Caroline Hargreaves’ Post

More research showing impact schooling has on educators: 6% report being “often or very often depressed” while more than half (51%) experience some degree of depression related to the work Far beyond time to reimagine healthier ecosystems in education https://lnkd.in/gxk2Sb5F

School psychologists are experts in mental health, child development and behavior, and the science of learning. Mental health information, however, is often omitted or inadequately addressed in psychological assessments and within recommendations on how to support the self-esteem and well-being of children and youth. This is significant as students with learning challenges, such as Learning Disabilities and other co-occurring difficulties, experience mental health challenges and stress at a much higher rate than their neurotypical peers. At a time in education when varied, complex factors influence students' achievement and well-being, evaluating and integrating mental health information is key to providing a successful path forward for students. This presentation outlines opportunities for school psychologists to include, understand, and apply information on mental health and well-being to support students' psychological safety, engagement, and risk-taking at home and school. Learning Objectives: At the end of this symposium, participants will be able to -Understand different ways of conceptualizing student mental health, self-esteem, and identity -Explore ways of assessing student mental health, well-being, and self-esteem within psychological assessments -Explore ways of sharing student mental health information with caregivers and educators to promote well-being and success Register here: https://lnkd.in/gkYG2neF

Teachers are also exposed to their students’ traumatic experiences while trying to provide support. Research shows these interactions significantly contribute to stress and anxiety among educators. Australian research has highlighted how compassion fatigue, burnout and secondary traumatic stress are significant factors pushing teachers out of the profession. These issues don’t just impact teachers they also affect students. When teachers are highly stressed, research shows students are more likely to behave poorly in the classroom and record lower academic performance. https://lnkd.in/gJF4_44w

Wellbeing Training for all in Schools Wouldn't it be fantastic if we could offer what we do for free in school's? Our 6 pupil lessons really do make a difference to child anxiety, prosocial behaviour, emotional literacy and much more. Our teacher 6 module CPD impacts mental health (e.g. anxiety, stress, self-criticism), job satisfactions and much more. If you're a headteacher, MAT senior leader or (local) government member with wellbeing and/or school's within your remit, or know of such individual's, get in touch with me ([email protected]) so we can look at ways to get what we do out more widely in the education sector. So far, in research trials, we've worked with over 1000 teachers and pupils, over several years, to demonstrate what we do works. This isn't a fad, or simply 'evidenced-based' interventions. These are fully evidenced to work CPD's/interventions with study data published in the most reputable journals (e.g., quartile 1 international journals with the highest level of peer-review rigour). So do get in touch and/or re-share this post. See also: https://lnkd.in/erHn6YH9

This article by Schools Week shares some concerning statistics regarding pupil's happiness at school. They have shared that in a recent report by Edurio, just 47% of 102,782 pupils said they felt very or quite happy at school. We know that happy children learn better. But children and young people are struggling with their mental health and wellbeing like never before. If we want our young people to thrive, there needs to be sufficient support in place for their social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. Nurture is helping to deepen children’s attachment to school whilst improving their relationships with education professionals and sustaining their ability to flourish and to learn. The Boxall Profile® in particular helps education professionals to identify and address any hidden SEMH difficulties that pupils are experiencing. 💫

Enhancing Student Well-Being: Students Services Centre in Higher Education Institutions can establish student support service centers, which include counsellors and mental health experts, to improve students' physical fitness, psychological well-being and emotional resilience in higher education institutions. Read the UGC Guidelines here👉 https://lnkd.in/eS5p5wxR #UGC #Education #Students #MentalHealth #Health

Jumping to solutions too soon? 🚦 It could be holding back the progress your pupils deserve! Educational Psychologists are trained to explore a range of hypotheses - questions about what might be happening for the child - rather than jumping straight to solutions. 💡This process allows us to systematically uncover the contributing factors, ensuring we don't overlook anything crucial. 💡When we skip this step, we risk targeting the wrong issue and not making meaningful progress. For example, as an EP I have received so many referrals for children who are presenting with challenging behaviour. The referral is often a list of these behaviours... shouting at teachers, skipping class, lashing out... This tells me that the SENCo has struggled to uncover the reasons for this behaviour.... As SENCos, you may already recognise familiar causes, such as emotional regulation difficulties. However, there are usually many other underlying factors at play that need to be explored to truly understand the full picture. So, here are some questions that might need to be considered as part of your assessment 👇👇👇 ❓ Is emotional regulation the issue? Could the pupil be struggling to manage their emotions, leading to outbursts? You may already have made this connection, but is it the only factor at play? ❓ Could the pupil have social communication differences? Are they interpreting social cues differently or finding it difficult to express themselves, causing frustration? ❓Is executive functioning a challenge? Is the pupil struggling with impulse control, transitions, or organisation, which might lead to dysregulated behaviour when they feel overwhelmed? ❓Could past trauma or stress be influencing their behaviour? Are there external factors, like past experiences, affecting how the pupil responds to challenges at school? ❓ Could undiagnosed cognitive or learning difficulties be contributing? Are there academic struggles or unmet learning needs that are leading to frustration and outbursts? 💡These questions help you dig deeper and uncover the full range of factors that might be contributing to the behaviour, so you can implement targeted interventions that address the root causes—not just the symptoms. Are there any other hypotheses you might add? Comment below!

Alarming Rise in Student Suicides - A Call for Urgent Action in UK Higher Education The landscape of higher education in the United Kingdom has been dramatically altered by a distressing trend: a significant increase in student suicides. A recent survey has revealed that one-third of colleges reported at least one death by suicide in the past year, sending shockwaves through the academic community and prompting urgent calls for action. This alarming statistic not only highlights the growing mental health crisis among university students but also underscores the pressing need for comprehensive and effective support systems within higher education institutions. Read more: https://zurl.co/Rmi7 #StudentSuicides #MentalHealth #UKHigherEducation #UrgentAction #StudentMentalHealth #SupportSystems #AcademicCommunity #HigherEducationInstitutions #StudentWellbeing #MentalHealthAwareness #SuicidePrevention #StudentLife #UniversityLife #Lurnable #EducationNews #MentalHealthSupport #StudentSafetyNet

Every school year, we hear stories of the unpreparedness of some schools to receive their student cohorts because of poor infrastructure. Yesterday, I was asked to do a quick interview with the Guardian/CNC3 on the impact of dilapidated school environments on students' wellbeing. The article doesnt capture it all, but I spoke about the negative impact of unconducive learning environments on academic performance, the psychosocial effects of threat, fear, anxiety, low morale and motivation on learning, classroom participation and attendance, as well as the detrimental health effects. I also discussed how poor working conditions affect teachers and quality of education delivered. It is imperative that the authorities prioritise proper learning spaces if we expect academic excellence and improved student behaviours. https://lnkd.in/ekb8wH7q