Mental health is important for everyone, including children. The NHS provide a comprehensive guide on how to support a child’s mental health and wellbeing. Below are some key messages they provide to help you focus your support.

	Making sure to listen.
	Be there to regularly ask your child how they're doing, to encourage them to talking about their feelings, and feel confident in knowing there's always someone there to listen. Further information on this can be found at Young Minds: How to talk to your child about mental health.
	Fostering their interests.
	encourage your child to explore their interests. Fostering our interests can have a positive impact on our mental health and wellbeing.
	Supporting challenges.
	Pay attention to how your child is feeling or behaving and try to help them work through difficulties. It may not be easy sometimes this includes facing challenging behaviour, but continue to try to help them understand what they're feeling and why.
	Keep up to date.
	always show an interest in their life, it helps then to value who they are and helps you to recognise any problems and offer support.
	Supportive routines.
	Positive routines particularly around lifestyle habits such as sleep, health eating and being active will also continue to support their wellbeing. For more information on these areas please visit our subsequent pages: Health Diet, Sleep, Exercise and fresh air.
	Valuing what they say.
	Listening to and valuing what they say makes them feel valued. Information from Anna Freud can help you to support them with managing their emotions.

Anna Freud Mentally Health Schools have also produced a diverse resource which breaks down information and resources around ‘factors that impact mental health’ and ‘mental health needs’ to help professionals support children and young people. Anna Freud also have infomation specifically for professionals in primary settings and secondary settings.

The Childrens Society have produced a RISE Resource  which have a range of resources for children, young people, professionals and parents that offer practical tips to feel more in control and become more resilient in managing emotional wellbeing and mental health. 

The NSPCC learning podcast discuss “Supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing in schools”

Resources and Information for Professionals:

Childrens Mental Health Week runs from 5^th -11^th of February click here to find out more.

Young Minds Professionals Webpage

NSPCC “Promoting mental health and wellbeing”

Resources and Information for Parents and Carers:

Young Minds Professionals Webpage with a parent helpline which provides tailored information, advice and support to parents and carers who are concerned about their child or young person’s mental health. You can speak over the phone, or chat online.

Resources and Information for Children and Young People:

CBBC have collated a variety of child friendly videos to support mental health and wellbeing in line with the awareness week.

Young Minds Young Person Webpage

Shout “Student Support” resource for young people.

Urgent Mental Health Support for CYP

If you're feeling unable to cope, you can:

• Ring HOPELINEUK on 0800 068 4141 or the Samaritans on 116 123
• Text SHOUT to Shout's textline on 85258
  
  

If you or someone you know may attempt suicide, or you/someone you know has seriously hurt themselves, you can:

• Contact the emergency services by calling 999 and asking for an ambulance
• Speak to a trusted adult and ask them to call 999

Mind provide a full webpage here which lists useful contacts of support for children 11-18 years old. 

Updated 02/02/24