Emotional WellbeingResilience

Growth Mindset

Jacqui BraithwaitePrincipal Educational Psychologist

Education Commission believes that ..........

‘Core purpose of education is to ensure every child can develop the competencies, capabilities and sense of self worth they need for living a fulfilling life and making a positive contribution to their Community‘

For this we need ..............

Emotional Health and Wellbeing

‘Being able to develop psychologically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually; initiate, develop and sustain mutually satisfying personal relationships; use and enjoy solitude; become aware of others and empathise with them; play and learn; develop a sense of right and wrong; resolve (face) problems and setbacks and learn from them.’

Mental Health Foundation, 1999

Human Givens

Emotional Needs:• Security• A sense of autonomy and control• To give and receive attention• Emotional connection to others• A sense of status• Connection to wider community• Privacy• A sense of competence and achievement• Meaning and purpose, which comes from being stretched and

stimulated by what we do

For this we need ......

Resilience :• Those qualities which cushion a child from the worst

effects of adversity in whatsoever form it takes and which may help a child or young person to cope, survive or even thrive in the face of great hurt and disadvantage – to literally ‘bounce back’ in the face of adversity. (Gilligan 1997)

Risk factors

Within child

Low self esteemAcademic failure Physical illnessDifficult temperament Genetic influenceDevelopmental delayCommunication difficulties

Specific learning difficulties

Within family

Overt parental conflictFamily breakdownInconsistent or unclear disciplineHostile or rejecting relationshipsFailure to adapt to a child’s changing needsPhysical, sexual or emotional abuse.Parental mental health difficultiesParental criminality, alcoholism or substance misuseDeath and loss – including loss of friendship

Within community

Socio-economic disadvantageHomelessnessDisasterDiscriminationOther significant life events

Resilience Factors

Within ChildFemale (until puberty)Belief that own actions can change things (self efficacy)Positive view of selfCognitive ability; problem solving skillsSocial skills; empathyAutonomy (girls)Able to express emotions (boys)Sense of humourHobbiesReflective and willing to planSense of belongingGood communication skillsSecure early relationship

Within FamilyClose attachment with at least one personGood parental health and well beingParental confidence and ability to apply clear and consistent discipline. Required helpfulnessEncouragement for autonomy (girls)Encouragement for expression of feelings (boys)AffectionClose extended familyFamily harmonyFour or fewer children in familySufficient financial and material resourcesSupport for education

Within communityWider supportive networksGood housing and standard of livingGroup membershipContact with other children and young peopleGood school experiences (especially teacher expectations, peer influences; level of support available)Positive adult role modelsHigh morale school with positive policies for behaviour, attitudes and anti-bullying.School with strong academic and non-academic opportunities.. Range of positive sport/leisure activities

Promoting Resilience

• To develop resilience young people need:

– At least one caring parent or another supportive adult in their family or social world.

– To be socially integrated

– A range of educational and social experiences

– Opportunities to take control, make choices and to make contributions.

For this we need ..............

Growth Mindset

Self-Theories: Fixed v Growth

Fixed Mindset

I believe that intelligence is fixed I was born bright/not very bright

I don’t like challenge I don’t want to risk looking stupid I am vulnerable

I like easy performance goals and being told I’ve done well. Conform to low aspirations of peers.

I react to failure by switching off and avoiding the issues

I view effort as lack of ability. If you have to work hard you are clearly not clever

Carol Dweck - Self-Theories: Their Role in Motivation, Personality and Development, Psychology Press, 1999

Self-Theories: Fixed v Growth

Growth Mindset

I believe that intelligence is not fixed My intelligence can be improved through learning

I thrive on challenge I throw myself into difficult tasks I am self-confident

I have learning goals I like feedback on my performance so I can improve. I can ignore low aspirations of peers

I react to failure by trying harder I engage in self-monitoring

I view effort as the path to mastery. Effort is necessary to grow and master new skills.

Carol Dweck - Self-Theories: Their Role in Motivation, Personality and Development, Psychology Press, 1999

Set of 6 studies of childrenPraised for effort Praised for

ability

goals 90% of the group created learning goals

66% of the group createdperformance goals

enjoyment continued decreased

persistence continued decreased

performance improved declined

lied about scores

one individual 40%

What is happening nationally ......

What is happening nationally .....

What is happening nationally ......

• More people will have good mental health

• More people with mental health problems will recover

• More people with mental health problems will have good physical health

• More people will have a positive experience of care and support

• Fewer people will suffer avoidable harm

• Fewer people will experience stigma and discrimination

The APPG calls on government to:

Roll out evidence based parenting initiatives nationwide;

Ask Ofsted to determine how to factor Character and Resilience and ‘extra’-curricular activities more explicitly into the inspection framework;

Make participation in ‘extra’-curricular activities a formal aspect of teachers’ contracts of employment;

Incorporate Character and Resilience into initial teacher training and CPD programmes;

Support development of a best practice tool-kit for interventions that aid Character and Resilience for specific use in conjunction with the Pupil Premium

What is happening locally ........

• In Hartlepool young people in their teenage years are more likely to be involved in risk taking behaviour that impact on their life chances

• Trends in relation to teenage conception, substance misuse, sexually transmitted infections and self harm worse than the national average

What is happening locally ........

• PHSE – has the focus been too much on a deficit model ,focussed on risk management rather than helping young people develop the resilience, capabilities and sense of self worth that enables them to make positive life choices

PHSE

Hartlepool Young People tell us that:• The meaning and purpose is not clear• Not taken as seriously as it should be• Some messages not relevant to them• Not enough time to do it well• Outside speakers and relevant trips needed• Content should be about ‘life skills’• Careers information valued

PHSE

Hartlepool Teachers tell us that:• Feel poorly prepared to teach certain aspects• More training required• More should be delivered by professionals

from other agencies

Mental Health

• Longitudinal studies show that 10% of children and young people aged 5 – 15yrs have a diagnosable mental health need.

This means that ….

• In a primary school with 250 pupils approximately 25 children will have a diagnosable disorder in connection with their mental health. Of these 7 children will have an anxiety disorder, 1 will be seriously depressed, 12 will have a conduct disorder and 4 will have hyperkinetic disorders or severe Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Some children will have more than one of these conditions. Boys will be more affected than girls.

And that …….• In a secondary school of 1400 students

approximately 140 will have a diagnosable mental health need. Of these 46 will have anxiety disorder, 18 will be depressed, 62 will have conduct disorder and 14 will have hyperkinetic disorders or severe ADHD. Some young people will have more than one of these conditions. Boys will be more likely to have a conduct or hyperkinetic disorder and girls are more likely to have anxiety disorders.

Remember TAMHS ?

• TAMHS was well received by children, parents and practitioners

• Interventions more successful if part of a whole-school approach to emotional health and well-being

• Implementing TAMHS led to a statistically significant reduction in behaviour problems in Primary Schools

• Parents reported schools as the key first point of contact for advice about their child’s mental health needs

• Schools rarely referred children experiencing emotional problems straight to CAMHS but did make use of EP services

Universal• Effective whole school frameworks for promoting emotional

well-being and mental health• Quality first teaching of social and emotional skills to all

children through SEAL programme

TargetedSkills-focused interventions

• Small group SEAL for children who need help to develop social and emotional skills• SEAL-related work with families

SpecialistTherapeutic

interventions• Individual and small group

• Complementary to SEAL

Graduated Response

Which Children?

MostVulnerable 2

AtRisk

Usuallyok

Alwaysok

Emotional well being iseverybody’s business

• Partnership working is a must (families/schools/health/social care/VCS)

• Need for effective pathways with a graduated response

• Need for training, advice and guidance to build capacity at all levels

• Curriculum for life• Effective transitions

What does this mean for us ……?

• What are your experiences of this in school (positive and negative)?

• What do you think needs to happen to effect positive change in this area?

• What are our top 3 recommendations to take to the Education Commission?