Youth Mental Health First Aid 2-day course
Date: 7th – 8th February 2022, 21st-22nd March 2022, 23rd-24th May 2022, 27th-28th June 2022.
Presenters: Lynn Smith, StellarMind
Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) courses are for everyone who works with, lives with or supports young people aged 8-18. They will teach you the skills and confidence to spot the signs of mental health issues in a young person, offer first aid and guide them towards the support they need. In doing so, you can speed up a young person’s recovery and stop a mental health issue from getting worse.
Youth Mental Health First Aid Awareness half-day session
Date: 9th February 2022 (9am-12pm), 12th May 2022 (9am-12pm)
Presenters: Lynn Smith, StellarMind
This introductory session raises awareness of young people’s mental health. It covers:
- Some of the common mental health issues affecting young people, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders and psychosis
- Skills to work more effectively with young people living with mental health issues
- Ways to support young people with a mental health issue and relate to their experiences
Getting it Right: Positive Steps to Support Behaviour and Wellbeing
Date: Tuesday 16th November 2021 (1:30pm - 3:00pm)
Tuesday 15th February 2022 (9:30am – 11:00am)
Presenters: Abbie Roberts & Elin Lewis
This workshop introduces the Getting it Right Good Practice Guidance Resource and supports you in:
- creating learning environments to promote emotional wellbeing and positive behaviour
- identifying and responding to SEMH needs using a raduated approach
- using the tools provided in Getting it Right, including the Behaviour and Wellbeing Environmental Checklist and Multielement Support Plans
Anger: how do we understand and manage this complex emotion?
Date: Wednesday 24th November 2021 (1:30pm – 3:00pm)
Tuesday 22nd March 2022 (3:00pm – 4:30pm)
Presenter: Chris Wood
Anger is not a bad emotion; however, it is challenging when anger is expressed in potentially harmful ways. Learn more about how to respond to anger and how to support children and young people to understand it and express it in more helpful ways.
Introduction to Restorative Approaches
Date: Thursday 2nd December 2021 (1:30pm – 3:00pm)
Tuesday 1st March 2022 (3:30pm – 5:00pm)
Presenter: Elaine Perry
Restorative Approaches provides an underpinning ethos and philosophy for making, maintaining and repairing relationships and for fostering a sense of social responsibility and shared accountability. City of Wolverhampton Council is committed to implementing Restorative Practice in order to more effectively support children and families.
Teenagers, Attachment and Trauma
Date: Tuesday 7th December 2021 (1:00pm – 3:30pm)
Thursday 12th May 2022 (9:30am – 12:00pm)
Presenter: Elaine Perry
This session is focused on understanding teenage development and reflecting on this alongside attachment theory and trauma-informed practice. You will learn about how attachment difficulties may affect a young person, the teenage brain, styles of attachment and the impact of trauma. The session uses ‘real life’ cases to explore these issues and we will discuss things that you can do to support the teenagers who you work with.
Using Counselling Skills to Support Children and Young People
Date: Monday 13th December 2021 (1:00pm – 2:00pm)
Monday 25th April 2022 (3:30pm – 4:30pm)
Presenters: Randeep Kaur & Claire Kenyon
There has been an increasing awareness of the impact of children and young people’s emotional well-being on their engagement in school and being able to reach their full potential. The use of counselling skills is one effective way to support emotional well-being. Central to counselling is the relationship between skilled helper and client, therefore school staff are in a great position to provide this support as they already have established relationships with the children/ young people. It is important for staff to have an understanding of counselling skills so that they can provide safe and helpful support.
Emotion Coaching
Date: Tuesday 18th January 2022 (1:00pm – 3:30pm)
Tuesday 24th May 2022 (9:30am – 12:00pm)
Presenter: Ben Clyde
This session focuses on emotion coaching, which is an evidence-based approach that enables children and young people to manage their own behaviour through helping them to understand the different emotions they experience, why they occur, and how to handle them.
Lego Based Groups
Date: Wednesday 19th January 2022 (1.30pm – 2.45pm)
Presenters: Robyn Bullingham & Rachel Board
The aim of Lego Based Groups is to promote development in social, communication, language and play skills in children and young people. This training aims to provide an introduction to 'Lego-Based Therapy' as an evidence based approach. The training will provide practical information around setting up Lego Groups and explore varying ways of using resources within school settings.
An introduction to Selective Mutism for educational professionals
Date: Wednesday 19th January 2022 (3:30pm – 5:00pm)
Presenters: Jennie Craddock & Alison Egerton (both from the Outreach Service)
Selective Mutism is an anxiety disorder whereby individuals speak freely in some situations, such as home, but persistently fail to speak in others where speech is typically expected, such as in school. With early identification and sensitive intervention, many children and young people successfully overcome Selective Mutism however, without this, difficulties can persist through school and into adulthood. This session will increase your understanding of Selective Mutism and provide practical strategies to support children and young people who are affected, so they can thrive and become confident communicators in school.
Using Mindfulness to support Children and Young People who are anxious
Date: Monday 31st January 2022 (1:30pm – 3:00pm)
Thursday 2nd June 2022 (3:30pm – 5:00pm)
Presenter: Yuvender Prashar
Research findings show that regular mindfulness meditation significantly reduces anxiety. Mindfulness involves paying more attention to the present moment, to your own thoughts and feelings, and to the world around you. We will share strategies that you can support children and young people to use.
Understanding Trauma informed Practice and Attachment
Date: Wednesday 9th February 2022 (1:30pm – 3:00pm)
Wednesday 8th June 2022 (3:30pm – 5:00pm)
Presenters: Robyn Bullingham & Paige Garbett
This session aims to develop an understanding of attachment theory and the different types of attachment, highlighting how this impacts the brain and can affect classroom behavior. This session also provides practical strategies to support vulnerable children and young people with attachment difficulties to provide the secure base that they need.
Inclusion for Gender and Sexual Diversity
Date: Thursday 10th February 2022 (3:00pm – 4:30pm)
Presenters: Yuvender Prashar & Sian Spare
Research suggests that LGBTQI+ young people are more at risk of being bullied, and experience a greater risk of school dropout, social isolation, mental health difficulties and suicide. 80% of transgender adults were aware they were transgender before they left primary school, suggesting a need for staff in both primary and secondary school settings to have awareness of gender identity and potential issues faced by individuals who identify as transgender. This session will provide an introduction into how schools can support the needs of LGBTQI+ children and young people.
Developing and Writing Multi-element Support Plans
Date: Tuesday 15th February 2022 (1:30pm – 3:00pm)
Tuesday 24th May 2022 (3:30pm – 5:00pm)
Presenters: Rebecca Sharpe & Robyn Bullingham
Multi-element Support Plans are a tool that focuses on a number of factors and elements that can contribute to improved wellbeing and/or behaviour. They form part of the graduated response to identifying needs and implementing support for children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) need outlined in the Getting it Right Guidance. This session will support you to develop and write effective multi-element support plans using examples, case studies and allowing you to reflect on children and young people who you support.
Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance
Date: Wednesday 2nd March 2022 (9:30am – 12:00pm)
Wednesday 11th May 2022 (1:00pm – 3:30pm)
Presenters: Jan O'Connor, Sian Spare & Nooreen Khan
Some children and young people find it extremely difficult to attend school due to emotional and mental health needs. This can lead to significant periods of time out of education and can impact very negatively on a wide range of outcomes for children and young people. This session will introduce the broad area of emotionally based school avoidance and help you to think about how you can support children and young people who you work with.
Attachment in the Early Years
Date: Tuesday 15th March 2022 (1:30pm – 3:30pm)
Presenters: Stephanie Herriotts-Smith
This session aims to develop an understanding of attachment theory and the different types of attachment, highlighting how this impacts the brain and child development. The session focuses on children from 0-5 years old and how to identify their needs, work with their families and provide support and the secure base that they need.
Promoting Friendships and Reducing Isolation: Circle of Friends
Date: Tuesday 22nd March 2022 (1:30pm – 3:00pm)
Presenter: Elaine Perry
Circle of Friends is an approach to support a student who is in danger of feeling isolated or left out. The Circle of Friends approach works by developing a support network around the individual by asking the young person’s peers to provide support and engage in problem solving with the person in difficulty.