upstream support
It’s obvious that there is a gap in provision between universal wellbeing services and successful NHS referrals (CYPMHS, known as CAMHS). That is, there is a huge shortage of resources to provide targeted approaches that promote good wellbeing and help pupils flourish.
The desperate need for ‘upstream’ educational interventions to support good mental wellbeing - prior to the need to treat mental ill health - requires practitioners who can support children and young people on a 1:1 basis to proactively develop healthy habits of mind and body.
Coaching is one modality that can be highly effective at helping someone to become more aware of their thoughts, feelings and behaviours plus develop habits such as perseverance, self-compassion, gratitude and wise curiosity.
Through non-judgmental listening and high quality coaching questions, a person can feel seen and heard in a way that allows them to set meaningful goals and take action - increasing self-efficacy and self-esteem.
The goal-setting approach of coaching has a strong evidence base in relation to wellbeing and can help with thinking patterns and habits that make a huge difference to current and future flourishing (eudaimonic wellbeing).
COACHING IS NOT A TREATMENT FOR MENTAL ILL HEALTH AND IS NOT SYNONYMOUS WITH TALKING THERAPY.
It can be helpful to think of coaching as a ‘Tier 1 plus’ intervention - that is, it’s a bit more than universal support. Coaching is bespoke to individuals but it is not delivered by a mental health practitioner like Tier 2, 3 and 4 interventions because coaching is not designed to treat mental ill health. The idea is to create habits and practices ‘upstream’ that provide tools for an individual to maintain good mental wellbeing.
Coaches can support in areas such as:
- Reframing anxious thoughts
- Confidence, courage and self-esteem
- Resilience and perseverance
- Friendships and navigating challenging relationships
- Overcoming perfectionism
- Approaches to school work and exams
- Developing healthy habits
- Self-compassion and kindness
- The Five Ways to Wellbeing
- Recognising character strengths
- Emotional literacy
- Hope and optimism
- Purpose and future-mindedness
- Feeling more settled at school
- Navigating change and transition
- Relaxation techniques
Pure/Non-advisory Coaching:
Coaches working within a purist framework will be able to work with a child or young person as long as the coachee is willing to set goals and take actions to move towards these goals. This future-focused aspect of coaching makes it different to counselling or therapy which looks to unpick past events. Pure coaching does not focus on the past nor does it provide advice or guidance.
Blended Coaching Methods:
Some coaches use a combination of coaching, mentoring and teaching to approach wellbeing, which may include learning a skill or technique, or working alongside an animal for instance. Any blended approach used by a coach will be fully explained on their profile and during contracting.
Additional Mental Health Qualifications:
Some of our coaches have additional qualifications and are mental health practitioners (due to additional qualifications, e.g., in counselling or CBT). Therefore these coaches may be able to work in an extended remit. The wellbeing lead in the school will make a decision regarding what interventions are appropriate after reviewing the coach’s profile.
