Each and everyone of us has to manage our personal mental health and physical health. Being mentally healthy means that we feel good about ourselves. We make and maintain positive relationships with other people. We take responsibility to embrace and manage the full range of emotions that comes through journeying life!

^{Author Caroline Leaf says:}
Our brains are made for love. Not fear. Not performance. Not aggression. But LOVE.

With this in mind, it is important that children are encouraged and supported to look after their mental health every day. At One In A Million you will regularly hear us say, “it takes a community to raise a child”. Creating a mentally healthy school will always be a task for the whole school community to play their part rather than relying on one individual to shoulder the full weight of it.

Here, at One In A Million Free School, we now have a Wellbeing and Development Lead, Mrs Oldroyd (Director of Sports), who is supported by a team of colleagues to help equip and encourage students, parents/carers and staff with information that might just make all the difference!

Below is a list of FREE resource that, which will begin to help you to support your child. Please click on:

• Young-minds-bullying.pdf
• Young-minds-depression-your-child.pdf
• Youngminds-self-harm.pdf
• Young-minds-coping-with-school.pdf
• Young-minds-anger-issues.pdf
• Youngminds-eating-problems-yp.pdf
• Coping with self harm parents guide
• Emotionally healthy guide to GCSE– Parents guide
• Looking after yourselves during GCSE
• Parents guide to depression 
• Social media and teenagers

Helplines

• childline.org.uk | 0800 1111 (free 24hr) confidential listening 
  samaritans.org | 116 123 (free 24 hr) confidential listening 
• Professional Help: GPs School Nurses Counsellors/Therapists 
• Helplines and Online Information/Support: YoungMinds www.youngminds.org.uk 
• Call the Parents Helpline: 0808 802 5544 (Monday to Friday 9.30am – 4pm, free for mobiles and landlines)
• themix.org.uk essential support for under 25s 

In School: Contact your child’s Head of Year.

Below are some behaviours that you may observe in your teen that will help to decipher the difference between mental illness and normal teenage behaviour*.

• Decrease in enjoyment and time spent with friends and family
• Significant decrease in school performance
• Strong resistance to attending school or absenteeism
• Problems with memory, attention or concentration
• Big changes in energy levels, eating or sleeping patterns
• Physical symptoms (stomach aches, headaches, backaches)
• Feelings of hopelessness, sadness, anxiety, crying often
• Frequent aggression, disobedience or lashing out verbally
• Excessive neglect of personal appearance or hygiene
• Substance abuse
• Dangerous or illegal thrill-seeking behaviour
• Is overly suspicious of others
• Sees or hears things that others do not

*It’s important to remember that no one sign means that there is a problem. It’s important to examine the: nature, intensity, severity and duration of a problem. 

Let’s work together and create a culture where everybody’s wellbeing thrives!