Children & Families
One of our key drivers at Gillas Lane is mental health and wellbeing and this is the golden thread that is woven throughout our curriculum. We have a clear focus on teaching the characteristics of good physical health and mental wellbeing. Our staff know that mental wellbeing is a normal part of daily life in the same way as physical health.
Healthy Heads
We are incredibly lucky here at Gillas Lane to be part of the Healthy Heads project. The Healthy Heads Team is a Mental Health Support Team who offer early intervention to help children, young people and their families who are struggling with mild to moderate anxiety and/or low mood.
Please let Mrs Monaghan know if you think this service could be of support to you or your child and we can make a referral for some direct work to take place in school with one of the team.
In school interventions
As well as support from Healthy Heads, we also run bespoke interventions in school. Each half term, senior leaders meet to build provision maps to ensure targeted support to those children who need it. Our bespoke sessions include:
- Kalma Kids
- 1:1 Mentoring
- Helping Hands
- Drop in lunchtime club
If you think your child would benefit from any of these, please drop us a message on Class Dojo!
The Wellbeing Hub
Our friends at Durham High School for Girls have gifted us a full school subscription to The Wellbeing Hub. This is a portal that provides practical support for parents and carers to develop the knowledge and skills needed tp create an environment in which your child can thrive. From online parenting courses to webinars and workshops, The Wellbeing Hub is a one stop shop to help support our parents and carers with mental health and wellbeing at home.
Please contact Mrs Straughan on Class Dojo for the link that will give you FREE access to this invaluable online resource.
Self Regulation
Children need to learn to understand and recognise their emotions while finding healthy ways to process them. Emotional self-regulation however, depends heavily on age and development. While very young children or children with SEND may find it particularly challenging to self-regulate, nurturing these important skills can be hugely beneficial. Here are ten top tips for supporting children with their self-regulation.
Developing Healthy Sleep Patterns
Dreaming of a decent night's sleep? Many of us are - and it's a particular problem for our young people. However, there is plenty we can do to support children to get the beneficial rest that they need. Here are 10 top tips for developing healthy sleep patterns.
Lumi Nova
Lumi Nova is an exciting online therapeutic game for children aged 7 - 12 years who are experiencing difficulties with anxiety. And the best news is that it is FREE for families in Sunderland.
It is a fun way for children to learn timeless skills on how to break down big goals and self manage their worries. Lumi Nova is a digital therapy in the format of an app to help children and young people learn to self manage, reduce symptoms of anxiety, build resilience and thrive.
Follow this link to get FREE access now: Lumi Nova - Free for families in Sunderland — Lumi Nova: Tales of Courage
Mental Health and Wellbeing Calendar
As well as having a rigorous and robust curriculum in place to support children's mental health and wellbeing, we also support mental health awareness days throughout the year. Keep an eye on Class Dojo for any announcements about what's coming up next!
February is Children's Mental Health Week
This Children's Mental Health Week, we want to support all of our Gillas Lane children to be able to say "MY VOICE MATTERS". Here are some clever little conversation starters to help you have a conversation with your child about mental health...
May is Mental Health Awareness Week
This Mental Health Awareness Week, we are encouraging our children, families and staff to "MOVE MORE FOR MENTAL HEALTH". Physical activity is great for improving mental health and wellbeing. Have a look at this flyer from the Mental Health Support Team for some ideas on how you can move more for mental health......
June is World Wellbeing Week
