St Joseph's Catholic Primary School
Mental Health and Wellbeing Support
At St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, we recognise that good mental health and emotional wellbeing are an important part of every child’s development, learning and happiness.
We want every child to feel safe, valued, listened to and supported. Children may experience worries or difficult feelings for many different reasons, including friendships, family changes, bereavement, anxiety, transition, difficulties with learning, bullying or changes in their circumstances. Asking for help is a strength, and we encourage children and families to seek support early.
What do we mean by mental health and wellbeing?
Mental health describes how we think, feel and behave and how we cope with everyday life and challenges. Just like physical health, our mental health can change over time.
Emotional wellbeing is about how a child feels about themselves and their ability to understand and manage their emotions, develop relationships, cope with challenges and enjoy everyday life.
It is normal for children to experience difficult emotions such as sadness, anger, worry or frustration. However, if these feelings persist, become more intense or begin to affect a child's everyday life, relationships, attendance or learning, it may be helpful to seek additional support.
What difficulties might children experience?
Children can need support with a wide range of issues, including:
- Anxiety and excessive worry
- Low mood or sadness
- Confidence and self-esteem
- Friendship difficulties
- Bullying
- Anger and emotional regulation
- Difficulties managing change or transition
- Bereavement and loss
- Family separation or changes at home
- Sleep difficulties
- School-related worries
- Social or emotional difficulties
- Trauma or significant life experiences
- Persistent difficulties with behaviour or relationships
- Self-harm or thoughts about suicide
Every child is different, and experiencing one of these difficulties does not necessarily mean that a child has a mental health disorder. Support will always be considered according to the individual child and their circumstances.
How can St Joseph's support my child?
We use a graduated approach, beginning with the least intensive support appropriate to the child's needs and increasing support where necessary.
Pastoral care in school
Our pastoral approach provides children with trusted adults and opportunities to talk about worries and develop strategies to manage their emotions.
Support may include:
- A trusted adult/check-in
- Pastoral conversations
- Emotional literacy activities
- Support with friendships and relationships
- Support with transition and changes
- Time and space to regulate emotions
- Support with confidence and self-esteem
- Lunchtime and playtime support where appropriate
- Small-group activities
- Support from the school's pastoral and safeguarding team
- Working closely with parents and carers
- Signposting or referral to specialist services when appropriate
We also promote positive mental health through our Catholic ethos, collective worship, relationships, PSHE, physical activity, creativity, opportunities for service and our SMART values.
Our school counsellor – Brentwood Catholic Children's Society
Where a child would benefit from more specialist emotional support within school, we can make a referral to our Brentwood Catholic Children's Society (BCCS) school counselling service.
BCCS provides professional mental-health and emotional-wellbeing support to children and young people in schools. Their services can include one-to-one therapeutic support and, where appropriate, work with parents and families.
BCCS supports children experiencing a wide range of difficulties, including anxiety, bereavement, family difficulties, bullying, low self-esteem, anger, behavioural difficulties and other emotional or social challenges.
Where appropriate, school staff will discuss concerns with parents/carers and agree the most suitable next step. BCCS also has a Child and Family Counselling Service, which families can access directly for support outside school.
Brentwood Catholic Children's Society – Mental Health & Counselling Support
Referral to CAMHS
CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) provides specialist NHS mental-health support for children and young people when their needs require a higher level of assessment or intervention.
For children living in Thurrock, the local service is Southend, Essex and Thurrock (SET) CAMHS. Parents/carers can seek support through their GP, or contact SET CAMHS directly. Schools and other professionals can also make referrals.
SET CAMHS currently provides a self-referral route for parents and young people, alongside referrals from professionals. The service can be contacted on 0800 953 0222.
CAMHS may provide assessment and specialist interventions depending on a child's needs. These can include psychological therapies and, where appropriate, family-based or other specialist interventions.
A referral to CAMHS does not mean that a child will automatically receive a particular diagnosis or treatment. The service will assess the child's needs and determine the most appropriate support.
SET CAMHS – How to get help and make a referral
What if my child needs support outside school?
There are many ways families can access support. You do not need to wait until difficulties become severe before asking for help.
You can speak to:
- Your child's teacher or the school pastoral team
- The SENCO, where emotional or mental-health needs are affecting learning or development
- The Headteacher or safeguarding team
- Your GP
- Your health visitor or school nurse, where appropriate
- BCCS
- CAMHS
- A recognised private counsellor or therapist
The NHS advises that children and young people can access mental-health support through professionals such as GPs, teachers, school nurses, youth workers and social workers, with some local services also accepting self-referrals.
Choosing private support
Some families may wish to seek independent/private counselling or psychological support for their child or family.
Parents choosing this route may wish to check:
- That the practitioner is appropriately qualified and professionally registered.
- That they have experience working with children of primary-school age.
- That they have experience with the particular difficulty your child is experiencing.
- What safeguarding arrangements are in place.
- How confidentiality works and when information may need to be shared to keep a child safe.
- Whether parents will be involved in the assessment and review process.
- What the cost and expected length of support will be.
- How the practitioner will work alongside school, where appropriate.
- Whether the practitioner can provide reports or liaise with other professionals if this becomes necessary.
The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) has a searchable therapist directory and advises families to check that practitioners are appropriately qualified and work to professional standards.
Parents may also wish to consider therapists registered with the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP).
Please note: school staff cannot recommend a particular private practitioner. Families should make their own enquiries about the suitability, qualifications, safeguarding arrangements and costs of any independent service.
Useful Mental Health and Wellbeing Links
We recommend the following organisations as useful starting points for information, advice and support.
NHS – Mental Health Support for Children and Young People
Thurrock Council – Mental Health Support
If you are worried about your child's immediate safety
If you believe your child is in immediate danger, or there is an immediate risk of serious harm, call 999 or attend your nearest A&E department.
If you need urgent mental-health support but it is not an emergency, you can contact NHS 111 and select the mental-health option. For children and young people in Thurrock, SET CAMHS can also be contacted on 0800 953 0222.
If your concern relates to safeguarding or possible abuse or neglect, please speak to a member of the school's safeguarding team immediately.
At St Joseph's, we believe that every child should know that they are valued, that it is safe to talk and that help is available when things feel difficult. We encourage families to speak to us early so that, together, we can identify the right support for each child.