A SCHOOL has launched a programme to tackle poor mental health and promote well-being to its students.

Bishop Perowne CE College, in Merrimans Hill Road, Worcester, has launched its in-house mental health service ‘Well Aware’.

The programme will be run by trained professionals and aims to plug the gap in the accessibility of mental health support for students, as well as their families.

Throughout the whole school, there will be students selected from each year group to be first-aid mental health trained.

Jo Bullock, a safeguarding officer who will be running Well Aware, said: “Some kids do not like talking to us teachers, so if we can bring in students for them to feel comfortable talking with it will help. There is so much the children know that we don’t. We learn as much from them as they do from us. We can all work together.”

Mrs Bullock, aged 50 added: “We can only say what we know from an adult’s point of view. I think it’s so important to get the perspective from a child. It is brilliant to hear what the children are thinking and understand their worries and concerns.

“Things have changed so much with social media. Having the children come and talk to me and tell me what is going on in ‘social media land’ will help teach us.”

The discrete service will help students whose low mood, stress and anxiety are affecting their daily activities.

There are four referral pathways – a student self-referral, friends of students may refer, parent referrals and also staff can refer through normal safeguarding procedures.

Laura Surridge, 14, the school’s anti-bullying ambassador said: “This programme is a great way to support students. In the 21st century we have a lot more pressures, and mental health is a very big thing and affects many young people.”

Nigel Ford, aged 40, deputy headteacher at Bishop Perowne, said: “Well Aware is our in-house mental health service that will be run and managed by trained education professionals.

"Well Aware reflects an ambition to create a pathway between school and NHS children’s mental health services and our imperative is to provide prompt support for students and their families when mental health issues arise.”