Mindful Employer
How can teachers inspire greatness in children if they’ve lost sight of the greatness in themselves? Why inspiring greatness in pupils begins with taking care of their teachers
Developed, led and supported by employers MINDFUL EMPLOYER® provides businesses and organisations with easier access to information and support for staff who experience stress, anxiety, depression or other mental health conditions.
Help is at Hand from Health Assured
Our new health and wellbeing app provides 24/7 support when and where you need it most. Some of the great content includes:
- tips and advice on how to maintain your work-life balance
- support on keeping good physical and emotional health
- mini health and wellbeing checks
- 4 week wellbeing challenges
- a variety of topical support videos and webinars on demand
Download the app by searching 'Health E-Hub' in Google Play or App Store
How to be happy: a guide for teachers (and everyone else)
Staff in schools are notoriously vulnerable to poor wellbeing – try these simple psychological tricks to stay positive:
- Don't worry about being happy
- Connect with people
- Value your time
- Be kind to others
Click here for more information
Mental Health First Aid England (MHFA)
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England has today published new guidance on the role of the Mental Health First Aider in the workplace.
Your new guidance This best-practice guide, 'Being a Mental Health First Aider: Your guide to the role', is now available to download and replaces and enhances our previous 'Role of the Mental Health First Aider' guide. Please feel free to share this with your employer and any colleagues.
- It has been designed to support and empower anyone qualified in Mental Health First Aid skills to perform their role safely and effectively in the workplace.
- It will support you to understand the boundaries and responsibilities of your role and also gives advice on engaging with your employer.
- The guide focuses mainly on the Mental Health First Aider role but also covers MHFA Champion and Mental Health Aware roles.
- Please note that your employer may be in the process of creating, or may have already created, a bespoke policy around this, so be sure to check in with them before using and promoting this guide if you are a Mental Health First Aider or MHFA Champion in your place of work.
Guidance for employers Alongside this, a new guide for employers, 'Implementing Mental Health First Aiders: Guide for employers', has also been published. This will support employers in understanding how to effectively implement Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England training in the workplace as part of a 'whole organisation' approach to mental health. Please also feel free to share this guide with your employer.
Thriving at Work and HSE's new guidance By providing this new guidance we hope to support both Mental Health First Aiders and employers all over the country in meeting some of the six core standards for a mentally health workplace as set out in the Government’s Thriving at Work report; specifically the standards around raising mental health awareness and encouraging conversation about the support available. This new guidance will also support you and your employer in using the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE’s) updated First Aid needs assessment. This guidance now suggests that your employer may wish to appoint ‘mental health trained first aiders’ as part of their first aid needs provision. Our guidance will help employers to understand how MHFA England training can help provide those skills. Make some noise Should you wish to support the launch of the guidance on social media this week, please see below some suggested posts.
- @MHFAEngland has launched new guidance to support employers to implement #MentalHealthFirstAid training and support Mental Health First Aiders in their role. Find out more here: bit.ly/MHFAGuidance #MHFAGuidance
- .@H_S_E recommends that all workplaces have ‘mental health trained first aiders’. Wondering how to implement this in your workplace? @MHFAEngland has launched new best-practice guidance for employers and employees. Get it here ➡️ bit.ly/MHFAGuidance #MHFAGuidance
We hope these guides will be valuable resources for you, and we look forward to seeing them have a real impact as we work together to ensure everyone has access to someone trained in MHFA skills in their workplace. If you have any questions about this new guidance, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us on media@mhfaengland.org.
Mental Health Awareness
With more and more of us affected by mental health issues, it is vital that all employers are able to identify the main warning signs of mental ill health. St John Ambulance is set to launch courses to enable managers and supervisors to identify, understand and assist those who may be developing, or suffering from a mental health issue. To receive more information, please register your interest here.
The Mindful Employer (TME) website carries a range of publications to help your managers and staff including Keeping Well at Work, Making Work Work and Feeling Stressed, Keeping Well. Why not take a look?
Resources are free to download and many employers have bought printed copies of Line Managers Resource, Keeping Well at Work and general leaflets for their employees. Take a look at the films Working with Anxiety and Let’s Talk – TME can send you the mp3 files if you want to use them on your staff intranet or e-learning sites: they are free so do get in touch.
Calmer You - Become your calmest, happiest, most confident self 
Chloe Brotheridge knows what it's like to constantly overthink things, to feel nervous about everyday stuff and to let a lack of confidence hold you back from being yourself and being in the moment. Living with anxiety and low self confidence is frustrating at worst, and at best- a living nightmare! (Click on the title/logo above for Chloe's Blog and many more resources)
17/10/17 Rethink Mental Illness - The Importance of Self Care Does anyone else think ‘self-care’ and ‘self-love’ has become a bit of a cliche? Having a bubble bath, getting a massage, repeating positive affirmations ’til you’re blue in the face? Maybe you’re not the bubble bath type (I for one, get bored after about 10 minutes!) Maybe you hate being touched by a stranger and so a massage is a definite no-no. Maybe you’re wondering who has the time (or the money?!) for all that. But ‘self-care’ is important. Super important! Whether you have a mental health issue or you're caring for someone who does - it needs to be a priority for all of us. Here are three important reasons why. (Click on the title to read more).
Teacher's Blog - on the Teacher Network - from the Guardian 22 September 2017 - How my school takes the stress off teachers
- a common approach to lessons gives teachers more control
- have an efficient whole-school behaviour policy
- written feedback is only given where needed
- the homework process is streamlined
- collaboration on the curriculum
- no burdensome written reports
- on going coaching helps improve quality of teaching and learning
Supporting Staff Wellbeing in Schools - Anna Freud
Teaching is a tough job. It can be immensely rewarding but also physically and emotionally draining. If we want our school staff to do what is asked of them, then we need to make sure that their mental health and wellbeing is effectively supported.This booklet has been developed with our mental health experts, and aims to give school staff and Senior Leadership Teams some simple guidance and good practical examples where schools have successfully implemented wellbeing strategies. Topics featured include "What can impact or support staff wellbeing? What can Supervision look like in schools? and How can senior leaders prioritise wellbeing? Click on the image to go to the website where you can download the booklet.
DASH Risk Assessment form
DASH (Domestic Abuse, Stalking, Harassment and Honour Based Violence) Risk Assessment Form
The purpose of this checklist is to give a consistent and simple to use tool to practitioners who work with victims of domestic abuse in order to help them identify those who are at high risk of harm and whose cases should be referred to a MARAC meeting in order to manage the risk. CLICK ON THE LOGO OR TITLE TO DOWNLOAD.
The Pearson Teaching Awards
The Teaching Awards Trust was established in 1998 by David, Lord Puttnam CBE, as a means of recognising and celebrating excellence in education. The Awards honour outstanding teachers and teaching and highlight just how vital success in education is to the health and wealth of the UK.
The charity’s mission is to celebrate excellence in education, through the annual Pearson Teaching Awards and the Thank a Teacher Campaign
Click here to view the website and find out about nominating outstanding teachers
Ten steps towards school staff wellbeing
Click on the logo to view the full report
Education Support partnership The UK's only charity providing mental health and wellbeing support services to all education staff and organisations.
Taking charge of your time
With another report on how much unpaid overtime the teaching profession puts in, how can you reduce your workload? It’s never going to be easy but by working together with your colleagues and school leaders it is possible. Here are some top tips.
Confidential helpline - call FREE 08000 562561
Podcasts from Podfest for Mental Health are now available to listen to, and we think you're going to love them!
Looking for something fresh to keep you occupied during your commute? Or maybe something to have on while you do a quick clean around the house? Recorded in front of a live audience – and all in aid of the Mental Health Foundation – podcasts from Podfest for Mental Health, supported by Counselling Directory, are completely free, and now available to listen to.
Add these to your playlist:
'I am. I have' with Lauren Mahon and Deborah James Tune in as the hosts of BBC Radio 5 Live's 'You, Me and the Big C' speak candidly about the physical and mental impact cancer has on their lives.
'The Naked Professors' Life coach Ben Bidwell and presenter Matt Johnson are joined by Rizzle Kicks' Jordan Stephens to speak about embracing who we are.
'What I Wish I Had Known' Lauren Marks-Clee, Jess Jones, and Jo Love are joined by counsellor Beverley Hills to talk about what motherhood means to them.
'The Book of Man' Host Martin Robinson is joined by the founder of Andy's Man Club, Luke Ambler, actor Phoebe Torrance, and TV presenter Aldo Kane to share their own experiences with mental health.
"I am. I have - The Panel" Blogger Grace Victory, "Mentally Yours' co-host and journalist Yvette Caster, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation Mark Rowland, and actor and producer April Kelley came together to speak about the ways that mental health affects their lives.
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