Digital Mental Health and Wellbeing in Schools: A Practical Guide and Resource for Embedding a Whole School Approach

Description

Digital Mental Health and Wellbeing in Schools is a practical, comprehensive toolkit for schools and colleges seeking to safeguard their students.

Growing concerns around digital safety make promoting healthy online behaviours essential. Therefore, educators must teach key critical thinking skills, enforce safeguards and foster supportive environments. The UK government highlights the importance of safeguarding children and young people online, though the issue remains globally relevant.

This toolkit will help educators embed crucial strategies into the core classroom curriculum while utilising a whole school approach. The how-to instructions and ready-to-use materials in the text allow for easy classroom implementation. These include checklists, policy frameworks, quizzes, role profiles, charters, surveys and posters. The contents serve all educational staff, especially teachers and school leaders. Mental health practitioners, school nurses and educational psychologists will also benefit.

Moreover, the author advises students to learn about and practise online safety both inside and outside the institution. Students should also actively participate in the ongoing conversation about the benefits and risks of the digital world. Ultimately, these strategies build a sustainable approach that protects students and promotes healthy and safe technology use.

The first half of this publication addresses leadership, governance, culture, and curriculum issues. The second half covers parent engagement, digital literacy, staff wellbeing and targeted support. As such, it serves as a unique resource to improve digital wellbeing long-term.

Digital Mental Health and Wellbeing in Schools can help institutions meet their safeguarding requirements. This includes strengthening PSHE (Personal, Social, Health, and Economic) education and demonstrating strong mental health and wellbeing for Ofsted inspections. Upon completion of this guide, students, staff, governors, volunteers and parents should all know how to practise and implement online safety and digital wellbeing.

Becca Randell is also the author of A-Z Guide to Children and Young People’s Digital Mental Health by Pavilion Publishing.