Don’t miss our latest toolkit for teachers, school leaders and education staff in Wales, featuring free, expert-led tools and guides to help you stay mentally healthy at work.

Select ‘CY’ at the top of this page to view it in Welsh. To view a guide below in Welsh first click on it, then select ‘CY’ at the top of the page again. 

We spoke about this terms toolkit theme ‘Self-care: giving yourself and your staff permission’ with Jess Sharkey, Staff Wellbeing Advisor in Wales, to find out why this topic is so important and how staff can prioritise their own wellbeing while still being there for students and colleagues:

‘I have to put the children, my colleagues and the school first.’

‘We must keep going until half term. We’re almost there’

‘My needs just happen to always be at the bottom of the list.’

The above (plus many more) are all phrases that I currently hear on a regular basis as a School Wellbeing Advisor in an array of school settings in Wales. In fact, I myself as a previous educator have probably used them or similar when juggling the many roles and tasks that working in a school entails. 

Our latest Teacher Wellbeing Index shows that workplace stress remains a serious issue for those working across the education sector. So with that in mind, it is essential to find time and space to take care of your own and staff wellbeing to avoid a depleted workforce with little left in their tanks.

Good communication is vital in this. Having regular conversations about wellbeing is essential in creating a safe and supportive environment that staff can feel encouraged to be open about anything they may need support with. After all, we all need support.

If mental health and wellbeing is talked about as part of the everyday, then people will pay more attention to self care, value, deepen their understanding and also begin to not feel that ‘guilt’ people can feel when prioritising their wellbeing.

‘There is too much to do, there is no time for ourselves.’ Is also a regular comment heard in and around schools. It’s impossible to do it all! By investing time in yourself to connect, rest, move, recharge and reflect you will be far more productive, logical and proactive when completing other tasks.

Remember the famous quote by writer, Katie Reed: ‘self care is giving the world the best of you, not what’s left of you.’ 

Be kind to yourself. Give yourself and others permission to set those boundaries. Begin turning those ‘to do’ lists to ‘ta da’ lists. You’ve done more than enough today!

Click on these carefully selected toolkit resources below for ideas and suggestions on how to create open, trustworthy environments, advice on how to change the way you work, think and act about mental health and confidence boosting tips to help you say ‘I have permission to focus on me right now.’ 

Has your school signed-up to our Wellbeing Advisory Service?

Get funded, expert advice from a Regional School Wellbeing Advisor in Wales. Sign-up now, at no cost to you!

Find out how other school staff in Wales have benefited from our services in Your Stories. 

Resources in this toolkit:

A reminder if you want to view a guide below in Welsh first click on it, then select ‘CY’ at the top of the page again.