The Havering Emotional Support Team (HEST) showcased its impactful work in supporting children, students, parents, and educators with emotional wellbeing initiatives in a visit from the Department for Education (DfE).

HEST supports children and young people who may be experiencing mild to moderate emotional wellbeing difficulties in educational settings as part of the Whole School Approach. The team currently works in 21 schools and 2 colleges across the borough, offering one to one support, group programmes and activity clubs.

During the full day tour of several schools and colleges, parents at Drapers Brookside Primary expressed appreciation for the support the team offer, recounting the positive changes they’ve observed in their child’s wellbeing.

At New City College Havering 6th Form, mental health practitioners explained how HEST have helped students gain quicker access to support which in turn increased capacity of the mental health advisory service offered by the college.

The DfE team joined a Brain Buddies session, at Newtons Primary School which is a 9-week programme for year 5 students. This programme teaches children techniques to reframe and manage their emotions, promoting resilience and self-awareness.

The school also have year 6 Wellbeing Ambassadors who are students, who promote positive wellbeing throughout the school in assemblies, lunch clubs and in the playground.

The day concluded with a visit to Whybridge Junior School, where each classroom now includes an area dedicated to zones of regulation, a well-being tool that supports students in recognising and articulating their emotions. This approach allows children to identify what emotions they are feeling, providing a vocabulary for their emotions. It also enables teachers and staff to offer targeted support, helping students navigate their emotions effectively.   

Leo Silvestre, Senior Mental Health Practitioner for HEST, said:

“Our mission is to provide children and young people with the tools they need to navigate their emotions and mental health. Seeing students and families benefit from our support, whether it's through group or one to one sessions or whole school approach interventions, reminds us just how important it is to make emotional wellbeing a priority in schools” 

For more information on Havering Emotional Support Teams website, please follow the link Havering Emotional Support Team (HEST) | NELFT NHS Foundation Trust