What is the Mental Health Champions (MHC) project?
The MHC project aims to provide support for schools in dealing with children and young people with low to medium level mental health
or emotional wellbeing difficulties.It is not intended to replace specialist support, but is a way that schools can access information and guidance for staff carrying out their day to day roles and responsibilities.
All Bradford schools are expected to nominate one member of school staff to be their Mental Health Champion. At the Core level, Champions are asked to disseminate information provided to their colleagues in school. Champions are not expected
to provide any individual or specialist support to pupils, although many Champions do this as a part of their every day role, and the MHC project supports them in this. Champions wanting to access further training and support can access the MHC enhanced offer,
MHC Plus (see below for link to details).
The project is managed and delivered by Bradford Educational Psychology Team, meaning that training and support is based on up to date research and evidence-based practice.
The Mental Health Champions Core offer is managed by Dr. Claire Cooper-Jones, Lead Specialist Senior Educational Psychologist.
A description of the project and FAQs (e.g. expectations of schools and the MH Champions can be found in this presentation:
MH Champs Powerpoint.
What do we offer at the MHC Core level?
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Termly webinars (i.e. 3 x 1.5 hours) offering key news and information regarding local and national initiatives and projects relevant to mental health/emotional wellbeing (mainly for CYP but may include some insight into staff and or/parent mental health/emotional
wellbeing). We will also make links between Champions/your school and other organisations who offer support in this area via the webinars and through email and other communication.
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N.B. we do not offer training at this level - schools who would like to access the free training from the MHC project would need to sign up to the enhanced MHC Plus offer
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Termly parent/carer workshops offering information and training around common issues and concerns parents/carers have regarding their children’s mental health emotional wellbeing.
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New for 2022-23: Termly training sessions on mental health and emotional wellbeing for school governors
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Half-termly newsletters with relevant local and national information regarding mental health and emotional wellbeing.
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Access to our websites for ideas and information.
Expectations of Champions:
Please note: Champions are members of school staff nominated to take on a role - there is no training involved in becoming a Champion. The role is to carry out the following:
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Attendance at one webinar per term (approx. 1.5 hours each, organised by geographical area) where Champions will receive key news regarding local and national initiatives and projects. The expectation is that Champions would pass on relevant news and info
etc to staff and SLT in school as appropriate
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Being the key point of contact for us to send information and newsletters via email, again with the expectation that they would disseminate to colleagues as appropriate.
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Promoting our termly parent/carer workshops within school (either directly to parents or via other members of staff who would pass on the information)
Expectations of Schools:
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All Bradford schools are expected to nominate one member of school staff to be their Mental Health Champion.
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Champions/representatives should be members of school staff, not members of other organisations working in school.
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Only the nominated school Champion (or their representative in case of absence etc) should attend the sessions. Champions may 'job-share' the role, but only one Champion per school may attend individual meetings. (This includes not attending a repeated version
of the same session on a different day).
There are no further expectations of schools or Champions, but individual schools may wish to develop their Champion's role in different ways, such as through our enhanced 'MHC Plus' offer, or in other ways that suit the school's circumstances.
Future MHC Core Diary Dates
All sessions are online, via Microsoft Teams.
We invite Champions to attend any one of the available of the sessions - we are not dividing the sessions in to geographical areas this term.
Sessions may be cancelled if minimum numbers are not met and Champions booked on to those sessions will be offered one of the alternative dates.
Booking details: Please book via the Skills for Bradford Website:
https://skills4bradford.co.uk/
Please note that Champions will only receive email notifications and log in details for these sessions once a booking has been made and
confirmed/checked out by the schools Skills for Bradford administrator.
Parent/Carer workshops:
Training workshops for parent and carers of young people living in the Bradford area.
Parent/Carer Diary Dates
The Summer parent workshops are:
- Thurs 22nd June 9.30-11am or,
- Thurs 22nd June 1.00-2.30pm or,
- Fri 23rd June 9.30-11am or,
- Fri 23rd June 1.00-2.30pm.
Please note that these are group events and we are unable to offer any individual advice during or following these sessions
All sessions are online, via Microsoft Teams.
Sessions may be cancelled if minimum numbers are not met, and any parents/carers booked on to sessions that are cancelled will be offered an alternative.
Parents and carers are eligible if the child/young person (up to age 18) in their care lives in the Bradford area.
The child or young person does not have to be currently attending school/college.
Please note, all sessions are for parents and carers only, not school staff or professionals unless they are attending in their capacity as parent of a young person living in Bradford.
Booking details: To book parents are asked to email MHChampions@bradford.gov.uk. Once a booking has been confirmed, log in details and passwords will be sent.
Governor Training
More information will be coming soon but we will be offering training for school Governors to understand mental health and emotional wellbeing issues in children and young people, and what schools can and should be doing to support this.
Diary dates for Governor Training:
Summer term: Please note change of date
- Thurs 20th July 9.30-11am
- Thurs 20th July 1.30-3pm
Please note - these session are a repeat of the previous 2 sessions. Governors who attended our previous sessions do not need to attend these sessions unless they opt to do so as a refresh.
MHC Newsletters
Find a link to our newsletters below:
Academic year 2022-23
Previous years
General queries or to sign up your school to the project/register your Champion:
Please email: mhchampions@bradford.gov.uk
Useful websites and resources:
http://skills4bradford.co.uk/ The website for booking your place at network meetings.
Healthy Minds Intervention training and support Information document
Kooth: https://www.kooth.com/ The online digital counselling service for 11 to 18 years olds commissioned by Bradford CCGs.
Qwell: Qwell.io The online digital counselling service for adults living in the Bradford area.
Youth in Mind - a partnership of mental and emotional wellbeing services supporting children, young people and their families from conception to age 25 across Bradford District and Craven. Links to many different
services and organisations in the area - really useful!
Youth in Mind Basic -
https://youth-in-mind.org/youth-in-mind.php
Youth in Mind City -
https://youth-in-mind.org/youth-in-mind-in-city.php
Youth in Mind Plus -
https://youth-in-mind.org/youth-in-mind-plus.php
Youth in Mind - Services Flyer
- an overview of key Information about services on offer
The
Healthy Minds website is the single point of access for all in Bradford and Craven to look after their minds. The website was created to bridge the gap between those looking for support and services struggling to reach and help the right people. Home
to the Healthy Minds Wellbeing Assistant, Services Index and Wellbeing Resources and campaigns, healthyminds.services is an easy to use website, opening the door to mental health and wellbeing support services, resources and information.
Healthy Minds Service Directory - online directory of mental health services in Bradford (for children, young people and adults)
Mind in Bradford - a local mental health charity covering Bradford, Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven.
First Response Crisis Service - offers support 24 hours a day, seven days a week to people of all ages living in Bradford,
Airedale, Wharfedale or Craven experiencing a mental health crisis. First Response’s free phone number is: 0800 952 1181
http://www.zonesofregulation.com/index.html Link to information on this resource for supporting children and young people with emotional regulation.
http://www.innerworldwork.co.uk/ Link to free online resources which explain the fight, flight, freeze and submit responses in user-friendly guides.
https://www.annafreud.org/what-we-do/anna-freud-learning-network/childhood-adversity-and-trauma/network-voices/watch-nspccs-brain-builder/ A
useful video that explains how early experiences affect brain development and how this impacts on behaviour.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuoPZkFcLVs A thought-provoking TED talk about how children 'do well if they can'.
AGENDA: A young people's guide to making positive relationships matter ISBN: 978-1-908469-10-6
AMIE guide:
Resilience: Surviving and Thriving in Education. Peter Rushton and Jackie Christie. practical guide that includes proven strategies for developing and maintaining resilience, and case studies that illustrate just how critical resilience is for staff and
students