Mental Health in East Glendalough School
Below is a list – not exhaustive – of what goes on year-to-year in EGS as we strive to build resilience in our students, and to promote positive mental health.
Students:
Junior Cycle
- Junior Cycle SPHE modules (1st to 3rd Year):
- Belonging and integrating
- Self-management: a sense of purpose
- Communication skills
- Physical health
- Friendship
- Relationships and sexuality
- Emotional health
- Influences and decisions
- Substance use
- Personal safety
- 1st Year Wellbeing (new this year)
- Mindfulness
- Study skills
- 1st Year ‘Sticks and Stones’ visit – bullying and resilience
- 2nd Year Friends for Life programme (3 teachers trained to deliver this, trialled last year)
- F – Feeling Worried?
- R – Relax and feel good
- I – I can do it!
- E – Explore solutions and coping step plans
- N – Now reward yourself
- D – Don’t forget to practice
- S – Stay cool!
- 2nd Year Wellbeing (from 2018-19) – under discussion/planning
- 3rd Year –
- Humourfit visit,
- study skills preparation,
- ongoing support from Guidance Counsellor
Senior Cycle
- TY –
- weekly Guidance class
- weekly RSE class
- Tutorial speakers
- resilience,
- mindfulness,
- planning
- Meetings with Guidance Counsellor
- 5th and 6th Year –
- weekly Guidance class,
- weekly RSE class.
- Humourfit visit.
- Aware Beat the Blues visit (mental health/depression)
- scheduled meetings with Guidance Counsellor
- Ad hoc meetings with Guidance Counsellor
- Planning study with Year Head
All students:
- Whole School Guidance Plan 2017
- Pastoral Care structure – Form Teachers/Year Heads
- Access to Guidance Counsellor (this is regularly reinforced in assembly, and students are encouraged to let us know if friends are struggling)
- Access to Chaplain
- Access to SEN Dept where appropriate
- Appropriate support
- Student Support Plans developed for each SEN student
- Lunchtime Mindfulness
- Morning Homework Club
- Referrals to NEPS where appropriate
- Referrals to GP where necessary
- Anonymous surveys of yeargroups to identify students who are at risk
- Weekly Senior Cycle Pastoral Care meeting
- Junior Cycle Pastoral Care meeting
- Weekly 1st Year meeting
- TY Team pastoral care meeting
- Weekly Support Team meeting
- Weekly whole-staff meeting
- Significant numbers of staff have engaged in training in QPR (question, persuade, refer): dealing with suicidal ideation
Parents
- Information Evenings
- Anxiety talks from HSE Psychologist (new this year; specific to SEN Dept/ASD Unit for now)
- 1st Year Advice night
PA-organised events (including Psychologist, Parenting