Barnardo’s Registered Charity Nos and SC PINS National Seminar: Mental and emotional health & wellbeing in schools – what role for the voluntary sector? Thursday 20 th November 2008 Barnardo's Role in Developing The HandsOnScotland Toolkit

HandsOnScotland Toolkit How the toolkit idea originated The toolkit within the context of mental health improvement across Scotland Barnardo’s Scotland involvement with the toolkit The toolkit in practice Evaluation of the toolkit How the toolkit can support practice Finding out more…

Barnardo’s Scotland Supports over 10,000 children, young people and their families Offers support through over 60 community based services Works with children affected by poverty, homelessness, disability, bereavement and abuse Barnardo’s Scotland vision is that the lives of every child and young person should be free from poverty, abuse and discrimination

The National Programme for Improving Mental Health & Wellbeing launched in October 2001, the Scottish Governments National Programme aims to improve the mental health & wellbeing of the people of Scotland by addressing the following priority areas: Early years Children & young people (HeadsUpScotland) Working life Later life Community Public services

The National Programme for Improving Mental Health & Wellbeing Breathing Space Choose Life Scottish Mental Health fist Aid See Me Scottish Recovery Network HeadsUpScotland

The idea for the Toolkit SNAP report (Scottish Needs Assessment Programme) on Child and Adolescent Mental Health 2003 Found that many frontline workers from all agencies felt that they lacked the practical skills and confidence to help children and young people who have troubling behaviour Children or young people may be waiting to see a mental health specialist or may have already received specialist assessment but need ongoing support from frontline workers Identified a need for a resource to support frontline staff

Developing the Toolkit Toolkit commissioned by HeadsUpScotland Playfield Institute Playfield Institute is funded through NHS Fife and aims to empower the workforce to promote the emotional health and wellbeing of children and young people. Barnardo’s Scotland (YSIM) Young Scotland in Mind Forum is hosted by Barnardo’s Scotland and is a network of voluntary sector organisations that aim to foster a culture of working & learning together in order to promote the mental health & wellbeing of all children and young people in Scotland

Developing the Toolkit Took one year to develop Consultation with over 100 frontline workers Questionnaires to specialist workers Focus groups Consultation on style and content Check safety and accuracy of written materials Ongoing development in response to feedback

HandsOnScotland Toolkit Launched June 2007 An online resource for anybody working with children and young people One stop shop for practical information and techniques on how to respond helpfully to children and young people’s troubling behaviour 48 topics within 14 sections 25 sets of videos offering tips and advice

HandsOnScotland Toolkit Most topics will give you information on: What the topic is about Things to think about in trying to understand what may be causing the behaviour Thinking about your own response What you can do When to seek further support and help

The Toolkit in Action

HandsOnScotland Toolkit

Toolkit Feedback “very useful for bereavement work” “comprehensive and user friendly” “as a practitioner I find it a useful add on to supplement my practice” “it’s a website I’d recommend to carers themselves” “saves time trawling through websites for reliable information” “very useful as a teaching tool”

Toolkit Feedback “the young people are not really asking for anything out of the ordinary. They are looking for someone to listen to them, support them, give them some guidance… (Barnardo’s worker) Workers felt reassured that they were doing the right thing

Further information… training / information / research one-stop shop for practical information and techniques YSIM is led by Barnardo’s and funded by the National Programme for Improving Mental Health & Wellbeing

Fiona Mitchell Health Promotion Co-ordinator Barnardo’s Scotland 235 Corstorphine Road Edinburgh EH12 7AR Tel: