Year 6 pupils in our community, making the transition into secondary school, will benefit from a new mental health programme delivered by Foundation 92.

The Headstart programme will allow us to work in some schools, providing one to one or group support, in either a classroom environment or delivering sessions, like yoga and mindfulness, to help pupils make the milestone transition in their lives.

Supported by the EFL Trust, HeadStart has been piloted across Lancashire and South Cumbria, and we have joined other EFL Club Community Organisations in delivering this programme which has helped almost a thousand pupils across the North West.

We have a Mental Health Transformation Officer in post to help reduce strain on the NHS by targeting those children currently accessing or are at risk of needing to access children’s mental health services.

In 2020, one in six (16.0%) children aged 5 to 16 years were identified as having a probable mental disorder, increasing from one in nine (10.8%) in 2017. 

Adrian Bradley, Head of Health & Wellbeing at the EFL Trust said:

“Our Club Community Organisations are well connected within schools across their communities, and we’ve seen some wonderful and impactful examples during our pilot year of delivering the programme. 

“We’re delighted that we’ve received further funding for more Club Community Organisations to deliver this programme across the North West, and reach and support as many children as possible, making that milestone transition in their lives from primary to secondary school.”

For more information about this programme, please contact Foundation 92’s Health & Wellbeing Manager, at Siobhan Mcgarel@Foundation92.co.uk.