Leaders & mental health leads
OLOL · LEADERS, MENTAL HEALTH LEADS & FIRST AIDERS
Building a community that supports wellbeing
A whole-school approach connects leadership, curriculum, relationships, inclusion, staff wellbeing and access to specialist support. Our MHWB Networks help schools learn together.
Understand · act · review
01
Understand the need
Listen to pupils, families and staff. Consider school context and barriers, including SEND and disadvantage. Use information proportionately.
02
Choose purposeful action
Identify a manageable priority, the intended difference, a named lead and an approach suited to the need. Involve pupils and families where appropriate.
03
Review the difference
Agree how and when to review. Consider lived experience alongside appropriate evidence; adapt the approach if it is not helping.
RESEARCH · EDUCATION SUPPORT · 2025
Teacher Wellbeing Index 2025
The latest edition currently listed by Education Support explores the wellbeing of teachers and education staff across the UK. These are national survey findings, not OLOL results.
What staff reported
01
76%
of education staff reported feeling stressed.
02
86%
of senior leaders reported feeling stressed.
03
49%
of education staff said organisational culture negatively affected their mental health.
A question for our teams: what can we change about workload, support and everyday working culture? Use local staff voice to identify priorities; national figures do not describe every school.
RESEARCH · ANNA FREUD · 2026
Settling into secondary school
The first phase of Anna Freud’s programme draws on pupil focus groups about starting secondary school. It highlights the importance of listening to pupils and supporting belonging throughout Year 7, rather than treating transition as a single event.
Put it into practice: keep asking what feels settled, what still feels difficult and which adult the pupil can approach. This is a discussion prompt informed by the research, not a prescribed intervention.
RESEARCH · ANNA FREUD / UCL · UPDATED FINDINGS
Education for Wellbeing: choosing approaches carefully
The programme involved 32,655 pupils across 513 schools in England. The findings identify promising approaches and emphasise thoughtful implementation and monitoring outcomes over time.
For school leaders: read the full findings, including differences between primary and secondary settings, before selecting an approach. Plan how you will check whether it helps your pupils.
Explore our resource library
Explore articles, videos, posters and practical tools below. Choose a topic to find the resources you need. Resources may appear in more than one audience section where relevant.
This collection includes material published in 2024–25. Dates on recorded sessions, campaigns and reports refer to the original publication; check the provider for current access and guidance. For urgent help, use the current NHS information on this page.
Recorded sessions & earlier events
Open resource: Measuring and monitoring children and young people’s mental wellbeing training session →
Open resource: Cost of living webinar: Supporting families in early years →
Open resource: Teacher wellbeing index – 2023 (Education Support) →
Open resource: Understanding emotionally-based school avoidance – seminar →
Open resource: Talking about anxiety in schools and colleges – seminar →
Finding help & understanding difficulties
Open resource: Trigger signs – Adult Mental Health →
Open resource: Self Harm →
Open resource: Eating Disorders →
Primary, secondary & sixth-form resources
Open resource: Tips for have a conversation about mental health with Primary School Pupils →
Open resource: Tips for starting a conversation about mental health with secondary school pupils →
Open resource: Transition to Secondary – Guidance for Parents/Carers →
Open resource: Pupil Wellbeing Poster (Primary) →
Open resource: Early Years and Transition to school →
Open resource: You’re never too young to talk mental health – Tips for talking for parents and carers (primary) →
Open resource: My self-care plan (6th Form) →
Open resource: Early years staff wellbeing: a resource for managers and teams (Anna Freud Centre) →
Open resource: Talking mental health with young people at secondary school – advice for parents and carers →
Open resource: Supporting children’s transition to secondary school →
Open resource: My self-care plan (Primary Students) →
Anxiety, feelings & resilience
Open resource: My child is anxious →
Open resource: Building Resilience – (Parents) →
Open resource: My Child is feeling sad or low – Advice →
Open resource: Mental Fitness →
Open resource: Feeling Good Enough →
Open resource: Rewire your mind →
Open resource: Building Resilience →
Open resource: Overcoming Trauma →
Open resource: Let’s talk about anxiety: teacher guidance →
Sleep, relaxation & digital wellbeing
Open resource: Managing Social Media →
Open resource: Inner Safety and Sleep →
Staff support & workplace wellbeing
Open resource: Support Staff with Mental Health Problems →
Open resource: Cycle to work – VivUp →
Open resource: Employee Assistance Programme – VivUp →
Open resource: #MyWholeSelf →
Open resource: Is staff wellbeing on your agenda? →
Open resource: Teacher wellbeing: why appreciation matters (Education Support) →
Open resource: Six reasons why mental health and wellbeing matters for workplaces (MHFA England) →
Open resource: How to support staff who are experiencing a mental health problem →
Open resource: Tips for managing stress in the workplace →
Open resource: My Whole Self MOT – Self-care →
Open resource: Workplace wellbeing toolkit →
Planning, guidance & supporting others
Open resource: Peer Pressure – Mentally Healthy School →
Open resource: Top tips for meeting with a parent/carer →
Open resource: Whole-setting Mental Health and Wellbeing Planning Tool (Thrive resource) →
Open resource: Supporting young autistic people with their mental health →
Open resource: Measuring and monitoring children and young people’s mental wellbeing: A toolkit for schools and colleges →
Open resource: Student Mental Health & Wellbeing Policy →
Open resource: Classroom wellbeing toolkit →
Open resource: 5 Steps to Mental Health and Wellbeing is a free, evidence-based framework to help you develop a whole-school or college approach to mental health. →
Self-care & everyday wellbeing
Open resource: Apps to support with Mental Health →
Open resource: Stress Container – Self Help Tool →
Open resource: Be your own therapist →
Open resource: How to have a good day! →
Open resource: Action for Happiness – Free online programme to boost your wellbeing →
Open resource: Addressing emotionally-based school avoidance (EBSA) →
Open resource: Helpful resources for young people’s mental health →
Open resource: Promoting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing →
Open resource: 10 Self-care tips to help manage your stress levels →
Open resource: WEEKLY WELLBEING CHECK-UP →
Open resource: What is stress? →
WHOLE-SCHOOL PLANNING
Start with the 5 Steps
Anna Freud’s framework supports schools and colleges to develop a whole-setting approach.
IDENTIFYING NEED
Use measurement thoughtfully
Read Anna Freud’s guidance before choosing tools. Consider suitability, accessibility, privacy and how concerns will be followed up.
MONITORING IMPACT
Evaluate support
Plan what improvement should look like and involve the pupil and family. Measurement informs support; it does not make a diagnosis.
STAFF CULTURE
Listen and act on workload
Education Support’s audits and tools can help inform discussion about staff wellbeing and organisational practice.
A useful focus for MHWB Network conversations
What have we noticed? Share patterns and pupil or staff experience without identifiable case details.
What have we tried? Explain the intended benefit and relevant evidence.
What changed? Reflect on what helped, what did not and what you will adapt.
Use the discussion to inform your school’s action plan and review. Keep individual case management within your school’s agreed systems.
MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AIDERS
Listen, connect and stay within your role
Follow your training and school procedures. Offer an initial supportive response and help the person connect with appropriate support. Do not diagnose, offer therapy or promise absolute confidentiality.
For a safeguarding concern, follow the school’s reporting procedures and involve the DSL promptly. Mental health lead and first aider roles do not replace safeguarding responsibilities.
When more help is needed
If worries or low mood are affecting everyday life, speak with a trusted adult, the school pastoral team or a GP. For urgent mental health support in England, call 111 and select the mental health option. If someone’s life is at risk or you cannot keep someone safe, call 999 or go to A&E.
Browse the existing mental health lead and first aider collection →
Information and signposting, not diagnosis or treatment. This website is not monitored for requests for help. External organisations set their own age guidance, access arrangements and privacy terms. Links reviewed October 2026.