Being mentally healthy doesn’t just mean that you don’t have a mental health problem.
If you’re in good mental health, you can:
- make the most of your potential
- cope with life
- play a full part in your family, school or workplace, community and among friends.
Some people call mental health ‘emotional health’ or ‘well-being’ and it’s just as important as good physical health.
Mental health is everyone’s business. We all have times when we feel down or stressed or frightened. Most of the time those feelings pass. But sometimes they develop into a more serious problem and that could happen to any one of us.
Everyone is different. You may bounce back from a setback while someone else may feel weighed down by it for a long time. Your mental health doesn’t always stay the same. It can change as circumstances change and as you move through different stages of your life.
There’s a stigma attached to mental health problems. This means that people feel uncomfortable about them and don’t talk about them much. Many people don’t even feel comfortable talking about their feelings. But it’s healthy to know and say how you’re feeling.
Mental Health First Aiders
At Maple Cross we have three mental health first aiders in training;
Ms Katy Stickley – Mental Health Lead
Ms Hannah Trickett
Ms Sian Edwards (Parent Governor)
We are currently working towards our healthy young minds in school accreditation. More details about this can be found here.
Support and Advice
Step2
Step2 is a children and young people’s mental health service working with 0-19 year olds in Hertfordshire. We offer brief, goal focused interventions to those who have mild to moderate mental health difficulties which are causing distress and impacting on day to day life. Young people should already have accessed specific help for their mental health prior to referral (which may include input from their health visitor or school nurse, counselling or group work). We offer either group or 1:1 interventions and this will depend on the nature of young people’s difficulties.
Parents can make referals directly through STEP 2 if they have concerns about their child’s well-being.
Click here for more information about the Step 2 referral processes.
The NHS have five strategies to ensure we can all look after our mental health.
*Connect – talk and listen, be there and feel connected
*Be active – do what you can, enjoy what you do and move your mood
*Take notice – remember the simple things that give you joy
*Keep learning – embrace new experience, see opportunities and surprise yourself
*Give – your time, your words and your presence
Full details can be found here.
Please click for Hertfordshire’s emotional wellbeing and behaviour strategy 2020-2023 and Hertfordshire’s Social, Emotional & Mental Health Quality Offer
Other websites with useful resources and support include;
Health for Kids
Health for Kids is aimed at children in Years Reception to Year 6. There is games they can complete about staying healthy, illness, feelings and how to get help.
Healthy Young Minds
https://youngminds.org.uk/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlZnjq42r5wIVSLTtCh1HpAEsEAAYASAAEgLlWvD_BwE
Just Talk
https://www.justtalkherts.org/just-talk-herts.aspx
Herts Family Centres
https://www.hertsfamilycentres.org/family-centres.aspx
Always speak to your GP if you are worried about yours or your child’s mental health and well-being.