Emotional Wellbeing Resources for Primary School Teachers

Zippy's Friends

Zippy’s Friends is a 24 session programme for teaching social and emotional skills designed for 5-7 year olds. The Zippy’s Friends resource pack contains session plans and activities, covering topics such as; feelings, communication, relationships, conflict resolution and more. It teaches them how to cope with everyday difficulties, to identify and talk about their feelings and explore ways of dealing with them. The programme has been evaluated in Ireland and internationally and is ideal for your SPHE class.

N.B. Programme materials are only available with training

Teachers can attend either:

  • 1 day in person training - suitable for all teachers. Book Here
  • 2 hour online training - suitable only for teachers experienced in delivering SPHE to this age group. Book Here

In-person training is approved for sub cover by the Department of Education.

Department Of Education Programmes

Fun Friends, Friends for Life and My Friends Youth are school-based anxiety prevention and resilience-building programmes. 

Friends programmes help students to develop resilience by teaching them effective strategies to cope with, problem solve and manage all kinds of emotional distress, including worry, stress, change and anxiety. The programme can be run by teachers as a whole class programme, or as a small group intervention.

Many NEPS psychologists deliver training to teachers to deliver the programmes in schools. For further information about programmes that may be running in your locality, contact your school’s NEPS psychologist.

The Incredible Years Teacher Classroom Management Programme (TCM) is a classroom-based prevention and early-intervention programme designed to reduce conduct problems and promote children’s pro-social behaviour.

The programme focuses on strengthening classroom management strategies using evidence-based practices. For further information about programmes in your locality, contact your school’s NEPS psychologist.

Referral pathways for HSE Mental Health Services

The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) has set out a standard procedure for how children and young people are referred to CAMHS.