| Date Created | Date 1st Review Due | Date Reviewed | Version | Next Review Due |
| May 2023 | May 2024 | 1 | ||
| May 2024 | 2 | May 2025 |
Egham Park School recognises that supporting the mental wellbeing of our employees is important for both individuals and the school. Mental wellbeing is a key factor in an individual’s health and safety, social wellbeing and productivity. By promoting good mental health, the positive benefits are realised by individuals, their families and the broader society. The many different aspects of mental ill-health and stress are associated with a broader range of illnesses and disabilities.
A positive, supportive culture for mental wellbeing is important for all employees and therefore should be applied across the school. Everyone can contribute to mental wellbeing in our workplace and by doing so deliver a wide range of benefits to employees, the school and others. In doing so we can also support those who have experienced a mental health problem within the world of work, through better access to employment opportunities and ongoing help and assistance.
The Purpose of our Mental Health and Wellbeing policy
This policy sets out the framework for our school to provide a positive environment that promotes and support a positive state of mental health and wellbeing for our employees and those we work with.
The policy also aims to ensure those who are experiencing mental health issues are supported through a number of measures with respect, confidentiality and without discrimination.
Policy Aims
Egham Park School plans to implement this policy to achieve the following aims:
● To promote good mental health and wellbeing of all staff through effective communication of our policies and best practice.
● To increase the awareness of our workforce regarding issues associated with mental health and wellbeing and to develop the skills and knowledge of all staff to deal with these issues.
● To provide support to staff experiencing a mental health problem while in employment and upon return from any absence, whilst preventing discrimination.
Achieving the Policy Aims
Egham Park School will promote a culture of good mental health and wellbeing to all staff as follows:
● Through effective communication designed to raise awareness and understanding about mental health and wellbeing.
● By implementing measures at all levels of the organisation that provide a workplace and culture which promotes good mental health.
● By listening to our staff and adapting workplace policies (as required) and implementing the policies and evaluating their effectiveness.
Egham Park School will provide knowledge and skills training to help all staff support their own mental health and wellbeing and that of others. This training will be designed to address the following:
● The promotion of understanding of the importance of mental wellbeing to all employees, including best practice.
● How to deal with issues around mental health and stress effectively.
● Ensure that any employee suffering from mental illness is treated fairly, with respect and confidentiality and without discrimination.
● Where appropriate, the organisation will train Mental Health First Aiders to support the aims and implementation of this policy.
Providing support to our staff:
Egham Park School undertakes to provide the following measures and ways of working to promote mental health and wellbeing.
● Offering flexible working arrangements where practicable.
● Working with employees to create a culture where bullying, harassment, discrimination and racism is not accepted.
● Providing training for all employees to raise awareness of everyday contributory factors, such as stress and excessive workload, that undermine mental health.
● Ensuring that staff are aware of their obligations to promote a good working environment for the colleagues as defined within this policy.
● Implementing training and awareness to create a culture where staff are able to talk openly about mental health problems and disclose difficulties without fear of discrimination or reprisal.
● Providing proactive support for individual staff who are experiencing mental health problems, inside and outside the workplace, in a positive manner.
Where an employee is experiencing mental health issues, Egham Park School will provide support in the following ways:
● proactively making employees aware of third-party organisations that might be able to provide information, advice and support in these situations,
● offering continued employment where practicable, subject to appropriate adaptions to the role,
● In situations where the staff member experiences a period of absence from work due to mental ill-health, working with the employee to develop a “Return to Work Plan” that provides the best opportunity for the employee to return to work as soon as is reasonably practicable.
● ensuring that the employee is treated fairly and without discrimination
● encouraging staff to seek the appropriate help through the NHS or a mental health support organisation
● identifying and remediating any factors within the workplace that are contributing to the negative mental health issues.
● dealing with the mental health related issues in a sensitive manner, respecting the employee as an individual and acknowledging their right to confidentiality.
● Being mindful of the organisation’s responsibilities under The Equality Act 2010
This policy recognises that reducing stress in the workplace is a key component of supporting mental health and wellbeing. Egham Park School shall promote the principles and activities below through workforce training and ongoing staff communication:
● Workload demands and expectations placed on employees should be effectively communicated, be achievable and accepted by all parties.
● We will promote an environment where staff are encouraged to feedback to their line manager about factors in their job roles that may induce stress, such as excessive workload or overly stretching performance targets.
● Provide adequate support and training to enable the employee to meet the requirements of their role.
● Provide sufficient communication to keep employees adequately informed about any information that may impact the organisation and their roles.
Responsibilities
Principal:
● Ensure that this policy receives the necessary support and prioritisation to achieve its aims.
● Participate in the annual review of this policy and its effectiveness (See Monitoring and Review)
● Ensure that managers and supervisors are aware of, and implementing, their responsibilities.
Business and Compliance Manager:
● Ensure that staff are made aware of this policy, at induction and how to access it afterwards.
● Actively promote a culture of good mental health and wellbeing through the implementation of this policy.
● Manage and review the effectiveness of this policy on staff, and feedback to senior leadership as appropriate.
All employees:
● Read and understand this policy, including changes, seeking clarification where required.
● Support our aim of providing a culture of good mental health and wellbeing through their activities and when considering others.
● Take care of their own health and wellbeing, including mental health.
● Ensure that their actions do not affect the health and safety and general wellbeing of other people in the workplace.
● Raise issues or concerns and seek help from the Business and compliance Manager or Principal
Communication
Egham Park School will ensure that all employees have continued access to the policy throughout the length of their employment. Employees should remain informed as the policy changes and be empowered to actively contribute and provide feedback to this policy.
Monitoring and review
Egham Park School will review this policy annually or more frequently as required, for example to address issues highlighted through employee feedback or to react to legislative changes. The policy should objectively assess whether the stated policy aims have been met and review the effectiveness of the measures within this document.
Effectiveness of the policy will be assessed through:
● Feedback from the workforce, including complaints, appraisals/performance reviews, return to work surveys and exit interviews as appropriate.
● Staff turnover, retirement and sickness statistics
● Outcomes of any mental health issues supported through this policy
Emergency contacts
NHS Medical information and advice 111
SAMARITANS Emergency telephone number 116 123
MIND Infoline 0300 123 3393
Useful resources
| Anxiety UK – www.anxietyuk.org.uk |
| ACAS Help and advice – www.acas.org.uk/mentalhealth |
| NHS Choices (Moodzone) – www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression |
| RETHINK – www.rethink.org |
| The Mental Health Foundation – www.mentalhealth.org.uk |
| Workways – www.workways.org.uk |
| The Equality Act 2010 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents |