Resilient Local Authorities?Sarah Axford & Jonathan Godson

Perth and Kinross Educational Psychology Service

Promoting Wellbeing?

In your local authority, what is on the mental health agenda?

How are schools engaging with this agenda?

What is your service doing?

Mental Health Strategy for Scotland: 2012-2015

New Mental Health Strategy: plans to improve the

wellbeing of the nation (August 2012). A new strategy designed to improve the mental health

and wellbeing of everyone in Scotland has been launched by Minister for Public Health Michael Matheson.

The strategy sets out 36 key commitments to be delivered between now and 2015 to:

deliver faster access to mental health services for younger people

faster access to psychological therapies work to reduce and prevent suicide address stigma and discrimination

Mental Health Provision

CAMHS workforce increased by over 34% in less than four years.

Newsnight clips

Health promotion?

Physical Health

Health promotion?

Mental Health

What is above Zero?

Mental Health Word Cloud:

a better way?

focus on resilience true mental health wellbeing- emotional, psychological and social

Curriculum for Excellence

Learning in health and wellbeing ensures that children and young people develop the knowledge and understanding, skills, capabilities and attributes which they need for mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing now and in the future.

I can expect my learning environment to support me to: develop my self-awareness, self-worth and respect for others meet challenges, manage change and build relationships experience personal achievement and build my resilience and

confidence understand and develop my physical, mental and spiritual

wellbeing and social skills understand how what I eat, how active I am and how

decisions I make about my behaviour and relationships affect my physical and mental wellbeing

Evidence-base forEvidence-base for School Wellbeing Initiatives School Wellbeing Initiatives

Are preventative (whole school)Are preventative (whole school) Start early (early primary years)Start early (early primary years) Combine 2 general strategiesCombine 2 general strategies

Focus on whole school climate change and ‘respectful Focus on whole school climate change and ‘respectful supportive relationships’supportive relationships’

Teach social-emotional skills & coping skills Teach social-emotional skills & coping skills Coordinated multi-year (long term) programs rather than short Coordinated multi-year (long term) programs rather than short

term (spiral curriculum)term (spiral curriculum) Delivered by teachers/embedded in curriculumDelivered by teachers/embedded in curriculum Revisit key concepts, values & skills in age appropriate ways Revisit key concepts, values & skills in age appropriate ways Evidence-based psychological principles (CBT/positive Evidence-based psychological principles (CBT/positive

psychology)psychology) Evidence-based teaching strategiesEvidence-based teaching strategies

Bounce Back Aims

To assist in creating positive, pro-social and To assist in creating positive, pro-social and resilient classrooms and schoolsresilient classrooms and schools

To provide resources to enable staff to help To provide resources to enable staff to help their pupils develop the skills of resilient their pupils develop the skills of resilient behaviourbehaviour

April 21, 2023

Bounce Back AcronymWhen things go wrong for you, or you get ‘knocked down’ by what happens in your lie, remember that you can decide to BOUNCE BACK! and be yourself again.

Bad times don’t last. Things always get better. Stay optimistic.

Other people can help if you talk to them. Get a reality check.

Unhelpful thinking makes you feel more upset. Think again

Nobody is perfect-not you and not others.

Concentrate on the positives ( no matter how small) and use laughter.

Everybody experiences sadness, hurt, failure, rejection and setback sometimes. They are a normal part of life. Try not to personalise them.

Blame fairly- how much of what happened was due to you, to others and to bad luck or circumstances?

Accept what can’t be changed, (but try to change what you can first).

Catastrophising exaggerates your worries. Don’t believe the worst possible picture.

Keep things in perspective. It’s only part of your life.

April 21, 2023

Resilience in secondary schools Resilience in secondary schools and collegesand colleges

Challenges and opportunities Staff working group Optimistic thinking programme Bounce Back adaptations Collaboration around resource development Mindsets Resilient staff

P&K Request for support

Public Profile of Bounce Back

(CP Report, After the Riots Report)

Engagement with OD team

Opportunities/Risks

Clarifying Role of EPs working outside Education and Childrens Services

Agreement with OD team to pilot materials

Wellbeing and work

“ Work can make you sick – and work can make you happy. Which one happens depends on who you are, what you do and how you are treated at work.

Work that is rewarding, involving good relationships with colleagues and opportunities to feel a sense of achievement on a regular basis is a key factor in psychological well-being.”

Robertson & Cooper ‘Well-being’, 2011

Well-being for P&K Managers(Leading Teams in Tough Times)

What is well-being and why does it matter? Positive Emotions Positive Relationships Optimistic Thinking and Thought Catching PERMA Framework Discussion Personal Target Setting – Postcard to self

. Actions Noted: Physical exercise, Domestic Changes,

Working hours revision, Career options, Team changes.

Feedback – positive, cross department issues, requests for more content on dealing with pessimistic colleagues

Next?

Discussion

Is now the right time to focus on wellbeing?

What part can Educational Psychology Services play in attempting to shift the focus from mental illness to wellbeing?

Are there opportunities for Educational Psychology Services to collaborate with other agencies in this area?

If so – what are the risks and challenges?

Do you have any thoughts about how we might progress this work in Perth and Kinross?

ReferencesBounce Back! Helen McGrath and Toni Noble

Mental Health Strategy for Scotland: 2012-2015

ISBN: 9781780459950

Diekstra, R F W (2008) Effectiveness of School-Based Social and Emotional Education Programmes Worldwide. Collaborative for Social and Emotional Learning www.casel.org

Newsnight clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-Vhjmdp4nI

Learned Optimism Martin Seligman

Flourish A new understanding of Happiness and Well-being Martin Seligman, 2011

WELL-BEING. Productivity and Happiness at WorkIvan Robertson and Cary Cooper

POSITVITY Barbara Frederickson

www.positivityratio.com

http://www.fishfulthinking.com/Optimism/Index

http://www.centreforconfidence.co.uk/pp/overview.php?p=c2lkPTQ=

http://www.robertsoncooper.com/iresilience

04/21/23