Teach Secondary 14.4

Helping hands With ECTs under more pressure than ever during their trainee year, Amy Sayer looks at what schools can do to support them and keep new recruits within the profession T he government’s School Workforce Census tells us that approximately 11.3% of ECTs leave the profession after just one year of teaching in the classroom (see tiny.cc/ts144-ECT1 ). That’s clearly a problem– so what can school communities do to better support their trainee teachers during placements, and hopefully ensure that they stay in the profession for longer? First, there needs to be some acknowledgement that schools are under pressure to address growing mental health needs among pupils. Many young people referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) either find themselves on long waiting lists, or are found to not meet a threshold for support that’s become more stringent since the pandemic. This has often resulted in teaching staff providing day-to-day mental health support for children despite lacking adequate training to do so. For ECTs in particular, this can in turn affect their ownmental health via ‘vicarious trauma’. This group needs both adequate support to ensure they canmeet the demands of their training year, plus a wellbeing toolkit they can use to monitor and maintain their mental health in a way that works for them. Reasonable adjustments As a subject tutor and ITT wellbeing coach, I’ve previously worked alongside a number of trainees with pre-existing mental health conditions or neurodiversities which, if ABOUT THE AUTHOR Amy Sayer is a freelance mental health trainer, writer and workshop facilitator for West Sussex Mind they’re not sufficiently supported by their training providers, mentors and wider school community, can lead to overwhelm. There needs to be space within the application process for trainees to disclose any long-term conditions and additional needs. This will ensure that any reasonable adjustments can be put into place from the start, giving them the best support possible from the interview process onwards. Providing trainees with specific guidance on how to maintain their wellbeing from the start of their training will further help to embed good self-care routines from the beginning of their first placement. There also needs to be shared understanding of their placement school’s support systems, so that they’re aware of who to speak to if they recognise the signs in themselves that they may need extra support. Ideally, this information should be presented as an FAQ-style document, with each form of support and its purpose clearly explained. If, for example, a trainee is having a tricky time with managing behaviour, who else, besides their mentor, will they be able to talk to, or perhaps observe and learn from? If they’re experiencing a personal health problem that’s impacting upon their teaching, and don’t feel comfortable talking to their mentor, is there anyone else they can turn to? Be curious It can also be helpful for trainees to obtain copies of the placement school’s staff policies as soon as possible. Should the trainee require any reasonable adjustments to their school duties – such as more flexible clothing options, due to sensory needs – these can be implemented from the start of their placement with support from their mentor, rather than part-way through. A trainee may require specific assistive software, or extensions to certain deadlines to support their dyslexia. Taking the time to be curious, and talk about the needs they have will make a huge difference to howwell trainees fare in their training placements, and increase the likelihood of them staying in the profession. Some schools will offer access to on-site counselling services, while others will have bought into an Employee Assistance Programme that may include a series of phone counselling sessions – both of which can quickly provide support to any trainees struggling with their mental health before things start to spiral. There are also many ITT providers that now offer one-to-one wellbeing sessions for trainees, giving them a safe, confidential space in which to discuss their wellbeing concerns. It’s important to also signpost other external support services, such as Education Support, Shout or The Samaritans. The pressures trainee teachers now face during their training year have increased significantly, due in part to the rise inmental health struggles among young people. Without appropriate support, this can take an emotional toll. Trainees with pre-existing mental health, physical or neurodiverse conditions must also be provided with reasonable adjustments so they can feel supported and, crucially, unashamed of any support needs they may have. TEACH SECONDARY SPECIAL HEALTH & WELLBEING 33 teachwire.net/secondary H E A LT H & W E L L B E I N G