New enhanced mental health support provision announced for local schools
We’re really excited to announce that our School Service is now offering a brand new enhanced mental health support provision through diocesan schools in Greater Manchester and Lancashire.
The team, which has decades of experience in providing social work, counselling, and therapy support to local schools, has been awarded a generous two-year grant from a charitable trust funder.
This funding allows us to offer heavily subsidised support to help address mental health challenges among children and young people through counselling and group interventions across the Diocese of Salford.
To deliver this enhanced service, we’re able to offer a time-limited programme of support to all diocesan schools, providing a counsellor for a half day or one day per week for the duration of a term.
Patrick O’Dowd, director of our charity said: “Typically this professional support to children would cost around £4,500, but thanks to the grant, we are able to provide it for a modest contribution of £1,099, which is to cover resources and administrative costs. However, if this amount presents a challenge, we’d urge schools to get in touch with us for a discussion.
“With more and more children and young people requiring urgent support with mental health related concerns and issues, we know that it’s vital that schools in Greater Manchester and Lancashire have access to the specialist help needed to assist.
“Our team, with decades of experience working alongside local schools is perfectly placed to help and can offer advice not just at a time of crisis, but longer-term too.”
Delivery of support is anticipated to be a balance between one-to-one support and group work, though this can be discussed and agreed to meet each school’s needs.
Examples include:
Primary schools:
- Relax Kids (six-week programme) for six to eight children
- Superskills for Life (eight-week programme) for eight to ten children (KS1 and 2)
- One-to-one direct work
High schools:
- Chill Skills (eight-week programme) for six to eight young people
- Superskills for Life – Adolescent programme (eight-week programme) for six to eight young people
- One-to-one direct work
The targeted outcomes will include improved mental health, increased self-esteem and confidence, and enhanced resilience and coping skills.
To learn more about this opportunity or to take it up immediately, please contact Helen Chambers, our head of school service, or Jayne Scholes, our assistant head, at 0161 817 2250 or via email: schools@caritassalford.org.uk