School welcomes mental health scheme for students

Clifton Green Primary School in York is among dozens of North Yorkshire schools to be given the mental health training

Teachers at a North Yorkshire school have become the latest to receive mental health training in an NHS scheme to help support students.

Staff at Clifton Green Primary School, York, have gained guidance from the Wellbeing in Mind project, run by Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust.

The trust warned the number of under 16s being referred for mental health support continued to rise across England.

Headteacher Nicola Adams described the scheme as a “welcome gift” for both teachers and students at the school.

The service provided care and interventions for young people for issues including low mood, anxiety and low self-esteem.

It trained school and college staff on wellbeing issues, "forming a link between the school and other services" supporting children, the service said.

Ms Adams said: “Our staff never really had formal training in mental health support and wellbeing.

"To be able to sit down and spend that time with specialists who have got the experience and training who are then able to help them in the classroom has been a really welcome gift.”

The scheme runs in 64 schools across North Yorkshire, helping young people express their feelings when they are having a tough time.

Pupil Stanley, nine, said: “It is sometimes quite hard to talk to people other than my mum when there’s not as many people around.

“The first time taking part, it felt good knowing I could share it with someone without other people hearing and just do it between myself and someone else.”

Stanley says he appreciates the new support at his school

Rob Berry, Wellbeing in Mind service manager, said students are offered either group or one-to-one sessions.

“I’ve got nearly a 20-year career in mental health services, and what struck me is that I always felt like we were coming too late," he said.

"This is great as it allows us to get there in the earliest opportunity."

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