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Pupil Wellbeing and persistent absence July 2026 

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Pupil Wellbeing and persistent absence July 2026 

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Reasonable Adjustments - Conversation Starter 

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Reasonable Adjustments - Conversation Starter 

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A Pooky Knightsmith resource

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A bank of reasonable adjustments for pupils 

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A bank of reasonable adjustments for pupils 

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Pooky Knightsmith resource

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A bank of reasonable adjustments for autistic and ADHD students

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New research June 2026 NFER - Understanding the relationship between attendance, wellbeing and sense of belonging

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New research June 2026 NFER - Understanding the relationship between attendance, wellbeing and sense of belonging

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National Foundation for Educational Research

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Understanding the relationship between attendance, wellbeing and sense of belonging

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This study aims to understand the potential relationships between pupil wellbeing, sense of school belonging and school absences to help inform solutions for tackling the ongoing attendance crisis.

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NFER- Voices from the Classroom . Understanding how secondary schools support pupils returning from absence 

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NFER- Voices from the Classroom . Understanding how secondary schools support pupils returning from absence 

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National Foundation for Educational Research

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Voices from the Classroom - Understanding how secondary schools support pupils returning from absence

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This study looks at the increasingly complex challenge of maintaining high levels of pupil attendance, particularly in mainstream secondary schools. It aimed to understand what schools with good or improving attendance figures are doing to support pupils returning to school after absence.

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National Guidance for EPs supporting school attendance

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National Guidance for EPs supporting school attendance

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National Guidance for Educational Psychologists Supporting School Attendance

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Free to download from TWINKL

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How to Print or Download Documents from the Padlet

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How to Print or Download Documents from the Padlet

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How to search or filter posts on a Padlet 

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How to search or filter posts on a Padlet 

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Click the search bar (indicated by a magnifying glass) in the upper-right corner. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Cmd/Ctrl + F.

Once you have opened the search bar, you can search by typing keywords. You can also click the Funnel icon to reveal the filtering options.

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Dr. Pooky Knightsmith

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Safe enough to thrive - Companion Notes 

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Safe enough to thrive - Companion Notes 

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Safe Enough to Thrive - Companion Notes  

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Pooky Knightsmith: Neurodivergence & Mental Health

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Stop offering safe spaces. Build belonging instead.

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Belonging Matters - Programme for schools to purchase

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Belonging Matters - Programme for schools to purchase

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Belonging Matters is a whole school programme from the National Children’s Bureau designed to help schools create environments where every pupil feels valued, connected and able to thrive.

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School Belonging The Importance of Student and Teacher Relationships

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School Belonging The Importance of Student and Teacher Relationships

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Webinar : When School Feels Impossible , Dr. Pooky Knightsmith 

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Webinar : When School Feels Impossible , Dr. Pooky Knightsmith 

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This webinar uses the same slides delivered in our face to face event in March 2026 and has been kindly provided by Dr. Knightsmith for us to share.

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Pooky Knightsmith: Neurodivergence & Mental Health

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When School Feels Impossible - recording

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Neurodiversity and Wellbeing in schools programme -funded places available for state schools

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Neurodiversity and Wellbeing in schools programme -funded places available for state schools

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​​Neurodiversity and Wellbeing in Schools​ Programme

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Join our autism and wellbeing training for teaching staff. Increase your understanding of neurodiversity, and learn how to support autistic students.

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What’s Working in Schools: EBSA Practice That Makes a Difference

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Hear how practice within schools is making a difference to children’s wellbeing and engagement, which in turn has an impact on attendance. Through conversations with schools undertaking EBSA Horizons we’re seeing practice that makes a tangible difference for CYP experiencing barriers to education.

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School attendance and mental wellbeing resource

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School attendance and mental wellbeing resource

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Support school attendance with resources linking mental health to non-attendance. Includes guidance, strategies, and a case study for staff.

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ByBen SchofieldEast of England political correspondent

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Northamptonshire mum regrets pushing daughter into school

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School leaders say emotionally based school avoidance is increasing, but what should be done to help?

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About £3..00 for each downloadable resource

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EBSA Emotionally based school avoidance - Elsa Support

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EBSA EMOTIONALLY BASED SCHOOL AVOIDANCE RESOURCES TO HELP PUPIL WHO ARE NON ATTENDERS OR REDUCED ATTENDERS TO FEEL BETTER ABOUT SCHOOL

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Transition resources for CYP created by Children's Commissioner 

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Transition resources for CYP created by Children's Commissioner 

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Resources for children and young people | Children's Commissioner for England

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Back into School resources for children and young people from the Children's Commissioner

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Emotionally Based School Avoidance - be kind to parents...

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Let's talk about anxiety animation and teacher toolkit

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Let's talk about anxiety animation and teacher toolkit

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Designed for 11-13 year olds

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Anxiety

Anxiety is a normal emotion - it's one of our body's natural reactions to stress.

For young people, some level of anxiety is normal as they grow up and learn to navigate the world.

However, it's important that they have the tools to manage feelings of anxiety, and can tell the difference between normal emotions and more severe anxiety which is interfering with their everyday life.

The 'Let's talk about anxiety' animation, and accompanying resources for school staff, will help students aged 11 to 13 to normalise, understand and manage anxious feelings.

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Let's talk about anxiety: animation and teacher toolkit

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The Let's talk about anxiety animation and resource toolkit helps students aged 11 to 13 to normalise, understand and manage anxious feelings.

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A junior school is working with their Mental Health in Schools Team to provide workshops to support parents who are experiencing anxiety 

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A junior school is working with their Mental Health in Schools Team to provide workshops to support parents who are experiencing anxiety 

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One school has a 'Something Nice' club which does a fun activity/treat every week. This is not linked to a reward system and happens independently of whatever else is happening in school. It is something pupils can look forward to and helps them feel a sense of enjoyment in school. 

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One school has a 'Something Nice' club which does a fun activity/treat every week. This is not linked to a reward system and happens independently of whatever else is happening in school. It is something pupils can look forward to and helps them feel a sense of enjoyment in school. 

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Breakfast clubs for pupils who find it hard to engage with school - to get the morning off to a good start and provide the pull towards school. 

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Breakfast clubs for pupils who find it hard to engage with school - to get the morning off to a good start and provide the pull towards school. 

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A TLC (Tender Loving Care) Board in the staff room. Pupils who, for a variety of reasons, might be in particular need are identified so all staff can be aware. 

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A TLC (Tender Loving Care) Board in the staff room. Pupils who, for a variety of reasons, might be in particular need are identified so all staff can be aware. 

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School based intervention strategies for EBSA

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School based intervention strategies for EBSA

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JH School Based Intervention Strategies for Ebsa

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Activity to help CYP express their views about school and how to make it a happier place

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Activity to help CYP express their views about school and how to make it a happier place

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Mental Health Foundation | Good mental health for all

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Explore information to help you understand mental health and get advice on how you look after your own mental health or support someone you know with theirs.

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Look after your mental health using exercise

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Look after your mental health using exercise

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'It is exercise alone that supports the spirits, and keeps the mind in vigour.' Marcus Tullius Cicero

What is physical activity?

At a very basic level, physical activity means any movement of your body that uses your muscles and expends energy. One of the great things about physical activity is that there are endless possibilities and there will be an activity to suit almost everyone!

It is recommended that the average adult should do between 75 and 150 minutes of exercise a week. This can be either moderate intensity exercise, such as walking, hiking or riding a bike, or it can be more vigorous activities, such as running, swimming fast, aerobics or skipping with a rope. Any activity that raises your heart rate makes you breathe faster, and makes you feel warmer counts towards your exercise!

An easy way to look at types of physical activity is to put them into four separate categories.

Daily physical activity

For adults, physical activity can include recreational or leisure-time physical activity, transportation (e.g. walking or cycling), occupational activity (i.e. work), household chores, play, games, sports, or planned exercise in the context of daily, family, and community activities.

Everyday things such as walking to the bus stop, carrying bags or climbing stairs all count, and can add up to the 150 minutes of exercise a week recommended for the average adult.

Exercise

A purposeful activity carried out to improve health or fitness, such as jogging, cycling or lifting weights to increase strength.

Play

Unstructured activity that is done for fun or enjoyment.

Sport

Structured and competitive activities that include anything from football or squash to cricket. We can play these as part of a team or even on our own. This can be a fun and interactive way of getting exercise that doesn't have to feel like exercising.

These activities can vary in intensity and include high-intensity activities, such as tennis, athletics, swimming, and keep-fit classes. They can be lower-intensity activities and sports, such as snooker or darts. Making exercise fun rather than something you have to do can motivate keeping it up.

What is well-being?

The government defines well-being as 'a positive physical, social and mental state'. For our purposes, we are focusing on mental well-being.

Mental well-being does not have a single universal definition, but it does encompass factors such as:

The sense of feeling good about ourselves and being able to function well individually or in relationships

The ability to deal with the ups and downs of life, such as coping with challenges and making the most of opportunities

The feeling of connection to our community and surroundings

Having control and freedom over our lives

Having a sense of purpose and feeling valued

Of course, mental well-being does not mean being happy all the time, and it does not mean that you won't experience negative or painful emotions, such as grief, loss, or failure, which are a part of normal life. However, whatever your age, being physically active can help you to lead a mentally healthier life and can improve your well-being.

What impact does physical activity have on well-being?

Physical activity has a huge potential to enhance our well-being. Even a short burst of 10 minutes of brisk walking increases our mental alertness, energy and positive mood.

Participation in regular physical activity can increase our self-esteem and can reduce stress and anxiety. It also plays a role in preventing the development of mental health problems and in improving the quality of life of people experiencing mental health problems.

Impact on our mood

Physical activity has been shown to have a positive impact on our mood.

A study asked people to rate their mood immediately after periods of physical activity (e.g. going for a walk or doing housework), and periods of inactivity (e.g. reading a book or watching television).

Researchers found that the participants felt more content, more awake and calmer after being physically active compared to after periods of inactivity. They also found that the effect of physical activity on mood was greatest when the mood was initially low. Many studies look at the physical activity at different intensity levels and its impact on people's mood. Overall, research has found that low-intensity aerobic exercise - for 30-35 minutes, 3-5 days a week, for 10-12 weeks - was best at increasing positive moods (e.g. enthusiasm, alertness).

Impact on our stress

When events make us feel threatened or upset our balance in some way, our body's defences cut in and create a stress response, which may make us feel a variety of uncomfortable physical symptoms and make us behave differently. We may also experience emotions more intensely.

The most common physical signs of stress include sleeping problems, sweating, and loss of appetite. Symptoms like these are triggered by a rush of stress hormones in our body - otherwise known as the 'fight or flight' response. These hormones, adrenaline and noradrenaline, raise our blood pressure, increase our heart rate and increase the rate at which we perspire, preparing our body for emergency response. They can also reduce blood flow to our skin and can reduce our stomach activity. At the same time, cortisol, another stress hormone, releases fat and sugar into the system to boost our energy.

Physical exercise can be very effective in relieving stress. Research on employed adults has found that highly active individuals tend to have lower stress rates than less active individuals.

Impact on our self-esteem

Exercise not only has a positive impact on our physical health but can also increase our self-esteem. Self-esteem is how we feel about ourselves and how we perceive our self-worth. It is a key indicator of our mental well-being and our ability to cope with life stressors. Physical activity has been shown to positively influence our self-esteem and self-worth. This relationship has been found in children, adolescents, young adults, adults and older people, and among both males and females.

Dementia and cognitive decline in older people

Improvements in healthcare have led to an increasing life expectancy and a growing population of people over 65 years. Alongside this increase in life expectancy, there has been an increase in the number of people living with dementia and in people with cognitive decline. The main symptom of dementia is memory loss, a progressive disease that results in people becoming more impaired over time. The decline in cognitive functions, such as attention and concentration, also occurs in older people, including those who do not develop dementia. Physical activity has been identified as a protective factor in studies that examined risk factors for dementia. For people who have already developed the disease, physical activity can help to delay further decline in functioning. Studies show that there is approximately a 20% to 30% lower risk of depression and dementia for adults participating in daily physical activity. Physical activity also seems to reduce the likelihood of experiencing cognitive decline in people who do not have dementia.

Impact on depression and anxiety

Physical activity can be an alternative treatment for depression. It can be used as a standalone or combined with medication and/ or psychological therapy. It has few side effects and does not have the stigma that some people perceive to be attached to taking antidepressants or attending psychotherapy and counselling. Physical activity can reduce anxiety levels in people with mild symptoms and may also help treat clinical anxiety. Physical activity is available to all, has few costs attached, and is an empowering approach that can support self-management. Read more about how physical activity can help increase well-being and prevent or manage mental health problems, and get more information about how exercise can improve your mental health.

How much physical activity should I be doing?

We know all too well that many people in the UK do not meet the current physical activity guidelines.

With an average of only 65.5% of men and 54% of women meeting the recommended physical activity levels in 2015, more people must be given the knowledge and support they need to make physical activity a healthy yet enjoyable part of life.

The Department of Health recommends that adults should aim to be active daily and complete 2.5 hours of moderate intensity activity over a week - the equivalent of 30 minutes five times a week. It may sound like a lot, but it isn't as daunting as it first appears, and we have many suggestions to help you get started.

Where do I start?

Once you have decided to be more physically active, there are a few points worth considering. Apart from improving your physical and mental well-being, what else do you want to get out of being active?

Ask yourself whether you'd prefer being indoors or out, doing a group or individual activity, or trying a new sport. If sporty exercises put you off, or feel uninspired at the thought of limiting yourself to just one activity, think outside the box and remember that going on a walk, doing housework, and gardening are all physical activities. Also, would you rather go it alone or do an activity with a friend? Social support is a great motivator, and sharing your experiences, goals, and achievements will help you to keep focus and enthusiasm.

Overcoming barriers

It can be a bit scary making changes to your life, and most people get anxious about trying something new. Some common barriers, such as cost, injury or illness, lack of energy, fear of failure, or even the weather, can hinder people from getting started; however, practical and emotional support from friends, family, and experts really do help.

Body image can act as a barrier to participating in physical activity. People who are anxious about how their body will look to others while they are exercising may avoid exercise as a result. For women, attending a female-only exercise class or a ladies-only swimming session may help to overcome anxiety as a barrier to initially starting to exercise.

Exercising with a companion can also help to reduce anxiety about how your body looks to others and may be particularly helpful during the first few exercise sessions. The environment can also influence how you feel; gyms with mirrored walls tend to heighten anxiety, as does exercising near a window or other space where you might feel 'on show'.

Make time

What time do you have available for exercise? You may need to rejig commitments to make room for extra activities or choose something that fits into your busy schedule.

Be practical

Will you need support from friends and family to complete your chosen activities, or is there a chance your active lifestyle will affect others in your life? Find out how much it will cost and, if necessary, what you can do to make it affordable.

Right for you

What kind of activity would suit you best? Think about what parts of your body you want to exercise and whether you'd prefer to be active at home or whether you fancy a change of scenery and would prefer to exercise in a different environment, indoors or outdoors

Making it part of daily life

Adopting a more active lifestyle can be as simple as doing daily tasks more energetically or making small changes to your routine, such as walking up a flight of stairs.

Start slowly

If physical activity is new, it's best to gradually build up your ability. Focus on task goals, such as improving sports skills or stamina, rather than competition, and keep a record of your activity and review it to provide feedback on your progress. There are many apps and social networks accessible for free to help.

Goals

Setting goals to measure progress is important, which might motivate you. Try using a pedometer or an app on your smartphone to measure your speed and distance travelled, add on an extra stomach crunch or swim an extra length at the end of your session.

Remember, you won't see improvement from physical conditioning every day. Regularly committing to physical activity is an achievement in itself, and every activity session can improve your mood.

At home

You can do many activities without leaving your front door, which involves minimal cost. It can be as simple as pushing the mower with extra vigour, speeding up the housework, or doing an exercise DVD in the living room.

At work

Whether you're on your feet, sitting at a desk or sitting behind the wheel during your working hours, there are many ways you can get more active. Try using the stairs for journeys fewer than four floors, walking or cycling a slightly longer route home, or using your lunch hour to take a brisk walk, exercise class, or swim. The change of scenery will do you good, too.

Out and about

Being out of doors is a prime time for boosting your activity levels. Research suggests that doing physical activity in an outdoor, 'green' environment has greater positive effects on well-being than indoors.

Making small changes, from leaving the car at home for short journeys or getting off the bus a stop earlier, to higher-intensity activities like joining in with your children's football game or jogging with the dog, can help to boost your mood.

Further ideas for starting or keeping up with physical activity

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How to look after your mental health using exercise

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This guide provides you with tips on how to look after your mental health using exercise.

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Teacher training module

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Practical materials for primary and secondary schools to use to train staff about teaching mental wellbeing.

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Northern Ireland DfE Resource for schools and settings 

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Northern Ireland DfE Resource for schools and settings 

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Social Behaviour and Emotional Wellbeing

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A resource for schools to support children who have or may have Special Educational Needs

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Link to NSPCC - Mental Health and Wellbeing safeguarding children training 

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Link to NSPCC - Mental Health and Wellbeing safeguarding children training 

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At the NSPCC, we work to keep children and young people safe from abuse and neglect every day.

As experts on safeguarding and child protection, we understand the issues organisations and people working with children can face. That's why professionals trust us to provide the support, training and resources they need to help protect the children and young people they work with.

Our highly-rated training courses are developed by experts. We work with a number of organisations, experienced consultants and subject matter experts in a range of sectors to develop courses that are clear, easy-to-use, up-to-date and in line with the latest statutory guidance, and tailored to your needs.

And as a charity, income generated from the sale of our training courses is reinvested back into the NSPCC to help protect children.

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Mental health and wellbeing safeguarding children training | NSPCC Learning

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Learn how to recognise and respond to mental health issues that may become safeguarding concerns and support the children and young people in your school. Online course. 3 hours. £30.

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5 Ideas for supporting children who are struggling to attend school 

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5 Ideas for supporting children who are struggling to attend school 

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SCHOOL ANXIETY ('REFUSAL') | 5 ideas for supporting children who are struggling to attend school

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Dr Mollie Higgins, Educational Psychologist, shares the key themes and outcomes of her doctoral research around Autistic Young People experiencing Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA). Mollie has been working alongside Dr Jerricah Holder to create a new chapter for the EBSA Horizons EP Course - Supporting Autistic CYP experiencing EBSA. To be released early next year. Sign up here to access the course. The Ideal School: EBSA and Autism
In addition to the risk factors for EBSA, autistic young people experience a number of differences which further increase their feelings of anxiety within the school environment. These include:

Differences in identifying and describing their own and others' emotions

Emotional regulation difficulties

Differences in sensory processing and finding the sensory environment overwhelming e.g. loud corridors, different smells, busy classrooms

Difficulties understanding and predicting social situations and managing interactions with others

Worries around change or transitions e.g. moving between classrooms, changes to timetables, supply teachers

Executive functioning and organisation difficulties - remembering books, homework, equipment

Masking - try to 'fit in' or attempting to appear more neurotypical by changing their behaviour and internalising any anxiety

Experiencing performance anxiety related to the schoolwork or exams

These challenges mean that some autistic students try and manage their anxiety by avoiding school altogether. This is reflected in statistics which show higher levels of EBSA amongst autistic students (Department for Education, 2021). I felt it was important to speak with students directly to hear their views and opinions about what might help them attend school.

I asked ten autistic secondary-age students to describe the best school ever and the worst school ever. This technique is known as The Ideal School and is based on Personal Construct Psychology. By asking students to describe their ideal and non-ideal schools, I was able to understand the type of adjustments that would help these students feel more able to attend school.

Five key themes were identified from the data and the key points are summarised below.

So What Can Schools Do?

This technique was adapted by Williams and Hanke (2005) using Moran's (2001) Drawing the Ideal Self.
If EBSA is an area which you're supporting CYP with, we've been fortunate to work with Dr Jerricah Holder on her EBSA Horizons courses for Educational Psychologists and School Staff. - New ** EBSA Horizons | School Training
Stay connected with news and updates!

Sign up to receive updates, resources, inspiring blogs and early access to our courses.
Don't worry, your information will not be shared.

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Sharing EP Practice: EBSA and Autism - What Can Schools Do?

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Dr Mollie Higgins, Educational Psychologist, shares the key themes and outcomes of her doctoral research around Autistic Young People experiencing Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA). Mollie has been working alongside Dr Jerricah Holder to create a new chapter for the EBSA Horizons EP Course - Supporting Autistic CYP experiencing EBSA.

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Provided by Anna Freud - there is a cost for this training

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Join our course to help school leaders understand staff mental health needs, build resilience, manage secondary trauma and implement wellbeing strategies.

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Anxiety - top mental health concern for children contacting Childline service 

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Anxiety - top mental health concern for children contacting Childline service 

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Anxiety the top mental health concern for children contacting our Childline service

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This Children’s Mental Health Week, Childline is encouraging young people who are experiencing anxiety to reach out.

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NSPCC Podcast - Mental Health First Aid kits

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NSPCC Podcast - Mental Health First Aid kits

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Mental health first aid kits | NSPCC Learning Podcast

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Free resources for Child's Mental Health Week Feb 2025

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Free resources for Child's Mental Health Week Feb 2025

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This year, Place2Be's official Children's Mental Health Week will take place from 5-11 February 2024. Our theme is 'My Voice Matters'.

We have free resources available to download so that everyone can take part in Children's Mental Health Week. Take a look and see what's available for schools, families and how you can take part and raise vital funds for children's mental health.

Get your own digital or physical copy of our pack, which is bursting with resources to help you take part - from class activities and assembly guides, to lots of creative arts and crafts and fun photobooth props!

Get a resource pack

Our free resources for families, parents and carers can help you get involved with Place2Be's Children's Mental Health Week at home.

Families

Find out more

Learn about how Children's Mental Health Week started and find out about this year's theme, 'My Voice Matters'.

Learn about the week

Download resources

Use our free resources for primary schools and secondary or high schools to take part in Children's Mental Health Week.

Schools

Take part

Find out how you can take part in the week, spread the word and raise vital funds to get us closer to reaching our goal that no child or young person has to face mental health problems alone.

Take part

Raise money

Help us reach our mission our goal that no child or young person has to face a mental health problem alone.

Fundraise for us

Add yourself to our map!

We'd love for you to add your school or organisation to our map! You can see who else is taking part in Children's Mental Health Week across the UK.

However you're planning on taking part in giving a voice to children and young people, we'd love to hear it.
Add yourself to our map

Tell me more

Sign up for Place2Be's Children's Mental Health Week email alerts to be the first to hear about new updates.

How we made a difference in 2023

Schools, families and organisations across the UK (and the world!) took part in Children's Mental Health Week 2023. Whether you downloaded a resource to use in class, held an assembly, organised a fundraiser, made a donation, or tweeted about the week - your support helped Place2Be to reach more children, young people and families.

114330

raised for Place2Be

197000

downloads of our resources

516463

children and young people supporting the week

News and blogs

Keep up with the latest news and views about Children's Mental Health Week.

Children's Mental Health Week 2024: resources available now

With just over 3 months until the week, we're excited to release our free resources to help everyone get involved.

Read more

Place2Be announces theme for Children's Mental Health Week 2024

Place2Be wants all children and young people to be able to say - and believe - "My Voice Matters".

Read more

Young Voices to support Place2Be's Children's Mental Health Week 2024

Young Voices has selected Place2Be as its charity partner for another year, following two successful years of partnership.

Read more

Would you like to become a supporter for Children's Mental Health Week? Get in touch to find out more.

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Place2Be's Official Children's Mental Health Week shines a spotlight on the importance of children's and young people's mental health.

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Autism Education Trust Self Advocacy Toolkit

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Autism Education Trust Self Advocacy Toolkit

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EBSA/EBSNA  is a broad umbrella term used to describe a group of children and young people who struggle to engage with and/or attend a school setting due to emotional and systemic factors. In Luton, discussion with young people indicated preference for the term ‘avoidance,’ rather than ‘non-attendance’ 

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EBSA/EBSNA  is a broad umbrella term used to describe a group of children and young people who struggle to engage with and/or attend a school setting due to emotional and systemic factors. In Luton, discussion with young people indicated preference for the term ‘avoidance,’ rather than ‘non-attendance’ 

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EBSA often leads to prolonged absences, difficulty to attend school and/or remain in lessons for an entire day. Some demonstrate inconsistent attendance, whilst others can attend and engage successfully with modified timetables and high levels of support.

It is well recognised from previous research that EBSA is caused by a complex number of factors linked to child, family context and school factors. In Luton, we recognise EBSA to include both engagement with learning and education as a whole.

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PADLET LINK

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EBSA -Luton Guidance and Resources for Parents/Carers DRAFT

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Luton Guidance and Resources for Parents & Carers PADLET link 

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Luton Guidance and Resources for Parents & Carers PADLET link 

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NICE guidelines for social, emotional and mental wellbeing in primary and secondary education 

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NICE guidelines for social, emotional and mental wellbeing in primary and secondary education 

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Training available: EBSA - Early Identification & whole school approaches 

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Training available: EBSA - Early Identification & whole school approaches 

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Contact: ..........

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ImpactEd Understanding Attendance Report 1

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ImpactEd Understanding Attendance Report 1

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Key Finding 1 - Sense of school belonging, closely linked to feeling safe in school is a key driver of

attendance across all contexts.

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ImpactEd Evaluation Attendance Record Report Jan24

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Child & Educational Psychology Service  

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Child & Educational Psychology Service  

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Educational psychologists (EP) apply knowledge of psychology, child development and education to promote children's learning, social development, mental health and emotional well-being.

Educational Psychologists are postgraduate, applied psychologists. Many have been teachers and all have experience of working with children and young people in educational settings in addition to a Masters degree in Educational Psychology and/ or a doctorate in Educational Psychology.

EPs are registered with and bound by ethical professional practice guidance and codes of conduct determined by the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC).

The Luton Child and Educational Psychology Service provides a 'core' service to schools as part of our statutory role; an EP is always required to provide psychological advice when a child is going through the statutory assessment process (for an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment).

The Service is also a 'traded service' and schools can use their delegated Special Educational Needs (SEN) funding to purchase EP hours to access the Service.

Who do we support?

We work through consultation and collaboration with significant adults in the child or young person's life (for example, parents and carers, school staff and other professionals involved) and directly with children and young people aged 0 to 25 to seek solutions to concerns and difficulties.

What can you expect from us?

The role of the EP is wide-ranging. Work with children or young people may involve one, some or all of the following:

working directly with individuals or groups of children to promote learning, social skills or emotional regulation. This may involve observation of a child or young person in lessons or on the playground and individual assessments with the child or young person. Individual assessments will vary according to the nature of the request for EP involvement and the child's presenting difficulties

working through consultation with other significant adults to make plans to achieve positive change for individual children or young people whose learning, development or social or emotional well-being is causing concern

working directly with parents or carers, e.g. consultation, Video Interaction Guidance (VIG), Nurtured Heart intervention

advising schools, settings and parents and carers on interventions and strategies including ways to evaluate their effectiveness

direct delivery of therapeutic intervention, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Mindfulness (individual or group), Play therapy (individual or group).

gaining the views of children and young people

Work with schools and other educational settings or community work may involve:

contributing to professional development (training) of teachers and other educational support staff including training on evidence-based and research-informed interventions

responding to 'critical incidents' involving schools (e.g. a sudden, unexpected event or sequence of events that are distressing to pupils and/or staff. It may involve violence against members of the school, serious accident or sudden death of a child or adult member of staff)

working with schools to help develop policies or evaluate practice to promote learning or positive behaviour

liaising, coordinating information and working with other agencies involved with children and their families/ carers

specific specialist input around the needs of looked-after children, e.g. training for social workers, foster carers, Consultation for schools, social workers and foster carers

training for community partners, such as Edwin Lobo Centre staff

contributing to Statutory Assessment of Special Educational Needs under Children & Families Act, 2014

How to get involvement from the service/ who can request involvement?

School or Nursery Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs) can request EP involvement for the most complex children in their school or setting. Parents/ carers must give their informed consent for us to become involved with a child (there is a request for involvement form that the school/ setting must fill in and then ask parents/ carers to sign to give their consent).

Parents / carers will usually be asked to attend a meeting with the EP on the day they are visiting the school (or on another date if the one arranged is not convenient for parents/ carers).

Parents and carers who feel their child needs EP involvement should speak with the school's SENCO.

The Virtual School has access to and can request involvement from within their dedicated time from their link EP. Our specialist social care/ looked-after children EP offers a consultation service for parents, carers and professionals where there is social care involvement or where a child is looked after or was previously looked after. A direct request for consultation with the specialist LAC/ Social care EP can be made.

What happens after service has been involved?

After they have finished their work with a child or young person (the EP may work with/ consult with others about a child just once or several times), the EP will write up a summary of their involvement. A copy of this written feedback will be sent to school/ setting, parents/ carers and any other professionals who are involved with the child.

The written feedback will include details of the purpose of their involvement, child or young person's views, parent/ carer views, a summary of the child's strengths and areas of difficulties, formulation or summary/ conclusion and some suggested or agreed actions including objectives, outcomes and strategies and interventions. The summary will also indicate suggested or agreed review arrangements.

If the EP's work has been part of the statutory assessment process they will write up more formal and detailed advice (Statutory Advice for Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment). A copy of this will be sent to parents/ carers, the school setting and the Special Educational Needs Assessment Team.

What can you do if a school does not feel your child needs EP involvement?

Your child's school's SENCO may have put in place appropriate levels of intervention and support and most children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) are able to have their needs met from within a schools resources and without the need for assessment by an EP. If your child's school do not think EP involvement is required you could:

ask the school's SENCO if there are any other Special Educational Needs Support (SENS) Services that your child could access

Search the Local Offer for other SEN Support Services, click on the pink 'specific areas of need' tiles or the 'if you have concerns' pathway

Get in touch with the Special Educational Needs Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIAS). This team will be able talk with you about your concerns and can help you find information and support.

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Educational psychologists (EP) apply knowledge of psychology, child development and education to promote children's learning, social development, mental health and emotional well-being. Educational Psychologists are postgraduate, applied psychologists. Many have been teachers and all have experience of working with children and young people in educational settings in addition to a Masters degree in Educational Psychology and/ or a doctorate in Educational Psychology.

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This is a specialist service which works with 3 to 16 year olds with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.

We offer advice and support for parents, carers and schools, and accept referrals from a range of professionals in consultation with the family.

More about FLAG

Diagnosis Support Pack

The Autism Support Service offers children young people and their families the following:

support to families from point of diagnosis and ongoing support through Families in Luton Autism Group (FLAG)

discussion with staff regarding practical strategies to help referred child access their learning and provide the best possible learning environment for pupils with autistic spectrum difficulties

support in setting targets for referred child's individual education plan

support when planning for referred child's move to school or to their next school

training for staff in referred child's setting if requested

liaison with other educational, health and social services.

advice on developing your child's social interaction, social communication and flexible thinking

The Autism Spectrum team offer schools the following:

classroom or setting observation with staff consultation to identify specific barriers to learning

advice and support strategies provided in a written report

advisory teacher meets with staff for 'surgery' where children are discussed and advice given during the session

training on autism spectrum conditions with a focus agreed by school for delivery to staff and governors e.g. 'The World Through My Eyes' course giving an overview of autism or more specialist courses such as 'Autism: Girls and Young Women' which clarifies how autism presents in girls and investigates masking & the impact this may have on provision

online inset: understanding autistic spectrum disorders - details from contacts below

specialist input also available for 0 to 5s

advice and support in setting up social skills groups for children and young people; and participation in the DREAM group which is a small online group for secondary aged girls invited from schools and settings for a six session programme

Support for specialist ASC (autism spectrum condition) provisions:

advisory teacher meets with staff for 'surgery' where children are discussed and advice given during the session

training on autism spectrum conditions with a focus agreed by school for delivery to staff and governors. For example, 'The World Through My Eyes' course giving an overview of autism or more specialist courses such as 'Autism: Girls and Young Women' which clarifies how autism presents in girls and investigates masking & the impact this may have on provision

online inset: understanding autistic spectrum disorders - details from contacts below

practical support, training and role modelling to individual or small groups of staff

specialist input also available for 0 to 5s

meetings with families, advising on structured approach ie schedules and work systems

How to refer

We accept referrals from a range of professionals. Children will usually have a diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder or condition to be accepted onto caseload. Parents must be consulted and agree to the referral.

Assessment is carried out in school or setting. In exceptional cases this sometimes undertaken in child's home.

Who are we?

Our team consists of two advisory teachers for pupils aged from 7 to 16+ years and two advisors for the Early Years aged between 3 to 7 years.

Staff are well qualified and highly experienced in supporting children on the autism spectrum.

The Autism Support Service is available as a traded service for academies and free schools in Luton, as well as to schools beyond Luton and private schools.

Costs

For details of costs, please contact:

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This is a specialist service which works with 3 to 16 year olds with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. We offer advice and support for parents, carers and schools, and accept referrals from a range of professionals in consultation with the family.

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Trained staff are on hand to provide support, advice and guidance to parents to help them build on their parenting skills.

As part of supervising Family Time (Contact) staff can assess relationships, family dynamics and monitor improvements.

Family Time can benefit children and birth relatives in numerous ways:

it can ease the sense of loss and provide reassurance for both children and their relatives

it can help to maintain family relationships

through the sessions, children are able to gain a greater understanding of their history and identity, which may enhance their self-esteem

The Manor Centre is newly refurbished and the following facilities are available:

nine furnished rooms - all rooms have kitchenettes with microwave and sinks

two rooms with full kitchens for baking and cooking with children

bathing facilities available

outdoor play area with basketball net, outdoor toys and equipment

age appropriate toys available

arts and crafts materials

cots, prams, high chairs and bedding

baby changing facilities

bottles, sterilising equipment

access to resources and tools for service users with learning difficulties

disabled Access

The centre provides supervised assessed Family Time for any of the following:

children aged up to 18 years old and their significant relatives

children subject to court orders

parents and children with mental health, learning difficulties and/or physical disabilities

parents who have a history of, or are currently undergoing treatment for, drug and alcohol misuse

families from diverse ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds

The Manor Centre is newly refurbished and the following facilities are available:

Traded Services available for private individuals or Local Authorities who wish to purchase supervised Family Time Sessions

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SENDIAS - Children and Young People with medical needs 

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SENDIAS - Children and Young People with medical needs 

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The SEND Code of Practice 2015 states:

Schools have a notional SEN budget and many schools will commission services (such as speech and language therapy, pastoral care and counselling services) to support pupils...The school's governing body must ensure that arrangements are in place in schools to support pupils at school with medical conditions and should ensure that school leaders consult health and social care professionals, pupils and parents to make sure that the needs of children with medical conditions are effectively supported.

Colleges...

...should ensure they have access to external specialist services and expertise. These can include, for example, educational psychologists, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), specialist teachers and support services, supported employment services and therapists.

If your child is too sick to go to school, your local authority will look to provide them with as normal an education as an illness allows.

This may mean, for example, arranging access to home teaching, a hospital school or hospital teaching service or an integrated hospital/home education service.

Local authorities should have a senior officer in charge of overseeing the arrangements. They should also have a written policy setting out how they will go about meeting their responsibilities.

The local authority is responsible for ensuring that pupils:

are not at home without access to education for more than 15 working days

have access to education from the start, if it's clear that they will be away from school for long and recurring periods

receive an education of similar quality to that available in school

get their minimum entitlement of five hours teaching per week if they're educated at home because of illness, as long as their health permits it

Under section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014, schools, Academies and PRUs "must make arrangements for supporting pupils at the school with medical conditions". This duty is owed by the "appropriate authority" which is either the governing body (of a maintained school) or the proprietor (if it is an Academy).

The Government has published statutory guidance called " Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions " to explain to schools, parents and carers how this duty should be carried out.

Next Steps

Initially raise any concerns directly with the education setting to ensure they remain fully informed about short and long terms health conditions. If appropriate, seek advice from any medical teams currently involved with your child or young person over your concerns around the impact of their health on their attendance.

If your child or young person has an EHCP you may also wish to raise any concerns with your assessment officer in SENDAT.

The SENDIAS service is happy to offer any further information, advice and support in relation to any concerns you may have, tel: 01582 548156 or email [email protected] to make contact with the service.

Other information related to this topic:

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Children and Young People with Medical Needs

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The SEND Code of Practice 2015 states: Schools have a notional SEN budget and many schools will commission services (such as speech and language therapy, pastoral care and counselling services) to support pupils...The school's governing body must ensure that arrangements are in...

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Dr Susan H. Spence, PhD, is Professor Emeritus at Griffith University in Queensland, Australia. Her research in the area of clinical psychology focuses on the causes, assessment, treatment and prevention of anxiety and depression in young people. She is the developer of the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale that is widely used across the world and has been translated into over 20 languages.

You can read more about her work by clicking on the following links:-

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SCAS Home - The Spence Children's Anxiety Scale

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Dr Susan H. Spence, PhD, is Professor Emeritus at Griffith University in Queensland, Australia. Her research in the area of clinical psychology focuses on the causes, assessment, treatment and prevention of anxiety and depression in young people. She is the developer of the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale that is widely used across the world and has been translated into over 20 languages.

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Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service CAMHS 

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Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service CAMHS 

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The Community Eating Disorder Service (CEDS)
The Community Eating Disorder service (CEDS) is a single dedicated team developed within tier 3 CAMHS across Luton CCG and Bedfordshire CCG and includes a range of CAMHS professionals. The team leads on the direct delivery of interventions for children and young people presenting with moderate and severe presentations of eating disorders. The service model includes an appropriate emphasis on prevention and early intervention.

Neuro Developmental Team (NDT)
This is a countywide Tier 3 service, where Tier 2 services such as nurse-led sleep clinic, nurse-led behavioural clinics, locality parenting support teams, CHUMS and Child Development Centre assessments (as appropriate) have been previously. Referrals are based on young people presenting with a combination of both: evidence of learning disability (IQ<70) and / or a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder or severe challenging behaviour and or moderate to severe.

Adolescent Mental Health Team (AMHT)
The specialist team work with young people age 13-17 presenting with severe mental illness and behaviour indicating a high risk to themselves or others. This will include young people who are psychotic, bipolar, severely depressed or dysphoric and emotionally unstable, or with other conditions such as obsessive compulsive disorder where there is a high level of dysfunction, and those isolated to a marked degree when it is considered a significant mental illness is likely. The main function of the model is to provide an alternative to in-patient admission through community based interventions.

Emotional and Behavioural Team
The team provides assessment and treatment for young people with emotional and / or behavioural difficulties unless already managed by any of the above specialist teams.

​Dunstable Clinic:
5 Beech Close
Dunstable
Bedfordshire
LU6 3SD

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CAMHS (South Bedfordshire and Luton) | East London NHS Foundation Trust

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The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) provides outpatient assessments, support and treatment for children and young people up to the age of 18 experiencing moderate to severe mental health problems.

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Wellbeing Measurement Framework for Schools 

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Wellbeing Measurement Framework for Schools 

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Anna Freud resources

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In collaboration with colleagues from CORC, the University of Manchester and Common Room, the EBPU has developed the Wellbeing Measurement Framework (WMF), a suite of measurement booklets for primary school, secondary school and college students.

Each WMF booklet contains a set of validated questionnaires (tailored to each age group) that assess constructs such as positive wellbeing, behavioural or emotional difficulties, the presence and strength of protective factors such as perceived support at school, home and in the community, and ability to deal with stress and manage emotions.

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Wellbeing measurement framework for schools

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A suite of measurement booklets for primary school, secondary school and college students.

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Working with parents and carers (Anna Freud)

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Working with parents and carers (Anna Freud)

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Emotionally-based school avoidance: working with parents and carers

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How school stress can lead to school refusal

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How school stress can lead to school refusal

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School refusal is more common than we think, and we need to be aware of that. This film wants to give you a perspective of a young student who is  struggling with school refusal.

The short film is available in English, Dutch, French, Turkish and Arabic voices. All have the possibility to add English subtitles to follow along.

More information on school refusal on www.hogent.be/schoolrefusal

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Podcast: Absenteeism in schools | NSPCC Learning

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In this podcast, experts from the NSPCC and Childline discuss school absenteeism, which has increased since the pandemic, and the safeguarding implications of children missing school.

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EBSA School and Professionals' Guidance 

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EBSA School and Professionals' Guidance 

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EBSA schools and professionals guidance V12

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EBSA Information Gathering template (Parents/carers) 

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EBSA Information Gathering template (Parents/carers) 

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EBSA Planning - parent information form 

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EBSA Information gathering - Child/young person

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EBSA Information gathering - Child/young person

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Activities to gather child/young person's voice

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Summary Table of Responsibilities for school attendance 

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Summary Table of Responsibilities for school attendance 

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Working Together to Improve School Attendance 

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Working Together to Improve School Attendance 

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The decision-making profile creates a clear picture about how a person makes a decision and how they want to be supported in decision-making. Designed by National Development Team for Inclusion

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Promoting and supporting mental health and wellbeing in schools and colleges

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Promoting and supporting mental health and wellbeing in schools and colleges

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Promoting and supporting mental health and wellbeing in schools and colleges

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Find out what help you can get to develop a whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing.

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Luton's assessment of individual push-pull and resilience school attendance factors 

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Luton's assessment of individual push-pull and resilience school attendance factors 

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Assessment of individual push_pull school avoidance factors

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Recommended for use when a child begins to not attend to identify underlying reasons

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Our Family Hubs offer free support and inclusive activities for families in Luton. Services include early years activities, family health, parenting, training, and various engaging sessions such as craft activities, toddler time, baby yoga, baby massage, sensory play, and more!

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School Refusal Assessment Scale- Parent 

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School Refusal Assessment Scale- Parent 

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Recommended for use when a child begins to not attend to identify underlying reasons.

How to interpret scores:

Scoring the SRAS-R is based on a 0–6 scale, with each question being scored as follows based on participant response:

0 points: 0, meaning "never"

1 point: 1, meaning "seldom"

2 points: 2, meaning "sometimes"

3 points: 3, meaning "half the time"

4 points: 4, meaning "usually"

5 points: 5, meaning "almost always"

6 points: 6, meaning "always"

Each item in the question set contributes to a different function which may be contributing to the child's school refusal behavior. Total scores may be computed by adding the scores of each of four functions on both the parent and child versions. These function scores are each divided by 6 (the number of scores in each set). Parent and child function scores are then summed and divided by 2 to determine the mean function score. The function with the highest mean score is considered the primary cause of the child's school avoidance. The function divisions are as follows:

Function one ("avoidance of stimuli provoking negative affectivity"): items 1, 5, 9, 13, 17, and 21

Function two ("escape from aversive social and/or evaluative situations"): items 2, 6, 10, 14, 18, and 22

Function three ("attention seeking"): items 3, 7, 11, 15, 19, and 23

Function four ("tangible rewards"): items 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_School_Refusal_Assessment_Scale-Revised#:~:text=Total%20scores%20may%20be%20computed,determine%20the%20mean%20function%20score.

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A) 25 items on psychological attributes.
All versions of the SDQ ask about 25 attributes, some positive and others negative. These 25 items are divided between 5 scales:

1) emotional symptoms (5 items)

1) to 4) added together to
generate a total
difficulties score
(based on 20 items)

2) conduct problems (5 items)

3) hyperactivity/inattention (5 items)

4) peer relationship problems (5 items)

5) prosocial behaviour (5 items)

The same 25 items are included in questionnaires for completion by the parents or teachers of 4-17 year olds (Goodman, 1997).

A slightly modified informant-rated version for the parents or nursery teachers of 2-4 year olds. 22 items are identical, the item on reflectiveness is softened, and 2 items on antisocial behaviour are replaced by items on oppositionality.

Questionnaires for self-completion by adolescents ask about the same 25 traits, though the wording is slightly different (Goodman et al, 1998). This self-report version is suitable for young people aged around 11-17, depending on their level of understanding and literacy.

In low-risk or general population samples, it may be better to use an alternative three-subscale division of the SDQ into 'internalising problems' (emotional+peer symptoms, 10 items), 'externalising problems' (conduct+hyperactivity symptoms, 10 items) and the prosocial scale (5 items) ( Goodman et al, 2010).

B) An impact supplement

Several two-sided versions of the SDQ are available with the 25 items on strengths and difficulties on the front of the page and an impact supplement on the back. These extended versions of the SDQ ask whether the respondent thinks the young person has a problem, and if so, enquire further about chronicity, distress, social impairment, and burden to others. This provides useful additional information for clinicians and researchers with an interest in psychiatric caseness and the determinants of service use ( Goodman, 1999).

C) Follow-up questions

The follow-up versions of the SDQ include not only the 25 basic items and the impact question, but also two additional follow-up questions for use after an intervention. Has the intervention reduced problems? Has the intervention helped in other ways, e.g. making the problems more bearable? To increase the chance of detecting change, the follow-up versions of the SDQ ask about 'the last month', as opposed to 'the last six months or this school year', which is the reference period for the standard versions. Follow-up versions also omit the question about the chronicity of problems.

Last modified : 16/08/22

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A) 25 items on psychological attributes. All versions of the SDQ ask about 25 attributes, some positive and others negative.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Dr Susan H. Spence, PhD, is Professor Emeritus at Griffith University in Queensland, Australia. Her research in the area of clinical psychology focuses on the causes, assessment, treatment and prevention of anxiety and depression in young people. She is the developer of the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale that is widely used across the world and has been translated into over 20 languages.

You can read more about her work by clicking on the following links:-

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SCAS Home - The Spence Children's Anxiety Scale

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Dr Susan H. Spence, PhD, is Professor Emeritus at Griffith University in Queensland, Australia. Her research in the area of clinical psychology focuses on the causes, assessment, treatment and prevention of anxiety and depression in young people. She is the developer of the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale that is widely used across the world and has been translated into over 20 languages.

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How to start a conversation with CYP about mental health 

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How to start a conversation with CYP about mental health 

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How to start a conversation with children and young people about mental health : Mentally Healthy Schools

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It can feel difficult to start a conversation with children and young people about mental health.

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Talking mental health animation and teacher toolkit

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Talking mental health animation and teacher toolkit

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Accompanying resources

We have developed a Teacher Toolkit for school staff to use alongside the animation which includes:

A lesson plan

An Assembly PowerPoint

An accompanying Assembly Plan

Tips for talking for parents and carers booklet

Various resources and classroom exercises

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Talking mental health: animation & teacher toolkit

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Talking Mental Health is an animation and accompanying teacher toolkit designed to help begin conversations about mental health in the classroom and beyond.

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Links to mental health support - national (and in Central Beds) for young people 

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Links to mental health support - national (and in Central Beds) for young people 

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Help with your thoughts and feelings

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Life Hacks is aimed at children and young people from age 11 to 19 years who would benefit from additional support to improve their social, emotional, or physical health and wellbeing.

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Video for young people - healthy coping strategies

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Video for young people - healthy coping strategies

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Healthy coping strategies: video for young people : Mentally Healthy Schools

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Learn about different practical coping strategies and how to use them in this video.

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A brand new suite of free resources to help you support young people's emotional and mental health

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Drop-in service.
You can book an appointment if you prefer-just contact the service who will let you know what to expect.

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Update: The Luton Young Person's Sanctuary is now operating 7 days a week 4pm - 10pm at the ResoLUTiONs Hub, except Tuesday's where it will operate from the Luton Wellbeing Centre.

Young Person's Sanctuary Luton

Mind BLMK are delighted to be working collaboratively with CAMHS and East London Foundation Trust (ELFT) across Luton, Central Bedfordshire and Bedford, to provide crisis services for young adults in need of mental health support.

Our Young Person's Sanctuaries are safe, non-judgemental spaces that you can come to if you find yourself in crisis or mental distress in the evenings. You will be met by a trained mental health worker who will listen and help you identify ways to address the problems you are facing.

Who are the Young Person's Sanctuaries for?

Young people (14-17yrs) who are experiencing severe mental distress or crisis.

Young people are welcome to bring anyone from their support system.

Young people do not need to be known to mental health services to attend.

What can you expect?

A safe, non-judgemental, and relaxed space

A confidential one-to-one session with a trained mental health worker

Support to identify coping mechanisms and building emotional resilience

A step-by-step tailored guide on how to access support and keep safe

Do you need an appointment?

Each Young Person Sanctuary is now operating a drop-in service and an appointment is not required.

Where is the Luton Young Person Sanctuary's based?

Young Person's Hub ResoLUTiONs, 89 Castle Street, LU1 3AJ: (Mon-Fri, except Tues)

Luton Wellbeing Centre, 46-56 Dumfries Street, Luton LU1 5BP (Tues ONLY)

What are the opening times?

The Luton Young Person's Sanctuary will be open on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays only from 4pm -10pm to begin with.

Questions about the service?

If you would like further information about our Young Person's Sanctuary, please email us on: [email protected] (open 9.00am - 4:30pm).

Please note: This is for enquiries only as referrals are not necessary. Please also be advised that we cannot offer crisis support over the phone during these hours.

Luton Young Person's Sanctuary

This service has been funded by East London NHS Foundation Trust

Mindline Trans+ national helpline

MindLine Trans+ is a confidential mental health support helpline for people who identify as trans, A gender, gender fluid, or non-binary.

Find out more

Side by side

Side by Side is a supportive online community where you can talk about your mental health and connect with others who understand what you are going through.

Find out more

Mental health A-Z

Information and advice on a huge range of mental health topics from the national Mind website.

Find out more

Urgent help

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Young Person's Sanctuary Luton - Mind BLMK

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Update: The Luton Young Person's Sanctuary is now operating 7 days a week 4pm - 10pm at the ResoLUTiONs Hub, except Tuesday's where it will operate from the Luton Wellbeing Centre. Mind BLMK are delighted to be working collaboratively with CAMHS and East London Foundation Trust (ELFT) across Luton, Central Bedfordshire and Bedford, to provide crisis services for young adults in need of mental health support.

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Symbol-supported books and activities to support children's wellbeing

Good mental health is essential in order to help young people live happy and healthy lives. This resource pack, which has been produced in partnership with Dr Jerricah Holder, Educational Psychologist, contains symbolised books and activities to support children's understanding of wellbeing and self-care.

The symbolised books explain what wellbeing 'looks like' and provides guidance on how children can improve their own wellbeing. The themes of resilience and mindfulness are also explored. This pack aims to help build emotional understanding.

Children will explore how they may experience 'comfortable' and 'uncomfortable' bodily sensations and how these 'signs' can help them make sense of how they are feeling. Children will learn the importance of developing a 'web of support' as a way of ensuring they have a network of trusted adults who they can ask for support.

This resource pack would support the teaching of Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education in schools.

Download

PDF

IP3

About Dr Jerricah Holder

Dr Jerricah Holder is an experienced Child and Educational Psychologist and creator of the School Wellbeing Card Series. Jerricah is passionate about the development of creative visual resources that empower children and young people to share their views and experiences, and which help to centre the child and young person's voice at the heart of assessment and intervention.

The Wellbeing pack has been developed in consultation with Dr Holder, who has had a significant input into the Resilience Cards in particular.

Contents

Wellbeing Book

A symbol-supported book to explain the importance of self-care and wellbeing to young people in a simplistic and concise way.

Five Ways to Wellbeing Book

This book follows on well from the Wellbeing Book as it encourages children to explore a variety of activities to promote and improve their wellbeing.

Resilience Book

A social story to develop an awareness of how to face challenges and overcome obstacles.

Positive Qualities

An activity to develop self-confidence and help children to recognise feelings and qualities in themselves and in other people. This activity aims to help children to recognise the importance of building caring friendships.

Circles of Control

A practical activity to help children understand that some things are beyond their control. This resource enables children to recognise a variety of different situations that may arise within daily life and organise them onto the circles of control proforma.

Comfortable and Uncomfortable Bodily Sensations

A resource to support children in developing an awareness of comfortable / uncomfortable bodily sensations that they may experience and the importance of making changes in order to feel safe.

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Wellbeing Pack | Widgit Symbol Resources

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Good mental health is essential in order to help young people live happy and healthy lives. This resource pack, which has been produced in partnership with Dr Jerricah Holder, Educational Psychologist, contains symbolised books and activities to support children's understanding of wellbeing and self-care.

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Kooth is your online mental wellbeing community. Access free, safe and anonymous

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BEDFORDSHIRE & LUTON SERVICES CHUMS currently delivers nine services across Luton & Bedfordshire, although not all are available in both areas. Supporting children and young people is at the heart of everything we do, and we are passionate about supporting as many children and young people as we can.

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Are you aged 11-19, living in Luton, and looking for health advice?

You can now text the Luton School Nurse Service on 07520 616070 to ask health related questions you might have including mental health, drugs, relationships, healthy eating and much more.

ChatHealth is an easy, confidential, anonymous way to ask questions about your health, and our Luton school nurse team will be there to answer your text from 9am to 4pm, Monday to Friday (except bank holidays).

Budding young rap artist Jayden, from Luton, has written and produced a rap for ChatHealth. The rap was created following a competition in February directed at young people to design a rap to encourage young people across Beds and Luton talk about relationships, bullying and healthy eating among other issues through direct, confidential texts with their school nurses.

Read the full press release about Jayden's rap here,

Jayden has also been on ITV Anglia re his ChatHealth rap - you can pick up the filming here - click here.
For schools and youth organisations
Would you like a member of our school nurse team to share further information on ChatHealth with young people at your school, health centre or youth organisation?

Let us know by emailing us on: ccs.bedsandlutonchildrenshealthhub@nhs.net
For parents
Share this page with your child if you think they might benefit from the ChatHealth service, and if they use social media, you can also direct them towards our Instagram, Facebook or Twitter for further information and updates.
Feedback
Do you have any questions, ideas or feedback about ChatHealth? Feel free to email our school nursing team on: ccs.bedsandlutonchildrenshealthhub@nhs.net
Confidentiality and safety disclaimer
We do not usually inform your parents, teachers or anyone else if you contact the school nurse. We might inform someone if we were concerned about your safety, but we would usually speak to you first. Your messages are stored and can be seen by other healthcare staff who follow the same confidentiality rules. We aim to reply to you within one working day and you should get an immediate bounce-back to confirm we received your text. Normal working hours are 09:00-16:00 Monday - Friday (except bank holidays), texts will not be seen outside of this time. If you need help before you hear back from us, contact a member of school staff, your GP, call NHS 111 or Childline on 0800 1111. And if it is an emergency, dial 999 or visit A&E. Our text number does not receive voice calls or MMS picture messages. We support messaging from UK mobile numbers only (which does not include messages sent from landlines, international mobile numbers and some 'number masking' mobile apps). To view our NHS privacy notice please internet search: "NHS CCS privacy notice" or use this link bit.ly/nhsprivacynotice. Prevent the school nurse from sending messages to you by texting STOP to our number. Please respect your school's mobile phone policy. Messages are charged at your usual rate.
Did you spot our new ChatHealth design?
We recently ran a competition and invited young people from across Luton and Bedfordshire to design our new designs. We received loads of fantasic entries, and a selection of them can be found in the video below. The panel of young people chose a design by Andrea, aged 10 because they felt her poster captured the feel of ChatHealth from a young person's point of view. Her winning poster is now being used as the face of the Luton and Beds ChatHealth campaign and is being displayed across our social media sites.

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Are you aged 11-19, living in Luton, and looking for health advice? You can now text the Luton School Nurse Service on 07520 616070 to ask health related questions you might have including mental health, drugs, relationships, healthy eating and much more.

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Information for young people on mental health and wellbeing

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If you’re struggling with how you’re feeling, it can be really scary and upsetting. Our information will help you find the support you deserve for your mental health.

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An app to help self-manage anxiety

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Molehill Mountain is an app to help autistic people understand and self-manage anxiety.

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REFLECT Confidential Mental Health Support

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REFLECT Confidential Mental Health Support

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Simple ways to support

secondary students’

mental health

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Talking about mental health - tips for parents 

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Talking about mental health - tips for parents 

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Talking mental health with secondary pupils -tips for parents 

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Talking mental health with secondary pupils -tips for parents 