“Empowering Lifelong Wellbeing through Education”

Wellbeing Mission Statement for Springdales School Dubai:

At Springdales School Dubai, we are committed to nurturing the holistic wellbeing of every student, providing them with the knowledge, skills, and support needed to thrive in an ever-changing world. Our mission is to create a safe, inclusive, and nurturing environment where students can flourish academically, socially, emotionally, and physically. We believe that wellbeing is the foundation for lifelong success, and we strive to instill in our students the values, resilience, and habits necessary for a fulfilling and purposeful life.

Policy Statement

At Springdales School, Dubai, we are committed to promote positive mental health and emotional wellbeing of all students, their families and members of staff and governors. Our open culture allows students’ voices to be heard, and through the use of effective policies and procedures we ensure a safe and supportive environment for all affected – both directly and indirectly – by mental health issues.

Scope

This policy is a guide to all staff – including non-teaching and governors – outlining Springdales approach to promote mental health and emotional wellbeing.

It should be read in conjunction with other relevant school policies and our Wellbeing Action Plans 2025-26.

Policy aims

• Promote positive mental health and emotional wellbeing in all staff and students. Increase understanding and awareness of common mental health issues and Enable staff to identify and respond to early warning signs of mental health in students.
• Provide appropriate support to students with mental health issues, and be knowledgeable about referral pathways for accessing specialized support for students and their parents.
• Develop resilience amongst staff and students and raise awareness of resilience building techniques.
• Instilling a culture of staff and student welfare where everyone is aware of signs and symptoms with effective signposting underpinned by behavior and welfare around school.

Key staff members

This policy aims to ensure all staff take responsibility to promote the mental health of students, however key members of staff have specific roles to play:

• School Doctor/Nurse
• Student Counsellor
• Wellbeing Coordinators
• Section Lead
• Inclusion Lead
• Principal

If a staff member has concerns about a student’s mental health or well-being, their initial step should be to communicate with either the Section Lead, the designated Wellbeing Coordinator, Guidance counsellor or the School Doctor. In situations where there is apprehension that the student may be at a high risk or immediate danger, it is imperative to adhere to the school’s child protection protocols. In cases of a child facing a severe medical emergency with a high risk, appropriate procedures must be followed, which may include seeking assistance from emergency services if deemed necessary.

Top of Form

Wellbeing Initiatives: Individual Care Plans (students)/Personal Wellbeing Plans (Staffs)

Students:

When a student is flagged for concern, diagnosed with a mental health condition, or is receiving assistance from either the Springdales School doctor, Guidance Counsellor or another organization, it is advisable to create an Individual Care Plan. The formulation of this plan should include the student, parents, and pertinent professionals.

Suggested elements of this plan include:

• Details of the pupil’s situation/condition/diagnosis
• Special requirements or strategies, and necessary precautions
• Medication and any side effects
• Who to contact in an emergency
• The role of the school and specific staff

Staffs:

At Springdales, we prioritize the wellbeing of our staff through proactive measures. For the past three years, all staff members have been actively participating in the Personal Wellbeing Approach, an initiative led by the Principal.

This structured strategy focuses on addressing day-to-day stressors through a preemptive Wellbeing Plan, equipping individuals with long-term strategies to manage stress early and sustain overall wellness. By consistently engaging with this process, we foster a healthier, more resilient work environment.

If a staff member has been identified as having a reason for concern, diagnosed with a mental health condition or is receiving assistance from the Springdales Guidance Counsellor, School doctor or another organization, it is advisable to create an Individual Care Plan.

Universally Taught Wellbeing Curriculum

Aligned with the CBSE Curriculum and the KHDA Wellbeing Framework, our program integrates essential life skills that empower students to safeguard their physical and mental health—as well as that of others. These competencies are systematically embedded in our academic structure, ensuring students cultivate holistic wellbeing alongside their scholastic growth.”

In our non-CBSE grades we follow the prime area of EYFS ‘Personal Social and Emotional Development’ goals in teaching about mental health and emotional health safely and sensitively. Incorporating this into our curriculum at all stages provides an opportunity to promote students’ wellbeing through the development of healthy coping strategies and an understanding of students’ own emotions as well as those of other people.

Agencies and Key stakeholders

We will ensure that staff, students and parents/Guardian are aware of the support and services available to them, and how they can access these services. We do this through our communication channels.  The aim of this is to ensure students, staff and parents understand:

• What help is available
• Who is it aimed at
• How to access it
• Why should they access it
• What is likely to happen next

Targeted prevention programs and support

We recognize some children and young people are at a risk of experiencing poor mental health. We work closely in supporting the emotional and mental health needs of our students and ensure timely and effective identification of students who would benefit from targeted support and ensure appropriate referral to support services by:

• Providing specific help for those children most at risk (or already showing signs) of Social, emotional, and behavioral problems.
• Collaborate with the child and their parents/caregivers through open dialogue to identify effective strategies for addressing concerns. Together, develop and implement an appropriate action plan to support the child’s needs.
• Ensure all students receive timely pastoral care, guidance, and—when needed—specialist support to address emotional, social, and behavioral challenges proactively.

Confidentiality

When a student shares concerns about themselves or a peer with any staff member, they will receive a calm, supportive, and non-judgmental response. All disclosures must be documented confidentially in the student’s file with the following details:

• Date of the disclosure
• Key details: Nature of the concern and summary of the discussion
• Staff member’s name who received the disclosure
• Agreed action plan (next steps)

When students disclose concerns, relevant information will be shared confidentially with the School Doctor, Guidance Counsellor and Wellbeing Coordinators to ensure coordinated support. Should a staff member determine that concerns need to be escalated – whether to other school personnel or to parents/carers – this step will always be discussed with the student first (where age-appropriate), respecting their perspective while prioritizing their welfare. This balanced approach maintains trust while ensuring students receive comprehensive support through established channels.

 Working With Parents & Guardians

We recognize that receiving concerning information about one’s child can be deeply upsetting for parents, and their initial reactions may vary. It’s important to approach these conversations with patience, allowing parents time to process what they’ve heard. During this sensitive period, we can help by providing them with additional resources and support options to explore at their own pace.

We always ensure to conclude these discussions by keeping communication channels open, often scheduling a follow-up call to address any emerging questions or concerns after they’ve had time to reflect. For documentation purposes, we record the key discussion points and agreements in the student’s file, and where necessary, develop an Individual Care Plan (ICP) or Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) to formalize next steps in supporting the child.

Student Wellbeing Champions Support Protocol:

Student Wellbeing Champions play a supportive role in fostering mental health awareness while maintaining appropriate boundaries. When encountering peers facing emotional difficulties, their primary responsibility is to listen with empathy, then promptly guide students to seek help from qualified adults – such as counselors, teachers, or the school wellbeing team. These peer supporters are trained to recognize when concerns extend beyond peer support capacity and understand the importance of timely referrals to professionals. While they may share basic coping strategies approved by staff, their crucial function is facilitating connections to adult support systems rather than providing guidance themselves. Wellbeing Champions help create a culture where seeking adult support is normalized and encouraged, while being protected from assuming inappropriate responsibility for peers’ mental health needs.

Training

All staff will participate in mandatory annual training on identifying and addressing student mental health concerns, integrated with our existing child protection training program. This ensures all team members can recognize warning signs and respond appropriately to safeguard student wellbeing.

Policy Review

The policy is reviewed at minimum every two years, with the next full review scheduled for August 2027. Between scheduled reviews, the Wellbeing Team will make necessary updates to ensure the policy remains aligned with current regulations, best practices, and the evolving needs of our school community. This includes making timely adjustments in response to new guidance, changing circumstances, or emerging student wellbeing concerns. The Wellbeing team are responsible for maintaining the document’s relevance and effectiveness throughout the review cycle, while ensuring all updates are properly documented and communicated to relevant stakeholders.

Appendix:

Mental Health Support Line:

• https://hope.hw.gov.ae/

Mental Health and Wellbeing agencies

• https://icasmena.com/health-wellbeing-services/
• https://www.priorygroup.ae/
• https://www.lighthousearabia.com/
• https://www.thrive.ae/
• https://americanwellnesscenter.ae/
• https://camaliclinic.com/