Links with specialist services
A range of specialist services are available to support and enhance the development of health promoting schools. They can become involved in a range of health promotion activities, such as:
- delivering the health education curriculum
- identifying health needs of pupils and staff
- staff training
- working with parents
- enhancing the school environment.
Checklists for working with specialist services can be downloaded here. These are designed to support teaching staff planning health education inputs with specialist services. They will also be of interest to school management, planners and specialist services.
Examples of services working in partnership
The kinds of services available will vary depending on your local area. In this section, we give examples of services working in schools to progress the health promoting school agenda. This list is not exclusive, and will be updated.
Information is included on the following services:
- school nursing service
- primary care health services
- Active Schools
- Cultural Coordinator Programme
- faith and religious organisations
- business links
- voluntary sector
- drug awareness agencies
- environmental organisations
- healthy living centres
- food action projects
- youth projects.
School nursing service
The national document A Scottish Framework for Nursing in Schools (Scottish Executive, 2003) highlights the contribution school nursing can make to the health of pupils through the health promoting schools programme:
The concept of the Health Promoting School underpins the entire framework…the starting point is that the school nursing service focuses primarily on promoting health and well being as part of a integrated cross school approach, with a focus on the needs of each child as an individual.
Recommended service components include:
- school health plans
- work with vulnerable children and young people
- health promotion activity
- links with services.
Your local school nurse can be accessed through your health board.
Primary care health services
Your local primary care health service can help to integrate health service provision in your school by providing a range of services. Ways in which the service could get involved include:
- drop in services run by local GP
- personal and social education parenting classes by health visitors
- nutrition and diet education by oral health promoters.
The resource pack Walk the Talk illustrates how health service provision for young people can be incorporated into the school setting. Helpful case studies describe school drop in clinics, counselling services, sexual health programmes and peer education. For more information on your local health services contact your health board.
Active Schools
The Active Schools Programme 2003-6 aims to increase the level of young people's participation in sport and physical activity. Depending on local resources, pupils could be given the opportunity to participate in a range of sports and activities, such as fitness testing, boxercise and The Class Moves! programme. The Active Schools page contains more information.
Cultural Coordinator Programme
Every local authority has art specialists working in schools as part of the Cultural Coordinator Programme. Schools can access a range of specialisms, such as dance, drama, visual arts and music. These can be effective and accessible mediums for addressing health topics with children and young people. By participating in arts activities, in turn young people's health, confidence and self-esteem can be enhanced.
To find out about your local cultural coordinator, contact your local authority. For more information on the Cultural Coordinator Programme visit the Scottish Arts Council website education pages.
Faith and religious organisations
Faith and religious organisations can contribute to the life of the school in various ways: for example, by providing religious workshops, pastoral care and advice on health education delivery and policy development. Information on religious and faith organisations working in schools can be found on The RE Directory website.
Sex education policy
With the release of government guidelines on sex education, religious organisations have become involved in developing policy and education materials.
For more information on particular faith perspectives on sex and relationships, you might like to contact the organisations provided on the faith contacts list.
Word file: Faith contacts (21.5KB)
Business links
Local businesses can be keen to support schools, usually in return for some form of publicity: for example, a photo opportunity in the local newspaper. Larger companies may have funds available to support initiatives, either financially, through providing products free of charge, or through allowing local fundraising activities, such as bag packing, to take place.
Voluntary sector
The diversity of the voluntary sector means that it can contribute to the health promoting schools programme in a range of ways. Examples of projects involving the voluntary sector are described below.
Drug awareness agencies: PSE drug education inputs
There is information on the Scottish Drugs Forum website. Guidance for schools on working with agencies on drug issues is on the Scottish Executive website.
Environmental organisations: playground design
There is more information on the Eco Schools page and the CSV website.
Healthy living centres: aromatherapy or stress management
Contact your local health board for more information.
Food action projects: healthy eating activities
Contact Community Food and Health (Scotland).
Youth projects: lunchtime information points
To find the youth project nearest to you, go to the Young Scot Find my nearest pages or the Youthlink Scotland website.
