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Listen
Preventing Suicide and Deliberate Self Harm
Laying the Foundations: Identifying Practice Examples
Project Report
16. Burnfoot Community School, Hawick
Target Group
The school nursing service covers the whole of Burnfoot in Hawick, including children who live in Burnfoot but who don't attend the primary school, for example, children with special needs.
Issues
The drop-in service deals with any issues that the children bring along. A lot of work is undertaken around issues such as bullying, children falling out with friends, and how to get on with people.
Services/approach
There are many initiatives being run at Burnfoot Community School - some by the school nursing service (the drop-in); others that are undertaken collaboratively.
The drop-in service (for primary school-aged children) came about as a result of work undertaken by a community health worker at the school. This was work with Primary Seven children on 'life skills', getting them to think about themselves and how they themselves and other people see them. The aim of the work was to raise self-esteem, to be positive and self-affirming. From that work came the idea of work around how people treat each other and how they get on with peers. It was decided that the best forum for such work would be a drop-in service.
One lunchtime session per week is provided for children in the age group up to Primary Five, and two lunchtime sessions per week are provided for Primary Six and Primary Seven. It is a confidential service which gives the pupils a chance to talk in private with the school nurse. Pupils either come individually or in groups.
The aim of the service is to give children a safe place to talk about issues of concern. They are explicit and honest in advance to the children about confidentiality and when this has to be breached - for example, when a child discloses information about something that is illegal. The school nurse will help them find strategies to deal with different issues, and give them a chance to talk about how they feel about it, and to think through how others feel in the situation.
A drop-in service operates at the high school as well. This is a good opportunity for the school nurse to help young people find out about and link in with other appropriate services such as local health services. For example, if a pupil is having a difficult time because they are gay, then the nurse can put them in touch with appropriate services for additional support.
The community school also runs a Breakfast Club between 8.15 - 9am every morning for children. The ethos is of mutual respect, and the aim is to be nurturing. The social aspect of the club is also important. The Club is a café where children are served by adult volunteers.
Inter-agency work is undertaken between the school nursing service and the social work department in providing Primary Seven pupils help with their transition to high school. High School pupils from S1 come and talk to them about what it is like to be at High School. They also do a mock high school timetable, and visit the high school a couple of times. They also have an opportunity to talk through the scary myths about being at High School.
Work with families includes the school nurse home visiting service and a healthy eating group. At home visiting, parents can talk about anything that is affecting them such as how to get time to yourself, strategies to cope with different things, or anger management. Other more specific issues are raised such as coping with bereavement - the school nurse can help the parent find somewhere appropriate to go for support. The idea is that families should be treated with respect.
After school activities are provided at the school for all ages of children - badminton, guitar, gymnastics, sewing and more. Some of this is under threat because of local cuts. For example on Thursday evening, activities are provided for young people of high school age. The sessions are quite formal - arranged activities such as computers, break dancing, aerobics, arts and crafts, cooking and beauty. This includes the talk time session run by the school nurse. This is a group discussion with the children - they choose topics for discussion. All sorts of social and mental health issues are covered.
The after-school activities are important in that they give young people an opportunity to talk. For example, it may be very difficult for a young man to talk about his life and how he is feeling about it. But if he is undertaking an activity at the same time, such as sewing, then it is much easier for him to talk.
There is a computer suite at the school which is used by people of all ages. A course is run in the suite by specialised trainers for people who are trying to get back into employment. The course is an opportunity to look at how to write a CV, how to use computers and the internet, as well as other personal and social skills. The idea is to help people to build up their self confidence, as well as a chance to look at future options re education, work and training.
Primary school pupils have also been teaching computer skills to their parents- the Flying High group. At this after-school group for parents, children taught the parents how to use the internet by helping them to find a design for a kite. They then built the kite together and then flew it in a competition. The school is hoping to do a similar thing again.
Key features
For further information, contact:
Ann Bianchi, School Nurse
Burnfoot Community School
Kenilworth Avenue, Hawick, TD9 8EQ
Tel 01450 373 043
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