Mental Health and Well-being Awareness At Roxton CE Academy

We aim to promote positive mental health and well-being for our whole school community (children, staff, parents and carers), and recognise how important mental health and emotional well-being is to our lives in just the same way as physical health. We recognise that children’s mental health is a crucial factor in their overall well-being and can affect their learning and achievement.

If you would like support and guidance about how to support your child's mental health you can either talk to someone in school about any issues or concerns you have, please see your child's class teacher in the first instance, Mrs Kerry Cooper (Mental Health Lead) or Mrs Anna Spyropoulos (Headteacher).

At Roxton we are able to offer the support of a trained play therapist who is able to provide 1:1 support or group nurture sessions.

Alternatively you can contact CHUMs on:

Phone: 01525 863924

Email: info@chums.uk.com

Who are CHUMs?

CHUMs is a community-based Emotional Wellbeing Service commissioned by East London Foundation Trust. The service offers support to children and young people in Central Bedfordshire, Bedford Borough and Cambridgeshire with mild to moderate mental health difficulties.

If you feel that your child would benefit from the support offered by CHUMs, please speak to Mrs Spyropoulos . Alternatively, if you would prefer families are able to self-refer by phoning the above number.

At Roxton CE Academy we work very closely with CHUMs to support the well-being of our pupils. CHUMs also run Parent Workshops at our school and they take place once a term.

OTHER USEFUL CONTACTS: 

CAMH Child and Adolescent Mental Health website: https://camhs.elft.nhs.uk/

Childline website: http://www.childline.org.uk/

Anna Freud Centre for Children and Families: www.annafreud.org/

Year 6 mentors

At Roxton Academy, our year 6 students are given the opportunity to become Peer Mentors. 

Our year 6 Peer Mentors completed a 5 week training course in the summer term. They have been trained to listen carefully and to help their peers to find ways to look after their own mental health. 

Their training included:

- how to build good  relationships

- what active listening is and how to practice it

- how to support children to make their own positive changes

- to understand when to keep something private and when to inform an adult 

They are now out on the playground offering support to anyone who would rather talk to a peer than an adult. 

They have all chosen to take on this responsibility because they wanted to help others when they were feeling worried or upset, sad or distressed. They also wanted to be someone who is able to share in the good moments too. As one child eloquently put it "I want to help you – I am at your sadness or happiness service."