My colleague Carol Jordan, Strategy Manager Integrated Children's Services, sent me this e-mail about some work she picked up for me...

"Hi Chris, I had a great morning with Ali the BEST team manager from Intake; the mental health practitioner from the CAMM'S service and Staningley Primary school plus staff from other primaries in the cluster participating in the launch of the Webster Stratton programme that supports positive social and emotional behaviour strategies in the classroom. Whilst the staff were attending the training 13 parents were attending a parenting course that runs alongside it. Great package.

Thankyou for recognising the potential of the programme and pointing it my way so we could fund the pilot. It is a very well produced programme that should make a significant impact to the social and emotional health of children and families in the area. The BEST team at Intake have already used the checklist to screen 100 children entering Intake this year so as to ensure there social, emotional and health needs could be taken account of as well as their academic profile when they have arranged the year 7 groups. Already they can see the difference in the school. What was really good was that a year 7 form tutor attended so as to ensure the good work going on in the primaries can be built upon at secondary level. Brian Hogg has done another great job working with the school to agree a service specification for the programme so that we can demonstrate outcomes from the project and Jackie has agreed to promote it at the Inclusion launch. I am going back to visit the school next week and again in December to see the difference. I will also present the certificates to the staff involved in the programme.

The programme looks like it will provide a good foundation for the wide range of social and emotional health programmes already offered by the BEST team across the cluster of schools. Ali is mapping these out for me so that we can ensure they are fully reflected in the emotional health strategy that CAMM's are producing. Regards Carol."

I always think that the best way to get things done is to lock into other people's enthusiasm, passion and ingenuity. This is a great project that Jackie Reid, Headteacher at Stanningley Primary School, told me about because she believed that it would make a real difference in her school with her staff, her children and her families.

It is amazing the energy and potential that is released when talented and creative colleagues get together on something like this and the results usually are stunning. Thanks to everyone involved.
Chris