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Our core workshop lasts approximately 30 minutes. This session will give parents and carers an overview of some of the risks and benefits children face online and shares key advice on how they can help to keep them safe.

We also have advice and information on a whole range of other topics that can be added to the session. Our team will work with you to create a bespoke workshop depending on the needs of your audience.

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Book a free online safety group workshop for parents and carers at your school or organisation.

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Autism Unpacked Podcast - Options Autism

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Specialists in autism, supporting children, young people and adults

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Mrs Jenkin is our Parent Support Advisor (PSA). She works in school every morning.

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Understanding ADHD Parent Carer Workshop - Copy

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Behavioural Toolkit ParentCarer Workshop - Copy - Copy - Copy

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Navigating the JourneyParentCarer Workshop (1)

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SEND tips and advice - BBC Parents’ Toolkit - BBC Bitesize

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Activities, advice and personal stories about parenting and special educational needs and disabilities to help you support your family.

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SEND tips and advice - BBC Parents’ Toolkit - BBC Bitesize

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Activities, advice and personal stories about parenting and special educational needs and disabilities to help you support your family.

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The Graduated Approach is the process which must be carried out to ensure a rich and inclusive offer for all children and young people.

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Moving Up! The transition to secondary school - Assembly PowerPoint FINAL (1)

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CAMHS Neurodiversity | Livewell Southwest

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The CAMHS Neurodiversity team offers assessment and intervention to children and young people aged from 5 to 18 years who are suspected to be neurodiverse.

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CAMHS Neurodiversity | Livewell Southwest

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The CAMHS Neurodiversity team offers assessment and intervention to children and young people aged from 5 to 18 years who are suspected to be neurodiverse.

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Support Available Through External Agencies

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Support Available Through External Agencies

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Autism Central for Parents and Carers | Autism Central

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Autism Central offers a wealth of resources for parents, carers and personal assistants of autistic people in England – from articles and learning materials to signposting you to services and support in your local area.

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The resources here include general information, supportive technology and strategies to support washing, dressing, eating and drinking, toileting, play, sleep and routines.

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Welcome to Plymouth Parent Carer Voice

What We Do

The Plymouth Parent Carer Voice (PPCV) brings together parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Plymouth and the surrounding area to give them the voice in the services that they use.

What Is PPCV

PPCV is Plymouth's official parent carer forum. We are a group of volunteer parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Together we work in partnership with our local authority, to help shape and improve the range of services in education, health and social care for families in the Plymouth area.

Join here to have your say, share your ideas and receive up-to-date information about SEND in Plymouth.

LATEST NEWS

Here, you can find out about any news we have at Plymouth PCV. Please feel free to get in touch if you are interested in anything you see.

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Parent Carers Cornwall (PCC) is the recognised Parent Carer Forum for Cornwall. Nationally funded to support families with children with SEND, endorsed locally by Health, Education and Social Care.

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A page full of resources and information for neurodiverse children, young people and their families who are receiving support from the CDC

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A page full of resources and information for neurodiverse children, young people and their families who are receiving support from the CDC

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Ordinarily Available Provision ( Early Years) 

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Ordinarily Available Provision ( Early Years) 

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Plymouth Council - Ordinarily Available Provision for Early Years

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Ordinarily Available Provision (Schools) 

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Ordinarily Available Provision (Schools) 

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Plymouth Council - Ordinarily Available Provision for Schools

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A PARENT'S GUIDE

If your child is making the switch from primary to secondary school, it's important to understand what challenges they may face online and how to support them, see our guide to do just that.

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If your child is making the switch from primary to secondary school, it's important to understand what challenges they may face online and how to support them, see our guide to do just that.

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Not only are they learning to communicate with each other online, but they're also making important decisions on how to present themselves to the world.

As such, it's important to children that they have the right smartphone, use the popular apps and take part in the latest trends to feel like they 'fit in'.

That means helping children find the balance between connecting with friends online and managing their safety and wellbeing.

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Make the transition to secondary school safer

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Get advice on how to support children digital development as they make the transition from primary school to secondary or senior school.

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Alliance quality and standards manager, Melanie Pilcher, shares ideas for getting children ready for moving up to school. This article originally appeared in the Alliance's Under 5 membership magazine.
Starting school is a major transition in a child's life involving separation from familiar adults and children. By the time they are ready to start school, children have a more secure understanding of 'people permanence' and are consequently able to approach new experiences with some self-assurance. However, they will need preparation if they are going to be able to approach the transition to school with confidence.

Partnerships are key

It is important to remember that parents will need support during this time as well. Strong bonds have been formed and intimate aspects of family life have been shared in trust and confidence with staff, making the move up to school a difficult goodbye for many. Practitioners, particularly those who have been a 'key person', have also formed bonds with children and their families. The emotional significance of ending these relationships can be acute for them as well. The transition to school will not only signify an end to familiar routines but also the end of relationships and a time to say goodbye.

It is also important to consider the essential administrative elements involved with the move up to school. You'll need to ensure that everyone involved is working in partnership, sharing relevant information and 'managing' the process of transition together. There should be a good line of communication between the parents, the school and the setting and each party should make their expectations of each other clear.

For early years settings, partnerships between parents are every bit as important at the end of their relationship as at the start. A child's key person should discuss the transition with parents, asking when and how they are preparing their child for school. Going to "big school" is something that grown-ups often discuss months ahead of time and unless a child already has an older sibling at school then the idea can be difficult for the child to relate to.

Conversely, some parents will be reluctant to discuss school with their child until the very last minute. Parents might believe that it is best not to make a big deal of the changes ahead. Of course, discussion with the parent may reveal that it is because they are struggling with the idea of their child starting school themselves. These parents will need sensitive support to help them become partners in the important process of transition.

Strong relationships

The key person should make it clear to parents what information they will be sharing with the school. This might include: learning and development summaries, which parents shou ld be encouraged to contribute to; information regarding child protection; and any work that has taken place to ensure the child's welfare.

Every effort must be made to forge and maintain strong partnerships with the schools that children will be attending. This should not suddenly happen in the weeks immediately prior to transition, but should instead be established and ongoing for every school in the setting's catchment area. Of course, it is much easier for those early years settings that are on a school site, but these settings should still ensure that a structure is in place. This is particularly important if lines of communication have not previously existed or have been poor in the past.

The setting manager should approach each school and ask for details of their settling in or transition procedure. Keep a copy of this on file so that key persons are familiar with them. This will help develop a consistent approach to forthcoming transitions with teachers, parents and children.

Details of which school each child is due to attend should also be recorded in their file, along with the name of their reception class teacher. Teachers should be welcomed into the early years setting and given sufficient time to spend with the child, their parents and their key person to discuss and share information about the transition.

Helping children to understand

Where the setting is on a school site, there will be plenty of opportunities to visit with a group of children and attend routine events, such as lunchtime or break time, which can be overwhelming for new starters. If visits are not practical, there are other resources - such as books, photographs and videos - that can be made available in the setting and that may help children to make sense of the impending 'big school' event. Staff may also be able to borrow resources from the school and use these with the children.

For a child with SEND, where a decision has been reached that they will be able to attend mainstream school, there is a separate admissions process that will be overseen by the local authority's Special Educational Needs and Disability Team. All decisions about starting school and how this is to be managed will be made with the child's parents, the area's Special Educational Needs Coordinator, or external representative, head teacher, key person and setting manager. These people will all need to work closely together to share the information and resources needed to support the child at school. This may include any reasonable adjustments that the school will need to make, and additional training for all staff that is specific to the child's individual needs, such as sign language.

The final step
This article originally appeared in the Alliance's Under 5 membership magazine. Find out more about the magazine, request your free taster copy, or sign up to the newsletter mailing list here
As their last day approaches, children will need time to prepare for separating from the close relationships they will have formed in the early years setting. Their last day should be prepared for in advance, and marked with a special celebration or party that acknowledges that the child is moving on. Some settings opt for a Graduation Day approach, with gowns and certificates. However, it is important not to let the ceremony of such an event take over and make the experience less meaningful for the children.

Finally, once the children have left, their parents should not be discouraged from bringing them back for the occasional visit. It can be reassuring to know that their nursery, pre-school or childminder is still there and that they are remembered. The early years setting plays an integral role in such a crucial period in a child's development that the relationship does not have to end abruptly - and for those children with a younger sibling, it will continue for many years to come.

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Hello, 'big school' - managing transitions

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Alliance quality and standards manager, Melanie Pilcher, shares ideas for getting children ready for moving up to school. This article originally appeared in the Alliance's Under 5 membership magazine. Starting school is a major transition in a child's life involving separation from familiar adults and children.

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Moving up! The transition to secondary school

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This animation and accompanying teacher toolkit is aimed at supporting pupils who have recently started Year 7, or are due to start soon.

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Our expert advice will help you get ready together.

Coping with change to primary school as a family

Don't avoid it - draw pictures and tell stories about what might happen to make it fun and more familiar.

Talk about feelings - describe what happens when you have different feelings, including worry. Do you have butterflies in your tummy? Are you tense? Explain that nerves can help us focus and get ready.

Look back - chat about how you've coped with changes in the past, like moving house or having a baby. You can do it again!

Practice how to stay calm - this could include taking slow, deep breaths together.

Find out how else you can support your child
Preparing your child

Let them make mistakes - praise them for trying and help them learn by not always fixing things immediately.

Encourage them to be curious - ask questions about the world around you, and they will do the same.

Help them get on with others - introduce them to people, play games and take turns. 'Act out' situations with toys, e.g., "How can Teddy ask to play with the dolls?",

Practice sitting still and paying attention - look at books, crafts or puzzles without distractions.

Encourage lots of words - instead of: "Did you like it?", ask: "What did you like about it?", so they have to use different words.

Get moving - running, jumping, climbing, catching, painting and sorting small objects will improve their control over their bodies.

Preparing yourself

Your child starting primary school is a big change for you, too, so remember to look after yourself.

Being apart from your child might be new. Plan what you'll do during those first few days and chat with other families who are going through the same thing.

Make time for yourself. Self-care can be as simple as having a cup of tea, going for a walk or getting enough sleep.

Remember, you are your child's first and most important teacher, and they will continue to rely on you throughout their time at school. When you look after yourself, you're more able to support them.

Are you struggling? Find out where you can get help

Useful resources

Starting primary school from BBC Bitesize has lots of useful information, advice and resources to help your child get ready for primary school.

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Starting primary school can be both exciting and a little scary. However, there are many ways in which we can help both our children prepare for primary school.

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Home

For Parents

If your little one is gearing up to start primary school this September, we're here to help you Be School Ready, and make this exciting journey smooth, fun, and full of learning. Or, if your child is starting secondary or post-primary school, check out our Be School Ready guide for secondary school starters below.

Welcome to one of the most exciting (and nerve-racking) parts of your parenting journey! We know there's lots to do and remember in the lead up to their first day. That's why our guide and online hub have all the information and advice your family needs during this exciting time. From emotional prep to playful learning activities at home, we've got tonnes of tips to get those bright young minds buzzing. Plus, we're sharing scrumptious snack ideas to satisfy their appetites and savvy ways to save money as you prepare.

Check out this video to see some key skills that can give your child a head start in the classroom! Teaching your little one a few practical self-care skills before school starts can make a big difference. Remember, it's perfectly okay if they haven't mastered all of these skills-each child is unique! But even learning just one or two of these before September can free up more time for teachers to focus on your child's learning.

Be School Ready content directly in your inbox

We'll be launching new Be School Ready resources for 2024 soon. If you'd like to be emailed once new content is shared, you can sign up to have it delivered straight to your inbox below.

Our use of cookies

Like most websites, this website would like to set some non-essential cookies.

Read our cookie policy.

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If your little one is gearing up to start primary school this September, we're here to help you Be School Ready, and make this exciting journey smooth,...

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Starting school is an exciting time for young children and their parents. It can be a daunting time, too. But with a little preparation and encouragement, most children will settle in easily at school, ready to learn and discover.

Your child doesn't need to be able to read, write or do sums before they start school. Children start school with a wide range of abilities and their teacher will be skilled at helping children progress at their own level.

What's most important is that you and your child have fun together in those preschool months and years - sharing stories, singing songs, playing games and talking about anything and everything.

Our resources and activities include tips and ideas to help you and your child be ready to start school with a smile. Below are free ideas you might like to try.

School ready - physical development - A guide to helping children with their developing physical skills as they approach the start of school

Make a mark, make a start - Ideas for mark making, art, and early writing activities

The numbers game - Help your child to prepare for learning maths at school with these simple games, rhymes and everyday activities

Listen and learn - School involves a lot of listening - to their teacher and other adults - so practising good listening skills before your child starts school will help them get off to a great start

Happy talk - Most early years teachers agree that, for a child starting school, being able to talk about what they think and explain how they feel are more important than any academic skills

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Starting school is an exciting time for young children and their parents. It can be a daunting time, too. But with a little preparation and encouragement, most children will settle in easily at school, ready to learn and discover. Your child doesn't need to be able to read, write or do sums before they start school.

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Our use of cookies

We use necessary cookies to make our site work. We'd also like to set optional analytics to help us improve it. We won't set optional cookies unless you enable them. Using this tool will set a cookie on your device to remember your preferences.

For more detailed information about the cookies we use, see our Cookies page

Necessary cookies

Necessary cookies enable core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility. You may disable these by changing your browser settings, but this may affect how the website functions.

Analytics cookies

We'd like to set non-essential cookies, such as Google Analytics, to help us to improve our website by collecting and reporting information on how you use it. The cookies collect information in a way that does not directly identify anyone. For more information on how these cookies work, please see our Cookies page. If you are 16 or under, please ask a parent or carer for consent before accepting.

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Mental health animation toolkit for teachers and schools | Young people mental health

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This animation and accompanying teacher toolkit is aimed at pupils who have recently started secondary school or will be preparing to go later this year (Years 6 and 7). They were developed in collaboration with young people, teachers and mental health experts.

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The Small Fish Podcast & Illustrated Edition

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14 five-minute episodes to help children transition from primary to secondary school as they become small fish in a big pond. Now including 14 illustrated video versions.

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A letter from our founder

Dear Parent,

I see you; I know you're there; I know the despair, the hurt and upset you are feeling. I know the feeling of blame, the guilt and the constant searching for answers and reasons. I know the sleepless nights, the worry about keeping your family safe, the struggle of trying to hold down employment. I know the looks and comments you get from family, friends and professionals, the tug you feel in your heart. I know that horrific pain that is running through you. I know how you hate yourself when you have thoughts of asking services for help or even to have your child placed with them. I know the failing you feel and how you are trying to survive each day without incident or trauma. I know you feel so isolated and alone even if you do have support around you. I know you're doing the best you can in a situation where you have nowhere to turn. I know this is not your fault and that you are not to blame.

How do I know this? Because I was you. I was being abused by my child. I had all of those feelings and more. Accepting my child's behaviour was abusive was not easy or something I even wanted to consider, but this was the reality. Things will not always be this tough, things can improve and you as a family will find a safe way that works for you.

Right now, you may feel that nobody understands and that your situation is beyond help or support. I promise you it is not. You are not alone. I hear you. I will listen, help and act alongside you if needed.

PEGS was started to help those going through similar situations of extreme difficulty and worry.

PEGS is here for you, created out of trauma but going forward with love, passion and determination to see change.

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Child to parent abuse | Parental Education Growth Support (PEGS)

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PEGS has been set up to support both parents and professionals deal with the issues associated with child-to-parent abuse. Supporting parents and professionals with child to parent abuse. Learn More

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Neurodiversity Wellbeing Team FLyer 2024

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Neurodiversity Wellbeing Team FLyer 2024

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Plymouth Information, Advice and Support for SEND (PIAS) provides information, advice and support relating to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) for parents, carers, children and young people within the Plymouth Local Authority area.

See the latest information about coronavirus (COVID-19) .

See the report from Plymouth's last Ofsted Joint Local Area SEND Inspection.

PIAS provides parents, carers of children and young people with SEND and also the children and young people independently with:

support at meetings

support around education and training issues.

Information provided is impartial and confidential. For more information please see our:

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Plymouth Information, Advice & Support for SEND

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Plymouth Information, Advice and Support for SEND (PIAS) provides information, advice and support relating to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) for parents, carers, children and young people within the Plymouth Local Authority area. See the latest information about coronavirus (COVID-19) . See the report from Plymouth's last Ofsted Joint Local Area SEND Inspection.

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What is Family Learning?

If you are a parent, grandparent or carer of pre-school or school age children, Family Learning is for you. Family Learning is fully funded so no cost to you.

How does your child learn English, maths, science and languages at school? Family Learning takes the mystery out of today's teaching methods so you and your children can enjoy learning together.

Do you enjoy being creative with your child? We offer themed crafting activities which are not only fun but help to improve well being and social and practical skills.

Ever considered a cooking on a budget course? We help you to be more savy with your shopping budget and cook a meal to take home with your child.

Want to focus on life skills with your child? We offer baby massage and family first aid and so much more......
Where can you access Family Learning?
Family Learning delivers free courses in:

· Local schools

· Children's centres

· Community venues across Plymouth.

· OCSW venues including Hyde Park House and Tothill Community Centre

To find out if there is Family Learning happening in a venue near you, or if you would like to run Family Learning in your venue call 01752 660713 or email: info@oncoursesouthwest.co.uk

Courses are designed to help benefit parents, grandparents and carers in a way that:

· helps them to understand the school curriculum

· supports children's learning by improving practical & social skills

· supports their own wellbeing, confidence and development

· contributes positively to the family home

· supports them to meet people in a similar situation.

Click the button below for more information.

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Free family learning activities. Includes Crafts, Maths, English, Science, languages, cooking, budgeting, first aid and BSL. - On Course South West

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What is Family Learning? If you are a parent, grandparent or carer of pre-school or school age children, Family Learning is for you. Family Learning is fully funded so no cost to you. How does your child learn English, maths, science and languages at school?

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What is Lyme disease and why do we need to be tick-aware?

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To help you stay safe this spring and summer, we’ve compiled a guide to protecting yourself from tick-borne infections. In this blog, you’ll learn how to avoid tick bites, how to recognise the signs and symptoms of Lyme disease and TBE and when to seek medical assistance.

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Vaccines save lives. They prevent around three million deaths worldwide every year and the World Health Organization states that after clean water, vaccination has the greatest impact on health globally.

In the UK, we are incredibly fortunate to be able to offer our children the best protection against serious and life-threatening infections through our routine childhood immunisations. The immunisation programme is designed to offer us the best protection throughout our lives, with more vaccines such as shingles and flu offered to our elderly population now.

The NHS vaccine programme

The NHS vaccination programme is a world-leader and designed to protect us throughout our lives, for free.

When you have a baby, keeping them safe and well is a priority. Vaccination is one of the most important things we can do to protect their health, and shortly after they are born, you'll be given information about their first immunisations, which take place when the baby is 8 weeks old.

These first jabs protect against a number of infections that can cause pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis. The vaccines offered to babies and toddlers protect them from serious illness such as whooping cough and diphtheria that used to cause so much suffering to families, but thanks to immunisation are now rare.

As your child gets older, they'll be offered more appointments to get vaccinated, right up until they are teenagers. When they are little, these tend to be done at their GP surgery, but as they grow up some vaccines will be offered at school. It's important to look out for and return consent forms for vaccines that are given at school.

The full childhood immunisation programme protects your child against many different illnesses. It's best to have vaccines on time, but you can still catch up on most vaccines if you miss them. You can see the full schedule here, and if you are concerned that your child, or any family member, has missed out on certain vaccines you can speak to your GP practice about catching up. You can also use your child's red book to look back at which vaccines they have received and if there are any gaps.

Keeping each other safe

We now see far less cases of some very nasty infections that used to cause a lot of suffering and death, such as whooping cough, rubella and polio. However, the key to keeping cases low, controlling outbreaks and keeping our children well is to ensure they are vaccinated.

By vaccinating your child you give them protection, but this also helps to build herd immunity and protect others who may not be able to get vaccinated or have weaker immune systems.

Remember that your child will be offered vaccines into their teenage years, with the HPV vaccine, the teenage booster (Td/IPV - offering protection from tetanus, diphtheria, and polio) and MenACWY vaccines offered to adolescents in schools.

When your child grows up and enters into new environments, such as university, they mix with a new, wide group of people and can be more at risk of some infections. Keeping up with the full vaccination schedule and ensuring your child has caught up with any missed vaccines can help to keep them well as they go off and build their adult lives.
More information
The NHS website has lots of information about the free vaccines on offer. By clicking on each vaccine you can see detailed information about it, such as safety, side effects and catching up on missed doses.

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Protecting your children through vaccination

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Vaccines save lives. This blog looks at the free NHS vaccination programme and why it's so important to get vaccinated and catch up on missed vaccines.

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As Summer approaches, we look forward to travelling, taking holidays, attending events and enjoying more time outdoors. There are some simple things we can all do to stay safe throughout summer and to keep illness at bay as we enjoy the longer days and better weather.

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Online learning - Flexible e-learning. Online Qualifications to study online in your own time — On Course South West

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If you’re clear on the course you’d like to study, then click on the button below to view all of our online courses. From there you can select the course you wish to begin and then start your enrolment. If you are interested in a specific area of study then scroll on down and view courses specific to Health and Social Care, Business and Industry and Essentials.

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Childcare cost support – Service Families

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Childcare cost support – Service Families

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Support for service families, please share with your parents so that they can access help towards childcare costs

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Discover My Benefits - Raf - Families - Wraparound childcare - Armed Forces

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Get funding for the cost of up to 20 hours of before and after school care for your 4 to 11-year-old children

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Did you know if you are a working parent, you will have access to childcare support starting April 2024? You can use the online checker to see what help with childcare costs you can get. It’s not just for nursery or childminders it can be used for wraparound care and activity clubs too

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How to use Tax-Free Childcare

For every £8 you pay in, the government will automatically add £2, up to the value of £2,000 per child per year (or £4,000 for disabled children)

Check you're eligible

Find out more about eligibility on www.gov.uk/tax-free-childcare

You can't use Tax-Free Childcare together with:

Tax Credits

Universal Credit

Childcare Vouchers

Select your childcare provider(s)

Your childcare provider(s) must sign up to receive Tax-Free Childcare payments.

Pay money into your childcare account

You can deposit money into your childcare account using a debit card, but it's quicker by standing order or bank transfer. We'll add the government top up automatically and you can use this money when it shows as 'available'.

Pay your childcare provider(s)

Use the money in your childcare account, including the government top up, to make one off or regular payments to your childcare provider(s).

Reconfirm

To continue getting the government top-up, you'll need to confirm your details are up to date every 3 months. We'll send a reminder when you need to do this.

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For every £8 you pay in, the government will automatically add £2, up to the value of £2,000 per child per year (or £4,000 for disabled children) Find out more about eligibility on www.gov.uk/tax-free-childcare You can't use Tax-Free Childcare together with: Tax Credits Universal Credit Childcare Vouchers Your childcare provider(s) must sign up to receive Tax-Free Childcare payments.

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Plymouth Family Information Directory (FID)

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Plymouth Family Information Directory (FID)

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The Family Information Directory has all types of childcare providers listed for your area.

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Quality of life at home toolkit

Coping with behaviours that challenge within the home and navigating family life can be overwhelming at times. You might find yourself experiencing this more regularly if you’re a parent or carer of an autistic child or young person. It’s important to recognise that you’re not alone. We’ve been working with parents of autistic children and young people to identify the everyday challenges families like yours struggle to deal with.

That’s why we’ve created our quality of life at home toolkit. This series of five animated films provides advice and guidance on managing the emotional needs of autistic children and young people

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Ambitious about Autism is the national charity for autistic children and young people. We stand with autistic children, young people and their families to champion rights, campaign for change and create opportunities.

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If problem behaviour is causing you or your child distress, or upsetting the rest of the family, it's important to deal with it.

Do what feels right

What you do has to be right for your child, yourself and the family. If you do something you do not believe in or that you do not feel is right, it probably will not work. Children notice when you do not mean what you're saying.

Do not give up

Once you've decided to do something, continue to do it. Solutions take time to work. Get support from your partner, a friend, another parent or your health visitor. It's good to have someone to talk to about what you're doing.

Be consistent

Children need consistency. If you react to your child's behaviour in one way one day and a different way the next, it's confusing for them. It's also important that everyone close to your child deals with their behaviour in the same way.

Try not to overreact

This can be difficult. When your child does something annoying time after time, your anger and frustration can build up.

It's impossible not to show your irritation sometimes, but try to stay calm. Move on to other things you can both enjoy or feel good about as soon as possible.

Find other ways to cope with your frustration, like talking to other parents.

Talk to your child

Children do not have to be able to talk to understand. It can help if they understand why you want them to do something. For example, explain why you want them to hold your hand while crossing the road.

Once your child can talk, encourage them to explain why they're angry or upset. This will help them feel less frustrated.

Be positive about the good things

When a child's behaviour is difficult, the things they do well can be overlooked. Tell your child when you're pleased about something they've done. You can let your child know when you're pleased by giving them attention, a hug or a smile.

Offer rewards

You can help your child by rewarding them for good behaviour. For example, praise them or give them their favourite food for tea.

If your child behaves well, tell them how pleased you are. Be specific. Say something like, "Well done for putting your toys back in the box when I asked you to."

Do not give your child a reward before they've done what they were asked to do. That's a bribe, not a reward.

Avoid smacking

Smacking may stop a child doing what they're doing at that moment, but it does not have a lasting positive effect.

Children learn by example so, if you hit your child, you're telling them that hitting is OK. Children who are treated aggressively by their parents are more likely to be aggressive themselves. It's better to set a good example instead.

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Advice for parents and carers on dealing with difficult behaviour in toddlers and young children, including toddler temper tantrums.

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Summerhouse Services Summary Aug 2023 (1)

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Designed and Developed by Will Earp, South West Grid for Learning Trust Ltd

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The UK Safer Internet Centre is a partnership of three leading online safety organisations - SWGfL, Childnet International and the Internet Watch Foundation. It’s co-funded by the European Commission and has three main functions: an Awareness Centre, a Helpline and a Hotline.

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Being a parent or educator in the digital age can be challenging. Here are some tools and advice to help you keep children and young people safe from online harms like grooming, pornography and bullying.

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Help children stay safe on chat apps

Messaging and chat apps are a great way for a child to stay in touch with their friends and family but it's important both of you are comfortable with who they're talking to.

Talk to your child about who they're chatting to and how they know them. Remind them to be conscious of who they're sharing personal information with and not to share information with people they haven't met before. This includes information like their name, location, email, phone number and school name.

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Find out about different chat apps like WhatsApp and Kik, and how to help young people use them safely.

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Connecting Safely Online matters to all young people, especially those with SEND, and with their help, and in collaboration with Youthworks & Facebook, we've created advice to make their time connecting with others safer.

Visit advice hub

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Information, Advice and Support to Keep Children Safe Online

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Working with online safety experts, we're here to guide you through the many issues children can experience when using the internet

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Welcome to the UK Safer Internet Centre, where you can find online safety tips, advice and resources to help children and young people stay safe online.

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Georgina W. Teacher - Davenant Foundation School

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Online Safety Training For Schools | National Online Safety

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Our online safety training courses, webinars and resources enable schools to keep children safe online and meet statutory online safety requirements.

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What is PEGI?

The PEGI system to inform the public of what's suitable and what's not for different ages. It can be a helpful tool in helping you to decide what games are appropriate for your child.

PEGI's professional analysts look at hundreds of video games every year and determine what is suitable for different age groups using a set of criteria .

experts in the field of child protection, psychology, the law and media . It helps analysts to decide what game content is appropriate in each of the five rating groups.

How are games rated under PEGI?

All games released in the UK will have one of the following PEGI age ratings on the packaging: 3, 7, 12, 16 or 18. The rating means that the game shouldn't a young person under that age.

Why? Because there may be content within the game which could be harmful, frightening or worrying to children . As well as an age rating, PEGI also uses icons showing content descriptors, letting you know if a game contains: violence, drugs, bad language, discrimination, fear, gambling, sex, or in-app purchases.

Gaming consoles and apps

The VSC Rating Board rates online games for all the major consoles, and works with other authorities to give ratings to apps on many platforms such as Google Play and Microsoft Store .

For apps, the Board provides content information as well as details about:

whether they contain in-app purchases;

whether the app can identify your child's location.

It's important to consider age ratings for these platforms, as well as games bought from a store.

As well as numerical PEGI ratings, you'll see the 'Parental Guidance Recommended' rating for some non-game apps . The rating serves as a warning that these apps can contain user made or edited content, so it's best to take a look at the app to see how it's being used . Typically , this applies to products such as Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.

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Gaming - what's appropriate for your child?

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The PEGI system to inform the public of what's suitable and what's not for different ages. It can be a helpful tool in helping you to decide what games are appropriate for your child. PEGI's professional analysts look at hundreds of video games every year and determine what is suitable for different age groups using a set of criteria .

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'Gaming' means playing electronic or video games on devices such as Xboxes, smartphones or computers.

For lots of children and young people, gaming is a fun and sociable activity. But sometimes, you might feel worried about your child's feelings or behaviour around gaming. Or you might be concerned about the amount of time they spend gaming.

If this is the case, we've got information here about gaming and mental health. We've also got tips to help you talk to your child about gaming, and advice to support you in setting healthy limits.

How can gaming affect mental health?

When used with healthy boundaries, gaming can be a positive experience. It can also help some children and young people to look after their mental health. Young people tell us that playing video and online games can be a way to:

relax and unwind after school or work

take a break from everyday life and get absorbed in something else for a bit

socialise and connect with friends, and make new friends

socialise around a common interest, particularly if someone finds this easier or more fun than just chatting

find a community of people going through similar things

feel a sense of achievement and learn new skills

But for a minority of young people, gaming can start to negatively affect their mental wellbeing if it becomes too much. When this happens, a young person might feel less in control of what they're doing. For example, they might start to regularly game in a way that stops them from doing other important things. These include spending time with family and friends in real life, sleeping, eating well, exercising and doing schoolwork.

This might happen because a young person needs a bit more help from the adults around them to set healthy limits. Or sometimes, it can happen when a young person starts to use gaming as a coping mechanism. We all need to 'check out' and distract ourselves from our worries sometimes, and that's okay. But if a young person feels like they 'need' to game to cope with their feelings, it can make it harder to have healthy boundaries. This means that gaming can sometimes seem like the 'problem' from the outside, when it's actually a symptom of how a young person is feeling about another part of their life.

Having negative social experiences online

Gaming can also have a negative effect on someone's mental wellbeing if they're having upsetting interactions with other players, or getting negative messages about their identity. This might particularly affect a young person who usually relies on gaming as a safe and relaxing space. A study by the Mental Health Foundation found that our sense of wellbeing around gaming is affected by the extent to which our ethnicity, gender and sexuality is represented in a video or online game. This is why it's really important for young people to find games and online communities that make them feel good about themselves.

Talking to your child about gaming and mental health

If gaming isn't something you grew up with, you might feel unsure about how to handle the conversation. Remember that finding a supportive way to talk to your child is about how you approach it, not knowing everything about the topic.

Try to start with an 'I' phrase. For example, you could say, 'I've noticed you're gaming a lot more than usual at the moment, and I wondered if we could have a chat about it?' Starting a conversation while doing an activity together can also help your child to relax by making it feel like less of a 'big chat'.

You can find more tips on starting conversations in our guide to talking to your child. We also have tips below from young people about what parents can do to help them feel more like talking.

Young people would like parents to:

start by finding out what their experience is, rather than assuming gaming is 'bad'

ask them what they enjoy about gaming and what they get out of it, and show interest in what they have to say

recognise that gaming is a social thing they do with their friends

think about ways to make gaming more sociable if they are worried because their child spends lots of time gaming alone

try to find out what else is going on that might be causing them to game so much, rather than assuming gaming is the problem

look for a compromise

Young people don't like it when parents:

do not recognise the ways in which gaming is helping, and instead approach the conversation as if gaming is 'bad'

minimise or dismiss the fact that gaming is important to them

focus on the fact that the time spent gaming could be spent on schoolwork, rather than also thinking about other interests they might enjoy

ban gaming instead of looking for a compromise, without recognising that this can cut them off from their friends

Setting boundaries and supporting your child to game positively

It's normal for a young person to want to spend time gaming on a regular basis. The point at which it becomes 'too much' depends on what is right for your child, and the boundaries you feel comfortable with as a parent.

If your child is finding it difficult to game in a way that leaves time for other important daily activities, they need help from you to set healthy limits.

Sometimes, setting boundaries around screen time can become a real battleground. If you're having lots of conflict with your child at the moment, it might feel exhausting. But there are things you can do to change the dynamic and introduce some healthier limits. Below are some things that might help.

A Family Agreement is a way for everyone to negotiate screen limits together, which then apply to the whole family. This helps young people feel more empowered about boundaries because adults get limits too. For example, as well as negotiating the boundaries they will stick to, they can ask you to limit the time you spend on your phone or checking your emails.

Some children and young people game a lot because they feel accepted online, and they haven't been able to find this offline in real life. Help them to find other activities they enjoy doing by themselves or with the family. Or look for local groups or clubs where they can meet like-minded people.

Helping your child stay safe and happy while gaming

When should I be worried about my child's gaming?

Signs there may be a problem

These are some signs that a young person is finding it hard to control the way they're gaming:

they feel regularly exhausted and disengaged

they're struggling to concentrate at school

they prioritise gaming over important daily activities like sleeping, eating and washing

they're only socialising online and finding in-person interactions difficult to manage or enjoy

they no longer keep up with other interests they used to enjoy

they're finding it difficult to think or talk about much else

These feelings and behaviours can leave a young person feeling low or depressed, anxious, angry or isolated.

What to do if you're worried

If you've noticed some of these things, try to open up a conversation about what's going on. If your child is able to, think together about some strategies they could try to make things better. If your child is regularly experiencing these things and it's been going on for a while, they may need professional support to change the situation.

It's a good idea to seek professional advice if your child is:

Finding it difficult and distressing to end a gaming session. This might include experiencing feelings of anger, aggression (towards themselves or others), agitation and anxiety that are hard for them to manage when they do finally stop.

Using drugs to prolong gaming sessions.

Finding professional help

You can find out more about getting mental health support and navigating mental health services in our guide to getting help for your child.

Useful helplines and websites

While we take care to ensure that the organisations we signpost to provide high quality information and advice, we cannot take responsibility for any specific pieces of advice they may offer. We encourage parents and carers to always explore the website of a linked service or organisation to understand who they are and what support they offer before engaging with them.

This page was reviewed in August 2023. It was created with a parent or carer with lived experience of supporting their child or young person with gaming. We will next review the page in 2026. YoungMinds is a proud member of PIF TICK - the UK's quality mark for trusted health information.
Whether you love the page or think something is missing, we appreciate your feedback. It all helps us to support more young people with their mental health.

Please be aware that this form isn't a mental health support service. If your child is in crisis right now and you want to talk to someone urgently, find out who to contact on our urgent help page.

At YoungMinds we take your privacy seriously. If you'd like to read more about how we keep the information we collect safe, take a look at our privacy policy.

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Gaming and Mental Health | Parent Guide To Support

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Advice to help you if you're worried that the way your child is gaming, or playing video games, is affecting their mental health, and where to get support.

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When the Parents Change, Everything Changes: Seismic Shifts in Children’s Behaviour

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When the Parents Change, Everything Changes: Seismic Shifts in Children’s Behaviour

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As a teacher, leader and teacher trainer, Paul has been working with the most difficult behaviours in the most challenging contexts for the last 30 years. Miraculously Paul studied at Homerton College Cambridge after countless attempts to sabotage his own education. Paul works across Local Authorities building relational practice in schools and Childrens' Services.

Paul fell in love with teaching while working as a Teaching Assistant at 19. Teaching inspired him. It still does.

Paul has advised the Department for Education on Teacher Standards, given evidence to the Education Select Committee and worked with the Ministry of Justice on Behaviour and Restraint in Youth Custody.

His book When The Adults Change, Everything Changes 2017, Crown House has been a best seller for 6 years selling 150,000 copies.

On September 5th 2023, Penguin (Cornerstone Press) will publish When The Parents Change Everything Changes.

Tweets too much on @PaulDixTweets.

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When the Parents Change, Everything Changes: Seismic Shifts in Children's Behaviour

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Buy When the Parents Change, Everything Changes: Seismic Shifts in Children's Behaviour by Dix, Paul (ISBN: 9781529900132) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.

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A PowerPoint used as part of a workshop for parents led by the Mental Health Support Team.

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A PowerPoint used as part of a workshop for parents led by the Mental Health Support Team.

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Separation Anxiety for Parents Workshop (002)

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What is a young carer?

A young carer is an individual child or young person under the age of 18, who provides unpaid help and support on a regular basis to a family member, friend or relative. They may provide practical help, care, physical or emotional support to a person who is vulnerable for a wide variety of reasons, whether through age, physical or mental illness, disability or other issues such as substance misuse.

A young carer becomes vulnerable when the level of care giving and responsibility to the person in need of care becomes excessive or inappropriate for that child, risking impacting on his or her emotional/ physical wellbeing or educational achievement and life chances

Plymouth City Council

Plymouth Young Carers is a citywide project providing youth sessions for all young carers aged from 8 years old. The overall aim is to give young carers a break, meet up with other carers, have opportunities to engage in positive fun activities and to feel supported. The project is run by Community Connections Youth Workers and Volunteers

Barnardos

We are a dedicated team who work alongside young carers on a one to one basis focusing on a whole family approach. With the use of a young person led support plan we aim to reduce the impact of the harmful aspects of caring and ensuring each young person feels listened to.

Long term work enables us to offer significant support to young people and their parents with an emphasis on building resilience and self-esteem, exploring opportunities to get a break from caring and raising aspirations.

Similarly, we work closely with parents to ensure they have appropriate support which can ease the burden of caring.

Hamoaze House - Hidden Harm

We work with children aged 5-18 who are affected by substance misuse within their family. We do this in a variety of ways:

Support can take place at school, home or in the community. We offer one to one emotional support and coping strategies.

Support to gain an understanding of substances and their effects, and substance treatment plans.

Improving Lives Plymouth

Caring For Carers supports adult carers aged 18+ Many young carers will go on to be a carer when they reach the age of 18 and this is when we can undertake a statutory carers assessment with them to look at the support they require to assist their health and wellbeing. We can also support other adult family members who may also be caring for the same person as the young carer.

Time 4 U

The purpose of Time 4 U is to streamline existing services, reduce duplication, combine and utilise skills and experience and ensure even more children, young people and families benefit from a service.

With so many adult responsibilities, young carers often miss out on opportunities that other children have to play and learn.

Many struggle educationally and are often bullied for being 'different'. They can become isolated, with no relief from the pressures at home, and no chance to enjoy a normal childhood.

They are often afraid to ask for help as they fear letting the family down or being taken into care.

How to request support

The request for service process for all three services will be through the Early Help Assessment Tool (EHAT) with representatives from all three organisations assessing referrals. The most appropriate service within Time 4 U will then be allocated to best meet the needs of the child, young person and/or family. For Children's Social Care, the CSC single assessment will be accepted together with the request for service email. All requests for service will need to be sent through to time4u@plymouth.gov.uk with Time4U Request for Service in the subject field of the email.

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Plymouth's Young Carers Support Hub provides useful information and links to help our Young Carers provide amazing support to their friends, family and relatives.

Further information

Want to create a page on the Plymouth Online Directory? Register for free and add a page - it only takes a few minutes.

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Plymouth Young Carers Support Hub - Plymouth Online Directory

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Plymouth's Young Carers Support Hub provides useful information and links to help our Young Carers provide amazing support to their friends, family and relatives. Want to create a page on the Plymouth Online Directory? Register for free and add a page - it only takes a few minutes.