New mental health support for eight to 11-year-olds in Cherwell district
A trial programme will offer tailored support in primary schools
A new mental health scheme will provide tailored support for primary school children in Cherwell district.
The one-year trial will offer services at 15 local schools. It will be funded with £55,000 from Oxfordshire County Council’s public health team and delivered by Cherwell’s wellbeing team.
It comes in response to research from Oxfordshire Mind showing that 41 per cent of primary-aged children in the area experience challenges with mental health or wellbeing.
They found that pupils in year 4 and 5 were most likely to have a mental health need, with stress being the biggest challenge.
The programme will focus on tailored emotional health and wellbeing support, offering whole-class emotional literacy sessions and one-to-one help for pupils who need extra assistance.
It will also include training for school staff to equip them to support students with mental health needs, with particular attention to neurodiversity, emotional regulation, and managing stress and anxiety.
Councillor Rob Pattenden, Cherwell District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Healthy Communities, said: “It is concerning to see that there is a rise in the number of pupils needing mental health support, but at Cherwell we’re taking a targeted, evidence-based approach to addressing it.
“Whether they’re thriving or struggling, we want to make sure that primary-aged pupils have access to the right support, embedded in their school’s offer.
“This new programme will help children identify and express their feelings, build resilience, and encourage them to seek help when they need it. By improving young people’s emotional literacy and support networks, we want to open the door to them enjoying school more and remove those obstacles to academic attainment.”
The programme aims to address rising concerns about educational attainment for struggling pupils, providing early intervention using a combination of physical activities and psychological strategies.