Ways for schools to gather student voice, including suggested questions to add to a student survey. Taking a whole-school approach to anti-racism means putting the views and ideas of students at the centre of everything we do. Taking students’ views into consideration should always be a part of decision-making at your school. Schools should provide children and young people with meaningful opportunities to share their experiences, views and hopes about their school. Asking students for their opinions and ideas around anti-racism has benefits for both the school and the students and can be done in many different ways. It can provide: an improved sense of belonging and community in the school an improved sense of identity for students developing students’ confidence and self-esteem a safe space for students to share lived experiences of racism identification of issues or specific students who are having difficulties and who may need further support This resource shares a number of suggestions for gathering student voice around anti-racism. It also shares suggested questions to add to a student survey, with guidance on how best to do this.

A lesson planning guide for teaching a curriculum topic that is linked to race and racism, or for when a potentially traumatic racist incident occurs in the wider world. The UK Trauma Council defines trauma as ‘a distressing event or events that are so extreme or intense that they overwhelm a person’s ability to cope, resulting in lasting negative impact.’ When this event or events are related to race, it is sometimes known as ‘racial trauma’. Experiencing overt racism – for example being a victim of a racially-motivated hate crime - could cause a trauma response in young people. However, racism can have a traumatic impact even when it isn’t something that directly happens to you. Racist and race-related events may occur in the wider world that may cause traumatic responses in young people; for example, the 2020 murder of George Floyd in the United States. There may also be topics that are part of the curriculum – for example, learning about slavery or the Holocaust in history lessons – that may be painful for young people to learn about. In this resource, we have created a lesson planning guide for teaching a curriculum topic that is linked to race and racism, or for when a potentially traumatic racist incident occurs in the wider world.

Information for staff on how best to support a student who has experienced racism and where else to seek support. Children and young people can experience racism in many different forms. It can include verbal abuse and name-calling; racist comments during a discussion or encouraging others to behave in a racist way. Sometimes racism can include damage to property, physical intimidation or violent attacks. All schools should have a clear structure and process for reporting racist incidents, and must create one if they do not. It is important to create opportunities to hear students’ voices and to have a clear framework for reporting racist incidents. Research has found links between experiencing racism and a detrimental impact to mental health. This resource shares guidance for schools on how to support the mental health of a young person who has experienced racism, as well as how to address the incident and further suggestions for tackling racism in schools.

A PowerPoint and guidance on delivering a presentation about microaggressions to staff members. A microaggression is ‘an act or a remark that discriminates against one or more members of a minority group, either deliberately or by mistake’. Research has found that experiencing microaggressions can have a significant impact on mental health. Through this training, staff will learn more about: what microaggressions are the mental health impact of experiencing microaggressions how to avoid committing microaggressions what to do if they experience or witness a microaggression. This training session is an introduction to the topic of microaggressions, and can easily be delivered by someone without much or any prior knowledge of the topic. It was designed to be delivered by a senior leader in a school to all school staff including support staff.

Information about the impact of racism on school staff, and guidance for schools on how to foster a safe and supportive environment. Some schools already have excellent initiatives in place to support their staff’s mental health and wellbeing, making it a whole-school priority. Schools are becoming aware that in order to properly support the wellbeing of students, the wellbeing of staff must be treated with equal importance. This resource helps schools specifically think about supporting the mental health and wellbeing of staff from racially minoritised groups. It covers topics that may impact the mental health of staff from these groups, including the ‘hidden workload’ and the diversity of the teaching profession. The resource then shares advice for schools on action to take, and includes a case study from Rahi Popat, a teacher in Leicester.

Stress around exams and assessments is normal, but it can also impact negatively on college work and day-to-day life. Get practical advice on helping your students through these periods of stress. This resource provides information for college staff on how to identify if a student is struggling with exam and assessment stress, and how to support them.

Information on common causes of anxiety, signs to spot and what to do if you suspect a student is having issues with anxiety. A detailed booklet of guidance for staff in further education colleges, sharing information on how to spot issues with anxiety in students and how to help.

Most eating disorders develop during adolescence, so college is a significant time for those struggling with eating disorders. Learn more about how to support your students and where else to get help. Support and guidance for staff in further education colleges on the topic of eating disorders, sharing signs to spot, conversation starters and who else to involve.

Lists of books, videos, articles and more that educators can use to explore and develop their racial literacy. Knowledge of race and racism is also known as ‘racial literacy’. Being racially literate means that educators have the knowledge, skills, awareness and confidence to talk about race and racism in their setting. Talking about race in an education setting can feel very challenging, and these conversations can often be difficult. However, it is crucial that school staff foster a supportive and safe environment where these vital discussions can take place. Developing racial literacy should be thought of as a continuous process of learning and un-learning for educators. Because it’s a continuous process, it isn’t about always being correct, but instead having a willingness to learn. By working on our racial literacy, we will feel more comfortable to be curious, ask questions, facilitate discussions and to learn from each other. In this resource, we’re sharing books, videos, articles and more that educators can use to explore and develop their racial literacy, and think more deeply about the impact of racism on mental health.

A booklet for primary and secondary schools to support all staff working in school settings to understand how best to help children and young people in their care. Developed with our child mental health experts, the booklet explains in simple terms what to do if you are worried about a child or young person in your school, and includes information on a range of topics including anxiety, low mood and self-harm. The colourful, informative pages could also be printed and displayed as posters in staff areas.

As part of the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families ‘You’re never too young to talk mental health’ campaign we’ve released a series of expert advice videos for schools on a range of topics. Here, Brenda McHugh, Consultant Psychotherapist, gives advice to school staff about engaging with parents.

A guide to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of staff at schools and colleges during periods of disruption

Our free Supporting schools and colleges booklet provides advice and guidance for school staff about how to help children and young people manage their mental health and wellbeing during times of disruption to their learning.

Our free Managing unexpected endings and transitions booklet draws on the existing evidence base around endings and shares some established approaches to support children and young people. It also includes a great case study of how one primary school has maintained connections with pupils and parents in the crisis.

Our free Supporting the most vulnerable children and young people guide advises on three practical steps to help the most vulnerable children and young people during the Coronavirus pandemic. These are around risk assessment, focusing on nurture and upskilling staff.

Helping children and young people to manage anxiety: A practical guide to supporting pupils and students during periods of disruption draws on the existing evidence base around self-care and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to think about how we can support children and young people struggling with anxiety. It is aimed at supporting teachers working remotely with children, and can also be shared to support parents and carers who are playing a more significant role than ever in their child’s education at a challenging time.