Resilient Local Authorities?
Sarah Axford & Jonathan Godson
Perth and Kinross Educational Psychology
Service
Promoting Wellbeing?
In your local authority, what is on the mental health
agenda?
How are schools engaging with this agenda?
What is your service doing?
Mental Health Strategy for Scotland:
2012-2015
New Mental Health Strategy: plans to improve the
wellbeing of the nation (August 2012).
 A new strategy designed to improve the mental health
and wellbeing of everyone in Scotland has been
launched by Minister for Public Health Michael
Matheson.
 The strategy sets out 36 key commitments to be
delivered between now and 2015 to:
 deliver faster access to mental health services for
younger people
 faster access to psychological therapies
 work to reduce and prevent suicide
 address stigma and discrimination
Mental Health Provision
CAMHS workforce increased by over 34% in less
than four years.
Newsnight clips
Health promotion?
Physical Health
Health promotion?
Mental Health
What is above Zero?
 Mental Health Word Cloud:
a better way?
 focus on resilience
 true mental health
 wellbeing- emotional, psychological and social
Curriculum for Excellence
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Learning in health and wellbeing ensures that children and
young people develop the knowledge and understanding,
skills, capabilities and attributes which they need for mental,
emotional, social and physical wellbeing now and in the future.
I can expect my learning environment to support me to:
develop my self-awareness, self-worth and respect for others
meet challenges, manage change and build relationships
experience personal achievement and build my resilience and
confidence
understand and develop my physical, mental and spiritual
wellbeing and social skills
understand how what I eat, how active I am and how
decisions I make about my behaviour and relationships affect
my physical and mental wellbeing
Evidence-base for
School Wellbeing Initiatives
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Are preventative (whole school)
Start early (early primary years)
Combine 2 general strategies
 Focus on whole school climate change and ‘respectful
supportive relationships’
 Teach social-emotional skills & coping skills
Coordinated multi-year (long term) programs rather than short
term (spiral curriculum)
Delivered by teachers/embedded in curriculum
Revisit key concepts, values & skills in age appropriate ways
Evidence-based psychological principles (CBT/positive
psychology)
Evidence-based teaching strategies
Bounce Back Aims
To assist in creating positive, pro-social and
resilient classrooms and schools
To provide resources to enable staff to help
their pupils develop the skills of resilient
behaviour
Bounce Back Acronym
When things go wrong for you, or you get ‘knocked down’ by what happens in your lie,
remember that you can decide to BOUNCE BACK! and be yourself again.
Bad times don’t last. Things always get better. Stay optimistic.
Other people can help if you talk to them. Get a reality check.
Unhelpful thinking makes you feel more upset. Think again
Nobody is perfect-not you and not others.
Concentrate on the positives ( no matter how small) and use
laughter.
Everybody experiences sadness, hurt, failure, rejection and setback
sometimes. They are a normal part of life. Try not to personalise
them.
Blame fairly- how much of what happened was due to you, to others
and to bad luck or circumstances?
Accept what can’t be changed, (but try to change what you can first).
Catastrophising exaggerates your worries. Don’t believe the worst
possible picture.
Keep things in perspective. It’s only part of your life.
13 April 2015
Resilience in secondary schools
and colleges
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Challenges and opportunities
Staff working group
Optimistic thinking programme
Bounce Back adaptations
Collaboration around resource development
Mindsets
Resilient staff
13 April 2015
P&K Request for support
 Public Profile of Bounce Back
(CP Report, After the Riots Report)
 Engagement with OD team
 Opportunities/Risks
 Clarifying Role of EPs working outside Education and
Childrens Services
 Agreement with OD team to pilot materials
Wellbeing and work
“ Work can make you sick – and work can make
you happy. Which one happens depends on
who you are, what you do and how you are
treated at work.
Work that is rewarding, involving good
relationships with colleagues and opportunities
to feel a sense of achievement on a regular
basis is a key factor in psychological wellbeing.”
Robertson & Cooper ‘Well-being’, 2011
Well-being for P&K Managers
(Leading Teams in Tough Times)
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What is well-being and why does it matter?
Positive Emotions
Positive Relationships
Optimistic Thinking and Thought Catching
PERMA Framework Discussion
Personal Target Setting – Postcard to self
Actions Noted: Physical exercise, Domestic Changes,
Working hours revision, Career options, Team changes.
 Feedback – positive, cross department issues, requests
for more content on dealing with pessimistic colleagues
Next?
Discussion
 Is now the right time to focus on wellbeing?
 What part can Educational Psychology Services play in
attempting to shift the focus from mental illness to
wellbeing?
 Are there opportunities for Educational Psychology
Services to collaborate with other agencies in this area?
If so – what are the risks and challenges?
 Do you have any thoughts about how we might
progress this work in Perth and Kinross?
References
Bounce Back! Helen McGrath and Toni Noble
Mental Health Strategy for Scotland: 2012-2015
ISBN: 9781780459950
Diekstra, R F W (2008) Effectiveness of School-Based Social and Emotional Education
Programmes Worldwide. Collaborative for Social and Emotional Learning www.casel.org
Newsnight clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-Vhjmdp4nI
Learned Optimism Martin Seligman
Flourish A new understanding of Happiness and Well-being
Martin Seligman, 2011
WELL-BEING. Productivity and Happiness at Work
Ivan Robertson and Cary Cooper
POSITVITY
Barbara Frederickson
www.positivityratio.com
http://www.fishfulthinking.com/Optimism/Index
http://www.centreforconfidence.co.uk/pp/overview.php?p=c2lkPTQ=
4/13/2015