Mental Health & Wellbeing Strategy 2019-22
Chichester College Group Mental Health & Wellbeing Strategy Introduction from Shelagh Legrave, CEO Chichester College Group At Chichester College Group we recognise that there may be times when staff and students can all struggle with the demands of work, study and modern life in general. Nationally, and indeed globally, there is increasing concern about mental health challenges and that this is undoubtedly one of the most pressing public health issues of our time. The Association of Colleges (AOC) published a Mental Health and Wellbeing Charter in May 2019 as part of the Love Our Colleges and Mental Health Awareness Week, recognising that every single day colleges across England provide a world class education and transform the lives of millions of people. The charter includes providing support for both staff and student wellbeing at the right time, in the right place; it gives colleges the opportunity to publicly state their commitment to the mental health agenda. I am delighted that in line with the publication of this strategy the Chichester College Group is a signatory of this Charter.
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Context The Group recognises its legally binding duties to tackle stress: Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999: > To assess the risk of stress-related ill health arising from work activities. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974: > To take measures to control any risk of stress. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) expects organisations to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for stress, and to take action to tackle any problems identified by that risk assessment. They also set Management Standards to define the characteristics, or culture, of an organisation where the risks from work related stress are being effectively managed and controlled. The Management Standards cover six key areas of work design that, if not properly managed, are associated with poor health and well-being, lower productivity and increased sickness absence. In other words, the six Management Standards cover the primary sources of stress at work. These are:
Demands
Control
> This includes issues such as workload, work patterns and the work environment.
> How much say the person has in the way they do their work.
Support
Relationships
> This includes the encouragement, sponsorship and resources provided by the organisation, line management and colleagues
> This includes promoting positive working to avoid conflict and dealing with unacceptable behaviour.
Roles
Change
> Whether people understand their role within the organisation and whether the organisation ensures that they do not have conflicting roles.
> How organisational change (large or small) is managed and communicated in the organisation.
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The detailed Management Standards represent a set of conditions that, if present, reflect a high level of health well-being and organisational performance and our strategy seeks to adhere to these standards. The Group published a revised People Strategy in October 2019 for the period 2019-22, which sits aside this strategy in supporting the Group to achieve its strategic priorities, whilst meeting the individual needs of our staff. The Group recognises the impact that work-related stress can have on our staffing community as a whole and on individual teams. For example, losing one colleague for an extended period with a stress-related illness can have a dramatic impact on that individual and the workload and morale of the rest of the team.
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Strategy As a signatory to the AOC’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Charter (See Appendix 1) our strategy aims to address mental health and wellbeing throughout all the communities of the Chichester College Group colleges. We are committed to: > Promoting healthy lifestyle choices > Providing a range of services which enhance personal resilience for good mental and physical health and wellbeing of our students and staff > Empowering individuals with the knowledge and understanding to make informed choices about their mental and physical health, wellbeing and safety, and reducing risktaking behaviour > Engaging the individual college communities in developing and implementing our strategy for the benefit of all > Developing effective partnerships with specialist local, regional and national organisations to support the implementation of elements of our strategy > Collecting and reporting on appropriate data relating to staff and student wellbeing, and identify actions required to further promote health and wellbeing and personal resilience > Recognising that we are all unique and we will all respond differently to individual situations and keeping the individual at the heart of our strategy is key to its success.
Frameworks & Definitions See Appendix 2.
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Intent for Supporting Mental Health & Wellbeing of Students Chichester College Group will: > Promote mutual respect, learning and successful relationships among students and staff. > Create a culture of inclusiveness and communication that ensures all students’ concerns can be addressed (including the concerns of those who may be at particular risk of poor mental health). > Provide a safe environment which nurtures and encourages staff and students’ sense of self-worth and self-efficacy, reduces the threat of bullying and violence and promotes positive behaviours. > Promote the NHS 5 steps to mental wellbeing: The 5 steps below have been identified by research as really promoting wellbeing: Connect > Connect with the people around you: your family, friends and fellow students. Spend time developing these relationships. Be active > Take a walk, go cycling, go to the gym or play a game of football. Find an activity that you enjoy and make it a part of your life. Keep learning > Learning new skills can give you a sense of achievement and a new confidence. So work hard at your studies, learn a new sport or figure out how to fix your bike! Give to others > Even the smallest act can count, whether it’s a smile, a thank you or a kind word. Larger acts, such as volunteering at your local community centre, can improve your mental wellbeing and help you build new social networks. Be mindful > Be more aware of the present moment, including your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you. Some people call this awareness “mindfulness”. It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.
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> Support the national Time to Change programme led by MIND with an annual campaign in the Autumn Term which challenges the stigma around mental health issues, promotes communication about mental health and encourages people to get the support they need. The Group will work with MIND throughout the year, including making referrals to MIND and providing a space for students to be seen on college campuses. > To provide staff with continuing professional development opportunities covering specific at risk groups: including self-harm, LGBTQ, alcohol and substance misuse and students that have been diagnosed with autism.
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Curriculum Chichester College Group will design the curriculum delivery to: > Reduce risk of isolation and encourage a sense of belonging and by promoting opportunities for students to join groups and societies which enrich their experience at college. > Address mental health issues as part of the ACES programme. > Embed social and emotional skills education into the whole curriculum, including resilience building, planning for success, dealing with exam stress and challenging the stigmatisation of mental health issues. > Deliver targeted workshops and talks throughout the year about mental health such as drug and alcohol abuse, coping with anxiety and resilience building. > Promote open and supportive discussion about mental health and wellbeing. > Promote opportunities for students to benefit from the college’s sports and fitness enrichment programmes.
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Enabling Student Voice to Influence Decisions Involving students in decisions that impact on them can benefit their emotional health and wellbeing by helping them to feel part of their college community and to have some control over their lives and education. Chichester College Group will: > Involve the Student Executive in the development and review of this mental health and wellbeing strategy so that it belongs to the whole college community through Student Conferences. > Undertake research with students to assess their levels of awareness of the support available, their satisfaction with this support and their suggestions for development. > Introduce ways to ensure all students have the opportunity to contribute to decisions that may impact on their social and emotional wellbeing. > Involve students in the creation, delivery and evaluation of training and continuing professional development activities in relation to social and emotional wellbeing.
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Identifying Need & Monitoring Impact of Interventions The early identification of students with mental health support needs and the assessment of the impact of interventions are essential, to ensure that support for students is effective. Chichester College Group will: > Maintain an open-door approach so that students feel able to approach a range of staff to request support, including the tutor team, the Additional Learning Support and Counselling. > Give students the opportunity to disclose at application and enrolment. > Use transition meetings with feeder schools to identify students with potential support needs. > Promote support in tutorials and give opportunities for students requesting 1 to 1 time with their tutor. > Monitor risk factors such as attendance data and changes in progress and achievement and referrals in order to intervene early to address concerns which are emerging.
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Working with Parents/Carers The family plays a key role in young people’s mental health and wellbeing and involving parents / carers in the support provided to students can greatly enhance the benefits on students’ wellbeing and academic progress. Chichester College Group will: > Work with parents, carers and other family members to promote students’ mental health and wellbeing. > Provide appropriate opportunities for parents and carers to be involved in the development of support for the social and emotional wellbeing of students. > Work with the West Sussex County Council to enable parents/carers to access workshops focusing on building resilience and how to thrive. > Involve parents/carers – as appropriate - in the support provided to students where there are concerns about their emotional well-being (except on rare occasions when the college judges that the wellbeing of the student may be harmed by this involvement). Pastoral staff will communicate regularly with parents / carers through meetings, emails, letters home and telephone calls with due consideration to the Group GDPR policy.
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Targeted Support & Appropriate Referral National research indicates how much students value the trusted adult, face-to-face interaction provided by pastoral staff in schools and colleges. However, there is frequently a need for more intensive, targeted support for students experiencing particular mental health and wellbeing difficulties. Chichester College Group will: > Provide a range of support to students through internal college services, including: > Student Tutors who are normally the first point of contact for concerns regarding academic progress, attendance issues and other welfare / pastoral concerns. > Additional Learning Support staff who provide advice and support on a range of issues including emotional wellbeing, mental, physical and sexual health, housing and personal finance. > The Counselling team, who provide 1 to 1 counselling, for students who self-refer. > The Safeguarding team provide support and appropriate responses when there are concerns about safeguarding risks to students. > Dedicated support for students in care, students who have recently left care and those who are young carers. > Develop a stronger focus on protective factors such as coping strategies and providing support to at risk groups. Make referrals to appropriate external agencies including: > Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) > Early Intervention team at West Sussex County Council > Young Persons Substance Misuse Team > Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hubs > Youth Emotional Support Team (YES)
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> West Sussex MIND > Samaritans > Cruise bereavement Services Winstons Wish The Thrive framework produced by the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families provides a useful division of need into five categories; thriving, getting advice, getting help, getting more help and getting risk support. The support and referrals provided by the Chichester College Group can be divided into these categories: Thriving > students benefit from the pastoral and curriculum support provided to all students through the tutorial services, curriculum delivery and cross college input such as induction activities, ACES programme and progression events. Getting Advice > teachers, tutors and Additional Learning Support Getting Help > Tutors and Counselling Getting More Help > External referral Getting Risk Support > Safeguarding intervention and referral and advice
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Staff Development, Health & Wellbeing Promoting staff health and wellbeing is an essential element and responsibility of an employer. It is also important for staff to be able to access training to increase their knowledge and better equip them to support students experiencing mental health and or wellbeing concerns.Chichester College Group will provide: > Targeted continuing professional development opportunities will be provided for Teachers/Lecturers, Tutors, Additional Learning Support staff team, Safeguarding team and First Aiders. > Resilience training, peer support and supervision for staff engaged in emotionally demanding pastoral and safeguarding work. > Counselling services for staff. > An annual Healthy Living Day for staff at the end of each academic year. > Lunchtime learn and share sessions offered to all staff to raise awareness of mental health (in conjunction with Unison) > A phased return to work after prolonged staff absence in line with the Group’s Sickness Absence Management Policy.
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Intent for Supporting Mental Health & Wellbeing of Staff Health: > Work with local authority Wellbeing Hubs to offer Wellbeing MOTs for signposting support for general health conditions. > Establish a Healthy Living Day in the individual Colleges’ calendars. > Support and promote the Cycle to Work Scheme, benefits of walking and cycling as a feature of our Travel Plan. > Support and promote walking meetings, gym membership and classes. > Promote the Education Support Partnership guides and 24hr free and confidential helpline for anyone working in education – Tel: 08000 562 561
Personal Growth: > Promote and consider carefully the availability of Work Sabbaticals, Flexible Working and Phased Retirement. > Recognise and be sensitive to the need for Compassionate Leave in accord with the Group’s Absence and Leave policy. > Ensure that there is a demonstrable process to guide management responsiveness to personal bereavement or trauma.
Collective/Social: > Calendar an annual ‘Email Free Day’ in each college’s calendar. > Advertise for volunteers to develop a social events calendar for the whole staff community to maintain a sense of community and encourage use of staff spaces to bring people together from across the college campuses. > Provide a Buddy/Mentoring System for new staff and managers and conduct an annual ‘Look out for me Campaign/Time to Change’ Campaign or similar. > Support annual away days for teams and dress down days.
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Listening to Staff > To listen carefully to the voice of staff through staff briefings, staff meetings, staff performance management discussions, union/management meetings and staff feedback forms > Complete an annual Staff Survey and use Staff Representatives for staff consultation process and/or working groups for new initiatives or significant changes in workload practices and/or policy.
Reward and Recognition > Annual STAR Awards > Annual Chair’s Awards > Half termly Team of the Month recognition
Work > Facilitate phased returns to work following sick leave as appropriate in meeting the health and wellbeing needs of staff in accord with the Group’s Sickness Absence Management Policy. > Integrate Team Time in all College Development Days to ensure that individuals can plan, monitor and review their work practices collectively within their recognised team. > Optimise the use of curriculum planning processes to plan effectively to minimise staff workload. > Produce a college calendar for teaching staff and ensure this calendar is published in the Summer Term prior to the start of the next academic year. > Provide access to the CAMHS support line and Integrated Prevention Earliest Help service links for the Safeguarding teams working with mental health issues amongst students. > Maintain ‘Supervision’ discussions with Safeguarding Teams and ensure that there is an appraisal focus on stress, mental and physical wellbeing. > Provide training and development opportunities for managers in supporting staff with mental health problems, including dissemination of the following guidance: http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/pdfs/managemental-health.pdf
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Leadership & Management Effective delivery of a mental health and wellbeing strategy requires commitment from every level of the Group including a committed and informed Group Leadership Team, a Corporation with knowledge and understanding of the Group’s approach and champions in each of the Group’s colleges who will take the lead at an operational level in delivery of the strategy. At Chichester College Group: The Principal at Worthing and Haywards Heath College, working with the Group Directors for Student Experience and Additional Learning Support has lead responsibility for: > The delivery and monitoring of this strategy, including the collection of data regarding the prevalence of mental health and wellbeing issues and the impact of interventions. > Regular reporting to the Corporation. > Liaison with the local commissioners of mental health and wellbeing services. > Ensuring that students and parents/carers are involved in the development and review of the mental health strategy. > Each College’s Student Experience Manager will take the lead in the operational delivery of the mental health and wellbeing strategy and for the promotion of personal resilience. > Each College will pursue opportunities for external mental health and wellbeing services to be delivered from the college campus. > The Group’s commitment to to address mental health and wellbeing concerns will be referenced within College improvement plans.
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Roles and Responsibilities in Delivering the Strategy Governors Monitor and evaluate the implementation and impact of the strategy through the annual risk assessment, college plan and annual surveys of staff and students.
The Group Leadership Team Approval, communication and implementation of the strategy and embedding in related policies and any subsequent updates and Group/College plan through induction and cross college communication channels, including the college website, staff blogs, union and management meetings, whole staff meetings and staff briefings as appropriate.
Group Directors Planning, monitoring and review of relevant activities and services within the strategy in conjunction with relevant teams across the college campuses.
All Managers To implement relevant policy and guidance and participate in training and development activities in supporting staff with stress, mental and physical health issues.
Safeguarding Team To deliver relevant training for staff and information, advice and guidance for students in conjunction with internal colleagues and external partners.
All Staff Participate in training and development and health and wellbeing activities organised by the colleges. Engage in discussions with their line managers in appraisal meetings and ongoing about stress, mental and physical wellbeing of themselves and in supporting colleagues. Actively engage in feedback processes, planned discussions and working groups to address developments to support staff with stress, mental and physical health issues.
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Status of This Strategy The strategy was first approved by the Group leadership team. The operation of this strategy will be kept under review by the Principal Worthing & Haywards Heath College. It may be reviewed and varied from time to time by the Group Leadership Team. This strategy has been impact assessed to ensure that it does not adversely affect staff or students. Date approved: December 2019 Approved by: Group Leadership Team Date for review: December 2022
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Appendix 1
AOC Mental Health and Wellbeing Charter We recognise that our Group has a responsibility to create an environment that promotes student and staff wellbeing and that proactively supports student and staff mental health. As a Group, we will: > Ensure that wellbeing and mental health work is led by a senior manager supported by a member of staff with particular responsibility for mental health. > Have a wellbeing and mental health policy accompanied by a clear implementation action plan which is monitored regularly and reviewed annually. > Create an open and inclusive college ethos which includes respect for those with mental ill health. > Promote equality of opportunity and challenge mental health stigma through curriculum teaching and also promote wellbeing through tutorial programmes. > Provide appropriate mental health training for staff. > Encourage and collect student views on mental health and wellbeing by working with the Students’ Union and other student representative bodies. > Ensure a consistent and positive approach to staff wellbeing. > Provide targeted individual mental health support where appropriate or alternatively signpost to external support services. > Provide relevant information to parents and carers. > Establish effective links with local health and voluntary sector mental health groups. > Promote the benefit that physical activity and sport has on mental wellbeing.
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Appendix 2 Mental Health & Wellbeing Strategy frameworks and definitions: > The Healthy Child Programme (2009) which sets out the recommended framework of universal and progressive services for children and young people from 5 to 19 years old to promote optimal health and wellbeing. > The 2015 Public Health England guidance document: ‘Promoting children and young people’s emotional health and wellbeing’. This document identifies the eight principles to promote emotional health and wellbeing in schools and colleges, which provides a key feature of the structure for this strategy in supporting mental health and wellbeing for students. These eight principles are explained in the diagram at Figure 1 Figure 1
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This strategy recognises the Health and Safety Executive’s definitions of the following terms throughout: > Work related stress is the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them at work. > Mental health is how we think, feel and behave.
Common mental health problems are those that: > Are most frequent and more prevalent; and > Are successfully treated in primary care settings like GPs rather than by specialists such as Psychiatrists. > Mental health conditions are clinically diagnosable. They may be more or less severe, and their treatment pathways vary depending on the condition. > Mental ill health is a broader term describing mental distress that may or may not be related to a diagnosable mental health condition. > Wellbeing is broader still, and relates to people’s thoughts and feelings about their own quality of life. > Anxiety is an unpleasant feeling when you feel worried, uneasy or distressed about something that may or may not be about to happen. > Depression is when you have feelings of extreme sadness, despair or inadequacy that last for a long time. NHS England recognise resilience as the “ability to succeed, to live, and to develop in a positive way despite the stress or adversity that would normally involve the real possibility of a negative outcome”. It is the ability to maintain personal wellbeing in the face of challenge. Resilient individuals can be recognised by their confidence (self efficacy), coordination (planning), control, composure (low anxiety), commitment (persistence), and ability to make adversity meaningful. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) presents a well-being model utilised in this strategy which identifies five interrelated domains of employee well-being, guided by the principle that an effective employee well-being strategy needs to go far beyond a series of standalone initiatives. The CIPD model is at figure 2
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The CIPD suggest that ‘there’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to designing a health and well-being strategy; its content should be based on the organisation’s unique needs and characteristics. The Group recognises that our health and wellbeing strategy needs to acknowledge not only the physical and psychological factors affecting health and well-being, but the wider cultural and societal factors too.
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