“We Believe, We Strive, We Achieve”
At St. Fanchea’s College, we believe in promoting positive mental health and emotional wellbeing. Prioritising the wellbeing of students and staff ensures that outstanding teaching and learning can take place, and that the school is a community where everyone feels able to thrive. The college works with a number of organisations such as AMH, Action for Children, Aware, Bernardo,Cruse and Women’s Aid to name a few, who help to compliment the valuable health and well-being messages delivered throughout the curriculum from Keystage 3 to Keystage 5.
What Is Mental Health?
Mental health is an integral and essential component of health. The World Health Organisation (WHO) constitution states: “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” An important implication of this definition is that mental health is more than just the absence of mental disorders or disabilities.
Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.
Mental health is fundamental to our collective and individual ability as humans to think, emote, interact with each other, earn a living and enjoy life. On this basis, the promotion, protection and restoration of mental health can be regarded as a vital concern of individuals, communities and societies throughout the world.
We all go through times when we feel worried, confused or down. But when it starts to feel difficult to do everyday things it could mean we have a problem with our mental health.
Remember, if you’re struggling with how you think, feel or act, you are not alone and things can get better. You deserve all the help and support you need to feel confident and comfortable being yourself so that you can enjoy life.
The Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS)
CAMHS
The Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) and Children’s Early Intervention Service (CEIS) offers support and advice to children and young people with mental health concerns. They are an integrated, specialist, community-based and multi-disciplinary service staffed by trained professionals who have expertise in working with children, young people and their families with a range of difficulties.
CAMHS provide a range of interventions which may include;
- Assessment
- Individual work with young people
- Family based work
- Parenting groups
- Group work with young people
- Specialist psychological therapies
- Family therapy
- Psychotherapy
The service also includes Specialist CAMHS Eating Disorder Team (EDT)-based in Antrim- but providing intervention to young people and families for the whole trust. They also have a Drug and Alcohol Misuse Team (DAMS) and a Crisis Team that provide intervention on a Trust wide basis.
They usually operate clinics from 9 am – 5 pm, Monday to Friday.
Referrals to the CAMHS service can be made by a GP or any other health/social care professional or education professional only. CAMHS do not accept self-referrals.
If you have a query regarding a child already being seen within the services please contact your therapist or local office.
School Counselling
Familyworks Independent Counselling Schools Service
The mental health and wellbeing of our young people during the last difficult year with the coronavirus outbreak is paramount, and we are trying to continue to support as many young people as possible over the summer break.
Summer counselling cover will be offered to pupils from 28th June – 9th July & 17th -31st August, referrals can be completed on the Familyworks website.
Below is information for our students on how to refer into the counselling service and the phone number for our helpline, which is open 9am – 2pm, Monday to Friday is 02891820341
Please see the flowchart on how the referral system works.
You can refer your child if they are Primary 7 or above through the referral form on our website
Tips to help maintain Good Mental Health
