Strategies for Safety and Wellbeing
Education for Wellbeing was a large-scale research programme, funded by the DfE, involving two randomised control trials. Education for Wellbeing evaluated five mental health and wellbeing interventions being delivered in primary and secondary schools. The aim was to examine the impact of these approaches on children and young people’s mental health. The programme ran between 2018 and 2024. Across England, 32,655 pupils across 513 schools participated in Education for Wellbeing.
One of the five interventions, Strategies for Safety and Wellbeing (SSW) is of particular interest to SEL and our ‘Brilliant ME!’ approach. Based on the research findings SSW is a recommended intervention for primary schools. SSW will be offered alongside our Protective Behaviours Training courses.
SSW is influenced by Protective Behaviours and aims to improve children and young people's skills around safety, mental health, wellbeing and accessing sources of support.
More specific goals:
- identify what feels safe or unsafe
- identify support networks for pupils
- recognise, understand and manage our feelings
- identify coping and help seeking strategies for pupils
- challenge stigma around mental illness.
Programme structure
- eight session plans, 45 minutes in length but can be adapted for a shorter session with a minimum of 30 minutes
- delivered at the same time each week for eight consecutive weeks with the same pupils
- interactive lessons including discussions, role play, animations, visual imagery and scenarios.
