As attitudes to mental health shift, primary schools in England will teach compulsory lessons on health (including mental health) from 2020. Yet mental health is far more than the absence of illness - it also means having self-belief and the resilience to cope with stress and change. In order to teach such skills, teachers and other staff must equip themselves and their workplaces with the procedures, understanding and confidence required to monitor mental health, share concepts effectively, identify warning signs and act appropriately if issues arise. Mental Health and Wellbeing in Primary Education puts all the information they need at their fingertips - with detailed guidance on creating a culture of wellbeing, overviews of how a wide variety of common mental health problems are diagnosed and managed, warning signs to look out for, and a range of ready-made forms, exercises and lesson plans
Dr Laura Meek is a Consultant Child Psychiatrist. She has an interest in supporting teachers and empowering young people to take charge of their mental health. Laura has written articles for the Huffington Post, Juno Magazine and the Metro and is the author of Be Your Own Superhero (Penguin, 2019). She lives in Yorkshire with her husband and two sons. Joanna Phillips is a Primary Teacher and aspiring Children's Author, who was previously a doctor in the NHS. She is currently a Learning Mentor and Nurture Teaching Assistant, supporting children with a variety of needs. She writes online about reading, books and mental health and she has an interest in how stories can be used to support children with their emotional wellbeing. She lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and two children. Dr Sarah Jordan is a mother and highly specialised Clinical Psychologist currently working in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. She has worked with children and families for 18 years. She specialises in the assessment, diagnosis and interventions for children on the autism spectrum.
Table of Contents Introduction Part 1: Putting mental health and wellbeing first 1. Identification, responses and interventions 2. Ready to learn 3. A whole school approach Part 2: Wellbeing 4. Wellbeing for all 5. Building Emotional Intelligence 6. Managing and mastering screens Part 3: Mental health presentations and conditions 7. Anxiety, Panic and OCD 8. Low mood 9. Behaviours that challenge, anger and defiance 10. Attachment difficulties and Trauma 11. Autism Spectrum Condition 12. Difficulties with attention, hyperactivity, impulsivity and tics 13. Onset of puberty and gender identity 14. Feeding and eating disorders Part 4: Transitions 15. Introduction to transitions 16. Transition into Early Years settings 17. Daily transitions 18. Year-to-year transitions 19. Transition to Secondary school Part 5: Resources 20. Lesson plans and resources 21. Glossary 22. Further reading and guidance
