At Sandhill View Academy we place the highest important upon the mental wellbeing of our students. Young people in our modern society face many stresses and strains that effect their mental health, especially at school. We recognise this and have made fostering an environment where pupils can share any problems they might be having openly as well as obtain the best help and advice about what to do.
Key to our approach is ensuring that young people have agency, whilst empowering the community around them to have the health literacy and tools to respond. We want to ensure students have access to timely, youth-friendly support and resources. We’re focused on prevention, ensuring that more young people learn how to build their own wellbeing toolkit.
We are proud to be awarded the Sunderland Gold Mental Health Charter Mark.
Our Mental Health Team
Mr A Blake
Mental Health Lead
Rona Crockatt
Governor – Mental Health Lead
“Having worked in both independent and main stream schools as a senior leader for over 10 years I understand the mental health and wellbeing of our students and staff is an ongoing priority. School staff can often be the first trusted adults’ students turn to for knowledge, help and support. The school’s protective curriculum helps guide our students by raising issues for discussion in a safe space. School staff are adept in providing relevant help and support and will signpost to appropriate services.
Certain staff have received a higher level of training and are able to work more directly with students and if necessary, make referrals to more specialist services and access wider support for both students and their families. From speaking to students and staff it is evident that there are many highly skilled and trained pastoral and safeguarding staff working together to provide support. The school actively seeks to be inclusive and goes above and beyond for every child.“
Helpful Advice
As part of our drive to address any issues surrounding student wellbeing, you will find on this page some useful advice for dealing with any mental health problems you may have, how to identify them as well as the best places to seek advice should you need it. Remember, you are never alone, our staff are always here to help you. Mrs Wright & Miss Pitchers are available to talk to students at any time regarding issues surrounding mental health including anxiety, stress or emotional problems.
How to deal with Stress
How to deal with Anxiety
How to deal with Anger
How to deal with Low Mood
How to deal with Self Harm
Four Signs of Burnout – and How to Through It
This page is an excellent resource for students and parents to help them identify the signs of academic stress. This insight is extremely beneficial to parents, students, instructors, and anyone working in the education industry.
Remember if you are struggling at school you can always speak to your teachers, head of year or members of the pastoral or SEN team.
Advice & Help
Self Care Toolkit
Click here to view the useful self care toolkit.
Other Useful Links & Resources
Kooth
Kooth is an excellent place to seek advice and support with regards to mental wellbeing, especially in young people. They even have a useful app that you can download to your photo. You will find instructions on this below.
Young Minds
This website has a lot of information about mental health issues including living with adults who have a mental health condition.
Sunderland & Washington Mind
Providing confidential, high quality services for individuals, carers and families experiencing emotional or mental health problems. They aim to do this in a safe, caring, non-judgmental and supportive environment.
You can contact Sunderland Mind directly by clicking here.
Sunderland Community CAMHS
Community CAMHS is a team of people from different professional backgrounds. The following roles are all working within Community CAMHS and can sometimes be involved with offering support to a young person:
www.sunderlandcommunitycamhs.nhs.uk
Wellbeinginfo
Offering resources to encourage local people to make the most of themselves and help improve their health and wellbeing and for those they care about.
NHS
Find out how you can gain access to mental health support, advice and guidance for free through our National Health Service
Samaritans
Telephone: 116 123 (24 hours a day, free to call)
Email: jo@samaritans.org
Provides confidential, non-judgemental emotional support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those that could lead to suicide. You can phone, email, write a letter or in most cases talk to someone face to face.
Mind Infoline
Telephone: 0300 123 3393 (9am-6pm Monday to Friday) or text 86463
Email: info@mind.org.uk
Mind provides confidential mental health information services.
With support and understanding, Mind enables people to make informed choices. The Infoline gives information on types of mental health problems, where to get help, drug treatments, alternative therapies and advocacy. Mind works in partnership with around 140 local Minds providing local mental health services.
www.mind.org.uk/information-support/helplines
Rethink Mental Illness Advice Line
Telephone: 0300 5000 927 (9.30am – 4pm Monday to Friday)
Email: advice@rethink.org
Provides expert advice and information to people with mental health problems and those who care for them, as well as giving help to health professionals, employers and staff. Rethink also runs Rethink services and groups across England.
www.rethink.org/about-us/our-mental-health-advice
Saneline
Telephone: 0300 304 7000 (4:30pm-10:30pm)
Saneline is a national mental health helpline providing information and support to people with mental health problems and those who support them.
www.sane.org.uk/what_we_do/support/helpline
The Mix
Telephone: 0808 808 4994 (11am-11pm, free to call)
Email: Helpline email form
Crisis Support: Text ‘THEMIX’ to 85258.
The Mix provides judgement-free information and support to young people aged 13-25 on a range of issues including mental health problems. Young people can access the The Mix’s support via phone, email, webchat, peer to peer and counselling services.
ChildLine
Telephone: 0800 1111
ChildLine is a private and confidential service for children and young people up to the age of nineteen. You can contact a ChildLine counsellor for free about anything – no problem is too big or too small.
Elefriends
Elefriends is a supportive online community where you can be yourself. Elefriends is run by Mind.
If you’re a carer needing support you can contact all of the above as well as Carers Direct and the Carers Trust, both of whom are able to provide support and advice on any issues affecting you.
SHOUT
Shout is the UK’s first 24/7 text service, free on all major mobile networks, for anyone in crisis anytime, anywhere. It’s a place to go if you’re struggling to cope and you need immediate help.
ThisMayHelp
The films were developed by parents, carers and service users who got together to share their own experiences. They spoke to experts by experience, service and ex-service users, community mental health nurses, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) doctors and qualified professionals to work out the best and most helpful practical advice possible.
HOPELINE247:
A support service offering suicide intervention, debriefing with professionals, and supporting concerned family/peers.
www.papyrus-uk.org/papyrus-HOPELINE247
Rehab 4 Addiction
A website that offers guidance and support for people experiencing problems with substance misuse and co-occurring mental health problems in Sunderland.
