Fairfax Academy mental health innovation: Fairfax Academy students are getting vital support with the challenges of modern school life – after the school appointed a ground-breaking in-house mental health expert.
Siobhan Smith-Innis, 28, spent the last nine years working for Sutton Coldfield’s YMCA, visiting local schools to work with young people one-to-one.
Now Siobhan, who trained as a primary school teacher, is using the life-coaching experience she built over those years in her new role as Fairfax’s in-house Mental Health Lead.
She can be found in a welcoming, light and relaxing office, where the walls are decked out with the key messages of a support process she has introduced at Fairfax – called ‘breathe’.
Siobhan explained: “The idea behind ‘breathe’ is very simple – we allow students to take a deep breath and give them space to talk.
“Sometimes it’s about listening, sometimes it’s about doing something that will distract them from their daily life, and sometimes it’s even about saying nothing, having peace and quiet.
“I try to make sessions as informal as possible to make it less intimidating, because I want students to feel comfortable opening up.
“I even do “walk and talk” sessions, walking around school having a chat. Some students just need a quiet space to work, which gives them a less overwhelming space than a classroom.”
Fairfax students who are experiencing difficulties are referred to Siobhan by their Head of Year, after which they fill in a form to show what areas of their life they might be struggling with.
“They can have one-to-one sessions with me, group sessions with their friends or other students, or external help,” Siobhan said.
“The basic idea of the role is spreading awareness of mental health here in school, supporting students and bridging a gap between support from home and professional services.
“The waiting lists for professional mental health can be extreme – so having someone in school shows students they’re being listened to and that they don’t have to suffer alone, whether they’re waiting for professional help or having it alongside what Fairfax provides.
“I can help point students and parents in the right direction for professional help.
“I also do group work and assemblies, and can arrange for external companies to come in and work with the students.
“There’s no cut-off for how long students work with me – I will support them for as long as I feel they need it.”
Students at Fairfax Academy lead works on-site
Siobhan said being on-site at Fairfax, in a dedicated role, was valuable as it allowed her to get to know students.
She said: “You get a real understanding of the students as individuals, at school and at home.
“Putting together input from parents, the Head of Year, the student and myself, I can get a clear overview of what’s going on for that student and what they need.
“Sometimes they just need someone to listen to them, while others need something more ongoing.”
Siobhan said that the pressures brought by social media was one of the key drivers of anxiety in young people.
“A lot of young people missed two important years of their life during COVID, which naturally had an impact on their development as individuals,”
– siobhan smith-innis
“That’s something that is evolving day by day,” she said, “But we are also still feeling the after-effects of the pandemic.
“A lot of young people missed two important years of their life during COVID, which naturally had an impact on their development as individuals.
“A lot of them haven’t found their emotional awareness yet – because the disruption caused by the pandemic meant they perhaps didn’t hit cognitive milestones that are important in early life.
“So, the pandemic caused a lot of social anxiety and separation anxiety too, which is being experienced at all schools.
“I help students identify the causes of their mental health problems, helping them to understand what’s going on.
“Group sessions can also be really useful. They show students that they’re not alone, and the person sitting next to them can be going through the same thing.”
Ultimately Siobhan’s work on Fairfax Academy mental health provision is about helping young people get to know themselves a little better.
She said: “It’s so important for them to know themselves. You don’t have to have all the answers, but being able to communicate your feelings is essential.
“It helps them emotionally and academically. For example, sometimes a student may not have done their homework because they had a difficult night at home. I can make teachers aware that they need to be patient with a student – communication is key.
“I do also encourage staff to look after themselves – if staff are burnt out, they can’t help the students! We have a whole week dedicated to staff wellbeing.”
Last week, during Mental Health Week, Siobhan led sessions that aimed to enable students to support each other, as well as giving students tips on how to de-stress.
She said: “For Mental Health Awareness week we’ve been looking at what mental health is, and how to spot if a friend may be struggling. There have been activities too, like boxing and yoga. We also looked at sleeping patterns and how to relax, helping the students to develop important life skills.
“I find working with young people very rewarding. You learn a lot and can have a positive impact on their lives.”
Principal Sean Castle said: “Siobhan’s role is an important part of Fairfax’s pastoral work, alongside things like our behavioural team and regular projects on subjects like Respect.
“Today’s students have challenges that previous generations didn’t have to face, and they are much more aware of mental health issues too.
“We also expect a lot from our students at Fairfax, not only in terms of their academic work but in their behaviour and how they treat each other. So, it’s only right that we try to provide them with the support they need.
“We are proud to have taken the step to bring in an in-house expert to support the school community in this way. It’s an innovative new role, but one which I think we can expect to see at many more schools in the future.”