Every member of staff has a responsibility to promote positive mental health and wellbeing of our pupils. Staff members who have a specific wellbeing remit include: Any member of staff who is concerned about the mental health or wellbeing of a student should speak to the Pupil Support staff in the first instance. If there is a fear that the student is in danger of immediate harm, child protection procedures should be followed with an immediate referral to the designated Child Protection Officer, or Head Teacher. If the student presents a medical emergency then the normal procedures for medical emergencies should be followed, including alerting the first aid staff and contacting the emergency services if necessary. The following members of staff are qualified Scottish Mental Health First Aiders. They are identifiable by their purple lanyard: As a minimum, all staff will receive regular training about recognising and responding to mental health issues and receive annual child protection training in order to enable them to keep students safe. Training opportunities for staff that require more in depth knowledge will be considered as part of our performance management process and additional CLPL will be supported throughout the year where it becomes appropriate due developing situations with one or more students. Where the need to do so becomes evident, we will host twilight training sessions for all staff to promote learning or understanding about specific issues related to mental health. Suggestions for individual, group or whole school CLPL should be discussed with Annemarie McGougan, our CLPL Coordinator who can also highlight sources of relevant training and support for individuals as needed. “We want to create a Scotland where all stigma and discrimination related to mental health is challenged, and our collective understanding of how to prevent and treat mental health problems is increased. We want to see a nation where mental healthcare is person-cantered and recognises the life-changing benefits of fast, effective treatment.” Focusing on the Scottish Governments approach to mental health strategies being implemented across all schools, the S6 Ambassadors programme will be a scheme of work our young people will undertake over the course of their sixth year. We have selected a group of pupils from a wide range of backgrounds, social groups, as well as their skills set and abilities. Each pupil will be selected through an application and interview process each year. Putting emphasis on resilience and wellbeing, our S6 ambassadors will complete a specially designed programme of work in their own time to promote a school ethos that reflects inclusion, trust, respect and a safe learning environment for all. Highlighting issues of mental health impacting our young people, as well as physical illness and the isolation associated with that, the overall aim is to have our S6 ambassadors lead by example for the lower school to follow. To achieve this outcome the pupils will be participating in: We have a professional partnership with Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity where by our S6 ambassadors will have the opportunity to take part in the following charity events: Our Ambassadors are identifiable to all pupils and staff via their purple hoodies. Any staff who are trained Mental Health first Aiders will wear purple lanyards to be visible at all times. This campaign is part of our St Andrew’s Responding Together (STARTtalking) programme in which we are aiming to “Piece it together”.
Lead Members of Staff
Mental Health First Aiders in School
Continuous Professional Learning
Wellbeing Ambassador Programme
headteacher@st-andrews-sec.glasgow.sch.uk 0141 582 0240