SWaNS CIC is delivering a vital mental health and emotional wellbeing programme in Knutsford, working with children, young people, and families across Manor Park Primary School and Knutsford Academy. This multi-strand project is designed to build resilience, improve emotional regulation, and strengthen family dynamics—particularly in communities affected by poverty, mental health issues, and low aspiration.
The project includes:
- Emotional resilience group courses for small groups of six students, running
for an hour each week over four weeks, and repeated once per half-term in each
school. - One-to-one counselling for pupils identified by school staff, offering six tailored sessions to support individual mental health needs.
- Family therapy, a new Knutsford initiative delivered over 10 weeks to three
families per term, creating a safe space to address issues impacting home life
and relationships.
Children as young as Reception and up to age 18 can benefit, with support adapted to individual needs. Pupils and families from Longridge and Shaw Heath—areas with high levels of deprivation—are expected to benefit most. These communities experience significant challenges including low income, poor health, intergenerational unemployment, and difficulty accessing consistent support services.
The outcomes are transformative. Children who receive support become more emotionally regulated, focused in class, and better able to manage peer relationships and stress. Group work also helps them understand they are not alone in their struggles—fostering empathy, peer connection, and reduced stigma. One-to-one counselling offers deeper emotional exploration, building self-esteem, confidence, and resilience.
Family therapy provides much-needed support to parents and carers who are often overwhelmed by their own or their child’s mental health difficulties. It helps family members develop healthier communication, understand each other better, and rebuild a more stable and supportive home environment. These improvements benefit the child’s wellbeing and, over time, can enhance school attendance, behaviour, and long-term aspirations.
Impact is measured using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS), counsellor reports, and feedback forms from both students and families. Schools also report observable improvements in behaviour, reduced need for time-out interventions, and greater overall emotional stability among participants.
This service fills a critical gap, particularly for primary-age pupils, who currently have no other local mental health support. Schools have already committed to continuing and embedding SWaNS’ work where possible, using outcomes data to unlock additional funding—often through pupil premium. The demand for the service remains high, with both schools confirming that all available sessions have been filled.
SWaNS CIC brings nearly a decade of experience in child and family mental health, working across 18+ schools in Cheshire East. With a growing team of qualified counsellors trained in a range of therapeutic approaches, the organisation is known for its flexibility, quality, and deep collaboration with school staff.
By improving emotional wellbeing in children and families today, this project is building the foundations for a stronger, more resilient Knutsford tomorrow.
