Building Emotional Resilience in Schools: A Pilot Study

The Curriculum for Excellence challenges schools to identify opportunities to support the health and well being of children and young people.

Increasingly in Scotland, the enhancement of mental health within schools is being prioritised, and in particular, resilience is being identified as an important capacity in optimising the future development of successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens.

Schools have the potential to offer a wide range of opportunities to boost resilience including acting as a secure base, providing many possibilities for developing self-esteem and efficacy, and enhancing constructive interaction with peers and supportive adults.

Led by YoungMinds, and funded by the Scottish Government, Falkirk Council and HeadsUpScotland, the Building Emotional Resilience in Denny Schools project is piloting a holistic approach to developing emotional resilience in a school cluster in Falkirk.

This session will provide an overview of the integrated, multi-faceted approach being taken to build resilience and emotional wellbeing in the Denny school cluster, which also incorporates a specific focus on supporting the transition from primary to high school. In addition, the presenters will also address some of the successes and challenges encountered with this project to-date, and identify considerations for future development in relation to this area.

Graeme King, Principal Educational Psychologist, Falkirk Council Educational Psychology Service