Resources, Events and training
Training
Training for Schools
It is estimated that one in eight 5 to 19 year olds have suffered from at least one diagnosable mental disorder, therefore it is likely that many more will struggle with their mental health and emotional wellbeing at some point during their school years.
We all have our role to play in supporting children and young people, and schools pay an important part in supporting young people that may be struggling with their mental health. It is vital that everyone working within a school has an understanding of what mental health is and has the confidence to recognise and respond to common issues.
What is the mental health competency framework?
Local Authority Public Health, YMCA Trinity Group, educational establishments and local NHS services have developed a competency based model of assessment to guide schools and colleges in identifying their training needs. The framework was created to simplify the complex picture of mental health training available. The aim is to ensure staff at all levels have the confidence to support children and young people by building core resilience skills, identifying emerging concerns at an early stage, and signposting to appropriate care pathways or interventions where possible. There is no expectation that education staff will diagnose or treat mental health problems.
Click here to download the mental health competency framework.
How do I use the framework?
The framework has been designed as a self-assessment tool. One approach might be to review the tool within a staff meeting or with a smaller group including senior leads (such as the mental health lead). The tool can be used to understand where current levels of understanding of mental health are within different staffing groups, and to highlight areas for improvement.
A digital version of the Mental Health Competency Framework is available which can be saved onto each school’s Microsoft Forms account enabling easy circulation to staff and the responses to be automatically collated. This will help all schools to analyse needs and plan training programmes accordingly. We also encourage schools to share their results to enable local trends to be identified and gaps to be addressed. To gain access to the link to the digital survey as well as set of instructions on the next steps to take, please email:
healthyschools@healthyyou.org.uk or joannehowling@healthyyou.org.uk
What next?
Click here to download the Quality Assurance checklist for Schools.
There are lots of local and national providers that can provide training, some of which is free to access. If you decide to purchase training, the quality assurance checklist above can help to ensure that you receive a quality service that fits your needs.
Local provision for schools and other professionals:
Kooth.com and Qwell.io are commissioned to provide an online wellbeing platform which along with text based counselling also includes helpful articles, forums, activity centre, daily journal and messaging. We provide British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy accredited services and Kooth is available to young people aged 11-18 and Qwell is available from 18+ in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
The service provides a free and non-judgemental place for people to connect with others and they have instant access to self-help materials and moderated discussion forums. People can also contribute written pieces of work reflecting their own experiences, as well as accessing drop-in or booked sessions with professional counsellors, available 365 days a year, 12pm -10pm on weekdays and 6pm-10pm on weekends. Further information about Qwell can be found here and information about Kooth can be found here. More information is available by watching these videos: Qwell Kooth
Newsletter HERE
As a professional you have access to monthly webinars which are available to book via this link: webinars. Also please contact me at ncross@kooth.com if you would like to receive my regular monthly newsletter, resources or are interested in booking a staff/parent information session or children and young people assemblies/workshops in schools.
Training with CPSL Mind
Our team of experienced trainers work flexibly and supportively with individuals, organisations and businesses to increase mental health knowledge and skills.
All of our income goes towards funding the work of our charity including direct services for people recovering from mental health problems in Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and South Lincolnshire.
From Mental Health First Aid to suicide prevention to working with young people, we have a range of courses to increase awareness and skills in our local community - please click here to view courses.
We’ll support you to equip your employees with the skills and understanding to create a healthy working environment which benefits your organisation and local community. Please click here to view courses for organisations and companies.
provide a variety of training courses and workshops to improve the physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing of children, young people and staff. Their courses are broken down into Core, Enhanced and Targeted training depending on your needs and requirements.
Please note: Due to the success and accessibility of their virtual training programme during the pandemic, all short workshops will be offered virtually using Zoom for 2021/2022.
Should you wish to arrange these in-house, they would be happy to arrange face to face training delivery. Please get in touch to discuss how this might work. Full day or longer courses will be delivered face to face wherever possible so that delegates can best achieve the desired outcomes from the session.
All courses are subject to change at short notice. For more information contact 01733 373187 or mentalhealthtraining@ymcatrinity.org.uk (will support achieving competencies in framework assessment stages 1, 2 and 3).
Please see here for their 2021/22 Academic Year Training Calendar or here for our full course brochure
Designated Senior Mental Health Lead Training - Senior Mental Health Leads in schools and colleges can now apply for grant funding to access Department for Education (DfE) approved training. The DfE is offering a £1,200 grant for a senior member of school or college staff to access quality assured training to implement an effective whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing in your setting. To find out more about accessing this grant visit the Senior Mental Health Lead Guidance https://www.gov.uk/guidance/senior-mental-health-lead-training. Please note that a localised programme is being put together this year that we hope will be approved for the 22/23 academic year.. This will be based on local need and will be developed in collaboration with local service providers such as the local authority, NHS and YMCA Trinity Group. To register your interest in this, please email ryan.armes@ymcatrinity.org.uk.
SEND Educational Psychology Services - SEND Services provide targeted support and training to staff supporting students with all aspects of special educational needs, but particularly those experiencing social and emotional difficulties.
Learning Together Cambridgeshire and Peterborough has Guidance and Training for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Schools and Settings. Click the logo or link for more information.
provides sexual health and HIV support, education and information for schools and professionals and young people from age 11 across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough click here to find out more.
National provisions for training
MindEd (Free) - Online training for families and those working with children and young people. There are e-learning opportunities across a range of mental health topics.
Young Minds offer training on a range of subjects from anxiety to social media.
The Anti-Bullying Alliance (free) - CPD training for teachers and school staff, it also has a range of resources on tackling the subject of bullying.
Zero Suicide Alliance (free) - Powerful training developed by Merseyside NHS around having conversations about suicide and preventing it if you come across a situation.
Young Carers
Support for young carers
What do we offer?
Young carers are supported by Centre 33. We work closely with schools across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough to ensure that support is in place for young carers.
We also support young carers through one to one sessions, group activities and day trips.
You can find out more about our young carer services here:
Primary age (up to 11)
Secondary age (11-18)
Young Adult Carers (18-25)
Are we in your school?
TRAINING:
The young carers participation team have developed sessions to help raise awareness and help professionals with the identification of young carers.
Find out about upcoming events and sessions
Creating Mentally Healthy Schools
A Whole-School Approach to Mental Health
A whole-school approach means making child, staff and parent/carer mental health and wellbeing ‘everybody’s business’. It involves all parts of the school working together and being committed. It needs partnership working between governors, senior leaders, teachers and all school staff as well as parents, carers and the wider community (Mentally Healthy Schools). For more information visit https://www.mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk/whole-school-approach/.
There are lots of helpful documents and frameworks to develop a whole-school approach to mental health, these include:
National Children’s Bureau: A whole school framework for emotional well being and mental health: a self-assessment and improvement tool for school leaders. Outlines a four-stage approach, including first identifying what is already in place in the school.
Public Health England: ‘Promoting children and young people’s emotional health and wellbeing: a whole school and college approach’.
DfE/NatCen Social Research/National Children’s Bureau: ‘Supporting mental health in schools and colleges’
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School Policy - Promoting positive mental health and wellbeing
The policy document found here is the outcome of a collaboration between Bottisham Village College and the CAMH Learning and Development team, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust. It is intended as a template for other secondary schools and will therefore be made available across the county. However, it is not meant to be adopted without due process and careful and thorough consideration of the individual school’s needs in relation to the emotional wellbeing and mental health of its pupils and staff.
Guidance as to how the policy could be customised can be found here.
Other useful resources for creating mentally healthy schools
Heads Together and the Anna Freud Centre have launched the Mentally Healthy Schools website which brings together quality-assured information, advice and resources to help primary schools understand and promote children’s mental health and wellbeing. Their aim is to increase staff awareness, knowledge and confidence to help you support your pupils. Resources include lessons plans, assemblies, films and general information on a range of topics and issues.
Schools in Mind Network:
The Schools in Mind Network is run by the Anna Freud Centre, by joining the network your school will be able to access a range of free resources. This includes films to use in lessons, assembly plans as well as a range of films featuring experts talking about different mental health issues and giving advice aimed at teaching staff. Joining the network also enables you to keep up to date with the 'You're never to Young to Talk About Mental Health' campaign.
For more information visit: Schools in Mind Network
Papyrus’ ‘Building Suicide-Safer Schools and Colleges: A guide for teachers and staff’ covers:
- Developing a Suicide Prevention Policy
- Asking About Suicide
- Responding to a Suicide
- Working with Community Support
Access the guide here: save the class toolkit:
sexual health training for schools and professionals
Dhiverse trainings are suitable and beneficial for professionals, parents and anyone in a formal or informal support role, who would like to have a better understanding of consent, sexual health, relationships and sex, and related topics. Their trainings will equip you with the skills, knowledge and information you need to feel comfortable when talking about these matters. Please click here for their programme
Dhiverse have used their experience, knowledge and understanding gained from providing RSE to Cambridgeshire schools for the last 25+ years, and developed and designed a full Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) Curriculum Package for schools. Our curriculum has been designed in line with DfE guidelines and has the support and approval of Cambridgeshire’s PSHE team.
They have also developed a Professionals Training Package for school staff and other professionals which includes how to communicate around sex and relationships. Click here to go to the their RSE Curriculum Information and Forms page.
Dhiverse offer a range of non-mainstream relationships and sex education (RSE) programmes that can be delivered in a non-educational setting, ‘SLIP’ is one of these programmes. SLIP stands for ‘Sex, the Law, and the Internet & Pornography' SLIP and is an alternative and age appropriate relationships and sex education programme. It is suitable for any young person age 9 to 24 who, for whatever reason, did not engage, or is currently finding it difficult to engage, in Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) or Relationships Education (RE) in school. Click here to see their leaflet to find out more about SLIP and their guidance for making a referral.
Dhiverse's 'ABC Programme' is an alternative, age appropriate and ability appropriate programme for anyone age 11 and older (there is no upper age limit for this programme), who has a learning difficulty (LD) or autism. For more information on the ‘ABC Programme’ please click here for an easy read version and to find out more about what they offer.
They also offer' Understanding ABC' as a CPD accredited workshop which aims to help parents, carers and professionals explore the relationship and sexual needs of people with a LD or autism. It will enable you to understand some of the barriers people with a LD or autism face when learning about relationships, sex and sexual health and to consider more effective ways to communicate with someone with a LD or autism about sex and relationships. Click here for the course leaflet.
Events
Holding page for Events
SPOT - Eating Disorder support for Professionals
Who is SPOT for?
SPOT is an online learning resource for school professionals. It has been designed
to help support those working in a school setting to understand eating disorders
and help build confidence when speaking to pupils about mental health.
Making sure children and young people feel comfortable talking to staff about eating disorders can:
• Increase the chances of early detection
• Prevent pupils from falling through the gaps
• Ensure that support is given quickly
What can I do on SPOT?
By accessing SPOT, you will be taught how to notice the early signs of an eating disorder, talk to a
pupil exhibiting them, engage their families, and support them to seek medical assessment. We have
created the online platform to encompass different features including:
Learn – Gain key skills to give your pupils the best possible support
through our bite sized interactive e-learning modules and our webinar
videos delivered by our expert clinicians. We also have downloadable
resources in the form of lesson plans and access to school policies.
Meet –Speak with other school professionals and interact with
our trained clinical advisors in our weekly Q&A sessions and
forum channels hosted by clinicians and lived experience trainers.
Engage – Share and gain knowledge from an inspiring community that
is here to help you learn through our role specific workspaces and our
resources section where you can find helpful videos, podcasts and
articles that have been shared.
Downloadable leaflet on SPOT is here
If you would like to see a video of the user experience, please see: SPOT video
If you would like to create an account, please follow this link here: Beat Eating Disorders
CRISIS TOOLS
Crisis Tools online resource hub offers unique, co-produced learning guides to increase knowledge and confidence for anyone supporting young people in a mental health crisis. See here for more information.
Health Education England & 
are working together to help individuals develop their confidence, knowledge and skills when supporting young people in a mental health crisis. Crisis Tools is relevant to anyone who may find themselves supporting a young person in crisis, including health and care, education or any other professionals, parents and carers.
The Crisis Tools website features a resource sharing hub and bite-sized learning guides aimed at improving your knowledge and understanding of young people’s experiences when getting help in crisis. These unique learning guides are co-designed and delivered by young people with lived experience and clinical experts. The guides cover key themes such as approach, communication and practical strategies including the complexities when delivering care remotely. Openly available for free at crisistools.org.uk
PSHE
The following short films are designed to show how teaching Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) in schools and colleges can support children and young people’s personal development. They illustrate how knowledge, skills and attitudes explored during this learning can potentially have a positive impact on children and young people’s mental and emotional wellbeing.
The films involve pupils from a primary and secondary school in Cambridgeshire where the ethos and culture supports and promotes children’s and young people health and wellbeing. In these schools, teaching and learning in PSHE are prioritised, and as well as being taught explicitly via designated periods of time, form an integral part of the schools’ practice.
The lessons represent a snapshot of activities that would form part of a longer term personal development programme. They showcase examples of PSHE teaching and learning methodologies that could be delivered during a PSHE lesson or tutor time and are designed to serve as an illustrative guide rather than examples of standalone lessons. We would advise reading the accompanying guidance for each film before teaching lessons based on the content of the film.
The lessons will also support the requirements for the forthcoming statutory status for Relationships Education, and possible statutory status for PSHE.
We would really appreciate it if you could take a few moments to answer the 4 questions via this link once you have accessed the films:
Healthy Relationships - Accompanying Notes (Secondary School)
Body Image - Accompanying Notes (Secondary School)
Anti-bullying - Accompanying Notes (Secondary School)
Conflict Resolution - Accompanying Notes (Primary School)
My Emotions - Accompanying Notes (Primary School)
Acknowledgements: We would like to thank the two Cambridgeshire schools for hosting this project, and the pupils for their participation. We would also like to thank Edd Mitchell from Burwell House in Cambridgeshire for creating the films.
The Cambridgeshire PSHE Service provides support, guidance and training on the themed areas and approaches explored in these films. Email pshe@cambridgeshire.gov.uk for information about teaching materials and resources designed to support schools in delivering these aspects of the PSHE curriculum.
The BBC has a range of short videos about young people and the things they worry about including bullying,anxiety and OCD. They are suitable for Key stage 2 and 3 and can be found HERE
The Mix now has information and support all about healthy relationships.
Resources
Guidance for creating and promoting positive mental health and wellbeing in schools can be found on this page of our website; it includes a policy document created by Bottisham Village College and the CAMH Learning and Development team, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, which is intended as a template for other secondary schools.
The Housing, Mental Health and Substance Misuse Toolkit has been developed by people working in a wide range of teams and agencies across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, with the help of experts by experience. It sets out the process to follow when housing, mental health and substance misuse issues occur in ten different scenarios. Click here for more details and the latest information.
The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough's Children and Young People's Mental Health Strategy 2022 - 2025 can be viewed here. Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Children and Young People's Mental Health Newsletters can be viewed here.
Public Health Funded CYP Mental health initiatives 2023/24
Cambridge Acorn project - Research on the effectiveness of Tetris therapy on Children & Young People's mental health
For further details please contact:matt@cambridgeacornproject.org.uk Or Hannah.chapman@cambridgeacornproject.org.uk
Cambridge curiosity & imagination - “Branching out” Artscaping project
For further details please contact: ruth@cambridgecandi.org.uk
“Our voices” coproduction & engagement project
For further details please contact: Katie@fullscopecollaboration.org.uk or Amber.Knowles@ormistonfamilies.org.uk
Cambridgeshire PSHE service - Mental health, healthy friendships and antibullying training for primary schools
For further details please contact: Cathy.murphy@cambrideshire.gov.uk
Red hen project - North Cambridge city community drop-ins
For further details please contact: Sarah.crick@redhenproject.org
Romsey mill - “Aspire” youth groups
For further details please contact: Neil.perry@romseymill.org
Text 'HEAR' to 85258 for free, confidential support, 24/7
Difficult life events
Sometimes Children and Young People go through stressful, frightening or distressing events, which can be called emotional or psychological trauma. These events can cause long lasting harm, which might be noticeable soon or long after the event. Below are resources that provide advice on supporting in these situations:
Harvard Paediatrics website with good resources regarding Adverse Childhood Events (ACE's) and developmental trauma.
NESSie - self harm support
Supporting families of children who self-harm
Nessie is commissioned by Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council to provide free support to families of children and young people who self-harm. Nessie offer:
· Parent workshops across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough in schools, community settings and online;
· Targeted 1-1 parent support;
· Telephone and online parent support.
Nessie is a not-for-profit organisation providing easy access to arts therapies, counselling, support, training and supervision so that children, young people and their families can thrive. We provide support through partnering with local schools, county councils and community organisations. Parents can also reach out to us directly. We are proud to offer qualified, regulated, child centered, flexible support. Our Mental Health Leads training is quality assured by the DfE.
NEXT online Peer Support Group for Parents/Carers of Children with Self-Harming Behaviours and Complex Needs - 8 Week Course:
For other sessions, please see poster details below.
Calendar
Holding page for workforce training dates
Co-production
Holding page for co-production toolkit, training and opportunities for workforce