Mental Health, Emotional Support & Wellbeing

At St Michael’s we are committed to supporting the whole child to feel safe, supported and secure so they can aspire and flourish in the love of God. Please see below our graduated approach to supporting children with mental health difficulties.

Our Mental Health Team

Our Counsellors

As part of our ongoing commitment to pupil wellbeing, St Michael’s is proud to be working in partnership with two experienced counsellors: David O’Mahoney and Michelle Bentley. Both professionals will be supporting some of our children and families this year through tailored emotional and therapeutic support.

Who are our counsellors?

• David O’Mahoney is a qualified psychotherapist who works with several schools in the Oaks Colligate.
• Michelle Bentley is a qualified child/adult counsellor with extensive experience supporting children with social and emotional needs, including those who are or have been in foster care.

All support provided by David and Michelle is safe, ethical, and aligned with national counselling standards.

How will this benefit our pupils?

CChildren referred to work with either David or Michelle will receive additional emotional support through one-to-one sessions, which may help them with:

• Managing strong emotions such as anxiety, sadness, or anger
• Building self-confidence and self-esteem
• Navigating changes in friendships or family life
• Talking through worries in a safe, supportive, and non-judgemental space

These sessions are designed to gently support children’s emotional development and wellbeing during their time at school.

What does the process involve?

Referrals for this support are carefully reviewed before being submitted. Initial assessments are carried out with both the child and their parent or carer to ensure the support is appropriate and beneficial. Parent/carer consent is always obtained before sessions begin.

All information shared during sessions is treated with care and confidentiality, in line with safeguarding policies. Parents and carers are kept informed and involved throughout the process.

A Thoughtful and Professional Partnership

This collaboration with David O’Mahoney, Michelle Bentley, and the Oaks Colligate not only provides valuable support to individual pupils but also strengthens our school’s overall approach to wellbeing. Their specialist knowledge and compassionate practice help us further enrich the care we offer our children.

If you have any questions about this support or feel your child may benefit from counselling, please do not hesitate to contact the school.

Our Student Counsellor

As part of our ongoing commitment to pupil wellbeing, St Michael’s Church of England Primary School is proud to be working in partnership with Birmingham City University to host a student counsellor, who will be supporting some of our children this year.

Our student counsellor is currently undertaking professional training in child and adolescent counselling at Birmingham City University. Their placement at St Michael’s is a key part of their development and learning. Throughout their time with us, the counsellor will work under the close supervision of qualified professionals from the university, ensuring that all support provided is safe, ethical, and aligned with national counselling standards.

How will this benefit our pupils?

Children referred to work with our student counsellor will receive additional emotional support through one-to-one sessions, which may help them with:

• Managing strong emotions such as anxiety, sadness, or anger
• Building self-confidence and self-esteem
• Navigating changes in friendships or family life
• Talking through worries in a safe, supportive, and non-judgemental space

These sessions are designed to gently support children’s emotional development and wellbeing during their time at school.

What does the process involve?

Referrals for this support are carefully reviewed and submitted to the university team for approval. Before any sessions begin, initial assessments are carried out with both the child and their parent or carer to ensure that this support is appropriate and beneficial.

All information shared during sessions is treated with care and confidentiality, in line with safeguarding policies. Parents and carers are kept informed and involved throughout the process.

A Thoughtful and Professional Partnership

This collaboration with Birmingham City University not only provides valuable support to individual pupils, but also strengthens our school’s overall approach to wellbeing. Our student counsellor brings fresh knowledge and up-to-date training, guided by expert university staff, helping us to further enrich the care we offer our children.

If you have any questions about this support or feel your child may benefit from counselling, please don’t hesitate to contact the school.

Support Websites

• Anxiety Canada – anxiety in youth; great for young people.
• Bethel Rapha Service – people suffering low level mental health problems can have someone local to talk to in confidence about whatever is on their minds and have someone sincerely listen. Listen in a way which is not judgmental and by someone who has been professionally trained to hear and understand..
• Coping Skills for Kids – coping skills for calming anxiety.
• Give Us a Shout – free, confidential, 24/7 text message support in the UK for anyone struggling to cope. They can help with issues including suicidal thoughts, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, abuse, self-harm, relationship problems and bullying.
• Hub of Hope – a link to many mental health resources in your area. You just need to put in your school post code to access the resources available in your area..
• Screen Savers: Online Working – We are spending more time online than ever before, possibly sitting and working with poor posture as we use makeshift desks and chairs. There is a tendency to take fewer breaks and less exercise and this is affecting our physical well-being. Beacon House, the specialist therapeutic service for young people, families and adults has produced a series of six posters outlining ways to keep safe and alert when working at home, whether children or adults.
• The Children’s Society – The Children’s Society has a range of support materials for young people, parents and schools in their mental and emotional health resource vault including: Anxiety, Depression and Mood, Loneliness, Obsessive compulsive disorder, Phobias, Self care, Emotional resilience, Mental resilience.
• Young Minds – Times are tough for many people right now. Parents find themselves pulled in many different direction and children may be struggling being in the house for so much longer than usual. A mixture of concern about COVID-19, work from home and children at home, along with possible financial impact make for a stressful household. Young Minds have created a useful ‘Supporting Parents Helpfinder’. By answering six questions, parents can find out how to support their child’s mental health during the pandemic (and beyond).
• Young Minds: When Emotions Explode Poster – a useful poster highlighting ways to give support to children when they have angry feelings or outbursts and may help families start a conversation and talk about each other’s feelings.
• YouTube: Taming And Tending Your Meerkat Brain – a heart-warming talk about how our brains develop.
• From Birmingham with Love – Birmingham City Council, Birmingham Children’s Trust, Birmingham and Solihull Clinical Commissioning Group, Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, West Midlands Police and Birmingham Voluntary Sector Council. 
• NSPCC Keeping Children Safe – helpful advice and resources to support your child’s safety and wellbeing.
• Internet Matters – offers expert advice, age-specific guidance, and practical tools to help you keep your child safe and confident online.
• Barnardos – trusted advice and support to help parents and carers protect children from online harm. Learn how to spot the signs, start conversations, and create a safer digital environment at home.

Ollee – a virtual friend (ParentZone/BBC Children In Need

Ollee is a digital friend for children aged 8-11, created by Parent Zone and funded by BBC Children in Need’s A Million and Me initiative, which aims to make a difference to children’s emotional wellbeing.

It’s designed to help children reflect on how they feel and to process their experiences with the support and help of their parents and carers – and it does this by offering them advice about a range of subjects: school, family, friends, their body, the internet and the world.

For each of these subjects, children can choose an emotion that matches how they feel about it: happy, angry, sad, confused, frustrated, stressed or worried.

Next, they can choose from a list of topics – for instance, a child who was worried about school might be able to select ‘I haven’t done my homework’ as the cause of their worry. Finally, they’ll see a page of advice about the topic, presented in child-friendly bite-sized chunks they can read then or save for later.

Downlod the app from:

• ParentZone: Ollee – A Virtual Friend

Birmingham Wellbeing Census

We are proud to share that St Michael’s Church of England Primary School is participating in the Birmingham Wellbeing Census—a city-wide initiative aimed at better understanding and supporting the emotional wellbeing of children and young people across Birmingham.

What is the Birmingham Wellbeing Census?

The Wellbeing Census is an annual digital survey completed by pupils in Birmingham schools. It has been developed by the Birmingham Educational Psychology Service in partnership with the University of Warwick’s Department of Mental Health and Wellbeing. The goal is to gather meaningful data that helps schools and professionals make informed decisions about how best to support students’ mental and emotional health.

By collecting this data, schools and city services can monitor wellbeing trends, evaluate the effectiveness of current support strategies, and plan new initiatives to enhance student wellbeing across Birmingham.

Why is St Michael’s taking part?

At St Michael’s, we believe that emotional wellbeing is just as vital as academic achievement. By taking part in the Wellbeing Census, we are able to:

• Access a personalised wellbeing dashboard showing an anonymous, aggregated profile of our pupils’ wellbeing.
• Compare our school’s wellbeing data with city-wide trends.
• Use real insights to inform and improve the support we offer our pupils.
• Enhance staff understanding of mental health through involvement in research and training.
• Contribute to a broader city-wide effort to support the mental health of young people.

This initiative also fosters collaboration between schools and professionals working in the social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) field, encouraging the sharing of best practices and collective learning.

Working Together for Better Wellbeing

The partnership between the Birmingham Educational Psychology Service and the University of Warwick ensures that the census is grounded in expert research and practical application. The University brings academic depth and innovation, while the Birmingham EPS ensures the approach is relevant and impactful in school settings.

By participating in this important project, St Michael’s Church of England Primary School is playing an active role in shaping a healthier, happier future for all children in Birmingham.

For more information about the census, please visit www.breathe-edu.co.uk/census