Wellbeing intervention programme

Unique to each emotional theme programme, there is a contents and resources card that outlines all the sessions for the 10-week programme to help the time-poor pastoral staff with the organisation of running the 10-week wellbeing programme.

The card also details a comprehensive list of any extra resources that might be needed for the children to complete all the session activities, for example, pens, paper, leaves, jam jars etc.

We also provide free Champion Planning Journals which are digital PDFs that include the contents and resources too along with a place to keep notes, observations and reflections about the sessions and the children for easy reference.

The Hamish & Milo Wellbeing Intervention programme has been developed around ten key emotional themes that children may face: friendship, resilience, anxiety, diversity, angry feelings, change, conflict, loss, sadness and self-esteem.

Each theme pack has 10 session card plans, for a 10-week small group intervention programme delivered over a term.  So the full programme includes 100 session plans.

The sessions cover a variety of activities and guided discussions. Each session has a clear format and structure that helps the children to feel contained and able to engage in the programme. In each session, the sock puppets play a part!

Each A5 session 400gsm card is finished with an anti-scuff laminate so it can withstand lots of use! They can all be stored in the session pack plastic box – the idea being that these can be used over and over for multiple groups of children.

Our primary impact measure tool is our Child Wellbeing Profiles. Unique to each emotional theme pack they are used to help identify specific areas of need within core areas of a child’s emotional health and development.

By highlighting key aspects within these areas of mental health, it is expected that SENCOs and pastoral staff in schools will have a deeper awareness of the child’s mental health, the presenting behaviours and underlying needs and will enable them to notice, identify and provide targeted intervention and care.

Used pre and post-intervention they enable you to measure impact over time as well as inform any future intervention or support.

Digital options are available for free.

Enabling parents, carers and the school to work together and have a shared understanding of the children’s needs is vital.

We include parent/carer booklets unique to each theme to help facilitate a shared dialogue and communication about the programme and how it works, each weekly activity and how they can support their children in the home environment too.

Digital copies are also available.

Some children find it difficult to accept praise and recognition but when they are able to trust the adults that are significant to them, they can begin to look for reassurance and recognition and can then thrive on praise. Motivational and reward stickers are a great way to help children feel celebrated and special. All children, but particularly those who may be more vulnerable due to adversity, need even more to feel valued and special and to be recognised for their qualities and achievements.

Our Hamish & Milo stickers are a wonderful way to show value, recognition and allow children to feel a sense of pride within themselves. Each sticker offers a motivational or rewarding phrase along with our cute Hamish and Milo characters!

We suggest that each child needs to receive a sticker at the end of each session, so there is a space for them in their wellbeing journal session pages. There are five sheets of 20 stickers included, each with a different message. There are also three extra sheets of special stickers which have a metallic finish. These can be awarded to the children for being extra special, perhaps showing bravery or kindness or trying something new.

We know certificates are the perfect way to reward children for their achievements – they feel such a sense of pride and accomplishment when they are ‘awarded’ their certificate and the children will love the Hamish and Milo characters and bright and happy design!

Our Hamish & Milo certificates are a special award for the completion of the wellbeing intervention sessions. Celebration and recognition of success is central to our approach and we hope you love these certificates as much as the children, as a special award to help each child feel proud within.

Our certificates are A5 and printed on a high-quality card with space for writing the child’s names and a special message. There is one for each child in each session pack and you can buy extra certificates in batches online.

Our very special Hamish & Milo wellbeing journals give the children the chance to celebrate who they are and to build their self-esteem. They provide the opportunity to reflect on the wellbeing sessions as they move through the 10-week programme.

Our 48-page journals are an integral part of the intervention and can be taken home to be continued or used as a memoir for the children to reflect on.

Inside, the children can write and draw about themselves, their families and their pets. They have positive affirmation statements throughout and spaces for their stickers. They can write their reflections and feelings, as well as some fun elements, such as their favourite animal and a sock puppet profile!

Each child receives an A6 wellbeing journal. There are six included per session pack but you can order extras online too.

The sock puppet pet kits are intrinsic to the delivery and approach of the Hamish & Milo programme. We know that children can relate to and feel connected to puppets and they can be extremely powerful in helping children to feel safe to talk about difficult things without them feeling exposed or vulnerable.

This wonderfully creative puppet-making activity also allows the children to be playful, creative and expressive. We encourage the pastoral staff to create a sock puppet with the children too, so they can ‘talk’ to the children via the puppet – so our packs include one set for the adult, too!

The sock puppet pet kits include everything you need – socks, googly eyes, buttons, felt, pom-poms, pipe cleaners and fabric glue. We include an instruction and advice card but allow the children the freedom to create any puppet they like!

The sock puppets will help the children join in with your discussions and to talk without fear about their feelings and experiences. We suggest they bring their puppets to each session so they can use them to speak with, or for them, and join in with the group’s activities!