Supporting Mental Health

Crosfields has welcomed Mrs Yadava, it’s first Mental Health Practitioner (MHP), to support pupils with their wellbeing and to further develop wellbeing services at the school. School-based mental health support can have a significant positive impact on pupils and supporting this is vital in helping each individual thrive.

Mrs Yadava works primarily with pupils on a one-to-one basis in a designated space within the medical centre, helping them to understand their emotions and feelings. She helps pupils develop coping skills that will enable them to deal with any situations in a healthy way. Teachers and parents are also supported and guided through this to ensure a 360 degrees approach.

Group sessions are held daily where all pupils have a chance to explore topics such as the ‘healthy use of social media’ or ‘positive relationships’. This pro-active approach arms Crosfields’ pupils with the emotional confidence to tackle what may lie ahead.

Parents or guardians play a key part in a child’s wellbeing. It can be difficult to know how to support a child if they are struggling with mental health. Young people may need different support from their parents at different times, whether that be practical support or just listening while they learn to cope. Mrs Yadava’s top tips for adults supporting children are:
• Encourage children to talk through considered use of language such as ‘what happened?’ rather than ‘why did you do this?’. This can help them feel more comfortable talking about their experiences and alleviate any worries that they might be judged.
• Take the pressure of yourself. You can’t just ‘fix’ things. Getting support for yourself can help you to do this.
• Remember, recovery can take time, but things do often get better as young children continue to mature towards adulthood.

Read more information about the school’s pastoral care at Pastoral Care – Crosfields School