Wellbeing
Designated Mental Heath First Aider: Mrs H Jeffery
Ridgeway Infant School is committed to supporting the mental health and well-being of all staff and children. Our school culture is nurturing, supportive and respectful. We encourage openness and communication throughout our school community. At our school, mental health is everyone’s responsibility and we all have a role to play. If you would like to discuss mental health and wellbeing in more detail, please contact Mrs H Jeffery on hjeffery@ridgeway.derby.sch.uk who will be able to signpost you to the relevant support.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Newsletter
Please see below the links to a termly newsletter sharing lots of important information to you:
Looking after your mental health is really important. Please Click Here to learn about 10 positive mental health habits that will help you deal with challenging events - we hope you find this useful! As the first tip is all about 'talking', please do get in touch if there is anything we can do to help support you and your family . . . there will always be someone available for you to speak to!
Bereavement Support
Supporting a child through a bereavement is a difficult thing to have to do. Here are some resources that might be helpful along with some websites that can offer further guidance.
Children's Understanding of Death at Different Ages - CBUK
Supporting Bereaved Children Under 5 - CBUK
Supporting Bereaved Children with Additional Needs - CBUK
Supporting Bereaved Children with ASD - CBUK
Responding to a Bereaved Child - DCC STePS
Coronavirus and Bereavement - A helpful guide from our Educational Psychologist
Lost for Words - An E-Book for Bereaved Children (Please read first before giving this to a child to read)
https://www.childbereavementuk.org/supporting-bereaved-children-and-young-people
Useful Links
The links below will take you to website which offer further information and support around Mental Health and Wellbeing, for both adults and children. Please also read our termly newsletter [links above] as this provide additional useful links.
A public health England and NHS site to help people take simple steps to look after their mental health, improve their mental wellbeing and support others
Quality-assured information, advice and resources to help primary schools understand and promote children’s mental health and wellbeing.
For any advice or worries, you can text to chat! Areas of support that can be offered: bed wetting/soiling/toileting, concerns about hearing or vision, feeding problems, emotional wellbeing, behaviour, speech concerns.
Resources To Use At Home
Young children are still learning to regulate their own emotions and sometimes need support with this and for their adults to provide them with strategies. To help with this we have:
- Calm Down Prompt Cards
- Mindful Minute Brain Break Cards
- Calm Down Strategies for Meltdowns and Tantrums
If you would like a printed copy of these resources, please email Mrs H Jeffery at hjeffery@ridgeway.derby.sch.uk stating your child's name and class.