MindAid
A web-based app has been created by an academic at Royal Holloway, University of London, for teachers to use to help identify and support students with mental health difficulties.
MindAid was created by Dr Helen Pote, from the university’s Clinical Psychology Department, and acts as a mental health first aid training tool. It is to be trialled by more than 250 teachers this term. The app supports teachers in recognising common mental health difficulties in young people and provides evidence-based resources to support students and direct them to appropriate help. It can be used by school staff before, during or after a consultation with a young person.
It draws on clinical expertise and two key resources: The Me and My Feelings Questionnaire (Anna Freud Centre) and the MindEd Training Resources (Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health).
Mental Health
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England has launched a set of free resources, designed to support young people aged eight to 24.
#HandsUp4HealthyMinds has been developed to empower anyone in contact with young people, including teachers, to better understand youth mental health and offer support.
The toolkit offers bite-size facts and advice on mental health. It also has a range of practical tips, links and downloadable content, as well as some self-care advice. It includes guidance on stress and talking about mental health, too.
Recent ONS statistics show that suicide is the most common cause of death for both young men and women aged 10 to 34. Furthermore, more than half of mental health issues start by age 15 and 75 per cent develop by age 24.
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