Category: Healthy Schools

Information and guidance on online content relating to suicide and self-harm

In the last year there have been several concerns about online social media content, challenges and games, which relate to suicide and self-harm. This poses a particular risk for children and young people, as this type of content may become viral. The attached guidance provides information for professionals working with children and young people on how to promote online safety within this context, and how to address any concerns.

Online content on suicide and self harm

This information is summarised from the guidance issued to the local authority by Public Health England.

For further information on mental health training for schools, please see the Schools Bulletin article on forthcoming training.

Read the latest edition of the Haringey Healthy Schools Newsletter which includes:

• information from the Healthy Schools network, including introducing the Active Mile initiative into schools
• the opportunity to work towards the Silver Healthy Schools Award, including the Silver Healthy School Awards Workshop on Thursday 28 March 2019, from 9.30 – 11am at  River Park House, Wood Green, N22 8HQ
• asthma survey
• information on Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and local sexual health services for Haringey Secondary Schools
• information about International Women’s Day

The Felix Project’s Schools Programme (external link) enables schools to contribute to reducing food waste whilst also providing healthy produce to their pupils and families.

Founded in 2016, The Felix Project is a charity which aims to reduce food waste and food poverty. The charity works with hundreds of suppliers to make sure that the food they cannot sell, but which is perfectly fine for human consumption, is not wasted.

The Schools Programme delivers a minimum of five crates of healthy produce to primary schools, free of charge, each week. The primary purpose is to make the produce available to pupils and their parents on a market stall, usually at the end of a school day. Schools can also use some of the produce in food exploration lessons, to supplement breakfast clubs/after-school clubs or for other school activities.

As well as a weekly delivery, The Felix Project’s Schools Programme offers an assembly which helps to raise awareness about why food is wasted, what happens to food if it’s not eaten, the detrimental impact to the environment if food goes to landfill and…importantly…what we can do about it!

Being part of The Felix Project’s Schools programme is a practical way to reduce food waste, raise awareness of its environmental impact AND to increase access to healthy food amongst your pupils’ families.

If you would like to be part of The Felix Project’s Schools programme please contact Anne Elkins on schools@thefelixproject.org or call 07428 571696.

The Healthy Schools spring network meeting on Tuesday 5 February will focus on introducing an Active Mile (e.g. The Daily Mile) into Haringey’s schools.

An Active Mile encourages children to jog, run or walk for 15 minutes. Evidence suggests that this has a positive impact on pupils’ concentration and attainment. The agenda for the network will include:

• speakers from Haringey schools which are already successfully implementing their own version of an Active Mile;
• information from the Active Lives Children and Young People survey;
• an update on the latest childhood obesity figures, and funding for schools to invest in health and wellbeing
• the opportunity to discuss ideas and tips with colleagues from across the borough

When: Tuesday 5 February 2019 2pm – 4pm
Where: Hornsey Health Centre, Hornsey, London N8 8JD

Please confirm your attendance by emailing: healthy.schools@haringey.gov.uk

Maintained and voluntary aided schools in Haringey will be receiving a sum of money from the Healthy Pupils Capital Fund (HPCF) in January 2019, which has been generated from the government’s Soft Drinks Industry Levy (informally known as the ‘sugar tax’). The funding is intended to improve facilities for physical activity, healthy eating, mental health and wellbeing, or medical conditions in schools.

Schools which are eligible should have been contacted by Haringey Public Health in December 2018 with guidance on spending the funding appropriately. Schools are also required to complete a reporting template advising how they intend to spend the money.

Section 1 of the reporting template should be submitted to healthy.schools@haringey.gov.uk no later than Friday 5 April 2019.

For any queries, please contact Meinir Jones, Public Health Commissioner healthy.schools@haringey.gov.uk.

Healthy Child Capital Fund Guidance for Haringey Schools

Healthy Pupils Capital Fund – Reporting Template