THE team behind a new service supporting the emotional and mental health of young people has won the Warrington Guardian Innovation Award.
The honour aims to recognise people who have excelled in the use of digital technology or demonstrated innovation to help others.
Thirteen outstanding winners have been honoured as part of this year’s Warrington Guardian Education Awards.
The annual awards aim to celebrate schools, nurseries and colleges across the town, championing pupils and students, teachers and assistants, and classes and teams.
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All the worthy winners of the Warrington Guardian Education Awards
The Schools Link Mental Health Team is hosted by Culcheth High School and it aims to help children build resilience by giving them the skills to take care of their mental wellbeing.
Talking therapies, wellbeing workshops, and pastoral support are just some variations of support offered by the new service which is supported by Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust.
The team sits alongside and complements the existing mental health support that schools have access to, including the Mental Health Support Team and the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service.
The service has already helped hundreds of pupils at more than 40 high schools and primary schools in Warrington.
WATCH THE TEAM RECEIVE THEIR AWARD:
The nomination for The Schools Link Mental Health Team said: “This innovative approach to supporting the mental health of our young people and families is very important and has getting great feedback since its inception 12 months ago.
“It is a wonderful concept built by people who are committed to supporting the mental health of children and young people across Warrington.
“Direct one to one support for young people, group support and school support for staff, families and young people.”
Feedback from schools has been hugely positive.
The Schools Link Mental Health Team
One teacher said: “For a long time we had felt, as a pastoral team, that there was a gap in the system for this type of support for us as staff.
“We would often be researching resources or using dated work that was ok, but not tried and tested.
“Our school link has been exceptional at making us feel like we are top priority in that she has answered our questions promptly and on the same day and provided us with resources to support the children that we are working with.”
Chris Hunt, headteacher at Culcheth High School, said: “I’m very proud that the schools of Warrington, the local authority and NHS Mersey Care have worked together on this amazing innovative project to support the mental health of our young people and to help the staff of our schools to be better equipped to deal with the challenges that young people and families face.
“A huge thanks to all those involved in this initiative from inception, planning, development, fruition and now in operation.
“A great team serving the young people, schools and communities of Warrington.”
Headteacher at Culcheth High School Chris Hunt, XXXX and Warrington Guardian deputy editor Gareth Dunning
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