Mental Health and Wellbeing

Mental Health and Wellbeing at Hillcrest

At Hillcrest Early Years Academy, we place children’s mental health and wellbeing at the heart of everything we do. We understand that supporting young minds from the very beginning helps children to feel safe, confident and ready to learn.

We are committed to creating a nurturing environment where children feel listened to, valued and supported. Through positive relationships, consistent routines and emotionally supportive practice, we help children develop resilience, self-confidence and the skills to understand and manage their feelings.

Our Senior Mental Health Officer, Miss Laura McCutcheon, works closely with staff to identify individual needs early and to put the right support in place, ensuring every child’s emotional wellbeing is cared for. Miss McCutcheon is here to support all of your children’s needs and to work in partnership with parents every step of the way.

By focusing on mental health from the early years, we aim to give every child the strongest possible foundation for a happy, healthy future.

We offer a soft start each morning from 8:40–8:50, giving children a calm and welcoming beginning to the school day. During this time, children can enjoy fruit and take part in ‘talking time’, where they are encouraged to share their thoughts, feelings and experiences in a relaxed and supportive environment.

This gentle start helps support children’s mental health and emotional wellbeing, allowing them to settle happily, build positive relationships and feel ready to learn. By starting the day feeling listened to and cared for, children are given the best possible foundation for a positive and successful day at school.

We aim to teach our children coping mechanisms and strategies that they can take with them in to adulthood, whilst also recognising that 'it is ok to not be ok' and for them to know how to get help and support.