A Day in the Life of a School Project Manager Thank you for childrenhelpingin crisis Parenting Smart –advicepracticaland tips Window to my Weather and other activities
“I play and talk to someone and that makes me feel better. I don’t know how it works, it’s like magic” Kieron*, 6, Scotland
Contents 080605041012141618 BehindTabitha’sOvercomingWhat’sWelcomenew?crisis:storythescenes in a Place2Be school Creative ParentingWellbeingGetthroughSupportingactivitieschildrengriefinvolvedWellSmart 051014 *Names have been changed to protect the privacy of the children and young people we support. place2be.org.uk Royal Patron, HRH The Duchess, of Cambridge Registered Charity in England and Wales (1040756) and in Scotland (SC038649)
behalf of all the children and
… to the latest edition of your supporter magazine Welcome…Readonforupdatesandwhat’snew! Your support is vital and so greatly appreciated. This magazine is for you – to show you the transformative impact of your support on the lives of children and young people. Over the next 20 pages, you’ll find feature articles and stories, news and updates, and creative activities you can do at home. Don’t miss the details of our wonderful Christmas Carol Concert, back in full swing this year. On every page, we hope you’ll see how your compassion and generosity are making a transformative difference to children and young people in need of expert support.
people you’ve helped this year –thank you!
On young
“We
Place2Be
Read about the winners at place2be.org.uk/wisa-2022
5 Our Wellbeing in Schools Awards, hosted at BAFTA in June, celebrated the children, young people and adults who go above and beyond to support mental health in their schools.
One winner declared: want school second home, a sanctuary, a place of safety where pupils know their voices will be heard and their fears allayed. like to thank Place2Be for helping build a real community.”
Children’s Mental Health Week fundraiser
Children’s
Children’s Mental Health provide a hands-on service to all fundraisers - it’s like a family.”
needs your help to shine a spotlight on the importance of children and young people’s mental health. From organising a Dress to Express fundraising day to taking part in our fun activities, getting involved couldn’t be easier.
Mental Health Week is back from 6 - 12 February 2023!
Week “Place2Be
I’d
us
to be a
For more information, visit childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk AwardsinWellbeingSchools2022
2022
6
Through art and play, Tabitha’s counsellor gradually helped her express some of her feelings –exploring themes of missing her father, her hurt and anger, as well
they need you
To build her self-esteem and confidence, her teacher suggested she have some oneto-one sessions with their onsite Place2Be school counsellor. During her first few sessions, Tabitha covered her face with a toy mask, and even attempted to cover up the mask’s eyes and mouth holes using paint and tape. She did not speak to her counsellor at all.
When Tabitha* was eleven, her mother and father had separated, her father was serving a prison sentence, and Tabitha had moved across London and started at a new school.
You’re there when
Her new teacher noticed that Tabitha was struggling – isolating herself from her peers and becoming very defensive when anyone spoke to her.
When children are struggling and in crisis, your kindness helps make sure there is expert support at school.
Your gift could help give more children like Tabitha expert support when they are in crisis
most…
Thank you so much for helping to make sure that children like Tabitha get the help they need, when they need it most.
*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of the children and young people we support.
7 as positive aspects of their father-daughter bond.
Gradually, over several weeks, Tabitha began to feel more relaxed and secure and stopped wearing masks during her counselling sessions.
After support from Place2Be, Tabitha has now made friends at school and is doing so much better. Tabitha told her mum how much she’d enjoyed making and drawing, so her mum has made sure she’s got lots of art materials at home. She is now part of a creative lunchtime class, too, which she’s really enjoying.
“My day starts before I get to school. Being mentally prepared helps me to feel organised and ready to achieve as much as I can in that day. When I get to my office, I start by checking emails and looking at my day ahead in the diary. We have an electronic messaging system for students and staff to access support –these are prioritised daily. I also have a weekly meeting with the Safeguarding Lead to discuss the current case load and any new referrals she has for me. I always try to be organised and have everything planned but every day is different, so you have to be flexible, ready to bend with whatever comes your way. It’s a balancing act.
I am always aware of how I present in school to staff and students so I am approachable and professional. Relationships in school are paramount as teaching and support staff are fonts of information and they make my workload a lot lighter. I see the impact that we make in schools and it makes me proud. It could be noticing how a child moves forward to reach their goals after some one-toone sessions. It might be seeing the relief of being heard and understood when you give a student some space to vent their frustration in Place2Talk, where pupils can book an informal drop-in appointment with me. Or working closely with staff to ensure that, when
Schoolin
8
Helen has worked for Place2Be a School Project Manager,
A day
a student attends school their voice is heard, their triggers have strategies and that a team of people around them are there to support their needs. Of course, there are times when I could scream or cry, but when that happens I reach out to my team. We support each other when the inevitable difficult days arise, then we feel better and carry on with our day.” Your gifts help support the ongoing Manager,Place2BeThankaccess–ProjectdevelopmentprofessionalofSchoolManagerslikeHelengivingmorepupilsandstafftotheirexpertskills.you.since2010andiscurrentlybasedinahighschool. the life of a Project Manager Thanks to you Place2Be provides a mental health service in schools450 supporting youngchildren250,000andpeople 9
10 Are you sunny
By engaging in creative activities like this, children can be supported to build positive social and emotional connections with others. In this way, creative play can help children learn about themselves, how they relate to others, and the world around them.
A piece of paper, card or the inside of a recycled box. A choice of something to draw or colour with such as coloured pens, pencils, paint, crayons, and/or pastels. or cloudy today?
•
Window to My Weather is a creative activity in which children visualise what they imagine the weather inside them might look like.
This project, which was devised by the Art Room, our team of specialists who use art to support and enhance children and young people’s wellbeing, invites children to use weather as a metaphor to express their emotional states. will need:
•
You
1. Draw the outline of a window onto paper or card.
11
2. The window can be divided into sections, have curtains or shutters at the side – it is up to you, just so long as there is space for a view.
3. Fill the window with a view of what you imagine the weather would be like on the inside of you. There could be different types of weather at once, or just one type of weather to match the way you feel. Scan the QR code for more creative activities from Place2Be that support wellbeing
Husna Rahman , Place2Be School Project Manager death of a loved
Grief can be challenging enough for adults who have spent years developing the emotional intelligence and tools needed to manage complicated circumstances, but for a child, grief can play out Althoughdifferently.weoften
Supporting your child after Place2Be School Project Manager, Husna Rahman, has written a children’s book on grief and loss. Here she explains why…
12
feel like we are protecting children by not talking about difficult situations, not acknowledging changes in behaviour stemming from grief may be detrimental to the child. We may believe that children should not have to deal with these obstacles so early on, but the truth of the matter is, life events such as bereavement are unavoidable. Children may not have the capacity to understand death like an adult can, but they can still sense that something is not right and the more we keep from them, the more they can start to feel that they have done something wrong and internalise the blame.
When my dad died recently, I wanted to make sure I said the ‘right thing’ to my daughter, even though I was aware that there is no right or wrong way to grieve. When I started looking for children’s stories that would help me begin that dialogue with my daughter, I realised that there was not much representation of South Asian Muslim characters in children’s books, and hardly any on the theme of loss and grief. So, I decided to write my own. The grief journey can feel so lonely for children and if they can For more information and to read Husna’s blog post in full, visit place2be.org.uk/supportwithloss see people who look like them also going through something similar, they can gain comfort and develop empathy.
13
the
It’s important to let children have a voice and to tell their version of events and through stories, we can spark that dialogue about death and dying so that it becomes the norm, as death is very much a part of life. one
15 “I chose to fundraise for Place2Be after seeing the impact their services have had on the young people I have taught over the last year during my teacher training year.” Are you up for Challenge?a How you can get involved! Ellie completing the Yorkshire Three Peaks 14 Last year, teacher Ellie completed the Yorkshire Three Peaks, Great North Swim and a half marathon in support of Place2Be after seeing first-hand the impact of our work in schools. This year she is also taking part in The London Marathon! Could you take on a challenge event for Place2Be? Get in touch today at events@place2be.org.uk or visit our website place2be.org.uk/challenges
16 Send a virtual greetings card and donate the cost. There are lots of designs to choose from! You can find the cards at dontsendmeacard.com/ecards/charities/place2be Start your Christmas season by joining us at Holy Trinity Sloane Square, London or via livestream on Thursday 1 December 2022 at 6:30pm for our exciting Christmas Carol Concert! Register your interest for early bird ticket sales at place2be.org.uk/carolconcert2022 Send love, with DecksavePlace2Be!trees!thehalls 15 costCardsjust £2 for up to 100 cards!
Drawing and writing about the different ways they look after their wellbeing, the pupils described how the people around them can cheer them up when they’re feeling sad.
Pupils in a Place2Be partner school in Cardiff took part in our Wellbeing Well activity and shared the different ways they look after their wellbeing.
“When I am sad a hug with my sister will make me happy.” Kydon, 9
“When I’m feeling worried, I go to my bunnies to play with them. I love them so much!” Elina, 10
16
The cheering power of
hugsbunniesand
A huge thank you to all of the pupils who shared their wellbeing activity ideas with us, and to their teachers and Place2Be School Project Managers.
17
“I dance when I’m feeling sad and it makes me feel safe. Basketball makes me happy too.”
Skye, 10 “When I feel sad, I like to go and get some fresh air. When I get back, I play with my brother and sisters. They are only two, but they make me feel safe and joyful.” Kylan, 10
Parenting Smart is a free resource for UK parents and carers. All of our content is created by Place2Be’s parenting experts and is based on evidence and their experiences working with children, young people and their families.
ParentingSmart
Catherine Roche, Chief Executive of Place2Be, said:
Parenting advice from our child mental health experts offering practical tips to support children’s wellbeing and behaviour.
Since it was launched in October 2021, the site has been visited by 39,302 parents and carers across the UK.
Read more tips and advice parentingsmart.place2be.org.ukat
18
“With Parenting Smart we want to help parents feel confident in supporting their children, and to give them some practical tips and advice. With the right support, parents can have an enormously positive impact on their children’s wellbeing, even in the most challenging of circumstances.”
19 Covering topics from body image and bullying to cultural identity and nurturing talent, Parenting Smart is a mine of useful, practical tips from our experts: See some answers to questions such as: What is body image and why does it matter? My child is stealing. What should I do? My child is being bullied. What can I do? How can I help my child as they start school? Top Tips from the experts
1 Registered Office: Place2Be, 175 St. John Street, Clerkenwell, London EC1V 4LW. 020 7923 5000 Registered Charity in England and Wales (1040756) and in Scotland (SC038649) Registered Company in England and Wales (02876150)Printed on 100% recycled paper place2be.org.uk friends@place2be.org.uk 020 7923 5000 Leaving a gift in your will is a powerful way to continue your support for children and young people, long into the future. Any gift you feel able to leave –large or small – would make a huge difference to making sure these vital services can go on. Write your will for free through our partner organisation, Bequeathed, or find out more about how leaving a legacy can support children’s mental health by visiting place2be.org.uk/will Make ininvestmentantheirfuture
