Wellbeing
Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing
Good mental health is a positive state of mind and body. When you have good mental health, you feel safe and able to cope, with a sense of connection with people, communities and the wider environment. We want to support all our pupils to have good mental health, and as one of our embedded school values, we promote kindness to others and ourselves. However, just as we can sometimes struggle with our physical health, we recognise that at times we can all have changes in our thinking, our emotions and our moods, which can lead to problems with our mental health. These problems can affect our relationships with others, how well we feel and how we behave.
Ten Ways Parents Can Support Their ChildrenTo Build and Develop
Positive Mental Health Habits
- Encourage your child to talk about their thoughts and feelings
- When your child is worrying, encourage them to problem solve and look for solutions together
- Support them to build positive relationships with others
- Help them to look after their health in terms of sleep, food and exercise
- Encourage them to stay focused on the present, using mindfulness strategies if they prove helpful
- Highlight the importance of looking after their physical and mental health
- Be a mental health role model and demonstrate positive behaviours
- Praise, motivate and actively support your child to build their self confidence
- Help your child to develop and embed coping and calming strategies to help them deal with strong emotions
- As your child grows up encourage their sense of independence
Below are some useful websites and online resources to support positive mental health. Some are designed for children, others are for both children, young people and parent/carers. Please make sure that you check the site before you let your children have access. Some websites support a range of ages, so not all content will be age appropriate.
Mindfulness Course Taster Session - 16th January 2024 (Attachment at the bottom of this page)
NHS 5 Ways to Wellbeing
NHS 5 Ways to Wellbeing offers evidence based suggestions for improving mental wellbeing.
NottAlone
The NottAlone website provides easy to navigate mental help advice on a broad range of issues for young people in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. If you are aged under 25, are a parent or carer, or a professional who works with and supports young people, you can find information and advice on where to go to get help in Nottinghamshire. NottAlone was designed by professionals, parents/carers and young people, to meet the needs of the local community in Nottingham City and County.
Childline (Tel: 0800 1111)
Childline offers someone to talk to and a range of games and puzzles to take your mind off difficult things.
Kooth
Kooth provides an online counselling service for KS2 children and above.
Young Minds
Young Minds is a site for families and older children struggling with mental health difficulties. Parent Helpline: 0808 802 5544 (Mon-Fri 9:30am -4pm)
Headspace
Headspace is a meditation app with some free support for both adults and children
If you are concerned about your child’s mental health, please contact school or your GP.
If you are concerned about a child’s welfare you can call MASH (multi agency safeguarding hub) on 0300 500 80 80. If you require an urgent response outside of working hours (08:30-17:00), contact the Emergency Duty Team (EDT) on 0300 456 4546. In an emergency call 999.
Parent Support
Below are some pathways designed for parents and carers to access extra support for their families. Some of the services mentioned are aimed at parents of older children.
Please contact school if you would like some assistance or advice on accessing any of the external support mentioned below.
The Mental Health Support Team (MHST)
https://www.nottinghamshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/camhs-mental-health-support-teams
The CAMHS (Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service) Mental Health Support Team is a collaborative service across health and education. The Team works with schools across Nottinghamshire but also takes self-referrals from young people and their families directly into the CAMHS Single Point of Access (SPA) on 0115 854 2299. They will ask your permission before informing school of your participation in the project if you choose to self-refer. The MHST run a variety of parent support groups and workshops for parents of primary age children on Children’s Emotional Health and Wellbeing, sleep, managing anxiety, behaviour and SEND and anxiety. Group offers for parents/carers of secondary age children are also available.
Self-referrals can be made via the QR code below.
MHST Autumn 23 Newsletter for Parents/Carers attached below.
The Healthy Families Team
https://www.nottinghamshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/healthy-family-teams
The Healthy Families Team can offer support in a number of ways and has a ‘single point of access’ Advice Line for parents, carers and healthcare professionals who want to speak to the Healthy Family Teams, covering the 0-19 years age range. (Tel 0300 123 5436 Mon to Friday 9am – 4:30 pm)
- Website: Advice Line: 0300 123 5436
- Parentline: Text 07520 619919
- ChatHealth: Text 07507 329952
- Twitter: @NottsHFT
- Instagram: @nottshealthyfamilyteams
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/NottsHFT
Notts Help Yourself
https://www.nottshelpyourself.org.uk
The Notts Help Yourself website is designed to help people find information about a whole range of organisations and services including:
- activities, groups and events in your local community
- childcare providers
- support for children and young people aged 0 – 25 with a special educational need and / or a disability (SEND local offer)
- health and social care information and support for adults and children
- workplace health schemes.
BUNotts
Tel: 0115 7080008
BUNotts is a free early mental health and emotional wellbeing support service for children and young people. They offer a variety of services including one to one counselling and group therapy, as well as mental health advice and workshops for parents and carers.
Casy Counselling
Tel: 01636 704620
Casy counselling provides confidential counselling services to young people aged from 6 – 25 years within Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire. Parents can also receive advice and support if they are worried about their child’s behaviours, emotional problems and mental health.
Empowering Parents Empowering Communities (EPEC)
The EPEC offer early, low level intervention programmes for parents to improve communication, behaviour management, family dynamics and parent-child relationships. Parents/Carers can self-refer, and the “Being a Parent Together” Course is for parents of children under the age of 12. More information can be found through the Nottinghamshire Children’s Centre Service.
BBC Headroom
BBC Headroom provides tips and advice to support mostly adult mental health but it also includes useful parenting advice.
The Trussell Trust
https://www.trusselltrust.org/get-help/find-a-foodbank/
The Trussell Trust provides support and information on foodbanks for families who are struggling to afford the basic essentials.
Hong Kong Well
Hong Kong Well is a non-profit organisation, set up to help and support families who have settled in the UK from Hong Kong. They provide help and guidance on how to navigate National Health and Education services in the UK as well as helping with mental health assessments for children, through Cantonese speaking professionals.
Please also find below information regarding events for parent carers of children with additional needs.