SCHOOL BASED INTERVENTIONS
Information on a range of universal and targeted school based interventions.
This list of school-based mental health interventions come from a European research study and are in place in a range of schools across Europe (1).
Universal Intervention Programmes
- Mindfulness
- Anti-bullying programme
- Peer support
- Social skills development
- Emotional skills development
Targeted Interventions
- Individual therapy
- Group therapy
- Individual behaviour support
- Risky health behaviour programme
School Systems and Infrastructure
- Mental health education
- Creative activities
- Physical activities
- Signposting
- Designated space for well-being / mental health support
- Infrastructure for extra-curricular activities
The research looked at the provision across 10 European counties and collected data from 1,466 schools (1).
School-based interventions
Thrive Approach
A multi-dimensional approach to helping children and young people develop social and emotional skills. Thrive approach can also be used in a targeted way with children that struggle with difficult life events to help them re-engage with life and learning. Neuroscience, child development and attachment theory underpin the principles of this approach.
www.thriveapproach.com
Cues Ed
An innovative psycho-education project based in primary schools developed by Clinical Psychologists and CBT therapists from the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.
www.cues-ed.co.uk
Adolescent mental health
A systematic review on the effectiveness of school-based interventions (July 2021)
https://www.eif.org.uk/report/adolescent-mental-health-a-systematic-review-on-the-effectiveness-of-school-based-interventions
Mindfulness
Mindfulness - a defenition
Mindfulness is an integrative, mind-body based approach that helps people change the way they think and feel about their experiences, especially stressful experiences. It involves paying attention to our thoughts and feelings so we become more aware of them, less enmeshed in them, and better able to manage them. (2)
How Effective is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness approaches have been proven to be effective in a wide range of mental and physical health applications. Mindfulness generally supports health promotion and prevention of ill health. Mindfulness programmes have achieved significant reductions in symptoms and relapse rates in mental ill health and there is evidence that Mindfulness interventions can directly benefit physical health by improving immune system response, speeding healing, and inducing a sense of physical well-being. (2)
Is there research evidence on its effectiveness for children and young people?
There is less research evidence on the effectiveness of mindfulness with children and young people as no large or long-term studies have been carried out to date
However, there are some smaller pieces of research on specific programmes. One of these is the Mindfulness in Schools project (MiSP) mindfulnessinschools.org
Mindfulness in Schools review of the evidence for mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in school contexts with children and young people: mindfulnessinschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Weare-Evidence-Review-Final.pdf
The .b curriculum: mindfulnessinschools.org/teach-dot-b/dot-b-curriculum is also part of the ongoing Wellcome Trust funded MYRIAD research project https://myriadproject.org/
Anti-bullying strategies
A Whole School Approach | Anti-Bullying Alliance
www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/tools-information/schools-and-teachers/whole-school-approach
Resilience
Building Resilience
Resilience is defined as the ability to bounce back when things go wrong. Schools have long been interested in why some students manage well despite set-backs while others find it difficult to recover and move on. Carol Dweck and Jo Bolar have both been at the forefront of looking at academic resilience. Their work on Growth Mindsets suggest that students who accept and understand that making mistakes is an important part of learning achieve better academic outcomes than those who find it hard to move on if they make a mistake. Their research suggests that rewarding hard work and adopting a ‘haven’t got it yet’ approach rather than innate ability is crucial to developing academic resilience.
Ted Talk - The Power of Believing That You Can Improve
www.ted.com/talks/carol_dweck_the_power_of_believing_that_you_can_improve
The Resilient Classroom - a practical resource developed by Sam Taylor, Angie Hart and students and staff from Hove Park School.
youngminds.org.uk/media/1463/the_resilient_classroom-2016.pdf
PSHE resources
Rise Above for Schools
Rise Above for Schools is a KS 3/4 PSHE resources produced by Public Health England working with teachers. It includes video clips, lesson plans and PowerPoint presentations.
campaignresources.phe.gov.uk/schools/topics/rise-above/overview?WT.mc_id=RiseAboveforSchools_PSHEA_EdComs_Resource_listing_Sep17
Guidance on preparing to teach about Mental Health
Guidance and lessons plans for schools.
www.pshe-association.org.uk/curriculum-and-resources/resources/guidance-preparing-teach-about-mental-health-and?ResourceId=570&Keyword=&SubjectID=0&LevelID=0&ResourceTypeID=3&SuggestedUseID=0
We All Have Mental Health
A range of resources on Mental Health including animation, PowerPoint presentations and booklets. Developed in collaboration with young people, teachers and medical experts.
www.annafreud.org/what-we-do/schools-in-mind/resources-for-schools
Further Reading
-
A school based intervention guide from ACAMH
- Systematic review of the effectiveness of universal interventions which aim to promote emotional and social wellbeing in secondary schools (Commissioned by NICE produced by ScHARR Public Health Collaborating Centre University of Sheffield)
https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/polopoly_fs/1.44221!/file/Wellbeing-in-schools.pdf
