A Mental Health Champion is a member of school staff who has a special interest in and responsibility for Mental Health Matters in the school.

The role of the Mental Health Champion is to:

• Work with others in school (and elsewhere if necessary) to ensure an appropriate curriculum is in place that supports pupils with their mental health. This includes helping children and young people to understand and express their feelings.
• Actively promote emotional health and wellbeing in the school.
• Be a contact for emotional health and wellbeing related services.
• Have a reasonably up-to-date knowledge and understanding of the major issues affecting poor emotional health in schools. Such as anxiety, stress, depression, bereavement and loss, eating disorders, self-harm and substance misuse.
• Be part of a network of Mental Health Champions (either by attending meetings or electronically).
• To act as a contact for all issues concerning promotion of emotional health and the provision of related services. This includes talking to the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS).
• Work with a range of staff in school to help identify students who need Universal, Targeted and High Needs mental health support. This may include completing assessments such as the Boxall Profile, Strengths and Weaknesses questionnaire etc.
• Help ensure that the school makes optimum use of the support and guidance provision available from the network and agencies that support it.
• Be willing to further professional training to gain the knowledge and understanding needed to complete the role.