Health and Wellbeing
Meeting the Mental Health needs of: Looked after Children
Understand what a child in care may be carrying into your classroom, and the everyday things that help them feel safe and heard.
- 15 minutes
- 5 modules
- 0.5 CPD hours
- Certificate
Members
14 days free, then £70 a year or £7 a month.
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What you'll learn
- Recognise how trauma and loss can show up in a looked after child's mental health
- Keep routines predictable and warn a child early about changes of staff or class
- Plan sensitive lessons, like family trees, with a private word beforehand
- Use the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire to track how a child is coping
- Make sure the child's views are heard in multi-agency meetings
About this course
Many looked after children have lived through abuse, neglect or a string of moves, and quietly believe it was their fault. Around 45% have a mental health diagnosis, and many more struggle without one. School is one of the places that can help most.
You'll learn seven practical ways to do that, from a trusted adult with protected time to warning a child well before a familiar member of staff leaves. Some lessons can catch a child out, like drawing a family tree in history, and a private word beforehand gives them the choice. A half-termly Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire can flag a change before it turns into a crisis.
The work is emotionally heavy, so there's help for staff as well, from debriefs and supervision to where to go for confidential support.
- For governors and mental health leads. Primary and secondary.
5 modules
Open in order
- 2 min
Introduction
- 3 min
Mental health challenges
- 6 min
Meeting the needs at school
- 4 min
Staff wellbeing
- 2 min
Closing thoughts