Teachers’, parents’ and childrens’ wellbeing and mental health will be a priority in schools as part of a new government initiative.

Redbridge Educational Wellbeing Team (REWT) is leading the new initiative, entitled Wellbeing for Education Return (WER), which is funded by the Department of Education and the Department for Health and Social Care.

The main focus of the WER programme are a series of workshops aimed primarily at school staff to help support their return to the classroom.

All Redbridge schools will receive training in supporting children and young people as well as parents’ and staff wellbeing, dealing with issues related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

It will also help teachers and parents to be able to spot any concerning signs of poor mental health for returning pupils, while looking out for their own wellbeing at the same time.

The workshops tailored to parents, which start on November 9, will be Action for Wellbeing and Action for Resilience.

REWT co-ordinator and specialist senior educational psychologist Claudia Noel-Michael told the Recorder: “There is a lot of pending anxiety and worry for everyone returning to schools after half term.

“This is particularly the case in Redbridge that everyone is on high alert because the infection rate is high.”

She said one of the key pieces in the workshops is making sure wellbeing is the first thing on the priority list, even higher than academics.

The parents’ workshops will run across November and December and some will be run in Punjabi, Urdu and Bengali as well.

REWT has also designed some fun and interactive workshops for children and young people aged between five to 18.

These will be run remotely using Zoom and will teach them fun, positive coping strategies and to increase their knowledge in a range of calming, therapeutic activities. The training has been developed by the e-learning platform MindEd, working closely with the Anna Freud Centre for Children and Families.

For any parents who are worried or concerned REWT’s support line is open from Monday to Friday from 9-5pm and Wednesday evenings from 5.30pm-7.30pm at 07741 331 009.

The first workshop for children and young people is on Monday, November 9, from 4-5pm for KS3 and KS4.

The following day, on Tuesday, November 10 will be a workshop for KS1 and KS2 from 4-5pm.

The first parent workshop will be on Wednesday, November 11 from 6-7pm, with a session on parent’s social, emotional and mental health on Monday, November 23 from 1-2pm.

The first staff workshop is on Thursday, November 12 from 3-4pm and then one on November 19 from 10-11.30am.

There will be six other workshops for all groups throughout November and December.

Email REWT@redbridge.gov.uk for details on how to sign up.