Mental Health, Wellbeing & Online Safety
This area of the website provides information on external support and resources for mental health and wellbeing. Dudley Academies Trust recognises that positive mental health and wellbeing are essential to the development of thriving and successful pupils/learners. It is therefore vital to our aims as a Trust that we provide high quality emotional health and wellbeing support.
In addition to supporting individual pupils/learners with emotional health and wellbeing concerns, the Trust is committed to making sure that all pupils/learners can access a cohesive network of pastoral and medical services. These include:
- A pastoral team, who are available at any time of day.
- Appointments with trained Mental Health First Aiders.
- Peer mentors, who are trained to support other pupils/learners in their year groups.
The academies work alongside Reflexions (the Mental Health Support Team (MHST) – Dudley) that includes having a dedicated Educational Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP).
Academy Helpline
Please contact the academy helpline (helpline@beaconhillacademy.org.uk) for any additional support or information regarding mental health, wellbeing, online safety or distance learning. For immediate safeguarding concerns, please visit the COVID-19 > Safeguarding & Support area of the website for further information.
Government Guidance: Health and wellbeing during coronavirus
Guidance for the public on the mental health and wellbeing aspects of coronavirus (COVID-19). This guide provides advice on how to look after your mental health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Government Guidance: Health and wellbeing during coronavirus
Local Support
- Dudley Virtual School provide resources to help support children and young people and those who support them at this very challenging time.
- Dudley Educational and Child Psychology Service aims to optimise learning, development and emotional well-being of children and young people in the borough.
- Dudley Safeguarding People Partnership advice for parents, carers or those working with children.
- West Midlands Violence Reduction Unit aims to keep people safe and free of violence in their lives.
- Phase Trust believes that every child and young person has value, whether they know it or not.
- Let’s get Healthy Dudley aims to support you to make healthy lifestyle changes
- Safe and Sound Dudley’s community safety partnership
National Support
- Kooth provides a safe and secure means of accessing mental health and wellbeing support designed specifically for young people.
- ThinkuKnow is the education programme from NCA-CEOP, a UK organisation which protects children both online and offline.
- Mind provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding.
- Young Minds is one of the UK's leading charities for children and young people's mental health.
- The Mix – Essential support for under 25s.
- Place2Be is one of the UK’s leading children's mental health charities.
- Children's Mental Health Week is an annual opportunity to encourage children, young people and adults to celebrate their uniqueness.
- NHS provide mental health and wellbeing advice and guidance.
- Childline one of UK’s leading support agencies for children.
- NSPCC – National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children – this website contains a wealth of advice and resources.
- Britannica Digital Learning Free eBook: Tackling Anxiety and Encouraging Resilience!
- Guidance for Parents & Carers on talking to young people about the invasion of Ukraine
Online Safety
- CEOP – Child Exploitation and Online Protection.
- NSPCC – Online safety advice.
- NSPCC – Online parental controls.
- INEQE – A safeguarding hub with lots of training resources and videos about staying safe online.
- Izone – Dudley website providing support.
- Safe and sound – Stay safe on social media, advice from Dudley’s community safety partnership.
SEND Support
- Little Puddins - What is Coronavirus?
- Local Authority Educational Psychology Community Support flyer
- Send wellbeing pack issue 1
- Dudley Learning Support Service – SEND advice and support’
Fun Activities
- The British Museum has made its online collections free to the public.
- The Natural History Museum has free virtual tours.
- The Tate Gallery has a 360-degree virtual tour online.
- View the latest exhibitions at The National Gallery virtual tours.
- The Vatican has opened up its digital tours so the Sistine Chapel can be viewed.
- NASA Kids is perfect for space fans. Learn all about the universe we live in by viewing these online videos.
- Watch The Wind in the Willows stage production online.
- Minecraft: The Education Edition is popular with children already – these resources all have an educational purpose.
- Look at nature all around the world with Explore.
- Audible Stories has made all of its classic children’s stories free.
- Watch science experiments with Colorado University.
- For music lovers, there is a 21-day free trial to learn an instrument with Prodigies Music.
- Explore the world with videos capturing activity all over the planet with Project Explore.
- On Twitter, Patrick Stewart (@sirpatstew) is reading a sonnet a day.
- Julie Dawn Cole, who played the original Veruca Salt in Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory (and Tes mental health columnist), is reading the book it was 3 based on – Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – aloud one chapter a night at 6pm on her Facebook page.
- News Mag Media have made their content free. Great for supporting children with their non-fiction reading.
Please note all of the above are subject to availability from the source.
Free Tools and Resources
- White Rose Maths (have sections for Secondary and Primary)
- Maths Factor Carol Vorderman
- Spelling & Grammar App — Sir Linkalot
- Rosetta Stone Languages free for 3 months
- Free online piano lessons with HomeSchoolPiano until September
- The Great Indoors
- Free Audible books from Amazon while schools are shut.
- Physics and Chemistry website (video clips, reading, activities and quizzes)
- Cambridge Resources - 90-Day Extended Trial
- Looking Back Podcasts (History Podcasts)
- NASA at Home (Free E-Books, Tours, Online Lessons & Podcasts)
- Free Home School Safari
- Stream Shakespeare Plays for Free every fortnight
- How BBC Bitesize will support you while you're learning from home
- BBC Bitesize - Brian Cox Science Lessons
- ExactEditions (click 'Library Card' above the login box and enter 028094)
- PEARS Revision Website 1 | PEARS Revision Website 2
- Free Digital Psychology Course
- Free online periodic table interactive resources
Ukraine - Further links
Here are some additional resources to help adults support children with the issues surrounding the Russian invasion of Ukraine
The Key has created a free pack of resources for all schools which includes:
- How to talk to pupils: https://key.sc/3vFsVzU
- Parent information and support pack: http://key.sc/3IKqZtw
- How to adapt your curriculum: https://key.sc/3CaUgLD
Additional resources:
- How to talk to your teenager about the invasion of Ukraine (BBC Bitesize/Anna Freud Centre): https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zbrdjsg
- How To Talk To Your Child About The War In Ukraine (YoungMinds): https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/blog/top-tips-for-talking-to-your-young-person-about-the-events-in-ukraine/
- Worrying about Russia and Ukraine (Childline): https://www.childline.org.uk/get-involved/articles/worrying-about-russia-ukraine/
- Worrying about war and conflict Sarah Dove (Phoenix Education Consultancy): https://www.phoenixgrouphq.com/tools