Transformation Partners in Health and Care > Resources > Schools mental health toolkit > Supporting children and young people’s mental health

Supporting children and young people’s mental health

Find information and resources to for parents and carers to support children and young people’s mental health below.

Talking about mental health with children and young people

‘This May Help’ campaign resources

  • ‘This may help’ is an initiative sponsored by Healthy Minds (run by Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership) and has been created to support parents and carers with concerns about their child’s mental health. The subjects covered on this website have been chosen by families and young people who have gone through their own mental health challenges. What helped them may also help you.

The films offer advice across six main subject areas, with ten additional films offering supporting information. The films can be viewed in any order at any time.

Talking to children about illness

  • Advice for adults on how to talk to children 0-13+ about illness, published by the British Psychological Society.

Eight tips to help comfort and young people

  • This UNICEF article explains how to talk to your child about coronavirus and outlines 8 tips to help comfort and protect children.

Good days in unusual times

  • This is a free book that can be downloaded for children and young people called ‘Good days in unusual times’ by Marie Geert Jensen. It gives children’s tips on how to take care of themselves and have good days.

Recovery is possible for everyone

  • Advice published by South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust around recovery after being diagnosed with a mental health condition and classes available at their recovery college.

FREE BOOK: everybody worries

  • Online access to a free book called ‘Everybody Worries’ by Jon Burgerman for children who may be feeling worried or anxious about anything at all.

Advice for parenting teens during COVID-19

  • Advice published by Home-Start for parenting teens during Covid-19. Home-Start is a local community network of volunteers and expert support helping families with young children through challenging times.

Creating a quiet space for kids

  • Advice from Bright Horizons Blog about how parents can create a quiet ‘time out’ place for children who may need some time alone when they are feeling sad or down.

Mindfulness

  • A booklet on mindfulness techniques for children and young people published by Healthy London Partnership. This includes graphics that can be printed as reminders such as STAR breathing, 5 ways to manage big emotions, breathing techniques and more.

Child in Mind Podcasts

  • Anna Freud (National Centre for Children and Families) have created a series of podcasts called ‘Child in Mind’ for parents to help them understand and manage child and family mental health problems. It is presented by Claudia Hammond (BBC Radio 4).

Youth Wellbeing Directory Services Near You

Anna Freud (National Centre for Children and Families) have created a directory in which you can find the closest mental health services near you. You can search by postcode or area, by name of service or by issue or topic.

Action for children – advice on helping your child when someone dies

  • Action for Children offers advice to parents in how to support children who are dealing with the death of a loved one and provide information on the various emotions when grieving.

Advice for parents during the pandemic

  • This is an infographic for parents created by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. It includes advice for what you should do and who to call if your child is displaying symptoms of an illness.

Supporting children and young people with specific disorders or learning disabilities

Information for families and children with disabilities

  • Contact is a charity which works with families with disabled children and provides guidance and advice and holds family workshops/events.

Changes in routine: advice for families with children with autistic spectrum disorder and learning disabilities

  • Advice published on Good Thinking (Digital Mental Health platform) for parents and carers of children with autism spectrum disorder and learning disabilities on how to support and manage changes in routine.

Advice for parents and carers of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

  • Good Thinking (digital mental health platform) provides advice for parents and carers of children with ADHD. In this article you can find 10 useful tips on how to manage this, and how you can calmly explain to your child what the current situation is in relation to coronavirus.

Supporting children and young people with eating disorders

 

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