development tool, meaning that it is not a case of pass or fail. After two years, settings have the option to repeat the process, reflecting on the improvement journey they have undergone, and update their whole school Mental Health Action Plan to align with new ambitions going forward.

Settings interested in starting the process should contact schoolsmh@hertfordshire.gov.uk for further information and documentation.

Mental health leads training

The EMWiE team delivers MHL's training to all education settings in Hertfordshire. The courses on offer and content is listed below: 

Introduction to Mental Health Leads Training: * For NEW MHLs/DMHLs

• Emotional wellbeing and mental health in children and young people
• The roles and responsibilities of a mental health lead in education
• Introduction to Department for Educations Whole School/College Approach to emotional and mental wellbeing and how to embed in your setting
• Staff Wellbeing
• Children & Young Peoples Mental Health Services overview in Hertfordshire
• Practical examples and sharing of good practice

Mental Health Leads Refresher Training *only applicable if you have not had training in the last two years

• Emotional wellbeing and mental health in children and young people
• Children & Young Peoples Mental Health Services overview in Hertfordshire
• Sharing good practice on Whole School/College Approach to emotional and mental wellbeing

Developing your Whole School/College Approach to Emotional and Mental Wellbeing

• The Department for Education Whole School/ College Approach
• How to create or further develop your own school/college action plan
• Sharing best practice with other education settings
• Overview of Hertfordshire's Schools Mark

For more information on the courses, locations of the training and the dates available please contact: schoolsmh@hertfordshire.gov.uk

Mental health first aid training

The EMWiE team commission funded training programmes to support school-based professionals and parents/carers to improve the mental health and wellbeing of pupils aged 8-18.

 All MHFA Training is facilitated by an approved MHFA Trainer. 

Training currently on offer:

• MHFA 1 day Champion Course for school professionals

• MHFA 2 day First Aider Course for school professionals

• MHFA 1 day Champion Course for parents/carers of Hertfordshire school children

MHFA Champion Course- provides an understanding of common mental health issues and how they affect young people. The ability to spot signs of mental ill health in young people and guide them to a place of support along with knowledge and confidence and skills to support positive wellbeing.

MHFA First Aider Course- this course works on the basis that there is a role in our communities for mental health first aiders – people that feel confident to go to someone experiencing emotional distress, provide initial help and guide them towards more specialist support.

For more information on the courses, locations of the training and the dates available please contact: schoolsmh@hertfordshire.gov.uk

Funding for senior mental health lead training

The DfE is offering a senior member of staff in every school or college the opportunity to obtain a grant for training that helps the lead develop or introduce a whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing in their setting.

The grant is provided to cover (or contribute to) the cost of attending a quality assured course and may also be used to hire supply staff whilst leads are engaged in learning. The grant must be used on DfE quality assured training to help develop or introduce your whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing.

Existing senior leads might wish to: develop or refresh their knowledge and skills in specific priority areas- get more advanced training- get a relevant qualification. Schools can decide who gets the training as every setting’s circumstances are different. Training could be for your:

• headteacher
• deputy headteacher
• member of the SLT
• if not a senior leader, an appropriate member of staff, working with colleagues, who is empowered to develop and oversee your setting’s whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing

DfE: Senior mental health lead training

Mental health support teams

MHST's are now supporting settings in all of the districts across Hertfordshire.

From September 2024, St Albans and Dacorum MHST’s will be expanding and during the course of the 24/25 academic year will be supporting more mainstream settings where there is low-moderate MH & EWB needs.

Each team can offer support to between 12 and 20 schools with a mix of primary, secondary and further education settings.

Schools are offered the support of a MHST and selected from:

• those who express an interest
• known demographic data including disadvantaged children as an example.

There is also a specialist SEND MHST who operate in nearly all special schools across Hertfordshire and support mainstream MHST’s with advice and signposting.

2023/24: MHSTs began supporting several SEND units as well as strengthening SEND advice and guidance to MHSTs in mainstream schools.

If you would like further information on the schools with an MHST in your area or are interested in joining the programme, please make contact with schoolsmh@hertfordshire.gov.uk and further information can be shared.