3. Staff Training
Staff Wellbeing Session – 1.5 hours
The staff wellbeing session looks at understanding stress and the importance of promoting positive wellbeing at a deeper level.
It looks at how everyone experiences stress differently, whilst highlighting key factors which contribute to negative wellbeing.
There is some theory which explains the impact that stress can have. It also looks at how we can notice when we are stressed and break it down into the key 4 components;
- Emotional Symptoms
- Physical Symptoms
- Cognitive Symptoms
- Behavioural Symptoms.
Understanding the symptoms within each category will in turn promote better self-awareness when looking at how we know when we are experiencing stress.
The second part of the session looks at coping strategies.
Looking at what strategies are already in place to help cope (drawing on the concept of coping flexibility) and we will also provide some information on some other ideas that attendees may adopt to help them to cope with stressful situations.
A Staff Toolkit to a Wellbeing Conversation – 1.5 hours
The training is a mixture between theory and practical.
Looking at why it is important within the role of school/college staff, when to have a wellbeing conversation and practical tips on how to start a wellbeing conversation.
It will also look at the structure of a conversation and the process of this.
Session aims:
- To understand what a Wellbeing Conversation is
- To develop the confidence to have these conversations in the classroom and within the school environment
- To understand key components to a wellbeing conversation
- To understand the difference between empathy and sympathy
Looking Beyond Behaviour – 2 hours (Can be segmented)
This training will look at the emotions behind behaviour, helping staff to develop the understanding that behaviour is a communication.
It will look at brain development with children and young people and the theory into why how they can communicate their underlying emotions through presenting behaviour.
It will aim to help staff develop a better theoretical understanding, so they are able to develop a stronger insight into how to understand and support appropriately.
The session can be delivered as a whole session, or broken down into smaller sessions to allow time for reflection in between
Graduated Response Training – 1 hour
This training will be offered to all staff in the aim to help them to understand Oldham’s Graduated Response to Emotional Health and Mental Wellbeing at a greater level.
Looking at the universal offer that schools should be offering to all pupils and when selected and targeted intervention may be appropriate, as per the Assess-plan-do-review approach.
Outcome Measures Training and advice – 1 hour
This training will look at the importance of using measuring tools when offering interventions to children and young people.
It will explain how measuring tools can be introduced into interventions and in turn, develop the confidence of staff using them. The session will focus on recognised measuring tools, used by third sector and health in order to promote a common language and way of measuring throughout settings.
Increasing awareness and understanding of specific mental health concerns – 1 hour
This training looks at upskilling the workforce knowledge and understanding of key mental concerns specific to their setting this could include anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation and self-harm.
The content will include: -
- Signs and Symptoms
- Causes
- Specific Anxiety Disorders
- Approach and support
Wellbeing for Education Return Training (2 webinars – 90 minutes each webinar)
The Wellbeing for Education Return training (WER) is a nationally developed and government funded package, produced by the Anna Freud Centre.
It has been specifically designed to ensure that all schools and settings have up to date information regarding the impact of the pandemic on wellbeing as well as providing an overview of the key evidence-based approaches and principles to support wellbeing.
Zippy Apple and Passport Training (Primary Settings only)
The team are trained up to deliver training to school staff to deliver the Partnership for Children, Zippy Apple and Passport scheme of work.
The training will provide schools with the knowledge and confidence to deliver the Skills for Life Programme for schools.
They aim to support school staff to help children deliver skills for life: how to cope with everyday difficulties, how to communicate with and get on with other people, and build self-awareness and emotional resilience.
This programme sits alongside the new RSE guidance and can be delivered from year 1 up to year 6.
Mental Health First Aid Training – (To discuss costings please email the team)
The team are trained up to deliver both Youth and Adult Mental Health First Aid England courses.
Youth MHFA
Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) courses are for everyone who works with, lives with or supports young people aged 8-18.
They teach you the skills and confidence to spot the signs of mental health issues in a young person, offer first aid and guide them towards the support they need.
In doing so, you can speed up a young person’s recovery and stop a mental health issue from getting worse.
The team are also trained up in half day and one day YMHFA awareness training.
Adult MHFA:
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is a training course which teaches people how to identify, understand and help someone who may be experiencing a mental health issue.
You’ll learn to recognise warning signs of mental ill health and develop the skills and confidence to approach and support someone while keeping yourself safe.
You’ll also learn how to empower someone to access the support they might need for recovery or successful management of symptoms.
This could include self-help books or websites, accessing therapy services through their GP, their school or place of work, online self-referral, support groups, and more.
Pupil Offer – Secondary and college Pupils
The team offer a pupil wellbeing session that aims to equip secondary aged students with an understanding of what factors can affect wellbeing and some tips on what they can do to promote more positive wellbeing.
The session can be bespoke to look at what needs are priorities in your setting, however, generally, the session covers the following:
- What is wellbeing and what factors can have an effect on our wellbeing, e.g. exams, sleep, social media, loss.
- How we may notice when we are stressed and when stress is a ‘good’ thing
- Understanding the science behind our emotions and the introduction of the stress container
- What we can do to cope when we are stressed (linking to the five ways to wellbeing)
- Support that is available.
Staff Wellbeing Offer
Alongside the core Staff Wellbeing Training (please see above) The team are continuously on hand to support staff with their own wellbeing and supporting the wellbeing of pupils.
We appreciate that staff wellbeing is different amongst settings and therefore, the team will work with you to put together support that is bespoke to your settings.
This may be through consultations, regular informal check ins or out-sourcing staff wellbeing surveys to look at how schools can capture the wellbeing of their staff.
Resources
The team are regularly putting together information and resources packs based on what schools are asking for.
Quality Assurance Framework – Please email your advisor for this document
As school leaders, pastoral leads and inclusion managers you are responsible for the commissioning of Emotional Health and Wellbeing Services for students within the school.
The Quality Assurance Framework, developed by Healthy Young Minds (previously known as CAMHS), is intended to support schools in commissioning safe and effective services, which in turn give increased flexibility and provide an early intervention response.
It is crucial that the services that are chosen are suitably accredited and can demonstrate that they will improve outcomes for their children and young people.
The team have put together a summary of the wider document which includes what questions to ask and points for consideration when commissioning Emotional Health and Wellbeing services for students
Covid Specific Materials
During the COVID-19 Pandemic, the team put together a series of documents to support settings in key themes that arose.
Whilst these materials are tailored to the pandemic, the learning and information can be adapted for general day to day.
- EHMW Resources - Oldham Opportunity Area website
OBS Directory
The Oldham Brokerage Service website has resources for young people, parents and school staff.
Children’s Wellbeing Policy – Please email your advisor for this document
It is important that schools have a standalone wellbeing policy for children and young people.
The team have put together a template which you are able to use and adapt to be specific to your setting.