• Tutor support – All of our students are assigned a tutor when they arrive at the Academy. The tutor is an essential link between school and home, and often the first port of call if a student or parent/carer has a query or concern. Tutors will support students with home learning and organisation, as well as providing emotional support if they feel worried or overwhelmed. Tutors can be contacted via the academy phone, 01905 454 627 or their email address. This can be found on the contact section.
• Two dedicated mental health first aiders, Mrs Farley and Mrs McStay, who can be contact via the same phone as the tutors or their email addresses which are available under contacts.
• A sixth form specific designated safeguarding lead, Mrs Farley who can be contacted to raise any concerns relating to mental health or to ask for additional help. She can be contacted via the same phone as the tutors or her email address which is available under contacts.
• Wellbeing room which is supported by an intervention team of trained mentors with a lunchtime drop in service.
• School nurse that can be accessed via text message using this number 07507331750.
• Access to a wellbeing practitioner via a referral – Our wellbeing practitioner offers a 6 week programme of support for students with a range of needs. Contact Mrs Farley to discuss a referral.
• Access to the academy’s counsellor via a referral – The counselling service is provided by a trained counsellor who adopts an integrative approach consisting of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), creative therapy, systemic therapy, and person-centred therapy. We offer 1:1, 55-minute counselling sessions which can help children with several issues such as: anxiety, depression, trauma, low self-esteem, eating disorders, anger management, family conflict, PTSD and bereavement. Counselling provides a warm, encouraging space for helping children to heal and process whatever may be happening in their lives. A drop-in service is run Tuesday to Friday during lunch hours to give all children an opportunity to have a safe space to talk to someone, without needing an appointment.

External Sources of Support:

• Kooth – A free online service that offers emotional and mental health. support for young people – DOWNLOAD: How to sign up to kooth
• Papyrus Prevention of Young Suicide – CLICK:  https://www.papyrus-uk.org/
• Supporting Well Partnership – A service that supports families, parents, children and young people across Worcestershire to led happy, healthy and fulfilled lives. https://www.startingwellworcs.nhs.uk/
• Reach4Wellbing – The Reach4Wellbeing Team is part of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), they promote and support emotional wellbeing for children and young people aged 5-18 years old. They are a team of 7 staff, with one case worker for each of the following areas: Wyre Forest, Redditch, Bromsgrove, Worcester, Malvern and Wychavon. They offer short-term group support programmes for those experiencing mild to moderate emotional difficulties, specifically anxiety and low mood. These programmes are based on skills which research has discovered helps children and young people with these difficulties. Government recommendations promote group work as the first way to help children and young people with these issues as early as possible. https://www.hacw.nhs.uk/camhs
• Healthy Minds – Is a service anyone over the age of 16 can self-refer themselves to for free confidential online, group 1:1 talking therapies. Students can refer themselves by phone or the online form. https://www.healthyminds.whct.nhs.uk/ They also offer a 24/7 mental health helpline and the phone number is 0808 196 9127
• CAMHS – CAMHS is used as a term for all services that work with children and young people up until they reach 17 years and 9 months who have difficulties with their emotional or behavioural wellbeing.

Local areas have several different support services available.

These might be from the statutory, voluntary or school-based sector, such as an NHS trust, local authority, school or charitable organisation. https://www.hacw.nhs.uk/camhs

Mental Health – https://www.worcs.tgacademy.org.uk/safeguarding/mental-health/ 

Information for children and young people – https://www.worcs.tgacademy.org.uk/safeguarding/mental-health/information-for-children-and-young-people/

Information for parents and carers – https://www.worcs.tgacademy.org.uk/safeguarding/mental-health/information-for-parents-and-carers/

Resources and further information – https://www.worcs.tgacademy.org.uk/safeguarding/mental-health/resources-and-further-information/