Welfare checks, also called wellbeing checks, give staff a regular chance to talk about how they feel and how they are coping with work. They help staff raise concerns early and seek support when needed. These checks are not the same as performance meetings, which focus on professional targets. They are informal and supportive.
There is no statutory requirement to offer them. However, they help you understand how staff are doing and address problems before they grow.
One size does not fit all
Every school chooses its own approach. You might use scheduled one-to-one meetings, casual check-ins, or a buddy system that pairs colleagues together. Some schools link an initial meeting to performance reviews, then follow up six months later. Meeting two or three times a year should give staff enough space to raise concerns without causing meeting fatigue.
To make welfare checks effective, embed staff wellbeing across your policies and day-to-day practice. These checks should not be the only place staff can ask for help. Make sure staff know what mental health support you offer and who they can talk to about work-life balance. Ideally, school policies should reference mental health clearly.
Participation should always be optional. Staff must feel able to opt out without fear of judgement. They should also be free to request a different manager or ask for another colleague to join the meeting if that helps them feel comfortable.
Be flexible and build trust
Schedule meetings during or after school hours, according to your performance management policy. Your colleagues will have different home situations, so ask what time suits them. Keep timings flexible and respectful.
Prepare a short list of discussion questions to guide each meeting. Focus on wellbeing, stress, work-life balance, and available support. Adapt the questions to suit your school’s context.
You do not need to keep written records of informal checks. If you do take notes, explain this beforehand and allow staff to opt out. Treat any notes as confidential and explain how you will use them. Reassure staff that nothing discussed will affect appraisals or performance reviews.
Remember that welfare checks do not replace mental health professionals. If staff struggle with serious difficulties, encourage them to seek professional support. If you have a list of external services, share it during or before each check, or make it available more widely.
Simon Clark is a Content Editor at The Key, a provider of up-to-the-minute sector intelligence and resources that empower education leaders with the knowledge to act. The advice in this article is taken from The Key’s resource How to run welfare checks for school staff – which they worked on with our associate education expert Lorraine Petersen.
