Wellbeing
We are proud to announce that we are a myHappymind Bronze Accredited school!
This means that as a school we consider the mental health and wellbeing of our children as one of our top priorities. We have created a whole school culture that helps build our children's resilience, confidence and self esteem as well as teaching them how to self regulate in those stressful times.
This Accreditation badge has been awarded thanks to all the effort our staff, children, governors and parents have put in to bring the lessons of myHappymind to life all around our school!
To Learn more about the myHappymind for Schools programme visit their website here - https://myhappymind.org/
We are fortunate to have a fully qualified ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant within our school. Mrs Bancroft works across the school to support children and families with their emotional wellbeing
What is ELSA?
ELSA stands for Emotional Literacy Support Assistant. ELSA support in schools is a project designed to help schools support the emotional needs of their pupils.
ELSA acknowledges that children and young people learn best when they feel happier and their emotional needs are being addressed. The initiative was developed and supported by educational psychologists who used knowledge of how children develop socially and emotionally and apply this knowledge to the needs of pupils.
ELSAs are trained to plan and deliver programmes of support to pupils in their school who may be experiencing temporary or long term additional emotional needs. A lot of work that ELSAs do will be on an individual basis with one child, however, there are cases where group sessions may be appropriate such as when working on social skills and friendship skills.
What can ELSAs help with?
There are a lot of emotional skills that ELSA can help with, including:
Social Skills
Bereavement
Social Situations
Therapeutic Stories
Anger Management
Self-esteem
Real-life problem-solving skills
Friendship
How long should an ELSA Programme last?
There are very few cases where ELSA should become a permanent feature of a child’s support system, as the programme works best when there are aims for children to work towards and achieve. When planning a child’s individual ELSA programme, it is a good idea to plan a term’s worth of work.
Services for Children, Young People & Families
Healthy Young Minds (Cheshire East)
Supports children and young people and their families/carers with emotional wellbeing and mental health. Cheshire East Council+1
Offers early-support and prevention, signposting, advice, and help before issues escalate. Cheshire East Council+1
Delivered via local providers depending on your area: e.g. Just Drop-In (North Cheshire East) and Visyon (Central & South Cheshire East). Cheshire East Council+2Cheshire East Council+2
Just Drop-In
Charity for young people aged 11–25 in parts of Cheshire East (e.g. Macclesfield, Bollington, Wilmslow, Knutsford, Poynton). justdropin.co.uk
They provide free counselling, wellbeing groups, mentoring — and also support for parents and carers (e.g. parenting workshops, peer support groups, mental-health first aid, etc.). justdropin.co.uk
Young people (14+) can self-refer. Parents/carers can access parent-support services. justdropin.co.uk+1
Visyon
A charity supporting emotional health of children, young people and families across Cheshire — part of the Healthy Young Minds network. cwp.nhs.uk+2Cheshire East Council+2
They take referrals for young people (and parents / carers) for mental-health support. Cheshire East Council+1
Youth Fed (county-wide / Cheshire)
Offers mental-health support to young people aged approx. 8–25 across Cheshire. youthfed.org.uk
Services include 1-to-1 or group early-intervention therapy (for mild to moderate difficulties: anxiety, depression, etc.), building resilience, coping strategies, and longer-term support. youthfed.org.uk
Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP) – Children & Young People Wellbeing Hub
Covers both Cheshire East and Cheshire West & Chester. cwp.nhs.uk+1
Offers a telephone advice line for parents/carers/young people to discuss mental-health concerns (for children/young people up to 18). cwp.nhs.uk
In some cases, they provide brief therapeutic support (with family involvement if appropriate) and support with risk assessments / discharge support for paediatric inpatient cases. cwp.nhs.uk
Online / Digital & Helpline Supports
Kooth — free, safe, anonymous online support and counselling (articles, discussion boards, chat, journal, etc.) for young people. Cheshire children & young people have access to Kooth. Wirral Community Health+1
The Mix — UK-wide charity for under-25s: free helpline, webchat, counselling, peer support; useful for pupils/young people across Cheshire too. mymind.org.uk+1
Support for Adults / Parents / Carers
Wellbeing Coaching (Cheshire West & Chester)
If you live in Cheshire West & Chester, the council offers a free Wellbeing Coaching service — 1:1 sessions (face-to-face / telephone / online) to support mental health. No cost. Cheshire West and Chester Council
Delivered by charities such as Chapter Mental Health and Mid Cheshire Mind depending on area. Cheshire West and Chester Council
Useful for parents/carers who may want support with their own mental health or wellbeing. Cheshire West and Chester Council+1
Parent-Carer Counselling via Ruby’s Fund (Cheshire East, for SEND families)
Ruby’s Fund offers funded counselling support for parents/carers of children with SEND living in Cheshire East. rubysfund.co.uk
If eligible (registered with Ruby’s), you can get funding to access a qualified counsellor (cost covered). rubysfund.co.uk
☎️ Crisis & Urgent Support (24/7 / Immediate)
If urgent support is needed (for any age), you can call the CWP 24/7 mental health helpline: 0800 145 6485 — free to call, support for children, young people and adults. Healthwatch Cheshire East+1
Use NHS 111 (mental-health option) if you need urgent help and it’s not immediate life-threatening. Wirral Community Health+1
What to Do Next — Tips for Accessing Support
Start by contacting the relevant service directly — many allow self-referral (e.g. Just Drop-In, Youth Fed, Wellbeing Coaching).
If unsure which service suits you, calling the CWP helpline (0800 145 6485) is a good first step — they can advise and signpost to the most appropriate resource.
For SEND families in Cheshire East: consider registering with Ruby’s Fund to access funded parent-carer counselling.
Explore Kooth and The Mix for anonymous, online or chat-based support if you/your child prefer digital contact.
If you live in Cheshire West, look into the free Wellbeing Coaching (via Chapter Mental Health or Mid Cheshire Mind).