Staff wellbeing
"Good staff wellbeing is essential for promoting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing and is known to have a positive impact on children’s academic attainment."
Thriving
In a thriving school or college senior leaders will:
- have a staff wellbeing policy in place which has been co-produced with staff members from all areas of the school and is a living document that is actively referred to
- value the views of staff, collate these regularly and act upon them
- ensure staff have opportunities to reflect on the emotional impact of their work in a format that is separate to line management, such as supervision or peer-group support
- have clear communication policies, which allow staff to speak to senior leaders
- foster a sense of belonging in the school through team development opportunities
- find ways to reduce staff workload
- encourage staff to have a healthy work-life balance
- celebrate staff as individuals and allow staff members to develop their strengths
- foster an ethos of collaboration and support
- ensure that all staff are treated with equity
- have an appraisal system in place which is strengths based and focuses on realistic and meaningful targets
- have designated spaces in the school where staff can take breaks and feel relaxed.
Getting advice
-
- Anna Freud Mentally Healthy Schools Resource Hub provides information to support a whole school approach to mental health.
- Charlie Waller “How to improve your mental health” webinar.
- The Compassion Collective focuses on Headteachers as a human beings, enabling them to perform well in their professional roles, and beyond. Run by Maureen Bowes, Executive Coach and Learning Mentor.
- The EPS has a range of chargeable services available which could promote staff wellbeing. These include: “Stay Strong” positive psychology workshop; the “Cherish your team” programme, and coaching packages.
- Education Support offer confidential advice and support for all school staff. This includes an emotional support telephone line: 08000 562 561.
- Confidential support for headteachers (not legal advice), including a telephone support line: 0800 862 0110.
- Support pack and pre-recorded webinar exploring how supervision can be embedded in education settings.
- CPD provided by Supervision in Schools -aimed at any member of staff who is handling complex situations.
- CPD offered by Tavistock and Portman for school leaders, including SENCOs and inclusion leads.
- Sessions on staff wellbeing and self-compassion are offered as part of the online training calendar available for all schools.
- Offer to schools who are a part of the Thought-Full programme includes bespoke staff wellbeing CPD, staff wellbeing working groups, and staff support sessions. Please speak to your named Thought-Full advisory teacher.
- Book and purchase online supervision provided by Trauma Informed Schools.
- Wellness action plans for staff available from MIND.
- West Sussex Employee Assistance Programme: confidential support for all employees of WSCC: 0800 028 0199.
Reading and resources
- Self-compassion for educators
- Teacher Wellbeing and Self-care
- Reflective Supervision in Education
- Stop talking about wellbeing
- Using supervision in schools
- Cultures of staff wellbeing and mental health in schools
- Professional supervision: Guidance for SENCOs and school leaders
- Supervision in education: Healthier schools for all
- Supporting the mental health and wellbeing of education staff through professional supervision structures
Getting risk support
-
- The NHS urgent mental health lines tool is used to identify urgent mental health line services.
- Information from Mentally Healthy Schools talks about what to do in a crisis.
If a member of staff needs urgent care, dial 999.