Mental Health and Resilience in

Islington Schools - MHARS

UCLPartners

2nd February 2015

Helen Cameron

Manager

Islington Schools Health and Wellbeing Team

Jane Brett-Jones

Mental Health Strategist

Public Health for Camden and Islington

MHARS

Context

What is Resilience and Why Does it

Matter in Schools?

Why are Public Health Involved?

The Story so far

The Framework

The Resilience Project

Context

• Strong leadership and commitment from

the healthy schools team and public health

• Existing high level of CAMHS support in

schools

• High level of recognition of MH in schools

• MHARS forms part of wider body of work

on Mental Health in Schools

Resilience• The human capacity to face, overcome and

ultimately be strengthened by life’s

adversities and challenges

• The capacity to ‘resist adversity, cope with

uncertainty and recover more successfully

from traumatic events or episodes

• The everyday magic of ordinary human

resources in the minds, brains and bodies of

children, in their families and relationships

and in their communities

• It is not the strongest of the species that

survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the

one that is the most adaptable to change.

Masten (2001)Masten & Yates T M (2004)Newman T (2002)

Stress BucketIntrapersonal Stress

Poor diet

(living on caffeine and chips),

Teenage sleeping habits

Academic Stress

Homework

Disagreement with teacher

Poor results

Environmental Stress

No space at home,

arguing with

Parents, domestic violence,

parental separation

Stress Level

Buffer Zone

Interpersonal Stress

Feel lonely, bullied, difficult

relationships

Attributes

that build resilienceProblem solving skills,

Capacity to reflect,

Faith,

Clear & consistent

Boundaries,

Valued individualCoping skills

Unhelpful

Copingdrugs, alcohol,

inappropriate

on-line friendships

Adapted from UNSW Counseling Services & Carver et al., 1989

Resilience: risks and protection

Risk Factors

Protective factors

Experiences of success and achievement

Parental support for education

A sense of belonging

Opportunities for valued social roles

Parental conflict, including domestic violence

Parental psychiatric illness

Socio-economic disadvantage

Parental criminality, alcoholism or personality

disorder

Why Does Resilience Matter?

• Provides protection from mental illness

• For Public Health• More than half of all adult mental illness begins in childhood

• Related to many other positive health, social & economic outcomes

• For Schools - Children with good emotional health

• Are happier

• Make friends and sustain relationships

• Are aware and understanding of others

• Face problems and setbacks and learn from them

• Enjoy their play and leisure time

• Are less likely to misuse substances

A framework for Islington schools, the story so

far…

• CAMHS

• Schools health & wellbeing

• VCS

• Educational psychology

• Public health

Joint working

• Scheme of work

• Training for schools

• Resource booklet

Healthy Minds

• NICE

• Healthier Scotland

• Boing-boing

• Dwek

• Young Minds

The evidence

NICE

• Whole school approach

• Integrate universal and targeted approach

• Develop staff capacity

• Develop external links -CAMHS

Healthier Scotland

• Character strength

• Confidence

• Creativity

• Positivity

Dwek

• Growth mindset

• Praise process rather than outcome

• Positive expressions of challenge, effort and mistakes

Boing-boing

• Belonging

• Learning

• Coping

• Core self

Young Minds

• Working with schools

• Emphasis on the practical

• Understanding

• Consistency across school

The Evidence

Ambler School

DREAMS

The Drayton Park Way

The MHARS quality improvement project