Cornwall Schools’ Wellbeing Hub Newsletter 27th September 2024
Friday 27th September 2024
Welcome to the Wellbeing Newsletter
Friday 27th September is National TA Day. (#NationalTADay)
As a teacher and in subsequent roles supporting schools I have worked with some outstanding TAs who have made a massive difference to the lives of children. Just in the last couple of weeks I met and worked alongside some great TAs who made things happen for children that couldn’t have taken place if they hadn’t stepped forward…
We’d like to say a huge thank you from Headstart and all of colleagues in Education Effectiveness and our wider TFF service. And we’ll be wearing our TA T-shirt tomorrow!
There is an opportunity for anyone to thank a TA via the National TA Day website.
More information and resources
https://rosiejohnsonillustrates.com
Digital Resilience Conference (FREE)
9.30-3.30, 21st November 2024,
Venton Centre, Chapel Parc, Newquay TR8 5AH
The Digital Resilience Conference will be an opportunity for professionals to explore issues related to children and young people’s engagement in the digital world, with a focus on solutions and practical support. We have speakers with a wealth of experience supporting young people around their digital lives, as well as extensive academic and practical knowledge of the issues related to the digital world. Topics will include responding to sexual image sharing, recognising and responding to issues with gaming and gambling, supporting young people with SEND around digital issues, and digital sex and relationships education.
This event will be suitable for anyone who supports children and / or young people and has concerns around or an interest in the digital world.
Purpose of the day
This conference will bring together speakers with extensive knowledge and experience of responding to issues children and young people face in their digital lives. We’ll give practical advice and signpost to tools professionals can use to support them in their work. We’ll explore why ‘just don’t do it’ messages don’t work and what the alternatives are.
This event will be useful for professionals who support children and / or young people and want to learn more about how to respond to the issues they face in their digital lives. We’ll also consider these issues in the context of the ‘bigger picture’ of national policies and technology developments.
The event is being organised by the Headstart Kernow Digital Resilience Team. We’ve been developing resources to support professionals identify and respond to issues in children and young people’s digital lives for the last six years. We created the Digital Resilience Tool, which helps professionals understand the risks involved in young people’s digital activities. We got input from over 600 young people as well as consulting professionals from across the workforce. We created versions of the tool for parents/carers and more recently for those supporting young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). We have a range of other resources, including online training, podcasts and blogs – you can access all of them at www.headstartkernow.org.uk/digital-resilience.
Was That Ok Tool Launch
The conference will mark the official launch of the ‘Was That Ok’ tool. This tool will help young people understand whether something they experienced, witness or have done was ok, or whether it represents harmful sexual behaviour. The tool was made with input from over 50 young people in Cornwall and has lots of information and advice, including what support is available, what happens if an incident is reported to the police or a professional and what the law says.
Our Safeguarding Children Partnership (OSCP)
Sexting Safeguarding Training
A two hour session supporting you to deal with safeguarding issues related to youth sexual image sharing, sometimes referred to as ‘sexting’. The session will cover:
- The law governing youth sexual image sharing, including official police responses to consensual image sharing between minors.
- The problems associated with using scare tactics, including preventing disclosure and spreading inaccurate information.
- The best way to respond to aggravated sexting incidents using the harm reduction approach.
This training is delivered as part of the Headstart Digital Resilience offer.
Dates available September 2024 - June 2025. Book your place here
Headstart offers training, CPD, resources, conferences, projects and events. Below are details of some our current offers including activity guides and webinars by Dr Karen Treisman. Some resources are limited so please book early.
Belonging – an antidote to trauma, Dr Lisa Cherry – What is this event about?
The need to belong is a fundamental and human motivation – a sense of fitting in or feeling like you are important in the context of something bigger, such as a family, a setting, a community is part of our internal drive. In Lisa's research, 'movement' was a theme that consistently showed up across all the participants across home, education setting and community. Where movement is unavoidable, such as for those children known to the social care system, unaccompanied asylum seekers, refugees for example, then cultivating belonging is essential. The adults that those children become will invariably consider their relationship to belonging across the life course. This event offers the attendee an original conceptual model and insight into cultivating belonging as an antidote to trauma. It raises the importance that all those working with children and young people have in considering the adult that the child will become embedding practices that make the difference to those children and young people who rely on relationships, settings and communities.
In this session you will:
- understand how 'unbelonging' has been baked into systems, services and settings.
- deepen your understanding of the impact of trauma, inequity and marginalisation in services/education that further add to harm.
- be provided with a working conceptual model for culture change, for cultivating belonging and for making a difference to children and young people.
Presley the Pug activity guide and webinar
Like all dogs, Presley the Pug loves to play, run, and snuggle up under his warm blanket. But sometimes, Presley gets so excited that his feelings take over. Sometimes it’s anger, sometimes stress, sometimes worry. He doesn’t know how to calm down! What can Presley do when he feels like this? Luckily Presley’s canine friends are nearby with some wise words, and they share some of the tricks that have worked for them! This therapeutic activity book was developed by expert child psychologist Dr Karen Treisman. It features a colourful therapeutic story designed to help start conversations about coping with big feelings and how to find calm. It explains how Presley (and the reader!) is able to create a ‘mind retreat’ – an imaginary safe space where he can relax. The activity book is also packed with creative activities and photocopiable worksheets to help children to explore the ideas raised in the story, including regulating and coping tools like sensory boxes, relaxation exercises and easy yoga poses. It also features advice and practical strategies for parents, carers and professionals supporting children aged 5-10. See a video of Karen talking about Presley the Pug here.
Gilly the Giraffe webinar
Even though Gilly the Giraffe has many wonderful things in her life, she sometimes lacks confidence. Why does she have to stand out so much with her long neck, her long black tongue and her mosaic patches? Why do some of the other animals point and laugh at her? Can it be possible to be different and to be cool? This activity book developed by child psychologist Dr Karen Treisman combines a colourfully illustrated therapeutic story about Gilly the Giraffe to help start conversations, which is followed by a wealth of creative activities for children to explore and build upon some of the ideas raised in the story, and beyond! The activities are accompanied by extensive advice and practical strategies for parents, carers and professionals on how to help children aged 5-10 boost their self-esteem, self-belief, and confidence. Watch a video of Karen talking about Gilly here.
Trauma-informed thinking space module with Dr Mandy Davis and Dr Karen Treisman
A real, unscripted, unedited, & honest TI thinking space containing a series of reflective podcast style conversations about some of the thorny, nuanced, multi-layered aspects of TI practice in teams, systems, & organisations. Full of golden nuggets & enriching discussions. Here is a 17 min snippet to give you a flavour which is from the myths & dilemma’s section focusing on the question “Is Trauma Informed just about being sweet, nice, and kind?”
Supporting children and teens around bereavement, grief and death
An introduction on the impact of grief, loss, death and bereavement on children and teenagers; and underpinning ideas and creative, expressive, and practical strategies.
Share Your Experiences of HeadStart Kernow!
HeadStart Kernow has delivered a broad range of projects focused on promoting the social, emotional, mental health, and wellbeing of children and young people.
Our Public Health team want to hear about your experiences with HeadStart Kernow to help us understand what works well and how we can make things better. No matter if you've been deeply involved or just had a bit of contact with HeadStart Kernow, your thoughts are really valuable to us. Your feedback is crucial in helping us understand the reach, impact, and future potential of HeadStart Kernow’s work.
We've set up three different surveys to gather feedback from:
Pick the one that applies to you and share what you think. The survey should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete.
The surveys will be open until Monday, 7 October.
Link to the Let’s Talk page is here: https://letstalk.cornwall.gov.uk/headstart-kernow-evaluation/
Hello Yellow is back on World Mental Health Day
⭐ Grab your digital fundraising pack filled with all you need to kick-start plans from our Hello Yellow quiz and sponge cake recipe to a fundraising checklist, posters and wellbeing tips.
👕 We know things are tough right now – and M&S have donated a limited stock of yellow t-shirts for young people who would like to take part. If you or a young person you know might struggle to find something yellow to wear, contact the team: helloyellow@youngminds.org.uk
Hello Yellow | World Mental Health Day | YoungMinds
Has your School Mental Health Lead changed?
Colleagues across TFF and Public Health are working together to support wellbeing work in schools.
Help us help you by letting us know details of your current lead and contact details. The quickest way to do this is via our quick update form.
New approach to measuring pupil wellbeing: free survey resources and guidance
CORC has launched a suite of free Wellbeing Measurement for Schools (WMfS) resources.
These have been developed to support schools to design their own questionnaires and surveys to understand more about the wellbeing of the pupils in their schools.
Today's launch includes tried and tested sets of questions covering five broad areas of wellbeing, each with various questionnaires to choose from, and a comprehensive step-by-step guide and additional resources. The five areas are:
- Emotional health
- Emotional strengths and skills
- Relationships
- School life
- Help and support
Please visit the Measuring pupil wellbeing pages to download these new modular surveys and our step-by-step guides.
- Measuring staff wellbeing
- Support for schools
- Measuring wellbeing in colleges
- Measuring wellbeing in the early years
The resources will help schools to better understand their pupil’s wellbeing. CORC’s approach gives schools the flexibility to focus on what is important to them with the rigour that comes from using validated questionnaires.
Education Endowment Foundation guide
The Education Endowment Foundation have just published their updated guide to the Pupil Premium and associated evidence brief to help you plan, monitor and deliver an effective strategy.
They’ve also launched Promising Programmes, a new resource to signpost programmes that have previously been evaluated and shown promise for raising attainment.
Barnardo’s Education Layered Learning CPD Packages
Live CPD Events are interactive spaces that encourage reflection and discussion amongst colleagues working in education across the UK.
The Layered Learning CPD Packages provide an opportunity to build upon existing knowledge. Each package is made up of three parts: Consolidating Understanding, Reflective Thinking, Resources and Signposting.
The themes we are currently focusing on are:
- Mind, Body, and Mental Health
- Self-Harm and Suicidal Behaviours in Children and Young People
These packages are now available to access as a 3-hour half-day session.
We aim to layer professionals’ learning and develop awareness of different issues/themes relevant to work in schools and education settings.
Training dates:
- Thursday 14th November 2024 @ 9:30am - 12:30pm
- Thursday 21st November 2024 @ 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Why We Need Sleep
Download a Digital Schools Pack from the Teen Sleep Hub. It is packed full of posters, graphics and advice sheets that they can download, print off and share.
Dr Tina Rae FREE webinar - LAST CHANCE TO BOOK
Supporting those with Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA)
Monday 30th September 4.00
Arts Lab
Arts Lab is OPEN for applications from schools and community groups, and artists this week. Details available at https://feastcornwall.org/arts-lab/
Deadline for all applications: 11am, Friday 4th October 2024.