A Whole-School Approach to Mental Wellbeing

About This Resource

Mental Health challenges like anxiety, depression and self-harm are on the increase among students. The Mental Health of Children and Young People in England survey (2020) found 16% (1 in 6) of children aged 5 to 16 years to have a probable mental health disorder, an increase from 1 in 9 in 2017. Improve your school’s culture with a model that reduces and prevents mental health issues rather than just reacting to crises.

In this resource, Claire Erasmus discusses a whole-school approach to mental wellbeing and offers strategies to support school leaders in rolling out this approach. You will also explore how to support colleagues in their understanding, appreciation and embracing of their part in a wellbeing culture change by investigating practical strategies to develop your whole-school vision.

This resource is well-suited for:

Wellbeing Leads

Senior Mental Health Leads

Assistant Heads

Headteachers

Deputy Heads

School Counsellors

PSHE Leads

Key Stage leaders

Heads of Year

Heads of Boarding

Heads of House

About The Speaker

Clare Eramus

Designated Mental Health Lead Advisor & Head Of the Digital Technology and Communications Faculty, Brighton Hill Community School

Clare Erasmus is currently the Designated Mental Health Lead Advisor & Head of the Digital Technology & Communications Faculty at a large secondary school in Hampshire, the United Kingdom. Together with her students she has worked with Tech companies and created a bespoke mental health & wellbeing app called 'BrightonHill TeenMind.' The app won the BETT 2019 IMPACT award for its innovation and contribution to education. Clare has also published in May 2019 her book , The Mental Health and Wellbeing handbook for schools: Transforming mental health support on a budget. In April 2019 she delivered a Tedx talk with her 9 year old daughter on #familymh5aday and in 2021 published The Designated Mental Health Lead Planner: A Guide and Checklist for the School Year, This planner provides detailed guidance on what a Designated Mental Health Lead needs to do, when they need to do it, and how they can achieve the best results.