St Monica's Catholic Primary School
Inclusion
At St Monica’s we are committed to making our school an inclusive and supportive environment for every child. If you would like more information, please contact our SENCO, Mrs Fate, on 0151 525 1245 or use the email contact form on our Contact Us page.
Children may, at times, find aspects of school life challenging—whether academically, socially, or emotionally. Here at St Monica's, we provide a range of support in school and, where necessary, work closely with external specialists such as Educational Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists, School Health Visitors and specialist teachers. Parents are always central to any decisions made and are fully involved in planning the right support for their child.
Like all Sefton schools, we follow the Local Authority’s approach to supporting pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). This ensures that every child, whatever their individual needs, has the opportunity to achieve their best. Wherever possible, and where families wish, support is provided within a mainstream setting.
Children's Mental Health Week Top Tips for Families
In 2026, the Children's Mental Health Week’s focus was 'Know Yourself', Grow Yourself'. The aim is to equip and empower children, young people, and the adults who surround them to embrace self-awareness and explore what it means to them.
Each year, Place2Be experts create fun and engaging resources for families, parents and carers to take part in Children's Mental Health Week. This year the partner is Here4You, supported by The Walt Disney Company, and the Inside Out 2 characters to explore the theme Know Yourself, Grow Yourself.
Visit https://www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk/families/
Sefton CHAT (Children's Help and Advice Team)
If you are worried about a child and think they may be at risk for harm and need a Social Worker contact CHAT (Children's Help and Advice Team). 0151 934 4013. Visit https://www.sefton.gov.uk/childrens-services/childrens-social-care/childrens-help-and-advice-team-chat/ for information.
Sefton FAST (Family Advice and Support Team)
If you or your family need help in parenting, family conflict or maintaining positive relationships, contact FAST (Family Advice and Support Team) 0151 934 4545. Visit https://www.sefton.gov.uk/childrens-services/childrens-social-care/family-advice-and-support-team/ for information.
Sefton Mental Health Support Team
Sefton Family Hubs
ADDvanced Solutions - Sefton What's On Newsletter
To follow the links in the newsletter, download the PDF version.
Please visit https://www.addvancedsolutions.co.uk/whats-on/
Life's For Living ADHD/ASC Parent Support Group
Every Mind Matters
It addresses information on wellbeing tips, life's challenges, anxiety, money worries and children and young people's mental health
It's easy to forget about your own wellbeing when life feels overwhelming. The Wellbeing section particularly has a short quiz that will produce a personalised mental health action plan with practical tips to help you deal with stress and anxiety, boost your mood, sleep better and feel more in control.
Small things can make a big difference. Click on the green button to answer 5 simple questions to get your personalised mental health action plan.
Hub of Hope
The Hub of Hope is a free UK-wide mental health database by Chasing the Stigma. It connects people to local and national support services based on their location, making it easy to find help by entering a postcode. Click/tap the image or download from the app stores, it includes options like NHS services, charities, and helplines, providing quick access to mental health support.
Action for Happiness
Action for Happiness is a movement of people committed to building a happier and more caring society, where people care less about what they can get just for themselves and more about the happiness of others. Their monthly calendars are packed with actions you can take to help create a happier and kinder world.
Liverpool CAMHS
Click on the logo above to access advice about child and adolescent mental health services - all mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, panic attacks, voices, self harm and suicide. There is training and support for parents and carers, professional and education staff.
Liverpool CAHMS Training Courses
CAMHS/MYA Training
This video gives an excellent overview of the training CAMHS and Merseyside Youth Association (MYA) provide for parents, carers and professionals. Training about many mental health topics for our young people is available including, behaviour as communication, self-harm, anxiety, sleep and body image. Click here for more information
Young Minds
Young Minds have lots of practical advice and tips on supporting your child - from how to encourage your child to open up about their feelings to dealing with mental health services. The image links to the parents page and there are also pages for young people and professionals.
Mentally Healthy Schools
Mentally Healthy Schools brings together quality-assured mental health resources, information & advice for primary schools in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Place 2 Be - Parenting Smart
There are a wide range of topics including bedtime, gaming habits, sibling rivalry, bereavement, mealtimes, transition, anxiety. There are articles and videos to support each area.
Hey Sigmund
This site has a number of articles for parents and carers to help children who have anxiety or are going through big feelings.
Bully Busters
The Bully Busters website has advice for parents as well as children. There is help about what bullying is and what it isn't; how to spot it and what action to take. There is also a helpline 0800 169 6928.
Sesame Street - Exploring Emotions
Feelings come in all shapes and sizes.
When you help children express and understand their emotions, you’re helping them to overcome challenges, understand others, and communicate. In simple everyday ways, you can give them important tools that will help them handle big feelings, little ones, and every feeling in between.
Youth Fairy
Click/tap to read this helpful article about attachment and meltdown, and much more.
NHS Leaflets
Click on the image above for NHS leaflets to support our Great Crosby Families. Topics covered: abuse, alcohol, anxiety, bereavement, Anger, depression, domestic abuse, eating disorders, food for thought, health anxiety, hearing voices, obsessions and compulsions, panic, post traumatic stress, prison support, depression and low mood for partners. These leaflets all have links to further services and support. If you need any help in these areas, for local agencies please contact Mrs Solkin atsolkinc.gcp@schools.sefton.gov.uk
NHS Better Health Healthier Families
The NHS Better Health Healthier Families website has food facts, recipes and activity suggestions to help you and your family eat better and move more.
My Family Coach
This website covers the ups and downs parenting can bring, helping you better understand your child’s behaviour, with ideas and inspiration you can use at home to bring everyone in the family closer together.
Topics covered are behaviour, anger, language, mental health, school life, screen time, friendships.
There are free articles, booklets, videos, podcasts and classes (some classes are free, some paid for).
NSPCC - Support for parents
Parenting can be rewarding, but it can also be challenging. This NSPCC webpage has parenting tips for all stages of your child's life, as well as advice on how to deal with difficult situations.
Mr. Men Little Miss Discover You
This site has Mr Men and Little Miss books about emotions and how we're all different. The series is a great tool for parents/carers and children to explore what it means to be happy, sad and everything in between.
Mat Carter brings the Discover You book series to life through interactive and story times to enjoy together at home. Consultant Clinical Psychologist Elizabeth Kilbey shares tips for parents to help them read to their kids. There are also printable creative activities to download.
Emotionally Based School Avoidance
This page includes useful resources to support families with children suffering from school anxiety due to emotional difficulties. There are guidance brochures for parents/carers, children and young people. There also documents to help you record your child's concerns and worries to use when attending school meetings to help identify support.
Parent Zone - Digital Friend Ollie
Ollee is a digital friend for children aged 8-11 – created by Parent Zone and funded by BBC Children in Need’s A Million & Me Initiative. It helps them explore feelings around school, family, friends and the world – and share advice with a parent or trusted adult.Children can tell Ollee how they’re feeling and it will give them ideas about what to do. If they’re not sure, Ollee will help them figure it out. Together, parents and children can share Ollee’s advice and talk about feelings together through connected accounts. The app is on Google Play and the Apple App Store. Click/tap the image to register for an account and to find out more.
Diabetes Awareness
Click/Tap on the image for more information about the symptoms that could indicate Type 1 diabetes. Download the Diabetes Awareness document below.
Grief Encounter
The Grief Encounter website may be useful to help children who may be struggling after a bereavement. Click/tap on the image for information that we hope can support your child through this extremely challenging time.
Click/tap the image to read the latest edition of the UK's largest parenting magazine.
Kids Helpline
When a child loses someone or something close to them it can be a challenging time. The Kids Helpline website has some tips to help parents and carers. This is an Australian website.