Schools Development Programme
Our Psychology in Schools team delivered a series of workshops designed for teachers ahead of the new school year.
The workshops are designed to provide education professionals with tailored training to support the wellbeing of young people in a school setting.
Recordings of the videos are available to watch below.
Supporting Young People with Anxiety
A session to develop our understanding of anxiety, including:
- What is anxiety?,
- How does anxiety affect the brain?
- How does it impact on what young people can do?
- and review how teachers can support anxious young people within the school environment.
Supporting Students with Seperation Anxiety
This workshop is aimed at staff members working in schools to support them in developing an understanding of the role of separation anxiety in emotion-based avoidance and other behaviours, displayed within a school context. Schools are in a valuable position to support young people presenting with separation anxiety however we know that staff will be wanting to know further what they can do to support these students. Therefore, this workshop aims to provide information on what school staff can do to support students who present with separation anxiety, including supporting them to get back to school if they are currently avoiding it as well as supporting them when coming into school and when in the school environment. Key resources will also be shared as well as a consideration on how school staff can work with both students and their parents/carers.
Supporting our Students with Emotional Regulation
This workshop is aimed at all staff who encounter pupils who struggle with their emotions, relationships or stress. The session will start by considering the function of emotions and what can impact a child’s ability to regulate them. It will then go on to focus on how staff can effectively support a child to cope better with their difficult emotions, drawing on key concepts to guide staff and providing specific skills which can be shared with students and their parents/carers.
Understanding the Teenage Brain
This session explores how the brain changes and the impact on all aspects of an adolescent’s life including:
- Mood,
- Behaviour,
- Risk taking,
- Relationships,
- and what we can do to support them through this period of development.
Supporting Vulnerable Children
This workshop aims to raise awareness for young people who have experienced adverse childhood experiences or are vulnerable to the difficulties commonly found in society. Our goal is to help educators to develop their understanding of vulnerable children and feel empowered to support their wellbeing in an education setting.
Building Resilience
With the greater numbers of individuals experiencing poor emotional wellbeing exacerbated by the pandemic, building resilience in our young people is more important than ever. This session explores what resilience is and how educators can be at the forefront of fostering this skill in our young people.
Emotion Based School Avoidance (EBSA)
By watching this session, we hope that you will further your understanding of EBSA, learn effective strategies to help break the cycle of EBSA, and feel confident to communicate simple coping strategies that can support a student in returning to school.
Working with Low Mood including Safety Planning
A workshop developed for school staff who work with student welfare, to highlight the warning signs of low mood in young people and to produce a better understanding of why adolescents are more vulnerable to low mood. Evidence based strategies are discussed on low mood and how staff can support young people.
Supporting students who self-harm
This workshop is aimed at staff members working in schools to support them in developing an understanding of what is meant by self-harm and why self-harm happens. It will provide information on what schools can do to help support young people who self-harm, and give information and resources that may be helpful to share with young people and parents.
Social media and the impact on our Teenagers' Mental Health
This workshop increases understanding of how the use of social media might be associated with mental health difficulties, including anxiety, low mood, self-harm and body image. It also explores the world of our young people to offer a balanced perspective to the challenge of supporting our young people in this area. This workshop will provide some top tips on how school staff can respond to these challenges.
Trauma in the light of young people seeking refuge
This workshop is aimed at staff members working in schools. Sadly, we are in a context where young people and their families are having to flee their country for their own safety. Schools are in a valuable position to offer these students a sense of safety and community, however we know that staff will be wanting to know what they can do to support these students. This workshop aims to provide an understanding of the issues faced by young people who have sought refuge in the UK and the impact of these traumatic experiences. It will identify ways that school staff can work with these students in order to support their wellbeing, and will provide relevant information and resources.