The Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) intervention aims to build capacity within schools to support emotional wellbeing needs. Within the current evidence base, there appears to be an under-representation of student voice. This study adopted an in-depth survey design using pre, during and post intervention semi-structured interviews, to…

This paper considers the topic of student wellbeing using the lens of a different type of support mechanism -- 'dog borrowing' -- which builds on prior research about emotion work and human-animal interactions but in the context of student transitions and pastoral care in higher education. This novel study was about the experiences of students…

Increasing rates of mental health difficulties for young people in the UK are often described, though seldom from young people's perspective or viewpoint. The Schools NorthEast Healthy MindED Commission works towards supporting schools to understand and mitigate the factors affecting young people's mental health, and through doing so enable better…

To develop positive learning environments, it is important that supporting mental health and wellbeing is a priority. Whole-school programmes are considered an effective way of developing provision in schools; however, poor implementation can limit the impact of such programmes, and there is a lack of clarity about the key factors affecting the…

The authors highlight the role of love and care as the 'lifeblood of being-well' for teachers in England. The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed unprecedented stressors on teachers. However, the article problematises and goes beyond the dominant narrative of 'sudden crisis' on the grounds that this may obscure the complex realities of a profession…

Schools have been identified as well placed to support students' wellbeing and encouraging the active participation of children and young people in school life is in line with current English legislation. Student-led research has the potential to create a positive, long-lasting impact. This evaluative systematic literature review (SLR) sought to…

The author provides a critique of the current campaign promoting well-being and mental health in UK schools. The paper focuses on the unintended consequences of aligning with a medical model of understanding mental health which include concerns about ignoring ecological factors and, to some extent the social construction of individual mental…

Little is known about the role of teachers in fostering wellbeing in the everyday context of school life. This paper explores the phenomenon among a sample of Norwegian teachers. Focus groups with 23 teachers in four schools (grades 1-10) in Norway were conducted. In the analysis of the findings three themes were developed: 1) fostering student…

This research describes a constructivist grounded theory-study exploring Canadian adolescent student perceptions and experiences of what the author describes as educational care, the care offered to them by their teachers. Educational care is a North American concept that resonates with the British "Pastoral Care" construct. Interview…

Today's digital world is plagued with cyberbullying, not only among youth but also involving adults and children. This research examines Kuwaiti children's parents' cyberbullying experiences. The survey seeks to understand parents' views on cyberbullying, detection, and solutions. Using a descriptive technique, the study surveyed 392 Kuwaiti…

'Happy Children' was launched as part of the Friendship Cards initiative. FC is an educational tool that was developed by Relationships are Forever Foundation (RAFF), in collaboration with various professionals coming from the field of education and counselling. This study examines the effects of the use of FC interactive tool on children's…

The prevalence of mental health and emotional well-being difficulties in children is increasing, and schools play a key role in addressing this. Whole-school approaches have been suggested as an effective way of supporting children's mental health and well-being; however, there appears to be no consistent approach to their evaluation, and…

This paper addresses one of the biggest challenges facing Pastoral Care in Education today: the impact of COVID-19 on children's wellbeing. The negative effects on children's wellbeing and mental health are already being widely reported (e.g.; Loades et al. 2020). Therefore, this paper will outline both the impact of COVID-19 on children's…

The COVID-19 pandemic is an event that will be written about in history, given its impact on life across the globe, on ways of working, on mortality rates and on day to day living. How schools undertook their work changed across the pandemic, as school buildings both in Ireland and across the world closed for long periods of time. In this…

Ethnic and racial identity (ERI) has long been considered a central component of psychological wellbeing, particularly for adolescents and young people from Black and minority ethnic (BME) communities. Supplementary schools are geared towards the cultivation of positive group identification and a sense of belonging; central components of ERI.…