What's mental health?

Your mental health affects how you feel, think and act. It refers to your emotional, psychological and social wellbeing. Your mental health can change and fluctuate on a daily basis and over time, and can be affected by a range of factors.

Just as it’s important to look after your physical health, the same is true for your mental health. Your state of wellbeing affects how you cope with stress, relate to others, make choices, and play a part in your family, community, workplace and among your friends.

Good mental health among children

When children have good levels of wellbeing it helps them to:

• learn and explore the world

• feel, express and manage positive and negative emotions

• form and maintain good relationships with others

• cope with, and manage, change, setbacks and uncertainty

• develop and thrive.

When children look after their mental health and develop their coping skills it can help them to boost their resilience, self-esteem and confidence. It can also help them learn to settle themselves, feel calm, and engage positively with their education - which can, in turn, improve their academic attainment.

At Long Melford we have two Mental Health Champions, Mrs Woolmer and Mrs Edwards.  Mrs Edwards spends some of her time in school working with individuals and small groups.  

If you have a worry that is mental health related, please speak to Mrs Woolmer or Mrs Edwards.

Alternatively, you can speak to the Primary Mental Health Worker (PMHW) on 01284 741600.  A Duty PMHW will answer the phone but you can ask to speak to Sarah Crowe, the PMHW for South Suffolk (West).

Click on the web pages below to find information and support for mental health.