South East Psychology CIC

South East Psychology is a social enterprise providing educational psychology services to schools and academies in London and the South East. We also offer training for school staff and parents aimed at promoting the mental health and emotional well-being of children and young people.

How does your organisation contribute to preventing suicide and supporting those affected by it?

Provision of ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) training and supervision for ELSAs.

Supervision and support for other members of staff in schools who have a lead role in mental health/ well-being/ safeguarding.

Training for school staff on mental health.

Training of crisis-coordinators in schools and involvement in responding to critical incidents.

Direct delivery of PSHE interventions to groups of students including on mental health and well-being, managing stress, self-harm and exam stress.

Individual assessment including for students with concerns regarding mental health/ emotional well-being, and person centred planning.

What are your current priorities?

Increasing capacity of school staff to understand and manage students’ mental health.

Increasing awareness in schools of the consequences and impact of trauma on children and young people.

Reducing stressors in schools for staff and students.

Increasing the capacity and resilience of children and young people to manage the demands of everyday life.

What challenges are you currently facing?

Increased “pathologising” of “normal” distress which leads people to feel deskilled and disempowered in their ability to provide support.

Lack of time in the school day for appropriate emphasis on well-being and PSHE.

Demands on schools in terms of academic expectations meaning they are less inclusive and often exclude very vulnerable young people either for a fixed term or permanently.

Inadequate CAMHS provision.

Within CAMHS a focus on diagnosis and labelling rather than understanding children and young people’s experiences and life events.