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Find local confidential support and tips and tools to help you feel more connected, improve your confidence, or deal with anxiety or low mood. It’s all here in one place.

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Find local confidential support and tips and tools to help you feel more connected, improve your confidence, or deal with anxiety or low mood. It’s all here in one place.

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The City of Edinburgh Council. Putting our customers first and looking after Edinburgh.

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Find creative ways to involve the entire family in physical activities. From weekend hikes to after-dinner walks, discover how to make exercise a fun and regular part of your family’s routine.

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Improves Memory
A study at the University of British Columbia found that anaerobic exercise improves verbal memory and thinking.

Improves Mood and Reduces Anxiety

Five minutes after moderate exercise many people feel a boost in mood. Research shows that these feelings can have long term effects. One study found that exercise and antidepressants were comparable forms of treatment for alleviating major depressive disorder.

Another study found that exercise can reduce anxiety sensitivity and could help ward off panic attacks.

Reduces the Risk of Cardiovascular and Other Chronic Diseases
Studies have shown that physical activity reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and several other chronic conditions, including diabetes, cancer, hypertension, obesity, and osteoporosis.

The Importance of Family Fitness

Stay Healthy Together
Build healthy habits in your child by getting active with them at a young age. You can all enjoy the health benefits mentioned above by working out together.

Enjoy Family Bonding Time
Between school, work, and playdates it can be hard to fit family time and physical activity into your family's busy schedule. Active play helps strengthen family bonds that are crucial for your child's social and emotional development. Plus, you all get the daily exercise you need at the same time!.

20 Active Workout Activities for Your Family

1. Make it a game. Create a deck of fitness exercise cards using standard playing cards. Hearts stand for push ups, clubs for crunches, diamonds for jumping jacks, and spades for squats. Let your child pick the card, then do as many of the assigned activity as the card states. For example, an ace of spades would be one squat and a six of hearts would be six pushups.

2. Play Follow the Leader taking turns leading the other through a series of exercises (skipping, hopping, marching, etc.). Or take turns being the "coach" and telling the "athlete" what to do.

3. Go for a walk. You can build walks into your daily schedule before or after dinner. If you have younger children, let them alternate between riding in the stroller or wagon and walking. Make it fun by taking your dogs. Or switch it up by going on a hike with your older children.

4. Take a bike ride to the library, grocery store, or the park. Once at the park, you can enjoy a picnic or another active activity like playing frisbee or flying kites. Keep in mind the distance you're riding and turn around before your child gets tired - to avoid carrying a bike and a child back home. If your child wants to try something different, use scooters or roller skates instead of bikes.

5. Head to the playground for some active play. Monkey bars, rock climbing walls, swings and more await at your local playground. Whether you play "Lava" or just play around, the park is an excellent location for getting active.

6. Rainy day? Go bowling! Even little ones can bowl using bumpers and a bowling ramp. Or hone their skills at home with a foam or plastic bowling set.

7. Play sports in your backyard with your family or other kids in the neighborhood. Basketball, soccer, baseball, and flag football are all fun choices. If you don't have enough players, adapt the game, work on sport-specific skills (like throwing or dribbling), or find more players at a community center. If you find a sport your child loves, consider coaching the team to combine family time and exercise.

8. Make time to play classic outdoor games. Hide and seek, kick the can, kickball, hopscotch, tag, jump rope, and other childhood games are all active games that you can introduce to your kids.

9. Have a dance party! Blast the music and start dancing around the family room. Add a disco ball for ambience or mix it up with freeze dance. If your family loves dancing, try a formal dance class. Some studios offer family dance classes. Or take an adult class at the same time your child's class and teach each other the moves at home.

10. Stick with a classic option and head out into the backyard to play catch. If your child needs more practice, start standing close together and take a step back every time your child makes a successful catch.

11. If your family doesn't have a favorite fitness activity, try a new activity once a week. Whether it's ice skating, rock climbing, or going on a hike, it's a great way to mix it up and find something you all enjoy.

12. If you do better with a set schedule, try a fitness class. It builds exercise into your family's weekly schedule and gives beginners clear instructions to follow. Looking for ideas to get started? Try zumba, yoga, kickboxing, or martial arts.

13. If you're not ready to take little ones to the gym and keep them from climbing on fitness equipment, create your own home gym. Introduce them to kid-friendly exercise equipment like light free weights, latex free resistance bands (the CLX has loops that are perfect for little hands to hold), and exercise balls, and simple exercises instead.

14. Go for a swim! Whether you're outside at the beach or indoors at the Y, swimming is a great choice for a low-impact workout. Splash around, teach your child how to swim, play Marco Polo, or swim laps.

15. Go beyond swimming with fun water activities. Whether you're canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, surfing, water skiing, wakeboarding, or tubing, you're sure to have a fun time.

16. Play some outdoor games to stay active. Croquet, bocce ball, horseshoes, and ring toss are all easy games that can be played with a variety of ages.

17. Go mini golfing. Start teaching your child basic golfing skills in a fun environment with mini golf. When your child's ready, move onto practicing at the driving range or playing golf on a real course.

18. Make chores an active game. Save the world by sweeping away dust bunnies with a broom or chasing them away with the vacuum. Have your children save their stuffed animals from "floor lava" by racing to put them away and clean up their room.

19. Stay fit as a family by running a 5k. At 3.1 miles, most 7-10 year olds can walk/run a 5k. Check out fun versions like color runs, glow runs, and 5ks at Disney to get your child more excited about running.

20. Get some help with yardwork by asking your children to pitch in. Raking leaves, planting and tending a garden, and shoveling snow all get your heart rate up while checking off items on your family's to-do list.

And if all this running around, playing and exercising with your kids, leaves you with aches and pains, use Biofreeze. Then choose another fitness activity and keep going!

References
Godman, H. (2018). Regular exercise changes the brain to improve memory, thinking skills. Harvard Health Publishing. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2vhZx4H
Weir, K. (2011). The exercise effect. American Psychological Association. https://bit.ly/2SMsQIj Warburton, D. E., Nicol, C. W., & Bredin, S. S. (2006). Health benefits of physical activity: the evidence. CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2A2vgYt

Medical Disclaimer: The information provided on this site, including text, graphics, images and other material, are for informational purposes only and are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other healthcare professional with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.

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Bonding time & improved health? Yes, exercising as a family offers both of these benefits. Get started today with these 20 fun fitness ideas for your family!

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Children and Sports: Encouraging an Active Lifestyle

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Children and Sports: Encouraging an Active Lifestyle

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Understand the benefits of sports and physical activities for children. Learn how to support and motivate your child to find a sport they love and to stay active.

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Read advice about loads of different topics, from what happens during puberty to bullying and abuse.

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24-hour emotional support for anyone struggling to cope

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"Since starting alumina it's become the highlight of my week. It's such a safe, non judgemental place which has really helped me in my recovery."

Max

"If you're thinking about joining I'd say go for it, the team are lovely and everyone who does it is so welcoming and supportive"

Abi

Alumina is a free, online 7 week course for young people struggling with self-harm. Each course has up to 14 young people, all accessing the sessions from their own phones, tablets or laptops across the UK. The courses take place on different evenings of the week and are run by friendly, trained counsellors and volunteer youth workers. You don't need an adult to refer you or sign you up, and no-one will see or hear you during the sessions - you'll just join in via the chatbox. We want to help you to find your next steps towards recovery, wherever you are on your journey.

IS ALUMINA RIGHT FOR ME?

Are you...

10-17 years old?

Living in the UK?

Someone who self-harms or worries they might?

Looking for support but not wanting to do it face to face?

Wanting to move towards a life free from self-harm?

If so...

Alumina could be a helpful step forward. If you sign up we'll begin a conversation over email to work out if it might be a good fit - and you can ask us any questions you have. The only rule we have in Alumina is that we don't talk about suicide in the groups. If that's something you are struggling with thinking about we recommend getting in touch with our friends at Papyrus who are better equipped to support you.

"I thought it would be all serious and uncomfortable because of the self-harm talk but actually, the staff have made me laugh, we've been given a space that feels relevant to our ages and most importantly we can turn up in any mood and they'll be there for us." Runa

What's a session like?

"Clicking on the link for the first time was nerve wracking and intense with lots of thoughts going through my head. But within only a few minutes of the session I had a smile on my face and felt comfortable with the staff and the group."

Sasha

"Alumina was quite different to what I expected, I thought it would just be an intense 6 weeks and it would be over like other services. But it was nothing like that - instead I felt and still feel very supported by the staff. The group and staff are like a big family who's always there for me."

Samara

"Clicking that link for the very first time was terrifying. But I knew it could be life-changing. The first session I felt welcome, I no longer felt like an outsider. It's fun, believe me!! Most days I find myself looking forward to the next session because Alumina gives me a sign of hope."

Dan

Questions

We aren't a crisis service so if you're in need of immediate support please contact one of the following:

The Mix: Offering essential support for anyone aged 12-25. For their crisis messenger support service text THEMIX to 85258.
Childline: Support for anyone up to age 18. Call, chat online or email their crisis service.
Samaritans: Call 116123 anytime if you need to talk to someone.

We've changed the shape of our support for young people. This website introduces Alumina, our online support groups for young people struggling with self-harm. We've also recently launched beheadstrong.uk offering young people all kinds of information, stories and videos about looking after your mental and emotional wellbeing. You can find links to some of selfharm.co.uk's most popular articles below.

Yes we have! We have worked with 14-19 year olds for many years but we have always heard from people who are younger (or those who care about them) asking if we do anything for younger people. Then from September 2022 we reduced our age range to 11, and found how important it was to support this age range and that our Early Intervention project was great for this age range. Therefore, from October 2023 we will be aiming our work at young people in secondary school or college (or equivalent) and those transitioning to secondary school and our age range has reduced to 10-17 years old. If you're under 13 we will need to get permission from someone with parental responsibility for you, and we will email them to explain how Alumina works and make sure they are happy with you joining a group.

We aim to group similar aged young people into groups together, so 10-13-year-olds will be offered groups together and 13-17 year olds will be in other groups together. We are happy to work with anyone until the end of their full-time education, therefore we will work with 17- and 18-year-olds so long as they are three months or more away from finishing their education at the end of August.

Meet the team

Live Webinars

We have recently started to do live webinars on YouTube on issues related to self-harm and emotional wellbeing

Supporting Young People Who Self-harm

If you're a parent, professional or friend supporting a young person who's self-harming, we recommend taking an hour to watch this webinar with our Alumina Managers. They explore why people self-harm, why young people especially self-harm, why it becomes addictive, how to break the addiction cycle, and what young people wish the adults around them understood about self-harm.

"Alumina is a well thought through support service for young people; it is professional, caring and accessible to all. Signposting a young person to Alumina will help them begin their recovery journey."

DR. KATE MIDDLETON

Our Alumina advisory panel

More information about self-harm

We've moved some of our most popular articles about self-harm over to beheadstrong.uk, and you can use these links to find them:

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Free online Self-harm support for 10-17 year olds

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"Since starting alumina it's become the highlight of my week. It's such a safe, non judgemental place which has really helped me in my recovery." Max "If you're thinking about joining I'd say go for it, the team are lovely and everyone who does it is so welcoming and supportive" Abi Alumina is a free, online 7 week course for young people struggling with self-harm.

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Watch the full video

Thinking of suicide?

Are you, or is a young person you know, not coping with life? For confidential suicide prevention advice contact HOPELINE247.

My whole way of thinking has changed. I feel positive about my future and the people around me. I'm now looking forward to the future and helping others just like me!

Thank you so much for the incredible support PAPYRUS and HOPELINE247 has given me. You helped me in that moment and it kept me alive.

I intend to continue to fundraise for and promote PAPYRUS. I am so proud and humbled to be involved with a wonderful charity, and to have received the support that I have.

Having been personally bereaved by suicide I understand the importance and need for our charity. I am surrounded by others who are as passionate as I am about saving lives.

* All feedback is provided by people who contact PAPYRUS. All feedback has full consent of the user and the user remains fully anonymous. Some feedback may have been adapted to keep the users anonymity.

Our latest news

Stay up to date with PAPYRUS; our news section is regularly updated with helpful advice and guidance, as well as information about our upcoming events and campaigns. If you have any questions or queries please get in touch.

Our upcoming events

Please see below some of our upcoming and exciting events including fundraisers and charity events we will be attending. For more information please get in touch.

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Papyrus UK Suicide Prevention | Prevention of Young Suicide

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PAPYRUS UK is a charity for the prevention of young suicide (under 35) in the UK | Call PAPYRUS HOPELINE247 on 0800 068 4141 Now

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Rooted in local communities, we equip people to live independently and build stronger community connections.

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Settling into a home can be a stressful time and often people don't know where to turn to for support. Working with people in their homes, we provide housing advice such as how to set up payments or register with a GP. Plus, we link people in with specialist services within their local communities, including mental health, drug and alcohol, or family support services.

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Saving for a deposit to rent a flat can be hard, especially for people who have experienced homelessness.

We offer a rent deposit scheme that removes the barrier of an upfront deposit. It can be paid back over a longer period, with what is realistic to each individual's financial situation. This removes the pressure felt by too many as they try to get into the private rental market.

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We are here to serve

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In addition to the numbers above, RRT volunteers have donated millions of meals and counting through our iconic Food Box initiative. RRT displays care and compassion to people in crisis, providing free catering assistance and tangible support to emergency services, government and charitable organisations. Our team of volunteers are mobilised across the globe to serve where and when it is needed most.
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Every day in some small way, the RRT delivers help and hope to people in need. Whether it be fire, drought or a global pandemic, RRT steps in to help.

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Find out how to access NHS mental health services and where to get urgent help.

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Sometimes we all need some professional support to work through our relationship difficulties.

At The Spark we specialise in couple counselling, marriage counselling, youth counselling and family counselling.

All of our counsellors are members of one or more of the following organisations: Counselling & Psychotherapy in Scotland ( COSCA), British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy ( BACP), Association for Family Therapy ( AFT) or Online Therapy Institute ( OTI) ensuring the highest professional and clinical standards.

Find out more about The Spark.

To make an enquiry freephone 0808 802 0050, complete a counselling enquiry or find your local The Spark counselling centre.

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Sometimes we all need some professional support to work through our relationship difficulties. At The Spark we specialise in couple counselling, marriage counselling, youth counselling and family counselling.

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MindEd is suitable for all adults working with, or caring for, infants, children or teenagers, adults and older people, including people with a learning disability and autistic people; all the information provided is quality assured by experts, useful, and easy to understand. We aim to give adults who care for, or work with people:

the knowledge to support their wellbeing

the understanding to identify a child, young person or adult at risk of a mental health condition

the confidence to act on their concern and, if needed, signpost to services that can help

MindEd is multi-professional, and can be used by teachers, health and mental health professionals, police and judiciary staff, social workers, youth service volunteers, school counsellors among others to support their professional development.

All registered learners can access a learning path tailored to their needs.

Throughout the MindEd site we make use of images and videos. In all cases, except where specifically noted, these images and videos use actors and are not intended to represent any specific person.

Disclaimer

Please note that the advice provided on MindEd is written and quality assured by experts in mental health and is accurate and comprehensive as possible. It is however only general advice and should not be used as a substitute for any individual advice you might receive from consulting your own doctor/mental health professional. Please use your own judgement when deciding how best to apply our information to any specific situation or proposed treatment. This applies to any clinical professionals, who should use their own clinical judgement when interpreting the information on MindEd and deciding how to best apply it in the treatment of patients.

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MindEd is suitable for all adults working with, or caring for, infants, children or teenagers, adults and older people, including people with a learning disability and autistic people; all the information provided is quality assured by experts, useful, and easy to understand.

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Our A-Z guide gives you advice on how to help your child with their feelings and behaviour, as well as mental health conditions and life events. We'll also show you where you can get help.

For information and advice on the cost-of-living crisis, including where to find financial support for you and your family, read our guide to money and mental health.

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Parents' A-Z Mental Health Guide | Mental Health Advice

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Our A-Z guide to support has information and advice on how to help your child with specific mental health conditions, and difficult feelings & life events.

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We are a national charity which aims to promote strong family life and to help those who face family difficulties.

Since 1988, Care for the Family has sought to promote strong family life and help those who face family difficulties. Our work has been focused on the UK, but increasingly through digital technology, we are reaching a wider audience.

We focus primarily on the following areas of family life: marriage, parenting and bereavement. Our aim is to be accessible to every family whatever their circumstances and to create resources and support that are preventative, evidence-based and easy to apply.

Every family and marriage is unique. Parents may have one child or many, be fostering or adopting, be parenting a child with additional needs, parenting alone or apart from their children. Couples may have been together for many years or just beginning their marriage adventure. Whatever the context and circumstances we want to do all we can to support both marriages and families to help them thrive.

However, we also know that on every journey they will experience difficult times as well as the good. Our telephone befriending services are there to support them when the going is tough. In particular, we are aware that all will experience grief and loss during their lifetime. We want to help those who are living with loss to discover hope for the future, and the strength to rebuild their own lives and the lives of those that they love.

Motivated by our Christian faith, ethos and compassion we are committed to supporting families of all faiths or none, with outstanding services and resources. For marriage preparation, relationship tips, and help in the testing times. From birth to the teenage years and beyond. For bereaved parents, those widowed young and anyone supporting bereaved people.

Couple support

Prepare for marriage, married life, supporting couples, The Marriage Challenge, Marriage by Design

Find out more

Parent support

New parents, everyday parenting, additional needs, single parenting, step-families, adoption and fostering

Find out more

Bereavement support

For bereaved parents, those widowed young and anyone supporting bereaved people.

Find out more

Connect with us through our various social media

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We are a national charity which aims to promote strong family life and to help those who face family difficulties.

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Circle has been working across central Scotland since 2006 to ensure that families in Edinburgh, East and West Lothian, North and South Lanarkshire and more recently Fife, Forth Valley and Tayside get the support they need as soon as possible.

We have deliberately based our offices in the heart of the local communities we work in to ensure that we can reach those families most in need of our help. We hope that by being based close by we can build positive, trusting relationships with the individuals, families and communities we work with. Our head office is in West Pilton area of Edinburgh with other smaller offices in Hamilton, Armadale and Macmerry. Contact details for each office can be found below.

As we understand that the families we work with face a number of different challenges we also work with a range of other local charities, as well as schools, GPs and health visitors to make sure that families receive the full range of support they need.

You can find more detailed information in the sub-headings on the left of this page or you can contact us directly with a question at info@circle.scot or in these offices:

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Circle has been working across central Scotland since 2006 to ensure that families in Edinburgh, East and West Lothian, North and South Lanarkshire and more recently Fife, Forth Valley and Tayside get the support they need as soon as possible.

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How to not need a holiday after the holidays

The holidays can be a stressful time for single parents, Natalie is a volunteer in our Wellbeing Digital Group and recently held an online workshop where she shared her 'go to' tools for managing the...

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We are Gingerbread, the charity for single parent families. We provide expert advice and practical support for single mums and dads in England and Wales.

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@EdinWomensAid

Help us tell our story of 50 years supporting survivors!! We're in the process of gathering as much information as we can about the history of Edinburgh Women's Aid, including photos and stories, and would love to hear from you if you can help. email hello@edinwomensaid.co.uk https://t.co/lkg6whKLtj

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EDINBURGH WOMEN'S AID | Working towards a society that's free from abuse.

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@EdinWomensAid Help us tell our story of 50 years supporting survivors!! We're in the process of gathering as much information as we can about the history of Edinburgh Women's Aid, including photos and stories, and would love to hear from you if you can help. email hello@edinwomensaid.co.uk https://t.co/lkg6whKLtj

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Support for Parents from Action For Children

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Our parenting coaches write our advice articles and are available to support you via live chat. They'll listen, take time to understand your situation, and offer ideas to help. Between them, they've seen and heard every kind of parenting question or worry. They're qualified support workers, childminders, play practitioners and teachers. They're parents and carers, just like you. Find out more about them on this page. Or read what parents and carers say about our support.

Sharon

I have worked with children and families for 13 years. I'm experienced in early years, supporting families with child development, speech and language, play, behaviour. I'm also a qualified IAIM baby massage instructor.

"Yesterday I was at breaking point. Today I feel hopeful and positive that I can deal with things and make a positive change. Thank you so much!"

"The parenting coach was absolutely brilliant. They helped me so much with great advice, links for more support and giving me the confidence that I am on the right tracks with my son. It's like a weight has been lifted, knowing that I can access free support at such a high level. I cannot recommend and thank them enough."

"Amazing help - a quick resolution to a massively devastating incident which now doesn't look so bad."

"Absolutely fabulous. They've left me feeling more positive with the support and the links she's left for us ... The most understanding, patient, helpful person I've spoken with in a long time. Wonderful. I could really go in for ages how great they've been but I best leave it there. Thank you again.

Go to our live chat page now or view our online advice.

At Action for Children, we believe that every child should grow up safe and happy. That's why we provide support to help them thrive and offer help when times get tough. We believe in building solid foundations and spotting problems early. We work on the ground with families, through more than 476 local services. We're also in schools, online, and talking to the government. We support more than 387,000 children, young people and their families in the UK every year. Find out more about our work on our main website.

Spring Nurseries

Action for Children also runs Spring Nurseries, offering award-winning, affordable early years education and childcare. All nurseries are rated 100% Good or Outstanding by Ofsted, or equivalent standards in Scotland and Wales. Spring has 44 nurseries across the UK, providing high-quality care from birth to five years. We help children with key milestones like speech, language and physical coordination. We support them to learn, have fun and make friends. And we'll work with parents to ensure you are involved in your children's learning.

Find out more about what's on offer at the Spring Nurseries website.

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About - Support for Parents from Action For Children

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Our parenting coaches write our advice articles and are available to support you via live chat. They'll listen, take time to understand your situation, and offer ideas to help. Between them, they've seen and heard every kind of parenting question or worry. They're qualified support workers, childminders, play practitioners and teachers.

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HappyMaps - Find the best support, advice and information on young people's mental health, all in one place. For Parents, Professionals and Young People.

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Read reviews

"I think this is a fabulous resource-very clearly laid out with the full range of supports available, from parenting tips through to professional help" (Parent)

"This is great to recommend to parents when they are worried about their children. It's the best website for mental health issues that I've found" (Teacher)

"Excellent. I work for CAMHS Bristol and regularly recommend this website" (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services)

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Home - HappyMaps: Help and Resources for Children's Mental Health

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An award-winning website on children's mental health collating sensible and professional advice on common problems. With new self-help pages for young people.

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Child Mental Health Support |Bridge the Gap| Derby England | Emotional Literacy

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A C.I.C supporting child mental health & family wellbeing, online and locally in Derby. We support the mental health of chiildren, parents and teachers. Our services and support are accessible and proactive. Friendly, supportive community and team. Early Intervention - Never judged, always heard.

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*Currently due to Coronavirus, we have stopped face to face support. However, we will be supporting our women, children and young people through telephone, WhatsApp and Facetime. We will get back to normal working as soon as possible.*
*Our service will be closed on the following public holiday dates in spring: April: May: Friday 8th and Monday 18th. Help for black minority ethnic (BME) women, children and young people who are experiencing, or who have experienced, domestic abuse. Friday 10th, Monday 13th and Monday 20th.
Phone us on 0131 475 2399 or email us if you are worried or frightened about what is happening to you or someone you know.

The person who is abusing you could be a partner, ex-partner and/or other member of the household. You may be under a lot of pressure from family and community. You may not be sure about your rights, for example to stay in the UK, or to safety.

We can help you with this. We will not tell your family or community. All our staff are women.

If you think you or your children are in immediate danger of being hurt, phone the police on 999.

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Our service will be closed on the following public holiday dates in spring: April: May: Friday 8th and Monday 18th. Help for black minority ethnic (BME) women, children and young people who are experiencing, or who have experienced, domestic abuse. Friday 10th, Monday 13th and Monday 20th.

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The City of Edinburgh Council. Putting our customers first and looking after Edinburgh.

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Help for anxiety, sleep, grief and money worries

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Other people share the small changes that have made a big difference to their mental wellbeing

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Homelessness is one of the most common social problems that we face today. At Steps to Hope SCIO, we are dedicated to fighting this through charity, support groups and awareness programmes. We will signpost the most vulnerable to relevant organisations who we believe can provide help for those suffering with addiction. Over half of our volunteers are addicts in recovery who understand addiction and homelessness but more importantly know how to achieve a new way of life.

From handing out basic necessities and paying for accommodation to organising charity and awareness events in Edinburgh, we carry out a range of non-profit charity work. Feel free to call us to learn more about us or our work.

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As a non-profit charity, Steps to Hope SCIO is committed to helping homeless people in Edinburgh. If you want to contribute to our cause, call us today on 07949 838 666.

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Parentline: stress/money advice/separation and divorce 

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Parentline: stress/money advice/separation and divorce 

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Various help for families, children and parents

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Children 1st are continuing to provide emotional and practical support and advice to families across the country. If you're working with us, the best way to contact one of our services for children and families is by emailing cfs@children1st.org.uk

Children 1st Parentline is here to help every family in Scotland cope through coronavirus, over the phone and online. Our Money Advice service is now accessible through Parentline and our webpages are being regularly updated with information and advice.

Our local hubs in places like North Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Elgin, Bathgate, Dalkeith, Selkirk, Midlothian and East Lothian continue to deliver intensive family support, in the safest way for children, families and colleagues. Where we run a range of services from across cities in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen, we are working closely with our statutory partners to coordinate our work to ensure we best support for children and families.

Our national Services, such as Child Wellbeing and Protection in Sport,the Safeguarders Panel team and Bide Oot, are also continuing to keep children safe and protect their rights. They are adapting their approaches to meet the changing and emerging needs of children and families.

We are listening and adapting to families' needs and working alongside government and organisations across the country to make sure children and families' voices are heard in the decisions about how support needs to change and systems need to transform.

National services

Ways we work

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Children 1st are continuing to provide emotional and practical support and advice to families across the country. If you're working with us, the best way to contact one of our services for children and families is by emailing cfs@children1st.org.uk Children 1st Parentline is here to help every family in Scotland cope through coronavirus, over the phone and online.

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Help and guidance for parents who live apart

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It's important for us to work with the likes of Into Work and continuously review how we approach selection, recruitment and attraction of candidates with disability.

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Free adult mental health art sessions - Craigentinny

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Free adult mental health art sessions - Craigentinny

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Advice from behaviour and relationships to education

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It can be difficult to know where to go for reliable information about parenting, so here are links to key organisations who, even if they can't help you directly, are a gateway to the right source of support for you.

General advice and support

First of all, if you're looking for general advice on bringing up children and young people, we recommend Scotland's national parenting website:

And if you want to talk with someone, either on the phone or online, Children 1 st and One Parent Families Scotland have dedicated helplines for parents and carers:

Practical matters

For advice on practical matters, such as housing, money and your rights, Citizen's Advice Scotland also have a helpline - 0800 028 1456 - as well as an advice website, and bureaux around the country where you can talk to someone in person.

If you're trying to juggle work and family life, Working Families can help you understand your rights at work.

Your local council is an important source of information about free childcare and choosing a childcare service, as well as education and housing. There's a list of the Scottish council websites here.

Education, safety and well-being

Parentzone is Scotland's education website for parents, and if your child needs some additional support for learning, we recommend getting in touch with Enquire who also have a helpline - 0345 123 2303.

If you have a child with a disability, Contact Scotland is set up to give support and advice to families with disabled children.

If you're worried about your child's safety, Child Accident and Prevention Trust and NSPCC are good sources of information and advice.

For any health issue, start with NHS 24 and/or your GP/doctor. If you don't already have a doctor, find your local GP practice here.

For family counselling, mediation and support, get in touch with Relationships Scotland.

In a crisis situation?

One of the following organisations may also be able to help:

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Support page for parents, people in a parenting role, and families living in Scotland.

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Supporting your teens mental health

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Every family is different and every family faces different challenges. But we all need to look after our mental health. As parents we often worry about how things are affecting our children, but it's just as important to look after ourselves, too. So we have lots of wellbeing tips for you, as well as for kids of all ages. And if you feel that everything's getting too much, remember, you're not alone. There's lots of support out there for you, so don't be afraid to ask for help.

Wellbeing for parents

Life can be difficult. Parent life... that's on another level. As a parent, you probably put your needs behind everyone else's. We want to bring them back to the front of your mind. Because the good news is, there are lots of simple things you can do to take some of the stress out of your life to help support your mental health and wellbeing. And you can start by reminding yourself that you're doing a great job!

Wellbeing for wee ones

From the moment your baby is born, positively engaging with them is really important to help them feel happy and loved. It's also crucial to how their little brains develop. Pulling funny faces and speaking to them in a sing-song voice isn't just playing - it's a vital way to help their minds grow and develop. We have lots of information and tips to help you give your wee one everything they need to grow and develop into happy people.

Wellbeing for children and teens

As your kids get older, it's natural to worry more about their mental health. There are lots of things in the world that could challenge their happiness. But there are also lots of things we can do every day that will have a long-lasting positive effect on our kids' wellbeing. It can even improve their behaviour in the short term, too. Here are some tried and tested tips for supporting your family's mental health and wellbeing.

Supporting your teen's mental health

Being a teenager is exciting but it can also be hard. Their feelings and emotions are all over the place, so they tend to feel everything more deeply, and sometimes this can be overwhelming. If your teenager is feeling anxious, lonely or angry, there are things you can do to help. We have lots of ideas to help you support them and guide them on their journey to becoming a happy adult.

Mental health issues for teens

Been a teenager isn't always easy. But if your teen is struggling, you're not alone. There is support out there for them, and for you. In this section we look at some of the issues that may affect young people, and how you can help them through tough times.

Teens and body image

We hear a lot about body image - about how it's important to have a 'good', 'positive' or 'healthy' body image and how having a 'poor' body image can affect our mental health. In this section we look at what body image is and how the way young people see themselves can affect their health and wellbeing. We also have tips to help parents support teens to accept the way they look and value themselves for all they are.

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Every family is different and every family faces different challenges. But we all need to look after our mental health. As parents we often worry about how things are affecting our children, but it's just as important to look after ourselves, too. And if you feel that everything's getting too much, remember, there's lots of support out there.

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Practical support: food, money, housing and work

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Here you can find local projects in Edinburgh to help you find work that works for you as well as information and tips to help you understand what causes stress in a workplace, how to recognise it and find ways to manage it so you can thrive in all areas of your life.

Local organisations

Fair Start Scotland is an employment support service to help you get ready for work.

Access Data supports unemployed and low-income Edinburgh parents to gain and/or improve their knowledge and skills related to the world of data and preparing them for the demands of the contemporary job market.

Canongate Youth provides employability and wellbeing support to young people aged 15 to 24. The team focuses on helping young people to remove their own barriers and supporting them in a holistic way to move onto further education, training and employment

Volunteer Edinburgh 's employability service is for job seekers to move towards employment. It can help you identify skills, talents and aspirations, build transferrable skills and use volunteering as a stepping stone to paid work.

Prince's Trust 's Enterprise programme is designed for people who are newly self-employed or are interested in starting their own business.

Useful pages on iThrive

This page has factsheets, tips and information, activities and services available in Edinburgh to help you understand what causes stress in a workplace, how to recognise it and find ways to manage it so you can thrive in all areas of your life.

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iThrive | Practical support: food, money, housing and work

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Here you can find local projects in Edinburgh to help you find work that works for you as well as information and tips to help you understand what causes stress in a workplace, how to recognise it and find ways to manage it so you can thrive in all areas of your life.

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Education Psychologists - what we do

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Do you feel like you’re at the end of your tether? Children 1st Parentline is here for you and your family.

If you live in Scotland call 08000 28 22 33 free, browse our website for advice and support, or start a webchat.

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Worried about a child? You can talk to us

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ANDYSMANCLUB are a men’s suicide prevention charity, offering free-to-attend peer-to-peer support groups across the United Kingdom and online. We want to end the stigma surrounding men’s mental health and help men through the power of conversation. #ITSOKAYTOTALK

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ANDYSMANCLUB are a men’s suicide prevention charity, offering free-to-attend peer-to-peer support groups across the United Kingdom and online.

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GamCare - Founder of the National Gambling Helpline

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The National Gambling Helpline provides free support for anyone affected by gambling harms in Great Britain.

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We provide

help with welfare rights including income maximisation through welfare benefits, tax credits and grants

debt advice to resolve personal debt including credit cards, bank loans, rent arrears, personal loans, store cards, catalogues and mortgage arrears

help for people affected by cancer through information, advice and advocacy to access entitlements arising as a result of a cancer diagnosis and the extra costs of cancer.

Get debt or welfare benefits advice
Advice Line opening times

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 8.30am to 4.30pm

Tuesday 10am to 4.30pm

Friday 8.30am to 3.40pm

If you need urgent advice about benefits or debt please call 0131 200 2360

Advice in person

If you are unable to use a phone or the internet, you can visit an advisor in person at the Community Resilience Centres (CRCs). To book call the Advice Line (details above) or at a CRC.

Community Resilience Centres

Wester Hailes - South West Locality Office, 10 Westside Plaza, EH14 2SP

West Pilton Gardens - North West Locality Office, 8 West Pilton Gdns, EH4 4DP

Captain's Road - South East Locality Office, 40 Captain's Rd, EH17 8QF

Craigmillar - North East Locality Office, 101 Niddrie Mains Road, EH16 4DS

Leith - Criminal Justice/ Social Work Centre, Newkirkgate Shopping Centre Units C&D, Newkirkgate Shopping Centre, Edinburgh EH6 6AD

All the centres operate 9:15 - 16:15 Monday to Thurs and 9:15 - 16:00 on a Friday.

Advice Shop bulletin

Our bulletin has news and information about welfare rights and debt advice.
Download Advice Shop bulletins (PDFs)
Agencies providing welfare benefits and debt advice

Click the dots on the map below for services and contact details

GP practices
Citizens Advice Bureau
Housing association
Voluntary sector
The City of Edinburgh Council

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Benefits and debt advice - The City of Edinburgh Council

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We provide help with welfare rights including income maximisation through welfare benefits, tax credits and grants debt advice to resolve personal debt including credit cards, bank loans, rent arrears, personal loans, store cards, catalogues and mortgage arrears help for people affected by cancer through information, advice and advocacy to access entitlements arising as a result of a cancer diagnosis and the extra costs of cancer.

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How to apply

You can only apply for a Crisis Grant through your local council. You cannot apply through the Scottish Government.

If you need help applying

If you cannot apply online or need help with your application, contact your local council.

They may offer other ways to apply such as by:

What you can get a Crisis Grant for

You can get a Crisis Grant to cover the costs of an emergency.

Examples of this could include if:

you need help to get food or with heating costs

there's a fire or flood at home

you've lost money

an unexpected crisis happens

you're a victim of domestic abuse and you need help with things like moving away from an abuser

you're a grandparent or other relative who has taken over caring for a child, and you're waiting on a transfer of benefits

you're facing a gap in your normal income because of a redundancy or change at work

How long it takes

Most councils will tell you the outcome of your application within 2 working days.

But some councils are taking longer than this due to an increase in applications.

Your local council may let you know how long you'll wait once you submit an application.

Who can apply

To get a Crisis Grant you need to be on a low income. This does not mean you need to be on benefits.

What counts as a low income

There's no figure that confirms whether you've a low income. As a guide, if you're on one of the benefits below, or your income is about the same as someone who is, it's more likely you can get a Crisis Grant:

Income Support

Pension Credit

Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) - Income based

Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) - Income based

Universal Credit

Benefit calculators

Crisis Grants are one-off payments and it cannot support your income long term.

If you need help on a low income, check what benefits you might be able to get with entitledto or turn2us.

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Check if you can get a Crisis Grant to cover the costs of an emergency including urgent help with food or heating costs. You need to be on certain benefits or a low income and you apply through your local council.

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This site uses cookies to improve your user experience. By using this site you agree to these cookies being set. See our cookies policy for more information or to change your cookie preferences at any time.

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We give hope and help to thousands of children and families each year and work in communities throughout England and Wales to help keep children safe. Our vision is for all children to grow up in supportive communities safe from bullying and harm.​ Our mission is to provide practical support, training, and advice to challenge bullying and protect young lives.

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respect me, Scotland's anti-bullying service, was launched in March 2007. The service is fully funded by the Scottish Government and is managed by SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health) in partnership with LGBT Youth Scotland.

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) - For information on our continued delivery of service during the Covid-19 pandemic, please visit the news section of our website.

Our vision is of a respecting, just, equal and inclusive Scotland in which all children and young people can live free from bullying and harassment and are encouraged to reach their full potential. Our work is driven by a focus on children's rights.

We work with all adults involved in the lives of children and young people to give them the practical skills and confidence to deal with children who are bullied and those who bully others.

We aim to build the capacity of these adults to effect change and challenge bullying and stigma at an individual, school, family, community and societal level. We also campaign at a national level to raise awareness of the service and the impact that bullying can have.

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Respect Me | About Us | Our work towards an equal and inclusive Scotland

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respect me, Scotland's anti-bullying service, was launched in March 2007. The service is fully funded by the Scottish Government and is managed by SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health) in partnership with LGBT Youth Scotland. COVID-19 (Coronavirus) - For information on our continued delivery of service during the Covid-19 pandemic, please visit the news section of our website.

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Advice for parents and carers to help keep children safe from bullying, wherever it happens.

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Change Mental Health - A future where no one needs to face mental illness alone

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Bullying in the workplace

Workplace bullying is a distressing issue that affects employees in various industries. It can harm a person's wellbeing, confidence and job satisfaction. In this section, we'll explore what workplace bullying looks like and why it's crucial to recognise and address this harmful behaviour in professional settings.

Workplace bullying includes:

Verbal Abuse: Using offensive language, shouting, or making demeaning comments toward a coworker, creating a hostile work environment.

Intimidation: Making threats, yelling, or using aggressive body language to scare or control a colleague, causing emotional distress.

Exclusion: Leaving someone out of work-related activities, meetings or social events which can lead to feelings of isolation.

Cyberbullying: Harassing a coworker through electronic means, like email or social media, which is emotionally damaging.

Public Humiliation: Criticising or belittling a coworker in front of others, whether they are colleagues, supervisors, or subordinates, can be deeply humiliating and harm a person's self-esteem.

I'm being bullied. What should I do?

1. Document incidents: Keep a record of bullying incidents, including dates, times, locations and the people involved. This documentation can be helpful if you need to report the bullying.

2. Discuss internally: If you feel safe, report the bullying to your immediate supervisor or the human resources department. If you are a member of the union, ask for their support. They can help address the issue.

3. Use external resources: If internal measures don't yield results, consider seeking assistance from external organisations or hotlines specialising in workplace bullying.

4. Consider legal action: In extreme cases, consult with legal counsel about potential legal action to protect your rights and wellbeing.

5. Think about changing team or workplace: If workplace bullying continues and significantly affects your wellbeing despite your attempts to address it, consider looking for a new job or transferring to a different department or team within your current organisation. Your mental and emotional health should always be a top priority.

I'm an employer. How can I support my employees?

As an employer, it is essential to create a safe and inclusive workplace, not only for the wellbeing of your employees but also to adhere to laws and regulations aimed at preventing workplace bullying in the UK.
Laws and policies
In the UK, there are laws and regulations in place to address workplace bullying. The Equality Act 2010 and Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 protect your employees by ensuring health and safety at the workplace and guaranteeing their equal rights. Workplace bullying can have a detrimental impact on an employee's mental and physical health, which may result in a breach of these acts.

To address bullying effectively, you should establish clear antibullying policies. These policies should define what constitutes bullying, outline procedures for reporting incidents and detail the consequences for perpetrators.
Training and good workplace culture
As an employer, you can provide mental health training to raise awareness of mental health in the workplace and educate employees and management about the impact of bullying. This training can help identify and prevent workplace bullying. Providing mental health support services, such as counselling or access to Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), can help individuals affected by bullying cope with the emotional impact.

You can promote a culture that encourages good workplace wellbeing . Employers can create an environment where respect, inclusivity and empathy thrive, which is essential for maintaining a healthy and productive workforce.

If you're a rural employer with a team of fewer than 50 members, discover the transformative potential of our Rural Connections training programme. It's designed to elevate mental health awareness, ignite meaningful conversations and empower you to confront and conquer the stigma surrounding bullying and mental wellbeing.

If you're seeking a proactive approach to mental health and wellbeing, consider The following programme focuses on unaddressed mental health issues that lead to staff turnover, such as bullying.

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bullying and mental health - Change Mental Health

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Explore the profound impact of bullying on young people and employees. Understand the link between bullying and mental health, learn how to prevent it and find support.

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Richmonds Hope | Supporting Bereaved Families Since 2003

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Making a difference to the lives of bereaved children and young people
aged 4-18

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Winston's Wish is the UK's childhood bereavement charity. We support children and their families after the death of someone important.

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Grief is an unavoidable part of life. No matter what you do, grief will find you.

Although it is a natural side effect of losing a loved one, we tend to have a pessimistic outlook on the grieving process. Many are taught at a young age that expressing "negative" emotions is wrong, which makes the grieving process profoundly difficult.

For many, grief is first experienced during adolescence when coping skills are only just beginning to surface, specifically during the ages of thirteen to eighteen.

During this stage of our lives, our bodies are developing both physically and mentally. This makes the grieving process, on top of self-discovery and self-identity, a grueling ordeal.

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Common Ways Teens View and Deal With a Death

There is no playbook for dealing with grief. This applies to adults, adolescents, and even younger children. With respect to adolescents specifically, there are many different ways a teen may view and deal with a loss.

Teens have an understanding, but do not know how to cope.

Many adolescents have an adult understanding of the concept of death but do not have the experiences, coping skills, or behavior of an adult. For bereaved teens who haven't yet experienced the landslide of emotions related to loss, most will not possess sufficient self-care knowledge to properly cope.

There are many children's books and movies, such as Bridge to Terabithia, The Lion King, and Up (to name a few), that deal with grief and loss. Through these books and movies, we are taught what death is, but we are not taught how to deal with it.

For parents, family and caregivers to teenagers, it is important to normalize the whirlwind of emotions they may be feeling.

Telling the bereaved teen to "be strong" may cause anxiety and cause them to hide their emotions or act "fine" when they really are not. Instead, tell the teen that it is okay to cry, to distance themselves, and to do what brings them comfort (so long as they do not turn to self-destructive behaviors).

It is important to pay special attention and take careful steps to help your teen or child cope around Halloween, a tradition that portrays death as fun or lighthearted.

Some may act out or be reckless.

Acting out in anger is common among teens who lack proper coping skills. Additionally, this anger may be aimed at family members or peers. Some teens will show impulsive or reckless behaviors, such as substance use, fighting in school, and sexual promiscuity.

Dealing with a death, whether it's a parent, sibling, peer or another loved one, is a devastating experience during adolescence due to the amount of change already occurring in their lives.

In fact, 68% of bereaved teens say that losing a family member was the worst thing that ever happened to them.

Additionally, 41% admitted they acted reckless or in other ways that were not good for them physically or mentally.

If ignored, teens will often find other ways to get attention from adults, even if it means doing something harmful to themselves or to others. It is absolutely necessary to pay attention to the adolescent even if they "seem okay."

It is also important to foster real conversations with them. If they are acting out, set the tone for conversation by showing that you understand what may be causing this, that you know this isn't who they are, but a symptom, perhaps, of not being able to talk about how they feel. Remind them that adults, too, go through this -- not that that makes it okay.

Instead, work with them to talk daily, even in small bites, about the loved one, about how they are feeling, and share stories about the person or pet who passed.

Stories about how they affected your life or theirs in a positive way, or how a recent event reminded them of you are especially helpful.

They may experience many emotions.

Teens are like adults in that some tend to show their emotions while others struggle in this regard. Many teens find it easier to mask their emotions, which, in some cases, can cause more harm than good in the long run.

If the teen lacks support from peers, grieving the loss of a loved one may become an even more daunting process.

According to the National Poll of Bereaved Children & Teenagers, "52% said that talking to their friends about the death of their family member is hard."

While some adolescents prefer to not talk about it, others may feel pressured to stay quiet about the loss. Hence, adults should make it known to the teen that talking about the loss is a healthy coping mechanism, especially if they lack the available support amongst their peers.

A state of disbelief and numbness is common amongst teens who experience a death that occurred suddenly. It is impossible to tell how long someone will be here for, and although we know no one can live forever, it is an even more traumatic experience when the death is unexpected.

The poll also states "75% say the pervading emotion they currently feel is sadness" as well as loneliness and anger.

It is also important to note that adolescents will experience different emotions depending on the significance of the loss. For example, a teen might feel depressed and want to sleep all day after losing a close friend to suicide. On the other hand, the teen may feel sad but is still able to carry on with their life after losing a teacher in a car accident.

They may have an existential crisis.

The grieving process may cause teens to question their faith or their understanding of the world. I won't lie. After losing my Paw, I was very angry at God.

Why would You take away someone who meant so much to my family?

It's a question I asked for many months after his passing. But I soon learned that it is okay to be angry. It's okay to wonder about the meaning of life. It's okay for your faith or knowledge of immortality to be challenged.

As the adult, allow for an open discussion in regards to life.

If you are religious, be prepared to answer questions relating to their faith.

If you aren't religious, be prepared to answer philosophical questions such as "What is the meaning of life?"

Some teens may find it difficult to define themselves after losing someone dear to them.

For example, losing a sibling may cause the teen to feel less important. In this scenario, the teen may feel overlooked if they feel alone in their grief. If you're the parent, including the teen in your grieving process will help them feel secure, heard, and reinforce the family -- even in the wake of such a loss.

They may not be receptive.

Bereaved teens may not be receptive to support from adult family members because of their need to be independent and separate from parents.

Some feel that growing older means growing less vulnerable. Because of the urge to be independent from their parents, teens will often say they are "fine" or "doing okay" when they are not in hopes they can deal with the grief themselves.

If the teen sees their parent struggling (like struggling struggling), the teen may feel worried which can lead to the pressure of "stepping up" to fill in the shoes or role of the adult.

Although it's absolutely okay to grieve in your own unique way, it is still the adult's responsibility to take care of the child while also practicing self-care for themselves.

Self-care is important, and many teens are just now learning this.

Through your own acts of self-care, you can show by example how important self-care is at this time. In addition, consider doing self-care activities together.

Adults should let the adolescent know that there will be times in life when they will need to lean on someone else to get by. And that is perfectly okay.

They may withdraw from family.

Teens may find that spending more time with friends or distancing themselves from family is the easiest way to cope with their loss. Withdrawing from family and spending more time with friends is a common thing to do when grieving. In fact, 59% of teens who endured a loss admit that spending time with friends helped them deal with their grief.

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Ways to Help Teenagers Cope With Grief

Everyone goes through adolescence, but with everyone being different, it is sometimes difficult to know how to help an adolescent cope. Just like adults, teens are different from one another and tend to cope in their own unique ways. Some may lash out in an attempt to relieve themselves while others may cope by staying quiet or using humor.

For as many ways that exist to deal with grief, there are just as many solutions to help teenagers cope with a loss.

Strive to keep normalcy in their life.

63% of grieving teens dislike "special treatment" and "just want to be treated like everyone else." This means teens want to carry on with rituals and daily routines.

If the teen is not your child but is a friend of your child, continue to have them over for dinner or to stay the night.

Carrying on with normal activities will help the teen feel just that-normal. Giving the grieving teen the "special treatment" actually causes more stress for the teen and may cause them to feel like an outsider rather than a part of the in-crowd.

Play follow the leader.

Whether the deceased loved one was a friend or a family member, it is important to accompany the grieving teen through this journey.

Do not direct them through the grieving process. Instead, you should walk through it with them, hand in hand, side by side.

Being a companion is more effective than directing because it lets the teen know that it is okay to feel the way they are feeling. Better yet, it allows the teen to take their time with grieving.

Let them spend time with friends.

Many teens use their friends as an outlet. This is incredibly common amongst adolescents because they are in the stage of becoming more dependent from their parents. In addition, spending time with friends will help the bereaved teen carry on with daily routines which can help keep their grades steady and mind at ease.

On the other hand, a more family-oriented teen may enjoy spending time with family rather than going out with friends. I'll continue to state it - everyone is different.

Some teens enjoy going to support groups with friends. If this is the case, simple acts like taking the group of friends to the support group will show the teen that you are there for them and that you support them.

Be honest but be careful with language.

Asking a teenager, "When are you going to get over this?" is probably not the best question to ask even when the teen isn't grieving. Instead, ask the teen how they are doing or if they would like to talk about the loss.

But don't overdo it. Asking the teen if they are okay one million times a day will just end up irritating them. Make it known that you are there for them whenever they would like to talk. Hovering over them and continuing to ask questions will push them away.

In a situation where the death is anticipated, such as a parent being diagnosed with cancer, do not shelter them from the truth; they will find out eventually. Therefore, it is important to be honest with the adolescent rather than to "sugarcoat" the situation.

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When to get help.

If a teenager asks you for help, you should first give them a hug and tell them you are proud of them. The reason for this is simple - many people, especially teens, do not like admitting they need help.

Support groups are great options for teens who are struggling with the grieving process. These groups show the teen that they are not alone. Additionally, support groups can help reduce distress and many other emotions that follow after losing a loved one.

Substance abuse is a huge sign that professional help is needed. Long-term restlessness or any other long-term changes in sleep, appetite and motivation are also signs that the teen may be struggling with the grieving process.

You should immediately seek professional help for the teen if they talk about suicide or harm themselves. Many adults fall into the they would never do that state of mind, which can make it harder to see what is really going on with the teen.

When coping with grief, there will be good days, and there will be bad days. Being there for the teen during the light and the dark will help them understand that life is going to be full of ups and downs and that it is important to take time for themselves and to care for themselves.

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Teen Grief 101: How to Help a Grieving Teen | Eterneva

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Losing a loved one can be especially difficult for teens. Learn how teens deal with loss and thoughtful ways to help grieving teenagers in this guide.

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Grief can be overwhelming - you don’t have to deal with it alone. Cruse Bereavement Support is here. Call our helpline or chat online.

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Learn from the experts at our free webinar Childhood Trauma, War and Conflict taking place 4th December. Register now!

More than one in three children and young people are exposed to at least one potentially traumatic event by age 18.¹ The right support can make a substantial difference to the extent that traumatic events impact on their lives.

The UK Trauma Council (UKTC) creates evidence-based resources to improve professionals and carers' understanding of the nature and impact of trauma. We aim to better equip all those supporting children and young people exposed to trauma.

¹Reference: Lewis, S. J., Arseneault, L., Caspi, A., Fisher, H. L., Matthews, T., Moffitt, T. E., Odgers, C. L., Stahl, D., Teng, J. Y., & Danese, A. (2019). The epidemiology of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder in a representative cohort of young people in England and Wales. The Lancet Psychiatry, 6(3), 247-256.

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Creating a world that nurtures and protects children and young people following trauma

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The UK Trauma Council's mission is to radically improve the help children and young people receive across the UK following traumatic events and experiences.

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Beacon House is passionate about developing freely available resources so that knowledge about the repair of trauma and adversity is in the hands of those who need it. Please feel free to use our resources in your home or work setting.
All we ask is that you credit our team for the information and design using this credit: Image or information courtesy of Beacon House Therapeutic Services & Trauma Team | 2022 | www.beaconhouse.org.uk
As a specialist trauma service, our resources are written using a 'trauma lens' and offer information, ideas and strategies from this perspective. We know that there are other perspectives and overlapping experiences, meaning that 'one size doesn't fit all'. We are working to be as inclusive as possible and alongside this acknowledge that not everything we produce will be relevant for everyone.

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Beacon House is passionate about developing freely available resources so that knowledge about the repair of trauma and adversity is in the hands of those who need it. Please feel free to use our resources in your home or work setting.

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National charity helping people with Anxiety - Anxiety UK

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Become a Member of Anxiety UK. We pride ourselves on being user led, with many on our staff and volunteer team having personal experience of anxiety.

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Just like adults, children and young people feel worried and anxious at times.
But if your child's anxiety is starting to affect their wellbeing, they may need some help.

What makes children anxious?

Children can feel anxious about different things at different ages. Many of these worries are a normal part of growing up.

From the age of around 6 months to 3 years it's very common for young children to have separation anxiety. They may become clingy and cry when separated from their parents or carers. This is a normal stage in a child's development and should stop at around age 2 to 3.

It's also common for preschool-age children to develop specific fears or phobias. Common fears in early childhood include animals, insects, storms, heights, water, blood and the dark. These fears usually go away gradually on their own.

There may also be other times in a child's life when they feel anxious. For example, many children feel anxious when going to a new school or before tests and exams. Some children feel shy in social situations and may need support with this.

When is anxiety a problem for children?

Anxiety becomes a problem for children when it starts to get in the way of their everyday life.

If you go into any school at exam time, all the children will be anxious, but some may be so anxious that they do not manage to get to school that morning.

Severe anxiety like this can harm children's mental and emotional wellbeing, affecting their self-esteem and confidence. They may become withdrawn and go to great lengths to avoid things or situations that make them feel anxious.

What are the signs of anxiety in children?

When young children feel anxious, they cannot always understand or express what they are feeling. You may notice that they:

become irritable, tearful or clingy

have difficulty sleeping

wake in the night

start wetting the bed

have bad dreams

In older children you may notice that they:

lack confidence to try new things or seem unable to face simple, everyday challenges

find it hard to concentrate

have problems with sleeping or eating

have angry outbursts

have a lot of negative thoughts, or keep thinking that bad things are going to happen

start avoiding everyday activities, such as seeing friends, going out in public or going to school

Find out more about the symptoms of anxiety on our page about anxiety disorders in children.

Why is my child anxious?

Some children are more likely to have worries and anxiety than others.

Children often find change difficult and may become anxious following a house move or when starting a new school.

Children who have had a distressing or traumatic experience, such as a car accident or house fire, may have anxiety afterwards.

Family arguments and conflict can also make children feel insecure and anxious.

Teenagers are more likely to have social anxiety than other age groups, avoiding social gatherings or making excuses to get out of them.

Find out more about social anxiety.

How to help an anxious child

If a child is experiencing anxiety, there are things that parents and carers can do to help.

First and foremost, it's important to talk to your child about their anxiety or worries. Reassure them and show them you understand how they feel.

If your child is old enough, it may help to explain what anxiety is and the physical effects it has on our bodies. It may be helpful to describe anxiety as being like a wave that builds up and then ebbs away again.

As well as talking to your child about their worries and anxiety, it's important to help them find solutions.

For example, if your child is worried about going to a sleepover, it is natural to want to tell them not to go. However, this could mean your child feels that their anxiety will stop them from doing things.

It's better to recognise their anxiety and suggest solutions to help them, so they can go to the sleepover with a plan in place.

Other ways to ease anxiety in children

teach your child to recognise signs of anxiety in themselves

encourage your child to manage their anxiety and ask for help when they need it

children of all ages find routines reassuring, so try to stick to regular daily routines where possible

if your child is anxious because of distressing events, such as a bereavement or separation, look for books or films that will help them to understand their feelings

if you know a change, such as a house move, is coming up, prepare your child by talking to them about what is going to happen and why

try not to become overprotective or anxious yourself

practise simple relaxation techniques with your child, such as taking 3 deep, slow breaths, breathing in for a count of 3 and out for 3.

distraction can be helpful for young children. For example, if they are anxious about going to nursery, play games on the way there, such as seeing who can spot the most red cars

turn an empty tissue box into a "worry" box. Get your child to write about or draw their worries and "post" them into the box. Then you can sort through the box together at the end of the day or week

Find out more

When should we get help?

If your child's anxiety is severe, persists and interferes with their everyday life, it's a good idea to get some help.

A visit to a GP is a good place to start. If your child's anxiety is affecting their school life, it's a good idea to talk to their school as well.

Parents and carers can get help and advice about children's mental health from Young Minds' free parent helpline on 0808 802 5544, from Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4pm.

Find out more about treatments on our page about anxiety disorders in children.

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How to help your child deal with anxiety about things such as going to school or socialising with friends. Also, how to tell when it's time to get medical help.

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Fight Flight Freeze – Anxiety Explained For Teens

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September 10, 2021

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National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

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Transcript
Transcript
[music]

Narrator: Got 60 seconds? Take a mental health minute to learn about stress and anxiety in adolescents.

Anxiety is your body's reaction to stress and can occur even if there is no current threat.

If anxiety doesn't go away and begins to interfere with your life, it could affect your health.

There are several coping strategies you can try to reduce your anxiety and stress.

Keep a journal to help identify and challenge your negative and unhelpful thoughts.

Do a body scan to identify physical symptoms of stress and anxiety in your body like headaches or body pain.

Download an app that provides relaxation or mindfulness exercises such as deep breathing or visualization.

Exercise, eat healthy, avoid caffeine, and stick to a sleep routine.

And reach out to your friends or family members who can help you cope in a positive way.

If you are still struggling to cope, or the symptoms won't go away, share how you're feeling with a parent or trusted adult. It may be time to talk to a health care professional.

Learn more about anxiety through the NIMH website, and share this mental health minute video to help someone else.

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Mental Health Minute: Stress and Anxiety in Adolescents

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Transcript [music] Narrator: Got 60 seconds? Take a mental health minute to learn about stress and anxiety in adolescents. Anxiety is your body's reaction to stress and can occur even if there is no current threat. If anxiety doesn't go away and begins to interfere with your life, it could affect your health.

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Guide for supporting autistic children and young people who are anxious about attending school

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Guide for supporting autistic children and young people who are anxious about attending school

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Chat anonymously with a young worker online

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Chat anonymously with a young worker online

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Eden Court's Queer Youth Arts Collective is an online creative space for Highland-based LGBTI+ young people aged 13 to 18. We meet once a week on Zoom to come together as community, create, and connect. We aim to build a welcoming and inclusive space that queer and questioning young people and allies can make their own.

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The Proud Trust is an LGBT+ organisation that supports LGBT+ young people through youth groups, peer support, mentoring programs and the Proud Connections chat service.

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Gender Identity & Mental Health | Guide For Parents

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If your child is transgender or struggling with their gender identity, read our information and advice on supporting them and on where you can get help.

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Supporting trans, non-binary and gender-diverse children, young people and their families

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Supporting trans, non-binary and gender-diverse children, young people and their families

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Stonewall campaigns for the equality of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people across Britain.

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Fearless is a site where you can access non-judgemental information and advice about crime and criminality

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Fearless is a site where you can access non-judgemental information and advice about crime and criminality

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Fearless is a site where you can access non-judgemental information and advice about crime and criminality

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Fearless by Crimestoppers - report issues anonymously to the Police. - Wood Green Academy

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Fearless is a site where you can access non-judgemental information and advice about crime and criminality. What makes this

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I AM ME SCOTLAND - DISABILITY HATE CRIME

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I AM ME SCOTLAND - DISABILITY HATE CRIME

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About Us

Our Team

Our History

Our History

The I Am Me Scotland team - Carol, Mhairi, Molly and Kieran are supported by a fantastic volunteer management committee and Board of Trustees

Our History

Our History

Our History

The Charity began as a community project in 2012. Carol Burt started the project in response to a TV Programme about Disability Hate Crime.

Our Aim

Our History

Our Aim

The Charity aims to create a movement for change, through focusing on early intervention and prevention with a range of educational programmes.

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I Am Me Scotland - Disability Hate Crime

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Our Team Our History Our History The I Am Me Scotland team - Carol, Mhairi, Molly and Kieran are supported by a fantastic volunteer management committee and Board of Trustees Our History Our History Our History The Charity began as a community project in 2012.

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Are you worried about online sexual abuse or the way someone has been communicating with you online?

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Are you worried about online sexual abuse or the way someone has been communicating with you online?

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Are you being bullied?

If you are being bullied, or you are not ready to make a report to CEOP, you can talk to Childline anonymously online or on the phone - No worry is too big or too small.

Visit Childline

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Are you being bullied? If you are being bullied, or you are not ready to make a report to CEOP, you can talk to Childline anonymously online or on the phone - No worry is too big or too small. Visit Childline

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Dyslexia Scotland - Understanding Dyslexia

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Dyslexia Scotland - Understanding Dyslexia

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​Dyslexia can affect the way people communicate, and it's different for everyone. It is not just about reading and writing and it is not an indication of low intelligence. Dyslexia exists in all cultures and across the range of abilities and socio-economic backgrounds.

Dyslexia is on a continuum or spectrum, which means individuals can be mildly or severely dyslexic and each will experience different strengths and difficulties. This can depend on the activity undertaken, the learning environment and any coping strategies and support in place - there is however a common set of signs that can be observed.

If your child is dyslexic, they may experience a range of difficulties which continue even though they are given appropriate learning opportunities. These difficulties may mask how able your child is in other areas.
There are often associated strengths in areas such as:

verbal communication and social interaction

problem solving, thinking outside the box, seeing the whole picture

creativity and practical tasks

visual thinking skills eg see/think in 3D, visualise a structure from plans.

There are often associated difficulties in areas such as:

auditory and/or visual processing of language-based information

phonological awareness - (associating letters with their sound(s) and how they are blended to form words)

oral language skills and reading fluency

short-term and working memory

sequencing and directionality

number skills

organisational ability

motor skills and co-ordination may also be affected.

How can I help?

Encourage the use of language skills to help build a wide range of vocabulary - talking, rhymes, singing, listening, reading stories, audio books.

When talking to your child, use as many pictures and objects as possible.

Make sure written information is easy to read with a clear type.

Make a pictorial/visual timetable or task list.

Be direct and use short sentence when giving instructions.

Encourage creative and visual talents.

Encourage learning through play and games - make it enjoyable.

Make use of computers/tablets, free software and apps - reading from a computer screen is often easier than reading handwriting, text recognition software can read words back.

Where can I find further advice?

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​Dyslexia can affect the way people communicate, and it's different for everyone. It is not just about reading and writing and it is not an indication of low intelligence. Dyslexia exists in all cultures and across the range of abilities and socio-economic backgrounds.

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We've been around since 1983 helping children and young people in Scotland to overcome disability and barriers to learning, and to fulfil their potential. Providing pupil assessment and support, expert advice, training and assistive technology Loans.

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The Scottish Working Definition of Dyslexia

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The Scottish Working Definition of Dyslexia

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The Scottish Working Definition of Dyslexia

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iPad Apps for Learners with Dyslexia - A3, portrait

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The app wheel was first launched in October 2013 and has been our most popular poster ever.

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Support for children and young people through a range of different services

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Support for children and young people through a range of different services

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We provide support for children and young people through a range of different services. Inter School Social Education Project (ISSEP), North Edinburgh ISSEP is a unique mentoring project which provides academic and emotional support to local primary-aged children.

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In Scotland, it's illegal to sell vapes or e-cigarettes to anyone under 18, or to buy them for someone who's under 18. But this doesn't stop young people from getting hold of them. Here you can find out more about the risks of vaping, how you can talk to your child about it and what to do to support them if they've taken it up.

In this short video, Mark Hunter, project officer at Fast Forward, shares advice to help you talk to your child about vaping.

What is vaping?

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes or vapes) are battery-powered devices which heat a liquid that becomes a vapour you inhale. This liquid often contains nicotine and flavourings.

They were originally intended to help people stop smoking, and are only meant to be used for a short time. But they're now being used by young people who have never actually smoked.

Is vaping bad for you?

Vaping is much less harmful than smoking. However, although we don't yet fully understand the long-term effects vaping has on our health, evidence shows that e-cigarettes or vapes are not harm-free.

Vapes contain nicotine, and may quickly become harmfully addictive for young people.

Young people can quickly become addicted to nicotine, and this can affect their concentration and impact their ability to learn and study. Nicotine withdrawal can also disrupt sleep and may cause headaches. It can also affect their mental health and mood.

While the long-term effects of vaping are still being researched, it's thought they can have a negative impact on the health of the heart and lungs. Cancer Research UK, the British Heart Foundation, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and the Royal College of Physicians all state that vapes should only be used by adults who smoke as an aid to giving up smoking.

You can find out more about the harmful effects of vaping on the NHS Inform website.

It's also worth noting that, although vapes can seem cheap compared to cigarettes, using them regularly can quickly add up to a lot of money.

In this short video, Professor Linda Bauld discusses the impact of vaping on young people.

Why do young people try vaping?

As our page on risk-taking behaviour explains, young people's brains are still developing. This means they can't always think through the consequences of the things they do. As a result, they're more likely to try things like vaping out of curiosity or 'for fun', without considering the harm they could be doing to themselves.

Vapes are colourful and come in lots of different flavours, which can seem appealing to young people. They don't seem scary or harmful, as cigarettes do.

Many young people really want to fit in with their friends and are scared of being rejected by them. This means they can sometimes be persuaded to do things they don't particularly want to do or know they shouldn't do, so as not to feel left out.

In some cases, young people try vaping to help them feel less anxious or stressed.

Signs your child may be vaping

It's usually fairly easy to tell if your child's been smoking, as the smell is a real giveaway. But it can be harder to tell if they're vaping. Here are some signs you can look out for:

Many vapes have sweet flavours like vanilla or bubble gum, so be aware of smells like that.

If your child seems more moody, jittery or irritable than usual, it could be a sign of nicotine addiction. This may also disrupt their sleep and cause headaches.

Vaping can dry out your mouth, so if your child seems thirsty all the time, this could be another sign.

Vaping can also make you cough more than usual.

In addition, make sure you know what vaping devices look like. Some can look like pens or flash drives for computers that be easily hidden in plain view.

Tips for starting a conversation about vaping

Tip #1: It's good to talk

The more openly you can discuss vaping, the more likely your child will be able to come to you if, for example, their friends are pressuring them to try it or they've started vaping and want to give up. Our page on talking and listening to your teen has more advice for starting tricky conversations.

Tip #2: Look for 'teachable moments'

If a story about vaping comes up in the news or a programme you watch, or you walk past a vape shop, you could ask them what they think. Then make sure to listen to what they have to say and talk about it calmly and openly. Giving your child a lecture is unlikely to get you anywhere!

Tip #3: Know your facts

It's a good idea to read up about vaping so you can talk to your child about the risks in a balanced, informed way. There's no need to bombard them with info, just make sure you know what you're talking about. You could start by taking a look at NHS Inform's page on vaping at www.nhsinform.scot/vaping.

What to do if you think your child may be vaping

Tip #1: Stay calm

If you suspect or find out that your child has been vaping, you may well feel upset or angry. But try to stay calm when you talk to them about it, as shouting and accusing them never gets us anywhere. If you need to let off steam, try talking to a friend or family member instead.

Tip #5: Try to stay positive

Try not to blame your child or to talk about worst case scenarios. Instead, focus on how you can support them.

Tip #7: Listen to what they have to say

Encourage your child to talk about why they feel the urge to vape. Understanding this could help you support them. For example, if they say it helps them feel less stressed, you could help them find other ways to calm down. If they feel pressured into it, you could help them find ways to say no.

Tip #8: Put yourself in their shoes

Growing up is hard, and what with school, raging hormones and trying to fit in with their friends, young people are under a lot of different pressures. Try to remember what it was like when you were a kid, and show that you're on their side and want to help them, not have a go at them.

Getting help and support

If you're concerned about your child vaping, you don't have to cope with the situation on your own.

Childline offers advice and help for young people to give up vaping.

Quit Your Way Scotland offers support to anyone looking to give up vaping or smoking, no matter how old they are. You or your child can chat to an adviser on the helpline or online.

If you discover that a business has been selling vapes to under 18s, you can report them to Trading Standards. You can find out more about how to do this on the Citizens Advice Scotland website.

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In Scotland, it's illegal to sell vapes or e-cigarettes to anyone under 18, or to buy them for someone who's under 18. But this doesn't stop young people from getting hold of them. Here you can find out more about the risks of vaping, how you can talk to your child about it and what to do to support them if they've taken it up.

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Find out everything you need to know about drugs, their effects and the law. Talk to Frank for facts, support and advice on drugs and alcohol today. | FRANK

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Crew is a harm reduction and outreach charity based in Scotland 

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Crew is a harm reduction and outreach charity based in Scotland 

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Crew neither condemns nor condones drug use: we exist to reduce harm, challenge perceptions and help people make positive choices about their use of cannabis, stimulant and other social drugs and sexual health by providing non-judgemental, credible and up to date information and support.

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Aiding & supporting the homeless & those suffering with addiction

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Aiding & supporting the homeless & those suffering with addiction

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Homelessness is one of the most common social problems that we face today. At Steps to Hope SCIO, we are dedicated to fighting this through charity, support groups and awareness programmes. We will signpost the most vulnerable to relevant organisations who we believe can provide help for those suffering with addiction. Over half of our volunteers are addicts in recovery who understand addiction and homelessness but more importantly know how to achieve a new way of life.

From handing out basic necessities and paying for accommodation to organising charity and awareness events in Edinburgh, we carry out a range of non-profit charity work. Feel free to call us to learn more about us or our work.

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As a non-profit charity, Steps to Hope SCIO is committed to helping homeless people in Edinburgh. If you want to contribute to our cause, call us today on 07949 838 666.

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Scottish Families Affected by Drugs and Alcohol Helpline

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Scottish Families Affected by Drugs and Alcohol Helpline

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Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs is a national charity that supports anyone affected by someone else's alcohol or drug use in Scotland. We give listening support and information to many people and help them with confidence, communication, general wellbeing, and we link them into local support. We also help people recognise and understand the importance of looking after themselves.

When we say family, we mean who you see as your family. It could be your spouse, your parent, your sibling, your partner, your friends, your friend's family, your colleagues, your neighbours, and anyone we may have missed.

We were created in 2003 by families themselves who came together to support each other and campaign for recognition. We've grown a lot since then!

We've won some awards including Pioneering Project at the 2021 Scottish Charity Awards for our Click and Deliver Naloxone service. We also won a 2022 GSK Impact Award and were finalists in the 2022 Scottish Charity Awards for Charity of the Year.

We have a number of local and national Family Support Services. Our four national Family Support Services are our Helpline, Bereavement Support, one to one Telehealth Support and Holding On. Our Local Family Support Services include one to one support and group support in Aberdeenshire, East Dunbartonshire, Forth Valley, Fife, and Inverclyde. We also deliver workforce development through our training courses, communications and campaigning work, our young person's group 'Routes' in East and West Dunbartonshire, and wider community development including our Connecting Families programme.

We are one of the Scottish Government's Nationally Commissioned Organisations (NCOs) for alcohol and drugs and are recognised as Scotland's leading charity for families affected by alcohol and drugs.

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Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol & Drugs

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Scottish Families is a national charity that supports anyone affected by someone else's alcohol or drug use in Scotland.

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A service for children and young people in Edinburgh affected by drug and alcohol use in their families

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A service for children and young people in Edinburgh affected by drug and alcohol use in their families

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A service for children and young people in Edinburgh affected by drug and alcohol use in their families.

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) update January 2022:
If you need immediate support please contact Samaritans on 116 123 or Breathing Space on 0800 83 85 87. Information about other mental health supports in Edinburgh can be found at https://ithriveedinburgh.org.uk/ .

Sunflower Garden supports children and young people aged 5-18; helping them to find ways of coping with their situations by expressing and managing their worries, feelings and fears.

Services offered at

One-to-one Counselling for children and young people

Support for families affected by substance use

We recognise that the needs of every child and young person is different. Our multi-disciplinary team offers a range of services to provide support that is right for each individual. We offer:

Sunflower Garden works in partnership with Family Outreach Service
Circle Harbour Project to provide support across the city for families affected by drug and alcohol use.

As part of this service, Sunflower Garden provides 1:1 therapeutic support to children and young people on an outreach basis, usually in school. This support is varied and can be tailored to meet the individual needs of the child. To make a referral please contact us directly or, alternatively, contact the Family Outreach Worker for your area:

South East - 07921 700539
North East - 07703714761
North West - 07903248740
South West - 07903822059

Individual Counselling and Art therapy
Children and young people can receive support through our counselling service based in Simpson House, Queen Street. Counselling is open ended and offered weekly by our team of committed counselling staff and volunteers. For more information, see our service leaflet below. To make a referral please use the form below.

make a referral please use the form below. Group work for children affected by parental alcohol use
This group helps children and young people express their feelings and to make sense of their situations. It helps them understand more about alcohol use and to build relationships with other people who have similar experiences. To

Volunteer with us
We have a committed group of volunteers and students who support the day-to-day running of the service. If you are interested in a student placement or volunteering with us, please contact us.

Room hire
At Simpson House, we have rooms available for hire:

Resources
Family Outreach Service Leaflet
Counselling and Art Therapy Service Leaflet

Referral forms for download
Referral Form

Questions about funding, referrals or availability?
Call us on0131 220 2488

All our practitioners are either, qualified and registered with a PSA-recognised professional body, or in the process of gaining their qualification. The PSA, or Professional Standards Authority, assesses organisations that register health and social care practitioners (e.g. BACP, COSCA, BAAT, UKCP) so that you can choose a practitioner to meet your needs with confidence.

Please support us

Are you able to help CrossReach again at this most crucial time? You can set up a regular donation or make a one off donation below.

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A service for children and young people in Edinburgh affected by drug and alcohol use in their families. COVID-19 (Coronavirus) update January 2022: If you need immediate support please contact Samaritans on 116 123 or Breathing Space on 0800 83 85 87. Information about other mental health supports in Edinburgh can be found at https://ithriveedinburgh.org.uk/ .

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Advice and Information about drinking, drug use or mental health

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Advice and Information about drinking, drug use or mental health

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Need to talk to someone?

We're here to listen - you can tell us as little or as much as you want. We'll work with you on your own goals, whether that's cutting down your drug or alcohol use, stopping completely, or just getting a bit of advice.
Find out about our live online chat Or find your local WithYou service
Need urgent help?

If there is an immediate risk to life - such as a suspected drug overdose, life-threatening withdrawal symptoms, or someone has tried to or is about to end their life - call 999 for urgent help.

If your life isn't in danger but you need urgent advice, there are services that can support you.
Find information on available services

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Get free, confidential help and support with alcohol, drugs and mental health in one of our local services or online.

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Range of techniques to support your mental health and emotional wellbeing

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Range of techniques to support your mental health and emotional wellbeing

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We spoke to Tammy, a mental health therapist , to share a range of techniques to support your mental health and emotional wellbeing. If you are managing anxiety, feeling stressed or just need to focus, try giving these four techniques a go!

In this video, Tammy shares an easy technique to help you clear your head before you go to bed. This technique can help so that your brain is not racing with too many thoughts before bed and hopefully it might help you sleep slightly quicker and a little bit better.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

In this second video, Tammy shares a top tip for relaxing and getting a good nights sleep. This is a great technique to try if you are still struggling to sleep after using the brain dump method. The aim of Progressive Muscle Relaxation is to try and reduce tension in your body, leaving you feeling more relaxed and overall less stressed and anxious.

Grounding Technique for Anxiety

In this third video, Tammy shares a great technique to help with anxiety. The idea of this technique is that it grounds you to the present situation you are in and stops your mind and anxiety spiralling out of control about something in the future.

Gratitude Tree

In this final video, Tammy shares a technique that relates to negative thoughts. This technique helps reframe your thoughts a little and almost trains your mind to get used to focusing on the smaller, positive aspects of your day that you might usually overlook and perhaps not even consciously think about.

If you want to talk to someone about your mental health, there are lots of organisations that you can reach out to, including:

Remember to look after yourself and think about your own self-care, all of the organisations on this page are there to support you too.

Take a look at our Mindfulness Monday videos if you're looking for some mindfulness activities.
For more information about supporting your mental health and emotional wellbeing visit our AyeFeel page. Young Scot supports young people to share their own voices, views and opinions and works with partner organisations and professionals who are experts in different topics. The views expressed in this video are those of the young people, organisation and/or individuals who have taken part in the video, not necessarily the views of Young Scot.

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Tammy, a Mental Health Therapist, shares simple yet effective techniques to help your mental health and emotional wellbeing. If you are managing anxiety, feeling stressed or just want to release some tension, try giving these technique a go.

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Learn about the signs of stress and anxiety in children and how to effectively support them. Gain insights into fostering a nurturing environment that promotes mental well-being.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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Learn About Children's Mental Health | CDC

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Mental health in childhood means reaching developmental and emotional milestones, and learning healthy social skills and how to cope when there are problems.

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Self-soothe boxes have lots of different names - you might have heard them being called coping, safety, or hope boxes.

These boxes won't fix everything - and they aren't supposed to. They can, however, help when things feel especially overwhelming.

When you're struggling or feel distressed, it can be hard to think clearly about what you can do and remember what helps. A self-soothe box exists to help you get to a calmer place so you can think about your options and choose a healthier way of coping.

You'll need a box, bag, or container to hold your helpful items. What you choose to fill your box with is up to you. People often find it helpful to have items that relate to different senses, as well as some things to help them distract themselves.

Try to stay curious as you start to plan and create your box. Keep an open mind and explore different options to see which work for best you.

Sight

When things feel overwhelming, some people find it helpful to have visual reminders of people, places, pets, and memories that are important to them.

You could include:

Photos of people, pets, or happy memories

Writing about happy memories or occasions

A letter to yourself that you've written when you're in a calmer, happier place

Notes or messages from people you care about

Positive quotes, affirmations, or song lyrics that are meaningful for you

A glitter jar (you can find instructions for making a glitter jar on the CBBC website)

'Positive affirmations can be so powerful if you find out what will be meaningful for you,' says Dr Ritu Mitra, Consultant Psychiatrist. 'For example, you could include something like 'My challenges help me grow''.

Hearing

Make it easier for yourself to find sounds that soothe or calm you by putting things in your box in advance.

You could include:

Some headphones (if you keep a pair in your box, you won't have to search for them)

A link to a playlist of music that makes you feel happy, calm, or relaxed

A link to a video that makes you feel happy, calm, or relaxed, like a seaside scene

Ear plugs if you find noise overwhelming

Touch

There's loads of scientific research and explanations about how and why touch can calm people down, but you don't need to understand the science to try it for yourself.

You could include:

Fidget toys (there are loads available, so you could try a couple of different types)

Playdough or clay (or you could make your own salt dough)

Something soft (a soft toy, blanket, or pair of fluffy socks)

A hand or face mask

Temporary tattoos

Smell

Different people find different scents calming - you could use a scent you associate with a calm place or try to find something new.

You could include:

Hand cream or moisturiser

Essential oil (do some research if you have pets, as some are harmful)

Room spray

Perfume or cologne

Breathing

We know that people sometimes get into a cycle where their breathing makes them feel anxious, and then that anxiety makes it tricky for them to breathe as calmly as they normally would. If this happens to you, you could include some things in your box to help.

You could include:

Get in the flow

Sometimes, when things feel overwhelming, people find it calming or relaxing to give their brain something else to do. This might be especially helpful if you find yourself worrying about things over and over again.

You could include:

Colouring book or sheet (don't forget to include some pens or pencils too)

A simple craft (you could include a kit or try something like origami)

A puzzle book (choose your favourite type of puzzle, from crosswords to sudoku)

A pen and a notepad

Nail varnish

Playing cards (you could learn to play clock solitaire or spider solitaire as they're games for one player)

'Getting in the flow with an activity or some exercise can be an effective distraction technique,' says Dr Mitra.

Support

It isn't always easy to reach out when you don't feel great. Make it easier for yourself by creating a list of people and organisations you can contact to add to your box.

You could include:

Names of friends or family you can contact (and their phone numbers)

Information about different organisations - check out the 'Get help now' page for some ideas

Let us know what's in your box by emailing bestforyou@cwplus.org.uk or sharing on social media @BestForYouNHS - we'd love to hear your ideas and share some pictures of your boxes and kits.

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How to make a self-soothe box - Best For You

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Self-soothe boxes don't fix everything, but when things feel overwhelming, they can help you reach a calmer place where you can think more clearly.

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Free, confidential, phone and webchat service for anyone in Scotland over the age of 16 experiencing low mood, depression or anxiety

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Free, confidential, phone and webchat service for anyone in Scotland over the age of 16 experiencing low mood, depression or anxiety

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Information & support

The whole spectrum of life is reflected in the calls we receive to Breathing Space. The sooner you talk to us the better you might feel. (Please note that Breathing Space is a service for people in Scotland)

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Breathing Space is a free confidential service for people in Scotland. Open up when you're feeling down - phone 0800 83 85 87

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Information & support The whole spectrum of life is reflected in the calls we receive to Breathing Space. The sooner you talk to us the better you might feel. (Please note that Breathing Space is a service for people in Scotland)

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UK’s leading digital mental health charity for children and young people

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UK’s leading digital mental health charity for children and young people

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stem4 - supporting teenage mental health

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stem4 is a charity that supports positive mental health in teenagers. Mental health information, apps and education. Founders of Youth Mental Health Day.

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Mental Health Foundation | Good mental health for all

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Explore information to help you understand mental health and get advice on how you look after your own mental health or support someone you know with theirs.