Mental Health - Place2Be

St Vincent’s works with Place2Be, a children’s mental health charity that helps children to explore their emotions and feel better about themselves. Our school counsellor is Tracey Summerlin.

“When I feel worried, it’s like I’m in a maze and the people in Place2Be are coming with a torch and showing me the way” – Child 

“My daughter had become such a different person, one we didn’t recognise, but since counselling we see signs of our old loving daughter coming back.” – Parent 

Children can go to the Place2Be room in school to express themselves by making art, playing or talking. At St Vincent’s this room is called our ‘Angel Room’ and it is based in our Year 4 suite.

When is Place2Be useful?

Sometimes children can feel sad, confused, scared or angry. Maybe something difficult happened at home, like losing a family member or parents separating. Or perhaps they’re struggling with something at school. This can make them behave differently, lose confidence in themselves or find it difficult to concentrate in class. Place2Be is there to help children find ways to cope, so their worries don’t get in the way of their friendships, their learning or how they feel about themselves.

What does Place2Be do?

Place2Be’s professionals work with children one-to-one or in small groups, giving regular support for pupils who need it. Teachers are able to make referrals based on the needs of children in their class. If you feel this is something your child would benefit from please discuss with their class teacher, one of our ELSA’s (Mrs E Sutton or Mrs Gee) or a member of SLT. At St Vincent’s we follow a graduated response to mental health and wellbeing. We can work together to find the appropriate level of support for your child.

How does Place2Be work with adults?

Place2Be provides support and advice for parents and carers, as well as teachers and school staff. Visit place2be.org.uk/family or get in touch with our Place2Be staff member to find out more.  Place2Be always gets agreement from parents or carers before they support a child through one-to-one counselling. They also meet with parents or carers regularly to keep them updated and make sure they are involved from the start. Tracey Summerlin is our Place2Be staff member and she works on Mondays. If you want to find out more about Place2Be visit place2be.org.uk  Mrs C Sutton is our Senior Mental Health Lead.