THE emotional welfare of young people has been prioritised at one of the oldest schools in the North East, as their needs become more complex in the face of an unceasing global pandemic.

Investment has been poured into a wellbeing centre at Dame Allan’s Schools, in Newcastle, to ensure pupils can not only access specialist support but have a dedicated place where they feel safe, heard and understood.

The Snug has been developed in the heart of the historic senior school site in Fenham, as a positive space to house support services operating outside the curriculum, including psychotherapy, counselling, learning support and special educational needs (SEN).

Vice Principal (Pastoral) Natalie Shaw said Dame Allan’s remains proactive and “ahead of the curve” in recognising the importance of pastoral care.

She said: “Dame Allan’s has always been forward-thinking. It was the first school in Newcastle to employ a dedicated counsellor over 20 years ago, acknowledging that children need to talk to people other than their teachers or parents.

“Times continue to change, and over recent years we have seen an increase in the number of children accessing support, and a more complex array of needs.”

Last week, a report by the Health and Social Care Committee found demand for mental health services among children and young people across the UK had escalated during the pandemic.

Ms Shaw said the disruption of Covid-19, alarming headlines, and, more recently, the arrival of the Omicron variant, has created a feeling of general anxiety among both young and teenage children.

“Young people are facing new feelings of anxiety stimulated by the struggles they have been through while trying to adapt to a pandemic,” she explained.

“This isn’t isolated, it’s happening globally, and we know our students need our support. They need a place they feel safe - a positive space that is an important part of the Schools, with no stigma attached.”

Purpose-developed, with investment in building work, fittings and resources, The Snug includes a counselling area, chaplain’s room and prayer space, SEN office and soft-seating area to give pupils space away from the classrooms.

Ms Shaw said there is “a mature understanding” of mental health and wellbeing among younger generations.

“The proliferation of social media alone has brought with it many new challenges, but on the flipside, it has also fostered the ‘it’s ok not to be ok’ attitude among the young,” she said.

“That’s something we at Dame Allan’s have said for a long time and as a result there’s a palpable sense of trust here - students trust one another, and they trust us to listen.

“Students genuinely care for and respect each another, and they’re prepared to talk, to have those difficult conversations. As long as children are talking, and we are listening, then the right steps are being taken."

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