Early intervention for children and young people is vital. Statistics show that those who develop chronic mental health conditions first experience symptoms by the age of 14. I started having symptoms when I was 10 years old but it took a decade to receive a diagnosis and get the help and support I needed. This would never have happened if I had a physical health condition. It should be no different for mental health.
Jonny Benjamin
Jonny Benjamin is a mental health campaigner, author and blogger. He launched a social media campaign called Find ‘Mike’ to search for the stranger who talked him out of taking his own life in 2008.
Did you know?
- 1 in 10 pupils aged 5-16 suffer from a diagnosable mental health disorder (around 3 in every classroom)
- It is estimated that 60-70% of children and young people suffering from a mental health difficulty have not accessed appropriate intervention at a young enough age
- Only 25%-35% of these children/young people access support
- Over half of all mental health problems in adult life start in adolescence
- Between 1 in 12 and 1 in 15 children and young people deliberately self-harm
- 1 in 20 under 16s have been bereaved of a parent
Data taken from ‘Future in Mind; Promoting, protecting and improving our children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing’ published by Dept of Health 2015
As a school how do you:
- Support a child/young person who is not coping?
- Support a child/young person who has challenging and disruptive behaviour?
- Recognise the signs that a child/young person has compromised mental health?
- Support staff to share concerns and develop their practice in how best to support children and young people?
Recreational Therapeutic Service
The following services are available to be delivered within your school
Our Recreational Therapeutic programmes offer creative and innovative ways of reaching out to young people aged 9-18 years who do not readily engage with traditional therapies and/or are disengaged with education; they may be at risk of exclusion or have been excluded from a previous school. Through using football and music we are able to evidence a tangible difference in behaviour and engagement in learning.
Football Programme
An 8 week therapeutic programme for up to 8 young people in school that uses football to address various behavioural issues in school or at home. It is delivered by mental health practitioners and trained football coaches.
Sessions include the following subject areas:
- Pre and post individual sessions per young person
- Thinking about the need to change tactics
- Thinking before actions
- Consequences
- Respect
- Teamwork and Leadership
- Communicating positively
- Coping strategies
Football can create many of the same emotions that can be experienced at home or school. Anger, frustration and disappointment are common feelings that a football player will experience. If a student can learn the techniques to handle these emotions on a pitch, they will also have the ability to do the same in a classroom situation. When playing football, it is also vital to think about your choices, your consequences and your next move. Without thinking these important things through, a player is likely to make mistakes and ultimately not perform well. The football programme encourages students to think about these things on a football pitch with the intention to take this skill into the classroom and into their lives at home.
Each session includes:
- Introduction to the topic and discussion
- Skills and match play
- Debrief
Luton Town Football Club supports our programme by offering those who complete the course match tickets and/or a stadium tour.
Music Programme
The following services are available to be delivered within your school
A practical theory based 8 week programme delivered to small groups of 6 young people in school*, facilitated by a therapeutic music practitioner. In the same way that football can engage young people, our music programme has been developed using similar themes and will involve the use of a variety of acoustic and electric equipment. We currently offer two types of music programme; one focused on themes to support challenging behaviour and the other on themes relevant to young people struggling with anxiety and low self-esteem.
The groups aim to provide a safe and entertaining environment where the young people will be encouraged to gain and develop not only musical but also social skills.
Some of the subject areas include:
- Anxiety and Low Self-Esteem:
- Understanding and making sense of worry
- Individual values
- Thinking traps
- Coping thoughts
- “Fight” vs “Flight” concept
- Relaxation techniques
Challenging Behaviour:
- Respecting yourself and others
- The importance and how to change bad behaviours
- Social norms
- Playing to our strengths and improving our weaknesses
- Making the right choices
- Good communication
- Working together
At the end of the programme, each young person will receive the following:
- Interactive booklet (will be used throughout the programme and then taken home on final session)
- Certificate of accomplishment
- USB stick including audio and video recordings of music tasks
- “School of Rock” film DVD
- Opportunity to perform or have their own piece played at one of CHUMS’ events throughout the year
*The programme is best suited to small groups of young people Groups for both football and music programmes can be tailor made to the presenting issue.
“CHUMS have really helped me and I will continue to practice the techniques you have taught me”
“The impact CHUMS has had on both our lives has been nothing but positive!”
“CHUMS has given us reassurance, an ear to listen and the confidence to move forward again”
“It was great to channel my anger and to practise how to be good at school”
“Before, I didn’t ever stop to think about my choices but now I can stop and see what options I have”
Transition and Anxiety Programmes
School transition can be particularly difficult for some children and young people who show higher levels of anxiety at these times.
Mild to Moderate Mental Health Support
CHUMS Emotional Wellbeing Service supports a number of presenting issues including:
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Anxiety (including phobias and panic)
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Anxiety about school transition
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ASD (anxiety and behaviour)
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Bereavement
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Challenging behaviour
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Depression
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Relationship difficulties (peer/family/family separation)
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Self-worth
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Self-harm
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Trauma (including domestic violence, sexual abuse and PTSD)
CHUMS do provide bespoke services to schools and professionals, for further information please email us
CHUMS VALUES
We are united in our belief that all children and young people deserve the best we can give
WE ARE ACCESSIBLE
Creative tailor-made support giving children and young people choice
WE OFFER
Humanity and warmth, delivered by a committed and dedicated team
WE ARE EFFECTIVE
Improving outcomes by offering high quality evidence based support