Overview of ideas for leadership and management to support wellbeing

This resource provides a list of ideas that mental health leads, school leaders and management can draw on to create, plan and develop a whole-school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing.

The resource provides several ideas for how school leaders and management can bring about strategic change and develop an effective whole-school or college approach to support staff and pupils

It covers areas such as:

• school and college policies
• working with governors, external agencies, and parents and carers
• monitoring the impact of wellbeing interventions.

Mental health leads may wish to use this resource as a starting point for discussion with leadership and management about creating or improving a whole-school or college approach. They may also wish to use it to review current practice and facilitate further planning.

Using this resource

This resource is designed for: 

• use by mental health leads working with students aged 5 to 19+.

Learning outcomes

This resource addresses the following learning outcomes: 

• Create a plan to develop, implement and sustain a whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing, tailored to their setting’s needs.
• Put in place strategies to identify, understand and overcome resistance, and bring key stakeholders with them.
• Reflect on personal development needs, and put in place plans to be effective in role.
• Sustain and continually improve the approach in their setting, working effectively with peers and support networks.
• Build stronger links with appropriate local services and feel empowered to take a role in shaping these.
• Monitor the impact of a whole school or college approach in their setting.