Healthy Minds

To nurture the skills of resilience is key to providing young people with the ability to cope with stress, adversity, failure and challenges. Resilience is evident when young people have a greater ability to “bounce back” when faced with difficulties and achieve positive outcomes.

Resilience empowers an individual to recognise that everyone has physical and mental health and that mental health can move between healthy and poor, dependent on an individual’s circumstances. It empowers a person to recognise poor mental health in themselves and others and be aware of support that is available.

It is widely recognised that a child’s emotional health and wellbeing influences their cognitive development and learning, as well as their physical and social health and their mental wellbeing in adulthood.

In an average class of 30 15-year-old pupils:

three could have a mental disorder
ten are likely to have witnessed their parents separate
one could have experienced the death of a parent
seven are likely to have been bullied
six may be self-harming

The Department for Education (DfE) recognises that: “in order to help their pupils succeed; schools have a role to play in supporting them to be resilient and mentally healthy”. Moreover schools have a duty to promote the wellbeing of students. DfE also identifies a whole-school approach to promoting good mental health as a protective factor for child and adolescent mental health. Although schools and colleges play a significant and valuable role in helping to promote student emotional health and wellbeing, their contribution should be considered as one element of a wider multi-agency approach.

The Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Taskforce recommends that schools assign a lead on mental health issues who would be responsible for linking schools with expertise, identifying issues and making referrals.

Source – DfE

By the end of primary school students should know

That mental wellbeing is as important as physical health and is a normal part of everyday life.
That everyone experiences a range of emotions and feelings in different situations.
How to recognise, understand, and talk about their emotions using appropriate language.
How to manage emotions and recognise when feelings or behaviours may need support.
The benefits of physical activity, spending time outdoors, community involvement, and positive relationships for wellbeing.
Simple self-care strategies, such as relaxation, hobbies, rest, and spending time with family and friends.
That loneliness and isolation can affect wellbeing and that it is important to talk to a trusted adult when worried.
That bullying, including cyberbullying, can have a harmful impact on mental health.
Where and how to access support for themselves or others, including trusted adults in school.
That mental health difficulties are common and that early support can help people recover and thrive.

This knowledge helps children develop emotional awareness, resilience, positive coping strategies, and the confidence to seek help when needed.

Source: Relationships Education RSE and Health Education (DfE) Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education guidance (publishing.service.gov.uk)

By the end of secondary school students should know

How to talk about their emotions accurately and sensitively, using appropriate vocabulary.
That happiness is linked to being connected to others.
How to recognise the early signs of mental wellbeing issues.
Common types of mental ill health (e.g. anxiety and depression).
How to critically evaluate when something they do or are involved in has a positive or negative effect on their own or others’ mental health.
The benefits of physical exercise, time outdoors, community participation and voluntary and service-based activities on mental wellbeing and happiness.

Source: Relationships Education RSE and Health Education (DfE) Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education guidance (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Local Support

Cambridge, Curiosity and Imagination

Cambridge Curiosity and Imagination (CCI) believes that curiosity and imagination matter. We think of them as important muscles we need to care for and strengthen. Our work as an arts and wellbeing charity is driven by a vision of an inclusive, revitalised, accessible and creative society that embraces these qualities. Artists with environmental practices are

Keep Your Head

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care System (ICS) Partners have refreshed the Keep Your Head website. It continues to provide a central hub of high quality information on mental health and mental health services. It also offers tailored and age-appropriate information for children and young people, adults, professionals and schools on a wide range of

SORTS Team, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge

Researchers at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge have produced a set of FREE resources to help school and college staff provide a supportive response to students who self-harm. The resources have been co-developed with mental health professionals, school staff and young people as part of a research project funded by the National Institute

The Conversation

The Conversation offers in person PSHE workshops covering many aspects of the PSHE curriculum including sex and relationships, mental health, self esteem and Identity and digital technology. They work with children from the beginning of primary school, right through to post-16 education across over 50 schools and colleges each year, and also offer SEND provision.

The Parent Village

The Parent Village is a registered charity which works with schools, local authorities and health bodies to support them with reaching parents and carers to develop shared approaches to supporting children and young people’s mental health. The team deliver this support both remotely and face to face through the following ways: For more information: Visit:

YMCA Trinity Group

YMCA has been supporting young people in the UK and across the world for over 150 years. YMCA Trinity Group delivers needs led services to communities across Cambridgeshire, Peterborough & Suffolk. We are an established service, providing a range of preventative and clinical support to organisations, young people, their families and carers. Our holistic approach

YOUnited

YOUnited offers help to children and young people with their emotional wellbeing and mental health registered with a GP in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. It is available to those up to the age of 25 and offers a range of support including therapies, counselling and guided self-help. Referrals can be made to YOUnited by a GP