Following the Government introduction of the ‘Future in Mind’ initiative, Culcheth High School (CHS) volunteered to be the commissioning high school in Warrington to lead the project in our area. We have worked closely with Warrington Borough Council (BC), Warrington NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)and Warrington CAMHS (and other agencies) to develop and implement an extremely detailed ‘Emotional Health and Well-Being (EH&WB) Transformation Plan’ that outlined how we would deliver on the recommendations made in the national guidance between 2015 and 2020.
For the last year the majority of Warrington secondary schools (Culcheth High School (HS), Birchwood HS, Bridgewater HS, Beamont Collegiate Academy, Woolston Brook, Great Sankey HS, Penketh HS, Sir Thomas Boteler Cof E HS, Lymm HS, Kings Leadership Academy, Cardinal Newman Catholic HS, St Gregory’s Catholic HS, University Academy Warrington) have been engaged in the ‘Future in Mind’ initiative – to promote positive mental health and reduce the stigma attached to Mental Health illnesses, and to signpost to all young people across the region how they can access the support being offered.
Following the Government introduction of the ‘Future in Mind’ initiative, Culcheth High School (CHS) volunteered to be the commissioning high school in Warrington to lead the project in our area. We have worked closely with Warrington Borough Council (BC), Warrington NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)and Warrington CAMHS (and other agencies) to develop and implement an extremely detailed ‘Emotional Health and Well-Being (EH&WB) Transformation Plan’ that outlined how we would deliver on the recommendations made in the national guidance between 2015 and 2020.
The work and training (e.g. staff receiving Mental Health First Aid England training via Alliance for Learning, students being trained to become Royal Society of Public Health (RSPH) ‘Youth Health Champions’ (YHC’s), bespoke Mental Health PSHE lesson plans, assemblies and awareness events aimed at ‘prevention rather than cure’ being created and delivered, developing student-led networks, etc. ) carried out this year has been shared as ‘good practice’ with all the other participating secondary (and next year, primary) schools in Warrington, and we have subsequently created a Mental Health (MH) Pledge which the majority of Warrington secondary schools have signed up to.
Wider Active Support
Our launch day (covered by the Warrington Guardian) was on World Mental Health Day (10th October 2016) at CHS and all FIM Pledge schools delivered the same MH material to all students. At the launch were representatives from a number of agencies who are committed to working together on this initiative, including Warrington CCG, Warrington BC Public Health, Warrington CAMHS, Warrington Wolves Charitable Trust, Footsteps for Families and KOOTH.
Throughout the year, more services and links have been forged and external support/input now includes;
– Warrington CCG / EH&WB Meetings (developing the THRIVE Model, with student input)
– CAMHS (support sessions/training/focus group discussions)
– Proud Trust (Rainbow Flag Award – LGBT)
– Cheshire Police (Safer Schools and Young Persons conference)
– KOOTH (online, confidential counselling for YP)
– Catch 22 (a locally commissioned Pan Cheshire Missing and Child Sexual Exploitation)
– Tackling The Primrose & Blues’ project (whole-school support and group therapy sessions led by Warrington Wolves Charitable Foundation, Edgehill University and Everton FC)
– School Health Team (support for PSHE lessons, School Nurse drop-in sessions, YHC campaigns)
– Warrington BC Youth Health Team (support for PSHE lessons, Activities Week sessions, Mobile Unit)
– Amy Winehouse Foundation (drug & alcohol awareness programme)
– Footsteps for Families (individual counselling sessions for YP experiencing difficulties due to other people’s alcohol problems)
– The Tailormade (engaging drugs & alcohol message delivered in a unique performance)
– Live Wire (Smoking Cessation)
– MHFA England (case study)
Co-Production
The CHS Youth Health Champions received their Royal Society of Public Health (RSPH) training via Warrington Borough Council’s Public Health team at the end of Year 9, and have supported numerate initiatives through this last year (as Year 10 students they are also embarking upon their GCSE studies) – including three in – school campaigns (anti-smoking, positive mental health (linking with the Warrington Future in Mind initiative), and anti-bullying) and many external initiatives – including meeting with Warrington CCG to help direct and formulate the new THRIVE model (replacing the Tiered system, presenting at Warrington CCG’s ‘CY&P EH&WB event’ to share good practice with Halton CCG, and promoting Mental Health Awareness by working in collaboration with Warrington Wolves on their ‘Tackling the Primrose and Blues’ project. They continue to work towards supporting and promoting EH&WB.
The YHC students (8 students) have committed to attending weekly meetings, led campaigns in school (working with numerous external agencies, such as LiveWire, Warrington Public Health Team, School Health team (0-19 Integrated Service (School Health Lead Warrington), Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, CAMHS, KOOTH, MHFA England, Proud Trust, Amy Winehouse Foundation, Warrington Wolves, Cheshire Police, Early Help and Youth Division at Warrington BC), they have presented to students via assemblies at CHS and at other Future in Mind pledge schools (Bridgewater High School and Great Sankey High School), visited and interviewed Warrington CAHMS workers to produce a video to help alleviate fears of YP accessing CAHMS, worked with Warrington Wolves Charitable Trust to promote the link between a healthy body and a healthy mind, received their Royal Society of Public Health (RSPH) YHC accreditation, and much more. In recognition of the hard work, dedication and commitment the YHC students have demonstrated over the past 12 months (and now as they work towards supporting the next cohort of Year 10 students training to become YHC’s on a rolling programme), representatives of the YHC group attended the Warrington Guardian Schools Awards ceremony in July 2017, when CHS won the Innovation Award for our work on the Future in Mind initiative.
The YHC’s are a leading force at CHS in highlighting positive mental health and well-being and reducing the stigma attached to mental illness (Make Your Mark campaign, FiM, No Smoking, CAMHS visit, Anti-bullying, Mental Health Awareness Week). They have supported ‘Student Voice’ by engaging with our CHS Student Leadership Group (dedicated sub groups inc. LGBT, Anti-Bullying, First Aid), helping to create ‘My Pledge’ – Year 10 students pledging to volunteer their time to support others (to be rolled out to all year groups in 2017-18), engaging with the Tackling the Primrose & Blues project – Year 10 GCSE PE students working with Warrington Wolves Charitable Foundation, Everton FC & Edgehill University to promote the links between mental and physical health; helped to raise of £2000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust – annual event promoting community spirit / charity, led by Year 9 students; supported the ‘Hello Yellow Campaign’ – fundraising activities led by Year 8 students to encourage talking about Mental Health (money raised donated to One Love Manchester appeal) and worked with Drama to create a production – I AM WHOLE – Year 10 students produced and performed in a video to promote Mental Health Awareness.
Looking Back/Challenges Faced
The only real challenges are that the education and service industries function very differently, partly due to the scheduling of the school calendar. For example, the way school safeguarding systems are formatted means that external visits take time to organise (risk assessed, permission from senior leaders, cover restrictions for staff, letters home and permission from parents, etc.). Often, invitations to events held in the service industry have a quick turnaround, or events have been scheduled which fall within school holidays, and therefore attendance has not been possible. This has been addressed for future events. Another restriction is that students miss key GCSE subject content when they are attending events or giving presentations, which could impact upon their education. Fortunately, all of the YHC’s are conscientious enough to catch up with work missed and complete in their own time.
Sustainability
The ‘Emotional Health and Well-Being (EH&WB) Transformation Plan’ outlines how we will deliver on the recommendations made in the national guidance between 2015 and 2020. We are currently in the process of liaising with Primary Schools in Warrington who will be receiving the MHFA Training via the Alliance for Learning. More links for transition and embedding of the FIM project is then planned moving forward to ensure sustainability. Plans are in place for Joanna Shaw to be trained (in 2018) to deliver the MHFA Training to subsequent cohorts of teachers in future years.
Evaluation (Peer or Academic)
Students have participated in the following surveys throughout the year;
– Warrington CCG ‘Future in Mind’ Evaluation 2017
– Warrington BC ‘Year 7 PSHE Survey’ 2016/17
– Warrington BC ‘Self- Harm’ Survey for Schools 2016/17
– ‘Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use among Young People in England’ survey (NHSDigital/NFER research) 2016/17
– ‘Children’s Tobacco & Alcohol’ survey 2017
– CHS Year 10 SRE Survey 2017
Outcomes
In-School Support now includes;
– Dedicated Pastoral Team
– Personal Development Team (PSHE, Citizenship, CEIAG)
– SEN Inclusion Team (plus Mentors)
– Safeguarding Team (CPOMS, TOOTOOT)
– Internet Safety Team (supported by ICT staff and students)
– 2 x Counsellors
– Pupil Premium Team
– Year group Progress Leaders (plus 2 x ‘MH’ Form Tutors)
– ‘Play Therapy Room’ (vulnerable students)
– ‘Well-being Room’ and ‘Self Help Hallway’
– Weekly School Nurse Drop-in sessions
– YHC ‘chat’ sessions
– Mindfulness sessions
– Policies have been developed and implemented (Positive Mental Health, PSHE, SRE (WIP), Substance Misuse, Self Harm (WIP))
External Support currently provided for our young people is detailed in ‘Wider Active Support’.
Sharing
The Future in Mind initiative is shared across all FIM Pledge secondary schools in Warrington via our dedicated PSHE Network and termly WASCL PSHE Hub meetings. Joanna Shaw also attends PSHE Network meetings and presents to other schools (via the Alliance for Learning) in Trafford LEA to share good practice across neighbouring boroughs. The CHS YHC’s have also presented to Halton CCG (via the C&YP EH&WB event) to share good practice and promote the YHC agenda to other young people and services.
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This truly is an innovative project which is being supported by so many people to ensure the best possible life chances for young people across Warrington.
Please feel free to contact me for further information about this fantastic project – Mrs Joanna Shaw or visit www. culchethhigh.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/…/Future-in-Mind-Culcheth-High-School.pdf for a more detailed overview.
