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The whole school approach menu of support can be found here Be You Whole School Approach Menu of Support with links to individual padlets for the whole school approach menu topics which are listed below. Each padlet has a collection of resources, which have been designed by the Be You team, to help schools across the county to support staff and pupils with common mental health challenges. Bespoke staff training can also be requested to support with emerging mental health and wellbeing needs of staff and pupils.

MHST Schools can book support for the delivery by contacting us at Beyou@northumberland.gov.uk

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Creatively Healthy Schools Conference 2026 brought together professionals from education, health, public health, and community organisations to explore how creativity can support children and young people's wellbeing, emotional regulation, belonging, and readiness to learn. Through expert speakers, practical workshops, and shared learning, the conference inspired schools to embed creative health approaches into everyday practice and has since led to the development of resources, guidance, case studies, and a dedicated Creatively Healthy Schools Padlet to support ongoing implementation across Northumberland.

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A Microsoft Form is given to delegates after the conference asking them to...

Evaluate the content of the conference

Gauge their confidence in applying the tools/ techniques shared.

Comment on what they will do differently as a result of the conference.

We also collated some case studies from schools and services that have applied Creative Health practices in their work.

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FRIENDS is a social and emotional skills training program, designed to reach out to children and young people who do not always attract the help that they need. ​

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The programs are cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) based aimed at ages 4 to 18 years to help build their social and emotional resilience.​

There are four programmes:

Fun friends - 4-7years

Friends for Life - 7-11 years

My Friends Youth - 11-15 years

Adult Resilience - 15 + years.

All programmes cover:

Kindness and empathy ​

Identifying body clues and relaxation​

Learning to pay careful attention and mindfulness​

Changing “red” thoughts to “green” thoughts​

Choosing thumbs up choices instead of thumbs down choices​

Identifying values based role models Identifying values based support networks ​

Exploring step plans to achieve goals ​

Solution finding plans ​

How to give back to the community​

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The programmes are evidence-based and endorsed by the World Health Organisation as an effective treatment and prevention of anxiety and depression.​

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It aims to teach children life skills, to normalise states of emotional distress and to develop self regulation and confidence.​

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Individual settings are asked to complete pre and post evaluations. The purpose of these are to empower schools to measure their own impact of the delivery of the FRIENDS Resilience materials.

Periodically the programme is delivered by an Assistant Educational Psychologist. The sessions are evaluated and impact measures are produced.

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Goals-based outcome measures are used to measure progress of the children and young people.

Post evaluations are also completed with parents and carers.

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School Based Occupational Therapy Consultations

Initially the Be You Occupational Therapy service was offered to a selection of schools across different phases to pilot this initiative. 12 schools were approached with 10 out of these 12 schools engaging in this process.

Within school consultations completed so far there has been advice given on a variety of different topics. The consultations focus on identifying barriers for accessing learning and the school environment such as environmental factors, cognition, process skills, motor skills, social communication & interactional difficulties and managing transitions (changes throughout the day). By addressing and supporting schools to adapt to some of these barriers we hope to increase participation and engagement in school life.

You can view the evaluation data below.

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The training is evaluated using a Microsoft Form questionnaire. The questionnaire seeks to find out if the training has met it's objectives by:

Increasing subject knowledge

Increasing confidence

Influencing practice

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10.10.2024 – 10.06.2025

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Be You Occupational Therapy School Consultation Feedback

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Evidence of how schools have put into practice the advice from OT consultations and the impact.

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Daisy Chain Understanding Myself Summary Report

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Daisy Chain Understanding Myself Summary Report

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Daisy Chain Understanding Myself Summary Report 22.5.24

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Peer Mentoring Programme

The Peer mentoring programme is a preventative programme delivered directly into schools with their students or as a train the trainer course for educational staff to attend. The programme has been running successfully since October 2020 in trail blazer schools and in the academic year 23/24 across Northumberland as a whole. So far directly delivery in trail blazer areas with our Peer Education Worker has taken place in 35 schools. 13 schools in wave one covering Blyth and Hexham, 20 schools in Wave 3 Bedlington and Ashington and 2 schools in wave 9 Alnwick and Coquet. Resulting to date 362 children & young people achieving an AQA Unit award Scheme qualification in ‘Introduction to Peer Mentoring’.

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Peer Mentor Train The Trainer Evaluation

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Peer Mentor Train The Trainer Evaluation

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Peer Mentor Train The Trainer Evaluation

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Alongside our Peer Mentoring training our Peer Education worker delivers safeguarding and disclosure training to Peer Mentors in secondary schools. We offer this to all students in Northumberland in secondary schools who have trained as Peer Mentors; whether they have received Peer Mentoring training from our Peer Education Worker (PEW) or the schools

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Safeguarding and Disclosure Training Evaluation

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Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing Session

This one-hour session is designed for school staff, offering practical insights into managing stress and worry in the education environment. The session focuses on normalising these emotions, promoting positive mental health and wellbeing, and introducing effective coping strategies. It also includes guidance on accessing support services for adults. Typically, the session is facilitated by two professionals, which may include our Senior Mental Health Lead Coordinator, Cygnus Support Coordinator, Educational Psychologist, or Educational Mental Health Practitioner.

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The training is evaluated using a Microsoft Form questionnaire. The questionnaire seeks to find out if the training has equipped delegates to...

Understand how stress can effect wellbeing and resilience

Understand some simple coping techniques and strategies

To know some places to seek support from.

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Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing Session Impact Evaluation

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Looking After Your Own Emotional Well-Being- Parent & Carer Workshop

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Looking After Your Own Emotional Well-Being- Parent & Carer Workshop

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Padlet info Parent Carer Own wellbeing Workshops May 2025

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Looking After Your Child's Emotional Wellbeing- Parent & Carer Workshop

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Looking After Your Child's Emotional Wellbeing- Parent & Carer Workshop

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Padlet info Parent Carer Workshop ch & yp wellbeing May 2025

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Training evaluation is carried out via a request for participants to complete a short feedback form (paper handout or via QR code) templates attached.

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Participant Evaluation Parent wellbeing Workshop

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Participant Evaluation Workshop CHYP Template vJan 2024

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Mental Health England’s Youth Mental Health First Aid course

This two-day/4 session course trains you as a Youth Mental Health First Aider (MHFAider®), giving you:

An in-depth understanding of young people’s mental health and factors that affect wellbeing

Practical skills and confidence to reassure and support a young person in distress

Knowledge to help a young person recover their health by guiding them to further support

Ability to support a young person with a long-term mental health issue to thrive

Tools to look after your own mental wellbeing

This training will take place across 2 full days or 4 half day sessions and will include group activities, case studies, discussion, and skills practice.

It’s clear that young people can struggle to get the support they need. Key figures in a young person’s life – parents, family members, teachers, tutors, carers, youth workers – can often spot when a young person is struggling but may not know how best to help.

The Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA®) course is for everyone who works with, lives with or supports young people aged 8-18. It helps give participants the skills and confidence to spot the signs of mental health issues in a young person, offer first aid and guide them towards the support they need. Early intervention can help a young person’s recovery and stop a mental health issue from getting worse.  The course won't teach you to be a therapist, but we will teach you to listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis - and even potentially stop a crisis from happening.

By choosing MHFA England® training, you are joining England’s largest community of MHFAiders® and contribute to improving the mental health of the nation.

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Training evaluation is carried out via an email requesting feedback, which is sent directly to participants from Mental Health England once the course is completed.

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The offer is one-to-one emotional wellbeing support sessions for the adult (parent or caregiver) either by phone, video call or face to face at an accessible location, e.g. at a Family Hub.   The sessions are confidential (within the limits of safeguarding)

There is an Initial Assessment session followed by up to 8 support sessions of 50-60 minutes duration.

This support may be through giving space for the client to discuss their own issues and difficulties and the impact on their wellbeing, or the issues presenting in their child/children and the impact on them; working collaboratively with Amanda on strategies and tools to support themselves or help support their child’s wellbeing; providing information and resources for the client, signposting to other services or organisation, such as local or national charities and statutory bodies, that can provide support or guidance.

If clients are interested in peer-support there’s opportunity to initiate and develop parent and carer groups in wave locations with facilitated support.

Referral is through a school staff member using the referral form available on the padlet, or the parent or carer can self-refer via Cygnus Support website contact page Be You Programme.

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Evaluation of one to one support is carried out via a request for clients to complete an evaluation form and give comments.  Consent is required for this information to be shared by Cygnus Support.

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Examples of evaluation feedback will be provided and to follow once permissions confirmed.

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One hours training aimed at school governors lead by an Educational Psychologist and Senior Mental Health Lead Coordinator.

The training covers

Introduction to Emotional Health and Wellbeing​

Governor Responsibilities ​

School Responsibilities​

Staff Wellbeing​

Pupil Wellbeing

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The training is evaluated using a Microsoft Form questionnaire. The questionnaire seeks to find out if the training has equipped school governors to...

Understand their role regarding MHWB

Understand what schools should be doing regarding MHWB

How to promote positive MHWB for both pupils and staff and measure the impact of provision.

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Feedback from a headteacher during the trial of this session told us that this session was a useful overview and gave her things to think about that she hadn't considered before.

Further evaluations to be completed to assess the impact of this training package.

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Whole School Approach Menu of Support

What is it?

The whole school approach menu of support can be found here Be You Whole School Approach Menu of Support with links to individual padlets for the whole school approach menu topics which are listed below. Each padlet has a collection of resources which have been designed by the Be You team to help schools across the county to inform and support pupils, staff and parents with common mental health challenges.

MHST Schools can also book support for the delivery of any of these materials by contacting us at Beyou@northumberland.gov.uk

Each topic includes assemblies for primary and secondary pupils, individual class workshops, parent/carer workshops, staff training and information leaflets.

Topics:

·        Exam Stress

·        Transition

·        Worry and anxiety

·        Low Mood

·        Mindfulness

·        Emotional Regulation

·        Healthy Friendships

·        Self-esteem

·        Resilience

Why are we doing it?

The role of Mental Health Support Teams is to focus on improving mental health support for children and young people, particularly within schools and colleges. We recognise that education staff are under increasing pressure and our resources are designed to support a whole school approach to mental health.

Evidence Base

Research is growing about the effectiveness of a whole school approach to mental health in schools;

‘Providing students with opportunities to learn about mental health within the curriculum is central to the whole-school approach.’ Glazzard, 2019

‘School Based Interventions are valuable tools for students with mental health problems if evidence-based cognitive-behavioural interventions are applied’ Paulus et al. 2016

‘Overall effectiveness reported in the included studies was significant for the most part effectiveness of school-based psychological interventions aimed at improving student mental health and well-being’ Šouláková et al. 2019

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WSA reason to evaluate April 2024 to April 2025 

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Hive Meetings are virtual network meetings for all Northumberland Senior Mental Health Leads. They are facilitated by an Educational Psychologist and the Senior Mental Health Lead Coordinator.

The meetings are a combination of traiing, peer-support, information sharing. The themes covered are coproduced with Northumberland SMHLs. An example of some of the themes include...

CYPS- What to do before referral (expectations on schools) address any misconceptions, clarify processes. Q&A

PMHW service core offers & referral routes / consultation offers etc and how this part of the service links with the Be You team & delivery models .

Developing Resilience in Your School

Voluntary Organisation Speed Dating

Embedding Wellbeing in Policy

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A yearly Microsoft form will be sent to all SMHLs. The evaluation will look at attendance, quality and impact.

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Following an MHST consultation participants are asked to complete a Microsoft form about their experience and outcome of the consultation.

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SMHL Annual Conferences

This is an annual event planned for school Senior Mental Health Leads. This is a day of celebration, CPD with guest speakers from local services as well as comissioned key notes.

The conferences delivered so far have been...

Worrying Well 2022

Relationships Matter 2023

Relationships Still Matter 2024

Relationships Belong 2025

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A Microsoft Form is given to delegates after the conference asking them to...

Evaluate the content of the conference

Gauge their confidence in applying the tools/ techniques shared.

Comment on what they will do differently as a result of the conference.

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Feedback from YMHFA Sessions Delivered in Wave 3

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Feedback from YMHFA Sessions Delivered in Wave 3

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Department for Education Mental Health Support Team School and College Survey: Site level report

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Department for Education Mental Health Support Team School and College Survey: Site level report

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Feedback From YMHFA Sessions in Cramlington

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Feedback From YMHFA Sessions in Cramlington

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Hareside Primary Feedback and score YMHFA 7th to 28th Nov 2024

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WSA staff feedback April 2024 to April 2025

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Northumberland Schools CARE Project

The Northumberland CARE Project provides additional support to schools to develop relational practice in their settings.

This additional support involves Assistant Educational Psychologists (AEPs) fascilitating various evaluatory measures, this has included focus groups with pupils, parents and/or staff members; questionnaires; and solution focus action planning.

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The school/settings themselves decide on the key areas of focus for their project, and the AEPs work to develop an evaluation package that will suit the needs of the school. This could be qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods.

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Summary reports are collated for each school that takes part in the project to highlight their achievements over the course of the academic year, and to offer points to consider moving forward once AEPs are no longer actively involved.

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Northumberland Schools C.A.R.E. Multi-Agency Training Package

C.A.R.E Whole-School Training Session (2 hours)

This session is facilitated by professionals from Be You MHST, Northumberland EP Service, Emotional Wellbeing & Behaviour Support Service HINT , The Virtual School, and The Primary Mental Health Team. To date 41 schools in Northumberland have received this training.

Training Objectives:

The training is designed to provide insights and practical strategies to support educators in creating a positive and emotionally supportive learning environment by:

Developing a deeper understanding of attachment theory – Gain knowledge of how early attachment experiences shape students' emotional, social, and cognitive development, and how this influences their behaviour in the classroom.

Exploring the impact of trauma on learning and behaviour – Learn about the effects of trauma on the brain, behaviour, and learning, and how it can manifest in students’ emotional and academic performance.

Understanding how to implement relational approaches – Discover how building strong, supportive relationships with students can enhance their well-being, foster resilience, and create a safe space for learning. This will include practical approaches for integrating these strategies into everyday classroom practice.

Audience: The training is designed to be delivered to the entire school staff, including teachers, support staff, school leaders, and other adults who interact with children and young people. The goal is to ensure there is a shared understanding of attachment, trauma, and relational approaches, and that the school can develop how these concepts are applied in the setting by all adults.

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The training is evaluated afterwards via a Microsoft form questionnaire. It looks to find out if delegates have...

increased knowledge of the impact of early experiences and trauma

learned something that will change/ influence their practice

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Northumberland Schools CARE Training evaluation

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Whole school training package written by Northumberland's Public Health Team.

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Training evaluation is carried out via a Microsoft Form immediately after the training and then again after 3 months of receiving the training.

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Youth Mental Health Awareness Training Evaluation Wave 3 Secondary School

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Youth Mental Health Awareness Training Evaluation Wave 3 Secondary School

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youth mental health awareness training evaluation wave 3 secondary

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Youth Mental Health Awareness Training Evaluation Wave 3 Primary School

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Youth Mental Health Awareness Training Evaluation Wave 3 Primary School

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Youth Mental Health Awareness Training Primary School

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Youth Mental Health Awareness 3 Month Post Training Evaluation

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Youth Mental Health Awareness 3 Month Post Training Evaluation

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This evaluation was completed with a primary school in Wave 3

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WSA CYP feedback April 2024 to April 2025

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WSA feedback child friendly April 2024 to April 2025

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In Northumberland we encourage schools to complete the linked audit. It covers the eight principles of a whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing. Schools can request support to complete an audit and develop an action plan.

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The Mental Health Setting Audit - A free tool from the National Network of Mental Health Leads

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Welcome to the Mental Health and Wellbeing Audit Tool for schools and colleges in the UK. This evidence-based tool asks 45 questions relating to pupil mental health and wellbeing provision to help your setting be the best it can be.

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Northumberland Schools CARE Resources

A range of resources to support schools in the development of their attachment aware, trauma-informed and relational practices.

There is an implementation guide that has been co-produced by the Northumberland Support Teams in collaboration with local schools.

Some relational policy guidance which has been co-produced by the Northumberland Support Teams in collaboration with local schools. The policy guidance aims to support schools in writing and reviewing a trauma-informed, attachment aware relational policy for your school.

Northumberland Schools CARE padlet of resources to support schools with the implementation of this approach.

Relationships Matter Conference Padlet with videos and presentations from the multi-agency conferences.

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Guidance for Northumberland schools and settings on developing trauma-informed and attachment aware principles and practices

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Northumberland Schools CARE Resource Views 2024-2025

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Northumberland Schools CARE Resource Views 2024-2025

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Northumberland Schools CARE Resource Views

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Northumberland Mental Health Settings Data 2025

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Northumberland Mental Health Settings Data 2025

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Northumberland Mental Health Settings Audit

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Comments from YMHFA Training:

·        A wonderful course, very information and well structured.

·        I really enjoyed the opportunities to discuss the subject matter with colleagues and staff from other settings. The course lead was very helpful in answering questions and supporting the group through the learning and content.

·        Amanda was a fantastic lead instructor. She sensitively guided us through the course and was informative throughout. I particularly liked the use of 'characters'. Reflecting on the characters each session helped us put our understanding immediately into practice. It was great to create an action plan for the characters at the end too.

·        Brilliant Course. Amanda was very engaging and extremely knowledgeable.

·        I thoroughly enjoyed this course and will defiantly be using the knowledge I have gained in my everyday practice.

·        The course was engaging and well-paced. Considering how heavy the topic can be, the delivery and instruction made the course a lot easier to manage mentally.

·        The instructor was absolutely fantastic. She was extremely knowledgeable, made the activities really engaging and ensured the course was a safe and open space for discussion.

·        I have no areas of improvement for this course and the way it was delivered as it as all around a brilliant learning and collaborative experience. This was a very interesting course, delivered really well. The fact it was interactive made it much easier to retain facts.

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Peer mentor casestudy Parkside house formaly buzz learning

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CARE Pilot Overall Summary Report 24-25 DRAFT

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Impact & Evaluation Monitoring Report 2025 

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Impact & Evaluation Monitoring Report 2025 

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Summary Report Impact & Evaluation Padlet