From the Teacher Support Network, www.teachersupport.info.

ADVICEFOR EMPLOYERS, MANAGERS, GOVERNING BODIES, STAFF AND OTHERS
Employers may be the local authority, governing body or other agency depending on the type of school.

Advice for employers

Employers have a legal responsibility to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all their employees. With regard to mental health conditions, employers must ensure policies and procedures are in place that recognise and deal with the issue of common mental health problems. These should include:

• Consideration of organisation of work
• Regular health risk assessment for the whole organisation
• Early recognition for individuals with common mental health problems (which may require training)
• Interventions that include short-term rehabilitation and return to work plans, and longer-term reasonable adjustments to work

Employers also should:

• Implement the Management Standards for Work-related Stress (from the Health and Safety Executive) or an equivalent programme such as Worklife Support’s Well-being Programme.
• Actively demonstrate recognition and acceptance of common mental health problems by creating an environment where staff feel comfortable in asking for help.
• Act early and provide consistent support.
• Enlist the support of Human Resources (HR) personnel and Occupational Health (OH) professionals (whether these are employed by the school, provided by the LA, or bought in on an asrequired basis).
• Ensure individuals have their roles and responsibilities clearly defined.

Advice for HR and Occupational Health staff

It is best practice to ensure that all school staff have access to Occupational Health services. Where they do it is important that their independent role is clearly communicated. Advice is provided to both employee and employer by these services.

HR and Occupational Health people should make sure they provide:

• Effective communication and agreed working practices for mental health issues to support employers and managers
• Practical solutions, comprehensive risk assessment, counselling, mediation and rehabilitation plans in line with an individual’s or a school’s particular requirements
• The right supply teacher insurance, which will make provision for a teacher to return to work on a phased basis where this would support full rehabilitation.

Advice for school governing bodies

Governing bodies may have additional or different responsibilities for health and safety arrangements, depending on the nature of the school. The Disability Discrimination Act places additional responsibilities on those in appropriate positions. Governors should make sure they understand what the Act requires them to do in respect of people covered by the Act.

They are also required to draw up a formal policy on how the school will respond to disabling mental health conditions among staff. They may then set periodic reviews of that policy to make sure it remains proactive and relevant.

In addition, governors should:

• Ensure policies and procedures are in place that recognise and deal with the issue of common mental health problems (as in advice to employers above).
• Ensure the implementation of the Management Standards for Work-related Stress (from the Health and Safety Executive) or an equivalent programme.
• Ensure the school has access to the support of Human Resources (HR) and Occupational Health (OH) service (provided by the LA, or bought in on an as-required basis).

Advice for line managers

By line managers, we mean anyone who has line management responsibility for one or more members of staff.

Line managers should:

• Recognise the value of good management practice with systems in place to effectively manage staff
• Foster a supportive work environment
• Pay attention to any indication of changes in performance or behaviour in staff Department for Children, Schools and Families
• Encourage sympathetic alertness to staff who develop signs of not coping
• Refer staff to Occupational Health services where available when there are concerns or absence due to work-related stress and other mental health problems.
• Keep in touch with absent staff which should start after two weeks absence and maintained at fortnightly intervals thereafter.
• Be supportive in any return to work process.

Advice for teachers and school staff

First and foremost, it is important to stress that mental health conditions are not some kind of ‘failure’. They are common and can happen to anyone, at any time in their life, and they need not arrive freighted with shame, guilt and a sense of weakness revealed.

Those working in schools share an understanding of the mutual stress and strains their job entails. Talking with colleagues, a head of department, or someone else with whom you feel an affinity can be the initial step in acknowledging that a problem exists.

There is very strong evidence that when mental health problems occur, early intervention works. This means getting support or help as soon as you think you might be experiencing a problem. If you don’t feel that you can talk to anyone at school, there are a number of other sources of support including friends and family, and support organisations (see below).

There are solutions! Talking therapies, counselling, lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise, supportive colleagues, GP advice and possible medication can all help. And whenever an individual is taking sickness leave due to a mental health problem, it always helps for them and their line manager to agree about how best they can stay in touch, because wherever possible the goal is a return to work.