A school-based psychosocial programme, for mental/emotional wellbeing of students and staff, to create a more effective learning environment.
A joint collaboration between Meditrina, Cities for Children & Pehli Kiran School System
A joint collaboration between Meditrina, Cities for Children & Pehli Kiran School System
Needs Assessment workshop
29th-30th May 2015
Objective
To assess needs for psychosocial support and mental health care for the staff and children at PKSS.
Priority areas identified for psychosocial intervention
Priority areas identified for psychosocial intervention:
a. Psychosocial support for the staff.
b. Behaviour modification techniques/regulations.
c. Advice for the system on policy matters
e.g., engaging children & parents effectively, harassment issues.
d. Risk assessments (to identify red flags for self-harm, abuse, crime, substance abuse etc).
e. Recognition of mental health problems for students.
f. Assessment of learning disabilities in students.
g. Enhancing skills for staff to deal with common emotional problems for children.
a. Psychosocial support for the staff.
b. Behaviour modification techniques/regulations.
c. Advice for the system on policy matters
e.g., engaging children & parents effectively, harassment issues.
d. Risk assessments (to identify red flags for self-harm, abuse, crime, substance abuse etc).
e. Recognition of mental health problems for students.
f. Assessment of learning disabilities in students.
g. Enhancing skills for staff to deal with common emotional problems for children.
Recommendations
The objectives would be to:
1. Promote positive mental health for both students and staff (e.g., positive emotions, resilience, tolerance)
2. Prevent mental health problems (e.g., related to stress, learning difficulties)
3. Identify at-risk cases (e.g., if a parent has a mental illness)
4. Detect mental disorders (includes developmental disorders, depression)
5. Develop cost effective referral channels and refer appropriately (e.g., to a psychiatrist)
1. Promote positive mental health for both students and staff (e.g., positive emotions, resilience, tolerance)
2. Prevent mental health problems (e.g., related to stress, learning difficulties)
3. Identify at-risk cases (e.g., if a parent has a mental illness)
4. Detect mental disorders (includes developmental disorders, depression)
5. Develop cost effective referral channels and refer appropriately (e.g., to a psychiatrist)
Strategies
1. Prepare handouts/written material
2. Support groups for teachers
3. Training sessions for teachers
4. Specialist intervention for high risk cases
5. Develop cost-effective referral channels
2. Support groups for teachers
3. Training sessions for teachers
4. Specialist intervention for high risk cases
5. Develop cost-effective referral channels
First training session
“Learning Disability: Detecting and Managing at School.”
25 July 2015
Participants: 20 teachers & managers
The Pehli Kiran school teachers work in a challenging urban slum environment, with communities of mixed ethnicity. Often, they encounter serious problems dealing with children who disrupt the classrooms or exhibit aggressive behaviour.
The objectives were for teachers to come away with the ability to recognize general learning disability; to differentiate between different kinds of “slow learners;” and to be able to deal better with both learning and behavioral difficulties.
Following this workshop, the teachers were able to identify why children act in certain ways – and how it is possible to modify behavior without resorting to corporal punishment.
“Learning Disability: Detecting and Managing at School.”
25 July 2015
Participants: 20 teachers & managers
The Pehli Kiran school teachers work in a challenging urban slum environment, with communities of mixed ethnicity. Often, they encounter serious problems dealing with children who disrupt the classrooms or exhibit aggressive behaviour.
The objectives were for teachers to come away with the ability to recognize general learning disability; to differentiate between different kinds of “slow learners;” and to be able to deal better with both learning and behavioral difficulties.
Following this workshop, the teachers were able to identify why children act in certain ways – and how it is possible to modify behavior without resorting to corporal punishment.
2nd training session
A case-based, hands-on training session:"Working with teachers"
31st October 2015
The teachers identified difficult cases, engaged families and presented these cases. The mental health professionals demonstrated a step-by-step assessment of children who struggle to keep up with other children their age; exploring a child's development, home environment, parent's health, classroom dynamics etc.
It was a stimulating and interactive experience, at the end of which the teachers felt more confident about their skills to identify and deal with these problems.
A case-based, hands-on training session:"Working with teachers"
31st October 2015
The teachers identified difficult cases, engaged families and presented these cases. The mental health professionals demonstrated a step-by-step assessment of children who struggle to keep up with other children their age; exploring a child's development, home environment, parent's health, classroom dynamics etc.
It was a stimulating and interactive experience, at the end of which the teachers felt more confident about their skills to identify and deal with these problems.
3rd Training session
‘Connecting with the community’
19th December 2015
Highly interactive session that focused on the need to engage parents actively. Basic counselling skills were demonstrated through role-plays.
These included:
Listening carefully, letting the parent explain without interrupting, acknowledging their concerns, helping them identify their child’s strengths, setting common goals for further intervention etc.
