With a rise in the number of children vaping, Better Health have created teaching resources aimed at helping Key Stage 3 children understand the impact that vaping has on their physical and mental wellbeing. The three curriculum linked resources feature:

• Information on nicotine, what vaping is and the impact it has
• Films co-created by young people
• Activities to prompt pupil discussion and reflection
• Content written and reviewed by teachers
• Guidance on teaching about vaping
• Flexibility of use as either short form time activities or a full lesson plan

Download Teaching Resources here .

The Barnet Resilient Schools Programme is an innovative free initiative that takes a whole-school approach to promote and build resilience in schools, destigmatise mental health, and address mental and emotional well-being concerns early on. Resilience in schools is seen when pupils, parents, carers and staff have a greater ability to “bounce back’’ when faced with difficulties so that they can achieve positive outcomes. For further information on the programme and/or how you can become a Resilient School, please contact jayne.abbott@barnet.gov.uk.

Let's Talk about Anxiety is an animation and accompanying teacher toolkit from Schools in Mind.

Aimed at students aged 11 to 13, the resource will help young people to normalise, understand and manage anxious feelings.

As well as the animation, which was co-created with young people, the resources include:

• materials for delivering a lesson, including a PowerPoint, lesson plan and worksheets
• materials for delivering an assembly, including a PowerPoint and assembly plan
• guidance materials for teachers, PSHE co-ordinators and parents/carers.

To download the resources click here

A reminder about Alcohol Education Trust's range of evidence-based resources available now to download  or as hard copies free of charge. To order your resources, please email kate@alcoholeducationtrust.org .

The following resources are available free of charge:

• Talk About Alcohol Teacher Workbook Talk About Alcohol is based around 6 key lessons to be delivered in Years 8 and 9 by topic. The resource includes additional lesson plans, games and activities organised by topic and year group. With PowerPoints embedded into the teacher guidance, it can be downloaded via Download Teacher Workbook - Alcohol Education Trust For ease of planning and for referral a printed copy can be ordered from kate@alcoholeducationtrust.org
• ‘ Alcohol and You’ guide for young people including top tips and advice on staying safe around alcohol. alcohol_and_you.pdf (alcoholeducationtrust.org) Hard copies can be ordered by contacting kate@alcoholeducationtrust.org
• ‘Talking to Kids’ parent guide including helpful advice and information on topic including units, guidelines, the effects of alcohol and the law. ParentGuide.pdf (alcoholeducationtrust.org) We also host parent and carer talks both virtually and in school.
• Six fully planned lessons including accompanying PowerPoints. These lessons help ensure high-quality, effective alcohol education lessons with minimal planning requirements. Download via Download Lesson PLans | Alcohol Education Trust
• SEN Activity Box including laminated activity cards and the BAFTA-winning ‘Just a Few Drinks’ films. This is particularly suitable for those working with pupils SEN or more vulnerable young people.
• www.alcoholeducationtrust.org which offers a wealth of excellent resources organised by topic and year group.
• www.talkaboutalcohol.com is a pupil-facing online learning zone including fun and engaging activities and games such as an online nightclub. The site allows pupils to learn to make safe choices around alcohol in a very pupil-friendly way.
• Life Stuff (life-stuff.org) is an advice and information hub for 16+ and includes topics such as alcohol, drugs, mental health and finances.

  If you work with young people aged 16-25, we have a new set of resources looking at alcohol and cannabis. Please contact kate@alcoholeducationtrust.org for further information.

• Alcohol and cannabis resources If you work with young people aged 16-25, AET have a new set of resources looking at alcohol and cannabis. Please contact kate@alcoholeducationtrust.org for further information.

• Teacher/staff training sessions We highly recommend that to ensure that the activities, games and discussions used in Talk About Alcohol are fully understood and embraced by staff, training is organised for all relevant staff. Our highly trained staff demonstrate best practice use of our resources as well as the games and activities suitable for young people. Sessions can be tailored to suit your school and a Q and A session is also included. Evidence shows that PSHE education is best delivered by well trained staff who are trusted by pupils who know them well. ‘One off’ sessions delivered by visitors to school are enjoyed but do not lead to behaviour change as several lessons that build spirals of knowledge and understanding are key.

• Parent talks We can provide a talk to parents covering parental supply, parties, being good role models and setting boundaries, the law, what to do if things go wrong and how best to speak to young people to help them stay safe around alcohol.

FREE mental health and resilience training for schools

Mindapples has been promoting public mental health and wellbeing across the UK since 2008. Over the years they’ve received lots of similar feedback from adults “if only I was taught this at school”. The vision at Mindapples is of a world where taking care of our minds is natural and normal for everyone – and this should start with children and young people.  Since mental wellbeing and resilience became a statutory part of the curriculum, Mindapples want to help schools deliver on this promise to young people. Working with schools across the UK, they have developed a package of training and classroom resources to support teachers in delivering the new curriculum and developing an approach to mental wellbeing that can benefit the whole school community of staff, pupils and parents.  The training equips school staff with the awareness and understanding they need to take care of their own minds, and the tools to help them facilitate positive conversations about mental health and wellbeing with pupils, school communities and families, to build cultures which promote healthy habits and open conversations.

“It was a really well run, well-delivered, well-resourced and useful course which I thoroughly enjoyed.  I will be delivering training on this to our whole student body and I only hope I deliver it half as well as you did and inspire our staff to make a difference as you have me!"
Judith Firth Assistant Head Mayfield School Portsmouth

Mindapples recently took part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge and reached their fundraising target so can now provide their schools programme to more schools in the UK for FREE. They are now looking for schools to receive our training so if you would like more information on the programme, course dates and registration please visit here. If you have any questions please email Michele Worden at schools@mindapples.org.

Young Minds know how important it is for young people to have mental health advice that takes into account their faith, and cultural background. For young Muslims in particular, finding tailored support can be challenging.  For a young person who’s struggling, it can feel very difficult to talk about what you’re going through and reach out for support especially if you’re worried that the people around you won’t understand. But Young Minds want young people to know that they don’t have to struggle alone, and that they deserve to feel proud of who they are. Whoever they are. That’s why Young Minds have teamed up with Muslim Youth Helpline, and worked directly with young Muslims from across the UK, to create a range of faith friendly information and mental health advice.

Download Young Minds Faith Friendly resources here .

DfE research has indicated that the UK still experiences many challenges regarding stigma and taboo relating to periods. In addition, learner's feedback has shown that there was still a significant amount of stigma relating to periods and asking for products.

Barnet Council’s Positive About Periods aims to support children and young women throughout the Borough by raising awareness of period poverty to address the stigma and making it ok to talk about periods. Positive About Periods aims to enable all children and young people of school age to have stigma free access to free period products in school and at home without shame. As part of their efforts, Barnet Council will be holding a Positive About Periods Conference in July. The Positive About Periods Conference will be a culmination of awareness raising campaigns in the Borough and its schools. The conference will include PSHE sessions for schools to deliver and a logo competition. The conference will offer an opportunity to celebrate what’s been achieved and to plan for future action

Positive about Periods Conference:

• Date and time: 11 July 2023; 10.30 – 2pm
• Venue: Stone X Stadium

To reserve your place, please RSVP using this Eventbrite link.

If you have any questions, queries or would like more details on the Positive About Periods campaign or conference, please send an email to: kevin.lukau@barnet.gov.uk

Brook has been commissioned by Barnet Council to deliver free Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) workshops to young people in community settings, and free professionals training.

They deliver sessions in schools through:

• Assemblies
• Education Workshops
• Staff Training

Their services for young people include:

• My Life Early Intervention Programme
• Free Condom Distribution Scheme

To find out more about their various services, please visit the website or email  barnet.educationbrook.org.uk.

The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 came into force on Monday 27 February 2023.

Previously, people could enter a marriage or civil partnership at age 18, or 16 to 17 with parental or judicial consent.  The Act has raised the minimum marriage and civil partnership age to 18, removing all consent requirements.

The Act extends previous forced marriage legislation, so it is now an offence to carry out any conduct causing a child to marry before their eighteenth birthday, even if violence, threats or another form of coercion aren’t used.

Marriage and forced marriage are taught as part RSHE.
The DfE are asking schools to ensure that teaching now covers these points. Further forced marriage guidance is available here.

Loneliness can have a huge impact on our wellbeing, but there are lots of simple actions you can take to help lift yourself or others out of loneliness.

Following the success of last year’s national campaign, which saw some very positive steps towards people taking action to help feelings of loneliness, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport will soon be launching their new loneliness campaign activity as part of the Better Health - Every Mind Matters campaign.

The campaign primarily aims to reach 16-34 year olds by encouraging them to ‘Lift Someone Out of Loneliness’, knowing that this will likely help their own feelings of loneliness. This is based on recent research that shows that people in this demographic are at higher risk of feeling lonely compared to other age groups, but less likely to seek advice and support.

The Every Mind Matters loneliness webpage has advice for ways to help yourself or others who may be feeling lonely and suggested support routes.

The multi-channel, campaign will launch on 30th January and run until 13th March 2023.

The new and updated campaign toolkit for 2023, with updated key messaging, assets and draft social media copy is now available to download on the Campaign Resource Centre for you to use from 30th January.

They have also developed ‘Lift someone out of loneliness’ campaign posters which can also be downloaded on the Campaign Resource Centre.

If you require further information at this stage, please contact campaigns@dcms.gov.uk.

If you’re feeling lonely search ‘Every Mind Matters; for support and advice or go to https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/lifes-challenges/loneliness/.