School staff are to be trained in eating disorders and self harm awareness to help children who are struggling with their mental health in Glasgow.
There is a bid to increase the number of staff in secondary and primary schools trained in self harm awareness. Secondary school teachers will also get the chance to do a suicide prevention course next year.
And all pastoral care teachers are to be trained in eating disorder awareness by June 2023.
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Glasgow city principal psychologist Barry Syme said: “We are aware of the rise in eating disorders that have come through - possibly linked to the pandemic. But it was something we were seeing before the pandemic. We are looking at up-skilling staff in schools around eating disorder awareness through SPOT (Schools Professionals Online Training) provided free by BEATs eating disorder charity.”
“All pastoral care teachers in the city will undertake this training.”
Mr Syme presented details of the mental health support available in Glasgow schools at Thursday’s education, skills and early years city policy committee. Services include play therapy and counselling.
Pastoral care teachers will be taught how to spot the signs of an eating disorder condition and how to help a young person get support.
The council has a plan to increase the number of staff trained in self-harm awareness.
A council report presented at the committee said: “We are into a five year plan to have two “What’s the Harm” trainers in each secondary school and in the longer term one trainer in each primary school. We will develop support materials for primary schools in responding to self-harm.
"We are in the process of developing a self-harm training plan for all 19 Residential Children’s Houses in Glasgow, we aim to have a trainer based in each Children’s House.”
A range of services are provided by Glasgow City Council’s education department, the health and social care partnership and partners in schools. They complement services offered by specialist children’s services and the Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHs) service.
Examples of work being undertaken in schools and communities to to support children and young people’s mental health and well-being and provide early intervention
Secondary and primary school counselling
For secondary counselling 1034 pupils have been referred for anxiety, stress, family issues, bereavement, anger and self harm. Between April 21 and March 22, 416 primary school children have been seen for issues including anxiety, anger and self-esteem.
A Children and Young People’s Networking Team:
The team is being developed to help to direct children, young people, and their families into the range of available mental health support across Glasgow.
CAMHS Health Care Support Workers:
The team provides support to families whilst they wait for treatment and assist the CAMH clinicians to progress neurodevelopmental assessments.
Quarriers Primary School Work:
Quarriers is working with 713 pupils carrying out multiple group work programmes.
Primary play therapy:
WithKids provide play therapy in primary schools and currently support 53 children.
Self-harm:
A programme to increase the number of staff trained in self-harm awareness.
Online mental health support for 10 to 16 year-olds:
Mental health organisation Kooth provides support to young people through an anonymous self-help support platform.
Emotionally based school non attendance and REACH service:
The service has developed guidance for staff to help children who don’t attend school because of factors including anxiety, autism and neurodevelopmental profiles. The guidelines offer advice on what staff can do to support them.
The aim of the Quarriers REACH service is to provide targeted support to children and young people who are not going to school.
Eating disorder awareness training:
Pastoral care teachers are to be trained in basic eating disorder awareness.
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