Issue 12

Welcome to our twelfth ALNS safeguarding bulletin where we are hoping to share with you the latest knowledge, tips, and support services for various issues in order that we can work together to keep your children safe.  Each bulletin will focus on a different area of safeguarding. 

Key focus – Children’s Mental Health

What is normal?

We all have emotions, and it is important that children are encouraged to see the experiencing of these emotions as “normal”. For example:

  • It is normal to be nervous about trying new things, coming out of our comfort zone, it is how we develop and grow and find new possibilities.
  • It is normal to feel sad if something upsetting occurs - a loss or family breakdown for example
  • It is normal to feel angry if someone is unkind to us or we let ourselves down.
  • It is normal to feel nervous before an exam – it means it matters and we are producing adrenaline ready for the challenge ahead. 

Talking about emotions and allowing them to be displayed in a safe way is incredibly helpful to adolescent brains that are growing and strengthening every day.

Children's Mental Health Week

We celebrate this week in school every year and this year (2025) the theme will be “Know yourself, grow yourself”.  In our community circles and tutor time, as well as in Aspiring Futures we will be encouraging everyone in our school community to embrace and build self-awareness so we can all grow and develop – its never too late! This is a theme we regularly visit throughout the year within our personal development programme and especially in our mentoring day.

In school support

  • If your child would like to speak to an adult – they can arrange this via their Tutor or Head of House or you are most welcome to call into the school as their parent or carer.  We call our 1:1 emotional support “EQ” and it usually is a 6-week programme of sessions.
  • If your child would like to speak to a peer – we have a number of Key Stage 4 students trained as Youth Mental Health Ambassadors. These students also co-ordinate our confidential “worry box” which is situated outside the medical room and available for students to post concerns either for direct support or anonymously, for example, if they re worried about somebody else.
  • If you think your child might need more support, we can refer them to the “Mental Health Support Team”, a branch of CAMHS with trained practitioners working with lower-level Mental Health concerns, providing specialist therapeutic intervention, usually taking place within school.   Please contact your child’s Head of House, Tutor or Tracey Linn (who leads on our emotional support in school – [email protected])
  • Specific support: 1) Young Carers – this group will be relaunched in the New Year – see Ms Carey or Mrs Holnes (do chat to your children about this as many don’t realise they are carers – especially those caring for and supporting siblings) 2) Prism (our LGBTQ+ support group) is on a Monday after school (see Mx Hender) NB - young people identifying as LGBTQ+ are 2.5 times more likely to report mental health problems according to the Anna Freud Centre

 

How can you support yout child to strengthen their mental health?

If you have any concerns you want to discuss at school please contact your child’s tutor, their Head of House or the Designated Safeguarding Lead – Mrs Holness.

Tips to support your children:-

Connect!

Encourage your child to connect:-

  • With friends face to face
  • With and in nature – get some fresh air!
  • With their bodies – do some exercise or even mindful breathing or meditation

One of the reasons we introduced community circles 4 years ago was because of the importance of connecting with each other (even our staff start our week with a community circle – it is embedded throughout ALNS).  We check in with each other, build our community and share thoughts, reflections and encouragement.

SLEEP – is vital

When sleep happens, it causes brain activity in the part of the brain that regulates emotion, so if you want a calm, well-regulated child – they need to get good quality sleep!  They learn better and experience much better physical and mental health after a good night’s sleep.

  • Phones need to be out of bedrooms!
  • 11 – 15-year-olds need 8.5 – 9.5 hours a night sleep. A regular routine is vital.

Take a look at our school website – there is a whole section on mental health - Mental Health Support

If you have any concerns you want to discuss at school please contact your child’s tutor, their Head of House or the Designated Safeguarding Lead – Mrs Holness.

useful resources:

  • Kooth – online resource for 11- 18-year-olds for anonymous counselling, peer support via chatrooms and online advice Kooth.com
  • Childrensmentalhealthweek.org – lots of online resources, ideas, and activities to support healthy growth and development.
  • CAMHS – Child and Adolescent Mental Health.  For initial advice – call the duty line on 0300 123 6632.  Their website is here - Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) Portsmouth. You can get a referral via school or GP or – in a recent change – Parents/carers are now able to refer themselves – contact 03001236632
  • Anna Freud Centre – Annafreud.org – lots of advice and further support channels for parents, carers, children, and professionals.
  • Shout – text SHOUT to 85258 – 24/7 text support available with trained volunteers. Giveusashout.org.
  • Alumina - Self-harm and support for 10 - 17 year olds. Alumina is a free online 7 week course for young people struggling with self-harm - Alumina - Self Harm