Mind launches Safe and effective practice support package

Following the Safe and effective practice guidance report in April, Mind has launched the Safe and effective practice support package.

It provides guidance on how to safely and effectively support participants’ and deliverers’ mental health in sport, physical activity and movement settings.

They have been working with coaches, fitness professionals and sport organisations to co-design how to turn the guidance into practice. 

The guidance includes examples of good practice for using physical activity to support those with mental health conditions. Included within these examples is the Safety Nets Programme which was developed across Yorkshire by Yorkshire Sport Foundation.

Using pilot funding the programme worked with the Child Oriented Mental Health Innovation Collaborative (COMIC) at Leeds and York NHS Foudnation Trust, CAMHS teams, clinicians and local sports foundations to deliver activities supporting children on the CAMHS waiting list to prevent further deterioration, create connectivity and use physical activity as a tool to support mental health for young people.

The package includes:

• Checklist – summarises the report with a breakdown of how to deliver physical activity programmes safely and effectively for mental health outcomes. It will help anyone to understand where they’re meeting the guidance and where they may need support. 
• Tools, resources and case studies – supports people on the areas where they may need more support. For example, practical tools such as escalation processes and how to conduct a supervision.
• Free in-person workshop – runs through the checklist identifying areas people may need support and providing guidance and tools to help them. It will also showcase good practice examples so people can see what this looks like in practice. There are 3 free workshops by the end of the year which you can book on to at:

1. • London (The Lift Islington, N1 9PW) - 12 November
   • Warrington (The Halliwell Jones Stadium, WA2 7NE) - 25 November
   • Birmingham (Trefoil House, B1 1HL) - 10 December