Mental Health and Well-being

Tips Returning To School

In this short film, Dr Jess Richardson. principal clinical psychologist (National & Specialist CAMHS and Maudsley), provides straightforward, important suggestions to help parents support children who may be feeling anxious about returning to school.

Building your child's resilience during COVID 19

Resources from Birmingham's Educational Psychology Team

Managing transition

managing-unexpected-endings-transitions-may2020.pdf

coronavirus-toolkit-managing-transitions.pdf

coronavirus-toolkit-return-to-school.pdf

What is Know Your Normal?

In 2017 the Youth Council and myVoice volunteers unanimously decided that they wanted to run a campaign around mental health.

The Know Your Normal campaign aims to reduce the stigma around mental health and create resources for autistic young people to work out and understand what their normal is.

Know your normal

As young people with autism we are reclaiming the word 'normal' for World Autism Awareness Month. We want to remind people that everyone's normal is different and that those quirks that everyone has are what makes them who they are. And that is the same for people with autism.

Keys to Happiness posters for children

Actionforhappinessposters.pdf

British Psychological Society Advice for parents and schools

Children's Society - mental health Advice and resources on many aspects of mental health

Yes futures! Activities and resources for parents around wellbeing

Parent Zone 10 mental wellbeing apps for all the family

Mental Health Awareness Week

Top tips for parents

option-3-covid-advice-families2.pdf

The Five Ways to Wellbeing (and Coronavirus)

Some Top Tips from 2 of Loudmouth's Actor / Facilitators on how to use the 5 Ways to Wellbeing during the Coronavirus lockdown. Ellie and Will are Senior Actor / Facilitators and tour schools with Loudmouth's Mental Wellbeing programme Talking Heads. For more information visit www.loudmouth.co.uk

Character Building Activities

Mentally Healthy Schools - links, activities, exercises and helplines all linked to mental health for children and adults

Look at the Wild Flowers - Video Reflection

Collective Worship - reflection to help address anxiety, focussing on wild flowers.

Key points from Public Health England on helping to maintain children's Mental Health.

➢ Listen and acknowledge. Look out for any changes in their behaviour. Children may feel less anxious if they are able to express and communicate their feelings. Listen to them, acknowledge their concerns, and give them extra love and attention if they need it.

➢ Provide clear information about the situation: All children and young people want to feel that their parents and caregivers can keep them safe. Provide honest answers to any questions they have. Explain what is being done to keep them and their loved ones safe, such as washing their hands regularly.

➢ Be aware of your own reactions: It is important to manage your own emotions and remain calm, listen to and acknowledge children and young people’s concerns, speak kindly to them, and answer any questions they have honestly.

➢ Connect regularly: Make sure you still have regular and frequent contact via the phone or video calls with them if you live away.

➢ Create a new routine: Make a plan for the day or week that includes time for learning, playing and relaxing; be active for 60 minutes a day; keep to bedtimes etc.

➢ Limit exposure to media and talk about what they have seen and heard: Try to avoid turning the television off or closing web pages when children come into the room. This can pique their interest to find out what is going on – and their imagination can take over. Try to answer their questions and reassure them in an age-appropriate manner, avoiding too much detail.

The guidance also outlines how children of different ages may respond for example: 3 to 6-year olds may return to behaviours they have outgrown: toileting accidents, bed-wetting etc