Celebrate Children’s Mental Health Week 2023 and this year’s theme of ‘let’s connect’ with our free toolkit of resources for secondary and FE settings. Children’s Mental Health Week starts on 6th February, and this year the theme is ‘let’s connect’, looking at the importance that connections with others have on our mental health. Healthy relationships with family, friends and others are vital for young people’s wellbeing, offering a strong protective factor against poor mental health. Connections within a school or college setting are also very important – students should feel that they belong to, and are a valued part of, a school or college community. Their relationships with adults in the school or college should be positive, consistent, and based on trust and mutual respect. In this toolkit, we’re sharing free resources to help you explore the theme of connections with your students, and celebrate the week in your setting.

Celebrate Children’s Mental Health Week 2023 and this year’s theme of ‘let’s connect’ with our free toolkits of resources for primary, secondary and FE settings. Children’s Mental Health Week starts on 6th February, and this year the theme is ‘let’s connect’, looking at the importance that connections with others have on our mental health. Healthy relationships with family, friends and others are vital for children’s wellbeing, offering a strong protective factor against poor mental health. Connections within a school setting are also very important – pupils should feel that they belong to, and are a valued part of, a school community. Their relationships with adults in the school should be positive, consistent, and based on trust and mutual respect. In this toolkit, we’re sharing free resources to help you explore the theme of connections with your pupils, and celebrate the week in your setting.

CELEBRATING DIFFERENCES: WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY TOOLKIT The theme for this year’s World Mental Health Day is ‘mental health for all’. In this toolkit, we’ve created and curated a set of resources focusing on inclusivity and celebrating our differences. The resources are designed to help you support your pupils who may need more help with their mental health, and celebrate the unique and different qualities each child brings to your school community. The toolkit is split into two sections: ‘The same but different’ resource set We’ve created a set of resources all about celebrating diversity and difference. There’s an assembly plan, tips from teachers, and three lesson plans for different age groups (children aged 4 to 5, 5 to 8 and 9 to 11). You can use these resources in the week leading up to World Mental Health Day, to help you create a mentally healthy culture in your school. Further resources to support diverse groups of children We have also collected together resources to be delivered to, or inform your work with, groups of children who may need more support with their mental health. There are resources included for: LGBTQ+ children Children from ethnic minority groups Refugee and asylum seeker children Looked-after children Young carers

Learn how to use the resources on Mentally Healthy Schools with your child by following our simple guidance. Some of our Mentally Healthy Schools resources are suitable to be used by parents, with the support of the school. They may not be suitable for all children, so particular care should be taken for children who have experienced particularly difficult circumstances or emotions, for example those who have been through a life-changing experience (such as bereavement), may be experiencing severe mental health problems or may have a history of trauma. Please seek further support from your school and your GP, if you are concerned. Activities that focus on emotions can increase our sense of awareness of our thoughts and feelings, so it is important to remind children of the support systems that are available, in and out of school, if they need to speak about something.

The coronavirus lockdown has meant that children have spent a significantly increased amount of time with their families. Some may be feeling anxious about returning to school each day. We have created some tools to help you support your child with any anxiety they might be feeling, including top tips, an example action plan and some activities to support you and your child. Using this resource This resource is designed for: use by parents with their children There is a blank action plan included for you to fill in. You can work through these with your child so they feel informed about the return to school. This resource forms part of our rebuild and recover set of resources, designed to help schools come back together and support their pupils’ wellbeing after lockdown.

The next school term or year may feel unusual or strange for lots of children, but by working together, schools and parents can help to reduce any anxieties children may have. We have put together some quick tips and guidance for parents, to help support children’s transition back to school following Covid-19. Using this resource This resource is designed for use by: parents of primary-aged children This resource forms part of our rebuild and recover set of resources, designed to help schools come back together and support their pupils’ wellbeing after lockdown.

Following lockdown, some children may have increased anxiety about returning to school, particularly separation anxiety at leaving their parents and carers. This document has been produced to guide teachers in supporting pupils exhibiting anxiety. It may be useful for the return to school in September, following any periods of local lockdown or blended learning, or any other longer absence from school. Each child is individual and parts of this may not apply to their situation. Please refer to our guidance for teachers, and where the concern is ongoing do please refer to further mental health support in your school or local authority. Using this resource This resource is designed for: use by primary school teachers and school staff This resource forms part of our rebuild and recover set of resources, designed to help schools come back together and support their pupils’ wellbeing after lockdown.

This simple template can be used by anyone to identify unhelpful or negative thoughts, and try to reframe them in order to reduce their feelings of distress or anxiety. We all have negative thoughts and may get into patterns of negative thinking. In challenging times, these may occur more frequently, and it is easy to be self-critical and focus on the negative thoughts. Sometimes we might catastrophise a situation, making it seem worse than it really is, or we might blame ourselves for things out of our control. Recognising these thoughts and re-framing them is a way of training our brain reduce anxiety and over-thinking. Using this resource This resource is designed for: use by school staff This resource forms part of our rebuild and recover set of resources, designed to help schools come back together and support their pupils’ wellbeing after lockdown.

To help and support others, we need to start with ourselves. This document includes ideas, links to resources and activities to support staff wellbeing. Teachers are our heroes. During lockdown, they have adapted to teaching children remotely, worked tirelessly to support the children they teach, and have prepared for a sensitive transition back to school to reduce stress and anxiety for the children. It is important to remember that Covid-19 and the lockdown will also have had an effect on the mental health and wellbeing of all members of the school staff. Similar measures should be put into place to support them as well as the children. This resource includes tips for senior leaders, to help them support the wellbeing of their staff during the return to school. Using this resource This resource is designed for: use by senior leaders in schools This resource forms part of our rebuild and recover set of resources, designed to help schools come back together and support their pupils’ wellbeing after lockdown.

This simple activity will show children how to reframe their thinking around a negative situation, and look for positive ways to view the situation. We all have negative thoughts and may get into patterns of negative thinking. In times of distress, these may occur more frequently, and it is easy to be self-critical and focus on the negative thoughts. Sometimes we might catastrophise a situation, making it seem worse than it really is, or we might blame ourselves for things out of our control. This resource may be a useful tool for children to use once they have returned to school after the coronavirus lockdown. Using this resource This resource is designed for: Children aged 4 to 11 Use with individual children This resource forms part of our rebuild and recover set of resources, designed to help schools come back together and support their pupils’ wellbeing after lockdown. Northern Ireland - Personal Development and Mutual Understanding England - RSHE Wales & Scotland - Health and Wellbeing

This activity uses the idea of puzzles to help children think about what makes them unique, and the role they play in your school community. Following lockdown, your pupils and staff may feel like their school community is a bit fragmented. It is natural, in the circumstances, for some people to feel slightly anxious about returning to school or coping with the changes to school routine. These activities, along with the accompanying assembly, should support the children to feel a sense of belonging and understand their place in the school, hopefully bringing a renewed feeling of unity and community along with positivity about being back at school. Using this resource This resource forms part of our rebuild and recover set of resources, designed to help schools come back together and support their pupils’ wellbeing after lockdown. This resource is designed for: children aged 3 to 11 use with whole classes Curriculum links England - PSHE Living in the wider world Pupils learn: • about the different roles and responsibilities people have in their community (KS1) • to value the different contributions that people and groups make to the community (KS2) Northern Ireland - Personal Development and Mutual Understanding• Personal Understanding and Health Pupils should be enabled to explore: • themselves and their personal attributes; (Foundation) • their self–esteem and self-confidence; (KS1) • their self-esteem, self-confidence and how they develop as individuals; (KS2) Mutual Understanding in the local and wider community Pupils should be enabled to explore: • learning to live as a member of a community; (Foundation) • developing themselves as members of a community (KS1) playing an active and meaningful part in the life of the community and being concerned about the wider environment. (KS2) Wales – Health and Wellbeing Statement 5 - Healthy relationships are fundamental to our well-being. Scotland - Health and Wellbeing Social Wellbeing • I recognise that each individual has a unique blend of abilities and needs. I contribute to making my school community one which values individuals equally and is a welcoming place for all. • Through contributing my views, time and talents, I play a part in bringing about positive change in my school and wider community.

Using the metaphor of a jigsaw puzzle, this assembly helps children to think about the different roles they and others play in the school community. You could deliver this assembly as children return to school after lockdown. This assembly and associated activity pack, should support the children to feel a sense of belonging and understand their place in the school, hopefully bringing a renewed feeling of unity and community along with positivity about being back at school. Using this resource This resource is designed for: children aged 3 to 11 use in a whole-school or whole year group assembly This resource forms part of our rebuild and recover set of resources, designed to help schools come back together and support their pupils’ wellbeing after lockdown.

BRAIN BREAKS: HELPING CHILDREN SETTLE BACK INTO THE CLASSROOM Following lockdown, your students may find it difficult to return to the formality of sitting at desks and concentrating for longer periods of time. To reduce this restlessness, intersperse your lessons with brain breaks, which are short bursts of activity to keep their brain and body active. We have suggest 8 different brain breaks for you to try in this resource. You can begin these more frequently, gradually reducing throughout the term as the children re-adapt to their regular routine. Using this resource This resource is designed for: children aged 7 to 11 use by whole classes This resource forms part of our rebuild and recover set of resources, designed to help schools come back together and support their pupils’ wellbeing after lockdown.

A resource to support children to reflect on the changes that have occurred over the last few months due to Coronavirus. Some children may find the transition back to school difficult after lockdown. It may be useful in the first few weeks of school to reflect on the lockdown period. This resource helps children think about what they have experienced and cope with the changes that have occurred.

This toolkit is designed to be a guided Inset day for schools to work through, focused on wellbeing. From speaking to many of you, we know that one of your primary concerns on welcoming children back to school in the autumn is mental health and wellbeing. An Inset day before the start of term is a great opportunity for the whole school staff to come together to focus on wellbeing, ready for the term ahead. This toolkit is split into four sections: Auditing your school Planning for potential separation anxiety Supporting staff wellbeing Improving the school environment We have also included some suggested resources to use in the first weeks of term. You can use this toolkit in whatever way works best for you – you could pick individual sections to complete, or you could follow the full plan across the day.

Schools and parents/carers can use these resources to prepare for the return to school in the autumn. Although some children have returned to school already, for many, the new autumn term will be their first time stepping into a classroom since lockdown began. Understandably, this may be a strange or worrying time for some children, parents and carers, and schools. We know that supporting children’s mental wellbeing during the return to school is a key priority for many of you. We’ve collected together lots of useful resources in this toolkit, all focused on making sure the return to classrooms in the autumn is a mentally healthy one. We’ve split the list of resources into two: one section is full of resources for parents and carers, featuring activities and tips for how to prepare their child for re-starting school in September the other section is focused on resources for schools for use in the autumn term or when planning for the new school year.

Separation anxiety at the start of a new term or school year can be an issue for children, their families and schools. With coronavirus meaning many children will have been away from school for a significant amount of time, schools may be expecting increased levels of separation anxiety at the start of term. This simple plan is designed for teachers to use for individual students for whom separation anxiety is a concern. They can use the plan to plot out ideas for working with the child and the child’s parents, and the outcomes of these actions. Using this resource This resource is designed for: use by school staff use on an individual basis

This resource uses an illustration and basic drama techniques to get children thinking about happiness and where it comes from. Children will explore concepts like happiness and gratitude, and think about how social media might affect how we feel about ourselves and others. Using this resource This resource is designed for: children aged 9 and above use in small groups This resource is linked to curricular across the UK. England - RSHE Mental wellbeing • simple self-care techniques, including the importance of rest, time spent with friends and family and the benefits of hobbies and interests Internet Safety and Harms • about the benefits of rationing time spent online, the risks of excessive time spent on electronic devices and the impact of positive and negative content online on their own and others’ mental and physical wellbeing Respectful Relationships • the importance of self-respect and how this links to their own happiness Northern Ireland - Personal Development and Mutual Understanding PERSONAL UNDERSTANDING AND HEALTH Pupils should be enabled to explore: • their self–esteem and self-confidence (KS1) • strategies and skills for keeping themselves healthy and safe (KS1) • their self-esteem, self-confidence and how they develop as individuals (KS2) • how to sustain their health, growth and well-being and coping safely and efficiently with their environment (KS2). Wales – Health and Wellbeing Statement 2 - How we process and respond to our experiences affects our mental health and emotional well-being. Statement 3 - Our decision-making impacts on the quality of our lives and the lives of others. Scotland - Health and Wellbeing Mental and Emotional Wellbeing •I understand that my feelings and reactions can change depending upon what is happening within and around me. This helps me to understand my own behaviour and the way others behave. · I understand the importance of mental wellbeing and that this can be fostered and strengthened through personal coping skills and positive relationships

Use this tool to action plan support for separation anxiety throughout the first term back at school and beyond. The coronavirus lockdown has meant that children have spent a significantly increased amount of time with their families, and a return to school may mean an increase in anxiety for some pupils. Some children may be more nervous about being separated from their parents or carers than they normally would. Parents and carers may also feel anxious about being away from their children. This resource includes an example action plan with some ideas to reduce separation anxiety, and then a blank plan for you to fill in. You could to work through this as a whole staff group or individually, to help you think through how best to support your pupils.

This appreciation circle activity encourages children to appreciate positive attributes and qualities in everyone, recognising differences and similarities and building friendships. An appreciation circle may be a useful activity for supporting a particular child with self-esteem issues, or a good activity for the whole class to complete together. This resource is designed for: children aged 4 to 11 use with a whole class or small groups For more resources, go to www.mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk