Staff Wellbeing @ Westfield
As a school, we take mental health and wellbeing very seriously. We are currently working towards the Wellbeing award, which will demonstrate how wellbeing and mental health in our pupils, staff and parents are at the forefront of our school’s vision of leading a mentally healthy school. We have created our school action plan which is available here.
- Promoting mental health as a part of everyday life.
- Improving the emotional wellbeing of our students and staff
- Ensuring mental health problems are identified early and appropriate support provided
- Offering provision and interventions that matched the needs of pupils and staff
- Raising awareness of the importance of mental health awareness
Wellbeing is about our thoughts, feelings, emotions and ability to react to life. A good sense of wellbeing is feeling ok and able to cope, even when life or situations are challenging.
This important message gives us permission to take time for ourselves and be in the moment and focusses on the positives. This is similar to mindfulness. If you can try to follow these 5 ways throughout your daily life, you will find it much easier to cope with stress.
‘what 5 things can you do today to connect, give to others, take notice, keep learning and be active’
Children can also follow the 5 ways to well-being. This will give them long lasting skills to grow with them through adulthood to hopefully reduce the risk of them developing mental health issues.
Sometimes our wellbeing is affected by things out of our control: illness, a stressful family situation or crisis. When our wellbeing is affected and we don’t feel able to cope, this can lead to mental health concerns: sadness, depression and unhelpful thoughts that can stop us from enjoying and coping with daily life.
Mental Health Illness
Sometimes, people are born with mental health illness which affects them throughout their lives. They might have different ways of being supported and coping with their mental health illness; they might take medicine or they might have a doctor or counsellor that they talk to, to help them cope and regain a sense of wellbeing.
Mental illness is often invisible, but that doesn’t mean it should be hidden. Statistics tell us that most people suffer from a mental health concern at some point in their lives and that one in ten young people struggle with their mental health. People with any illnesses, whether they affect our mental or physical health, deserve support, help and understanding.
Breaking the stigma
Understanding and responding to our mental health and wellbeing needs is something we believe in at Westfield Primary School. We aim to take away the stigma and negativity and help our staff, pupils and families to talk openly.
Here are some websites aimed at adults, dedicated to supporting Mental Health and Wellbeing. They contain lots of good advice and a series of free, downloadable books on a range of topics including anxiety, stress, the workplace, self harm, mindfulness and exercise.
Help and support as an employee of East Yorkshire Council
As a staff member of the local authority, you also have access to a range of resources and initiatives aimed at improving your emotional health and wellbeing.
A health cash plan is a low-cost, cash-based health insurance scheme. The plan pays you cash towards your everyday healthcare costs, such as dental check-ups and treatment, eyesight tests, new glasses and contact lenses, diagnostic health consultations, health screening and therapy treatments such as physiotherapy, osteopathy, chiropractic treatment, chiropody, homeopathy and acupuncture. You can also claim cash if you have a baby, plus other benefits.
For more information please call 0800 622 552
Or to join the scheme Visit www.bhsf.co.uk or email sales@bhsf.co.uk
Employee Assistance ProgrammeYou can access:
- 24/7 Confidential Telephone Support offering unlimited in the moment support and up to six structured 30 minute telephone counselling sessions – access to fully qualified counsellors and support specialists 24/7, 365 days a year for employees to discuss in confidence any emotional, personal or work-related issues
- Experience – All Vivup telephone counsellors are post 3 years qualifications- British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP), British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP)
- 19 Self-help CBT Workbooks – a wide range of self-help Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) workbooks that offer advice and guidance on several topics including anxiety, bereavement, depression, post-traumatic stress and more
- MyMindPal mental fitness app – FREE access to MyMindPal mental fitness app, enabling employees to explore mental fitness exercises and create daily routines to support them in whatever life throws their way
- Additional Features – Parent-Child Relationship digital courses, Debt Advice, Brain and Spine Helpline and a Domestic Abuse resources and app
- Website Link: www.vivup.co.uk (you will need your six digit payroll number)
- Telephone number: 0330 380 0658
The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations (1992) state that anyone who is a habitual user of display screen equipment (e.g. VDU’s) as part of their normal job (ie.someone who uses display screen equipment for a significant proportion of his or her working day) can have their eyes tested at the expense of their employer, every two years.
If spectacles are required for Display Screen Equipment (DSE) use, then the employer must make a contribution towards the cost.
Eligible employees are able to access Specsavers Eyecare Voucher Scheme. The scheme provides for a full eye examination and should it be identified that spectacles are required solely and specifically for DSE use, the employee will be able to select a pair of spectacles from the £45 range, fitted with PENTAX CR39 single vision lenses and scratch resistant treatment. Alternatively the £45 contribution can be used as an upgrade to other frame ranges.
In addition, Premium Club, which is built into every voucher, offers a further £20 contribution when spectacles are selected from the £99 range or above, thus giving a combined contribution of £65.
More details can be found here: Vision Screening Procedure and Vision Screening Form and Premium Club Voucher
As an employee of the Council you and your family can access leisure centre membership at the discounted rate of £22.50 per person per month (normally £33).
To join and for more information call (01482) 395223.
Salary sacrifice schemes work by the employee agreeing to ‘sacrifice’ a portion of their salary in exchange for a benefit. Savings are made in relation to reduced tax and national insurance contributions. The Council operates 2 such schemes for the benefit of staff as follows:
Cars
This scheme enables employees to drive a brand new, fully insured and maintained car, with no deposit.
Just one fixed amount comes straight out of your salary each month, with everything you need included. In fact, to get driving, the only thing to add is fuel.
More details can be found at https://www.cpcdrive.org/salary-sacrifice-cars/
Our company ID is ‘ERYC’ and employee ID is your payroll number
Cycle To Work Scheme
Through the cycle to work scheme you can save at least 32% on the cost of a new bike.The cost of the bike is recouped though salary sacrifice (a monthly deduction from gross salary). Employees make savings on their tax contributions; 32% for standard rate tax payers and 42% for higher rate tax payers.
The Council has partnered with Halfords to provide the scheme and a number of local bike retailers also accept the Halfords vouchers. Virtually any of the main makes/models of bike can be accessed under the scheme up to a value of £1000.
Find out more and apply here: https://www.cycle2work.info/
Our employer code is ERYCC2W
Shop & Save is the councils staff discount scheme and there are some great discounts to be had.
Shop & Save appear in The Grapevine, it also has its own dedicated website which is updated almost daily and can be accessed from anywhere on a mobile, tablet or PC here:
Employees may be able to receive an interest free loan to undertake vocational training courses, which although not immediately essential or necessarily related to their present job could be demonstrated as adding future value to the provision of Council’s services.
Further details can be found here: Training Loans Policy
This scheme enables eligible car users to apply for financial assistance to purchase a vehicle. Applications will be considered from all permanent and temporary employees (providing their temporary contract is in excess of the loan term) who use their personal vehicle to undertake Council business.
Further details can be found here: Assisted Car Purchase scheme
The ‘Pennies from Heaven’ scheme allows employees to donate the pence in their monthly salary to charity. For example if an employee is paid £745.63 in one month, they will donate 63p to charity. The amount that employees donate will change each month, but the maximum that an employee can donate per month is 99p.
The government will add 25p in gift aid for every pound donated.
To join the scheme and to find out which charities are benefiting please see the payroll consent form here: PFH Consent form
Help and support as an employee of Westfield Primary School
We also offer support to our employees which is specific to Westfield Primary School – for further information on this please ask your line manager or the Wellbeing Coordinator.