PRU pupils to get mental health support thanks to grant
Derren Hayes
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
Dozens of students at a London pupil referral unit (PRU) are to benefit from intensive mental health support to help them re-enter mainstream school thanks to a six-figure grant.
The City Bridge Trust has awarded £108,500 over three years to charity School-Home Support to fund a dedicated support role at its alternative provision school the Wize-Up Academy in Lewisham.
Up to 18 academy pupils each year will receive tailored, intensive mental health support from a dedicated support worker whose aim it will be to help the young people transition back into mainstream settings if possible.
The grant, which will fund the new role in the alternative provision school, which caters for up to 40 young people, will also support access to those mainstream services and build positive relationships between services and young people and their families.
Recent research found that around half of pupils in alternative provision schools have social, emotional and mental health problems as a primary need.
Jaine Stannard, chief executive of School-Home Support, said: “Our practitioner will focus on supporting young people with mental health needs and their families, and where possible support them to transition back into mainstream education.
“Having recognition and long-term investment from City Bridge Trust is incredibly helpful in ensuring we improve the educational outcomes and life chances of disadvantaged children and young people in England."
City Bridge Trust is the funding arm of the City of London Corporation’s charity, Bridge House Estates. It is London’s biggest independent grant giver, making grants of £20m a year to tackle disadvantage across the capital.
Dhruv Patel, chairman of the City of London Corporation’s City Bridge Trust Committee, said: “Looking after our mental health is extremely important, and it is something that affects all areas of our lives.
“This charity is helping young people from disadvantaged background to transform their lives to give them the best future possible, by giving them the more intensive, tailored support that will help them get onto the right path.”
The trust recently announced new emergency funding for 170 small charities in London to support them through Covid-19. It is giving grants of up to £15,000 to all of the small charities it currently supports. The money will go towards supporting the charities with running costs and to help organisations in replacing loss of income, supporting them now and in the months ahead before society begins to return to normality.
