This week, we’ve joined with charities, schools, parents and educational professionals across the UK to support Place2Be’s Children’s Mental Health Week. Around 50% of people who have lifetime mental health problems first experience symptoms by the age of 14, and the awareness week has highlighted the importance of providing support early on in life.
This year’s theme of #growingtogether encouraged people to share stories of how they have grown, and who helped them along the way. It helps us to celebrate people like Robin Lee, founder of Wilds Lodge School in Oakham, whose passion to see every child flourish with their education led to many of his pupils with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) difficulties receiving the support they desperately needed.
Robin, like many other education professionals, championed the nurture approach to improving the mental health of his pupils. Here at nurtureuk, we’ve made it our mission to improve the social, emotional, mental health and wellbeing of all children and young people across the UK.
Through our graduated approach to nurture, we ensure that every child in the school has the opportunity to flourish in their education, and has access to the support they need, when they need it. Whether they enter the education system with early childhood trauma, or experience it during their time in education, we work to support the social, emotional and mental health of all children, so no child falls through the cracks.
Children’s Mental Health Week has emphasised the importance of providing this crucial support for children and young people. But how do we know if the support is working? How do we measure the improvement in their social, emotional, mental health and wellbeing?
The Boxall Profile® Online is an assessment tool that enables staff to assess and track the social, emotional and behavioural development of children over time. It provides staff with an overview of the needs and how to respond to them – both in the classroom and with specific nurturing interventions.
The unique tool supports staff to develop their observational skills to include early identification of difficulties, and provides the opportunity to create individualised targets and interventions, as well as practical strategies and techniques for the classroom to help children and young people achieve their full potential.
The Boxall Profile® is now used by over half of UK schools that assess their pupils’ mental health. To find out more, please visit www.nurtureuk.org/what-we-do/the-boxall-profile.