Mental Health, Wellbeing & Online Safety
This area of the website provides information on external support and resources for mental health and wellbeing. Dudley Academies Trust recognises that positive mental health and wellbeing are essential to the development of thriving and successful pupils/learners. It is therefore vital to our aims as a Trust that we provide high quality emotional health and wellbeing support.
In addition to supporting individual pupils/learners with emotional health and wellbeing concerns, the Trust is committed to making sure that all pupils/learners can access a cohesive network of pastoral and medical services. These include:
- A pastoral team, who are available at any time of day.
- Appointments with trained Mental Health First Aiders.
- Peer mentors, who are trained to support other pupils/learners in their year groups.
The academies work alongside Reflexions (the Mental Health Support Team (MHST) – Dudley) that includes having a dedicated Educational Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP).
Academy Helpline
Please contact the academy helpline safeguarding-help@stjamesacademy.org.uk for any additional support or information regarding mental health, wellbeing, online safety or distance learning. For immediate safeguarding concerns, please visit the COVID-19 > safeguarding & Support area of the website for further information.
Support over summer
Kooth- an online counselling and emotional well-being platform for young people 11-18 years old. Including an online chat, magazines, forums, activity centres, and live counselling.
A free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope https://giveusashout.org/get-help/
You can talk to child line about anything. No problem is too big or too small: 0800 1111 or chat online https://www.childline.org.uk/get-support/
Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. Help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 0800 008 6516
Local Support
- Dudley Educational and Child Psychology Service aims to optimise learning, development and emotional well-being of children and young people in the borough.
- Dudley Safeguarding People Partnership advice for parents, carers or those working with children.
- West Midlands Violence Reduction Unit aims to keep people safe and free of violence in their lives.
- Phase Trust believes that every child and young person has value, whether they know it or not.
- Let’s get Healthy Dudley aims to support you to make healthy lifestyle changes
- Safe and Sound Dudley’s community safety partnership
National Support
- Guidance for Parents & Carers on talking to young people about the invasion of Ukraine
- Kooth provides a safe and secure means of accessing mental health and wellbeing support designed specifically for young people.
- ThinkuKnow is the education programme from NCA-CEOP, a UK organisation which protects children both online and offline.
- Mind provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding.
- Young Minds is one of the UK's leading charities for children and young people's mental health.
- The Mix – Essential support for under 25s.
- Place2Be is one of the UK’s leading children's mental health charities.
- NHS provide mental health and wellbeing advice and guidance.
- Childline one of UK’s leading support agencies for children.
- NSPCC – National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children – this website contains a wealth of advice and resources.
- Britannica Digital Learning Free eBook: Tackling Anxiety and Encouraging Resilience!
Online Safety
- CEOP – Child Exploitation and Online Protection.
- NSPCC – Online safety advice.
- NSPCC – Online parental controls.
- INEQE – A safeguarding hub with lots of training resources and videos about staying safe online.
- Izone – Dudley website providing support.
- Safe and sound – Stay safe on social media, advice from Dudley’s community safety partnership.
- Britannica's Guide to Keeping Safe Online.