Receiving Barnardo’s PATHS Plus Programme certificates from Lord Mayor of Belfast Brian Kingston and Director Barnardo’s NI Lynda Wilson are staff and pupils from Forge Integrated Primary School (l-r) Angela Masterson, Jillian McLaughlin and Rosemary Maxwell Friendship Group Leaders together with pupils Holly Canavan and Rebecca Johnston.

Pupils and staff from Holy Rosary Primary School and Forge Integrated Primary School in South Belfast were recently recognised at a special prize giving ceremony for participating in a groundbreaking programme run by Barnardo’s NI.

A total of ten schools from across Belfast were honoured for using a highly rated support programme PATHS Plus (promoting alternative thinking strategies) at a ceremony held at Belfast City Hall.

They received certificates from the Lord Mayor of Belfast Brian Kingston and Barnardo’s NI Director Lynda Wilson for their commitment to the programme which aims to improve the social and emotional learning of primary school children. The programme which was developed in the US is also designed to help children develop problem-solving skills, how to handle conflict positively and make responsible decisions.

Lynda Wilson, Director Barnardo’s NI said: “We know how important it is to ensure the mental well-being of our children throughout their childhood and the work of this project demonstrates the benefits of this approach for the whole school.”

Mairead Ewart who leads the PATHS Plus programme for Barnardo’s said it is providing the children with skills they will be able to use for life: “PATHS helps children recognise how they are feeling and gives them skills to manage that. It also helps them recognise how others might be feeling and to feel empathy and show support. An additional part of the programme involves Friendship Groups which supports children to understand how to make positive relationships. Overall it helps children calm down and engage with learning by thinking and problem solving.”

Holy Rosary Primary School and Forge Integrated Primary School are two of 69 primaries and 11,500 children across Northern Ireland which have benefited from the PATHS Plus Programme over the past three years.

For more information visit www.pathseducation.co.uk or www.barnados.org.uk