Newsflash - Mental Health Awareness Week

Mental Health Awareness Week

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week and has come at a time when many people are struggling with the current situation of the coronavirus and lockdown, for one reason or another. Within the Education sector, this may be exacerbated by the demands on schools keeping up with current government guidance on planning and preparing for the potential wider re-opening of schools from 1 June. School leaders and staff are not surprisingly worried about the wellbeing of their families, their colleagues, the students and themselves.

It is now more important than ever that you keep in touch with staff regularly (particularly where they are not attending work for any reason or working from home) and encourage staff to raise any worries they may have. It is also essential to involve your staff in the plans you have for reopening and listen to any individual feedback to identify and aim to allay any concerns they may have.

According to research MIND recently carried out, speaking to others regularly helps many people to feel connected and therefore can help to reduce the impact or worry of poor mental health. Therefore, maintaining dialogue with staff not only on work-related matters but perhaps even organising some “virtual” social events can go a long way.

There are also more pressures on senior members of staff at the moment and it is important not to forget their wellbeing, or indeed your own.