Mental Health (Adult and Child)
Nurseries, childminders, schools and colleges will understand that some children and young people may be experiencing feelings such as anxiety, stress or low mood as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
There are online resources available to help you and your child with wellbeing and mental health, including:
Vodcast - Mental Health and Wellbeing of the sector
Foundation Years is pleased to share with you a vodcast taking a look at the mental health and wellbeing of the early years professionals working every day with babies and young children.
Gill Holden, Principal Officer of the Early Childhood Unit at the National Children’s Bureau (NCB), speaks to Sonia Mainstone-Cotton, an independent early year’s consultant who specialises in this area.
Gill and Sonia discuss the sort of challenges that early years professionals having been facing recently, the importance of talking about our mental health and wellbeing, how leaders can support their staff and much more.
Early Years in Mind
Early Years in Mind is a free online network for early years practitioners. The network provides easy to read and easy to use guidance on supporting the mental health of babies, young children, and their families. The network was developed by mental health experts and shares practical and clinical expertise, and advice on using attachment-informed practice.
For anyone working in healthcare, social care or childcare settings, attachment-informed practice offers an invaluable approach to working with babies, young children, and their families. It can help practitioners to both support relationships between parents and their children, and to build nurturing relationships with children themselves.
Early Years In Mind | Anna Freud Centre
The Education Hub - Mental health resources for children, students, parents, carers and school/college staff
We know that the pandemic and the associated measures and restrictions, such as social distancing and school closures, will be impacting on the mental wellbeing of some children and young people.
The Education Hub have put together some useful links and sources of support so that children and young people, parents, carers, and school and college staff can get the advice and help they need. They have also added a new module to the RSHE curriculum for primary and secondary schools specifically designed to focus on mental health. This important addition will enable much-needed conversations about mental health to happen inside the classroom.
MindEd
MindEd is a free educational resource from Health Education England on children and young people's mental health.
MindEd has e-learning applicable across the health, social care, education, criminal justice and community settings. It is aimed at anyone from beginner through to specialist.
Rise Above
Rise Above aims to build resilience and support good mental health in young people aged 10 to 16.
Every Mind Matters
Every Mind Matters includes an online tool and email journey to support everyone to feel more confident in taking action to look after their mental health and wellbeing.
Bereavement UK and the Child Bereavement Network
Bereavement UK and the Childhood Bereavement Network provide information and resources to support bereaved pupils, schools and staff.
Barnardo’s
Barnardo’s See, Hear, Respond service provides support to children, young people and their families who aren’t currently seeing a social worker or other agency, and who are struggling to cope with the emotional impacts of coronavirus (COVID-19).
You can access via the ‘See, Hear, Respond’ service self-referral webpage or Freephone 0800 151 7015.
Reporting safeguarding concerns - NSPCC
It is also vital to report any safeguarding concerns you have about any child. Contact the NSPCC helpline.
The NSPCC website has a range of resources that are useful for supporting children and young people’s mental health - NSPCC Learning
Your Wellbeing
Please see the Your Wellbeing Guide, and the Rotherham Leader Wellbeing guide
Psychological First Aid
Developed by Public Health England, specifically for frontline, essential workers and volunteers.
This free course teaches the key principles of giving psychological first aid in emergencies and aims to increase awareness and confidence to provide this support to people affected by COVID-19 (this could be both employees and service users).
By the end of the course, outcomes will include:
- Understanding how emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic can affect us
- Recognising people who may be at increased risk of distress
- Understanding how to offer practical and emotional support
Psychological first aid online course
Introduction to Adverse Childhood Experiences and Early Trauma
This free online learning covers:
- An Introduction to ACEs
- Brain Development in the Early Years
- The Impact of Childhood Adversity
- Social, Health and Community Impacts of ACEs Early Trauma
- Protective Factors
- Looking at ACEs Through a Trauma Informed Lens
- Building Resilience
Action for Happiness
It is more important than ever to be aware of our mental health. Action for Happiness is a charity founded to create a movement of people committed to building a happier and more caring society.
Action for Happiness have 'Ten keys to happier living'
- Giving: Do things for others
- Relating: Connect with people
- Exercising: Take care of your body
- Awareness: Live life mindfully
- Trying out: Keep learning new things
- Direction: Have goals to look forward to
- Resilience: Find ways to bounce back
- Emotions: Focus on what's good
- Acceptance: Be comfortable with who you are
- Meaning: Be part of something bigger
Monthly happiness calendars are published on the website and are packed with actions you can take to help create a happier and kinder world. Whether you do the activities suggested on the right day or not; there are some really useful prompts.
Download the happiness calendar
Childline #NobodyIsNormal and #ToughToTalk Campaigns
The NSPCC and Childline have published a set of downloadable posters to support two campaigns: Nobody is Normal (about being different); and Tough to Talk (boys' mental health). Posters are also available for D/deaf or hearing-impaired children.
Yes Futures - Free Wellbeing Resources for Staff
Looking after the mental health and wellbeing of school staff has never been more important. If you are a school leader or someone responsible for staff wellbeing, education charity, Yes Futures, have produced some resources to support your school community.
Having run personal development programmes for over 10 years, and teaching in the classroom before that, Yes Futures understand the challenges in schools. The resources, designed and created by teachers, guide staff through the development of their confidence, resilience, communication, and self-awareness.
Yes Futures, is a registered charity in England and Wales who aim to empower young people to develop confidence, resilience and key life skills through extra-curricular success.
Download the Yes Futures resources
Place2Be: Parenting Smart
The children's mental health charity, Place2Be, has launched a new website aimed at helping parents with typical situations they can find themselves in with their children.
Advice can be found on over forty topics including:
- Understanding sibling rivalry
- My child is lying, what does it mean, what should I do?
- My child has trouble going to sleep
- My child says, ‘I hate you!’
- Cultural identity: who am I?
Action for Children: I’m worried about my child’s eating habits
Everyone has different eating habits. But if you’re worried about your child’s relationship with food or their body, it might be worth looking for some support.
If your child’s eating habits negatively affect their everyday life, they may have an eating disorder. This is when someone uses food to cope with certain situations or feelings. Teenagers between 13 and 17 are most at risk, but anyone can have an eating disorder.
It can be helpful to know the signs and what to do if you’re worried about your child.
Read more: I’m worried about my child’s eating habits
PAPYRUS: Prevention of young suicide
Sinking Feeling Animation (Video)
PAPYRUS is the national charity dedicated to the prevention of young suicide. They have recently collaborated with a BAFTA-award winning animation studio to create Sinking Feeling. The video tackles the heart-breaking reality that many children and young people are suffering in silence without the vital help and support they need.
Sinking Feeling Animation (Video)
If you are having thoughts of suicide or are concerned for a young person who might be you can contact HOPELINEUK for confidential support and practical advice.
Call: 0800 068 4141
Text: 07860 039 967
Email: pat@papyrus-uk.org