Our Mental Health and Wellbeing Team Mrs Langley and Miss McCulloch work as part of our Safeguarding Team to support the health and wellbeing of our school community. Should you require any further information or support, please do not hesitate to contact one of our team members: Mrs Langley                 Assistant Headteacher / SENCO                        SEND@northcote.liverpool.sch.uk Miss McCulloch          Designated Safeguard Lead/Pastoral Support      l.mcculloch@northcote.liverpool.sch.uk   Action for Happiness Calendar:   Link -Action for Happiness Calendar – Sept 26   Mental Health and Wellbeing Support at Northcote Primary School
At Northcote, we are committed to supporting the emotional wellbeing and mental health of all pupils and families. We provide a range of in-school support and access to specialist services to ensure children receive help at the earliest opportunity.
  • Mrs McCulloch is the school’s Mental Health Lead and can offer direct support, advice and signposting for children and families.
  • We work closely with a Mental Health Support Team (MHST) Practitioner, who provides targeted interventions and support for pupils experiencing emotional wellbeing or mental health difficulties.
  • Pupils and families can access additional support through Beautiful New Beginnings, helping children and families develop positive emotional wellbeing.
  • A qualified Play Therapist works in school one day each week, providing therapeutic support for children who may benefit from expressing and processing emotions through play.
  • Our staff deliver a range of social, emotional and mental health interventions, including emotional literacy, anxiety support, social skills development, growth mindset activities and nurture-based approaches.
  • We provide a Quiet Dining Area at lunchtime for pupils who may find the busy dining hall overwhelming. This calmer environment offers reduced sensory stimulation and supports children who benefit from a quieter space to eat and socialise.
We encourage parents and carers to contact Mrs McCulloch, the SEND team or the school office if they have any concerns about their child’s emotional wellbeing so that appropriate support can be discussed and put in place promptly.
 

Introducing the ‘Zones of Regulation’

The Zones of Regulation provides an easy way to think and talk about how we feel on the inside and sorts emotions into four coloured Zones, all of which are expected in life. We use ‘The Zones of Regulation’ here at Northcote. If you would like more information about how they could be used at home, talk to a member of our school team. Ifield School - ZONES of Regulation External Services YPAS Smarty’s is an open access group for primary school aged children. Smarty’s provides a secure, happy and stimulating environment. https://www.ypas.org.uk/what-we-do/well-being-services/smartys/ CAMHS CAMHS Mental Health Hub is a place to find all things mental health at Alder Hey. You’ll find links to all of the mental health services on offer. Click on the links below to find out more about their services. https://www.alderhey.nhs.uk/services/mental-health-hub/ Oakleaf Oakleaf is a dedicated bereavement service for children and young people up to the age of 25 who are affected by bereavement, loss and separation in their life. If your child is experiencing loss which can include the loss of a person in traumatic circumstances our team of experienced counsellors can help them explore this difficult event. https://liverpoolbereavement.com/oakleaf/ Adult Mental Health Support The Life Rooms The Life Rooms aim to help you improve your mental and physical wellbeing. Whatever the issue; from housing and employment, to lifestyle or exercise. They’re there when you’re ready to take your next steps towards a healthier life. Their services are available to anyone aged 18+ https://www.liferooms.org/ Talking Therapies Liverpool This service provides psychological treatments, sometimes called talking therapy, to help people with common mental health problems such as feeling stressed, feeling low in mood (depressed) or very nervous (anxiety). This service is free and accessible to anyone over the age of 16. You can find more information about this service by clicking any of the links below.  https://wellbeingliverpool.co.uk/activities/talking-therapies-liverpool-formerly-talk-liverpool/ https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk/our-services/liverpool/talking-therapies Sean’s Place Sean’s Place aims is to improve men’s mental health and well-being across Sefton and Liverpool City Region through support specifically identified to improve confidence and self-esteem for men whilst reducing symptoms of depression, stress and anxiety. You can find more information by clicking the link below. https://seansplace.org.uk/ Liverpool Bereavement Service Liverpool Bereavement Services provide 1:1 counselling for people who are struggling to cope with a loss. Grief is a natural process but it can be a complex and overwhelming emotional experience and bring feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. Sharing your feelings and thoughts with a sensitive, focused and supportive counsellor is likely to be a healing process. https://liverpoolbereavement.com/adult-services/ Samaritans Samaritans is a free non-judgemental service available 24 hours a day 7 days a week. They are a helpline for anyone in distress. They can support with anything from relationship and family problems to suicidal thoughts. Remember you are not alone. https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/talk-us-phone/ Support In The Community The Salvation Army Northcote has had strong links to The Salvation Army for a number of years. They provide a number of services such as a foodbank, employment support, legal advice and courses. In addition to the adult services, they run holiday clubs for families eligible to benefit related free school meals. You can find out more on their website or ask staff in school about the holiday club. https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/liverpool-walton The Opening Doors Project The Mission of The Opening Doors Project is to promote positive mental health in families and build resilient communities.  Their Vision is to provide activities and services to promote happiness and create sustainable memories for families and the community. They have a number of activities available regularly. Their weekly activities can be viewed below or alternatively, visit their website which can be found in the link below. 2024 weekly https://openingdoorsproject.org.uk/     NHS Five Ways To Wellbeing At Northcote we believe that following the NHS five steps to mental wellbeing guide is a great starting point for improving mental health and wellbeing.  Here are the five key areas to focus on when looking after your wellbeing and mental health.

1. Connect

Connect and communicate with the people around you.

2. Be active

Get moving. Exercise.

3. Be creative and play

You are creative; find your inspiration.

4. Learning

Learning new skills and gaining knowledge feels rewarding.

5. Take notice

Use your senses. Notice your surroundings. Enjoy it.

More information:

CBBC, The five ways to look after your own wellbeing: www.bbc.com/ownit/the-basics/five-ways-to-wellbeing   Other useful links NHS Mental health services https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/ verywellmind – Conditions A to Z https://www.verywellmind.com/conditions-a-z-4797402 YPAS  https://www.ypas.org.uk/whats-on/. https://www.ypas.org.uk/what-we-do/well-being-services/smartys/