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A folder with lots of activities to learn how to spell common exception words

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Oxford Owl

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Free eBook library | Oxford Owl from Oxford University Press

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Browse our library of free children’s eBooks to read with your child including Oxford Reading Tree adventures with Biff, Chip and Kipper.

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How many different ways can you practise writing your name? Look at some of these fun ways!

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Free online platform with learning games about vocabulary and grammar

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Break Down Barriers and Increase Outcomes:

Vocabulary Ninja was created to offer exciting, time saving and evidence-based learning resources that have impact, particularly focusing on developing, deepening and widening a pupil's vocabulary. Your student's vocabulary is quite simply their key to unlocking the doors to a world of understanding. Without an ever widening and deepening vocabulary, we can never hope for our children to be excellent communicators, problems solvers or empathetic and understanding human beings. Vocabulary, or quite simply put...words can be a significant barrier to understanding, learning and communication. And so, it is Vocabulary Ninja's mission to provide an ever-developing range or learning resources for schools, parents, teachers and pupils to engage with and use.

Free For Everyone:

Vocabulary Ninja's Mini Games are totally free to use, are ad free and are 100% safe for your child to use on a range of different mobile and computer-based devices. Each game has been designed to be simple to use and extremely playable, whilst covering a range of vocabulary, grammar and sentence level priorities that align with the National Curriculum. 'What's the catch?' I heard you ask. There's not catch, no-one is excluded, and everyone has the opportunity to grow and develop their working vocabularies! All we ask is that you spread the word and share the Vocabulary Ninja Mini Games with everyone you know! Especially in the modern home learning climate, Vocabulary Ninja's Mini Games are a fantastic resource to be able to share with parents and pupils to support the development of their learning at home.

A Whole World of Vocabulary Ninja:

If you haven't heard of Vocabulary Ninja previously, we have an outstanding resource website with thousands of high-quality resources to support learning in school and at home. We offer low-cost, annual teacher subscriptions as well as subscriptions for the whole school allowing for multiple users. Vocabulary also has a series of highly-recommended academic texts covering vocabulary development, reading comprehension and writing, all of which can be found at www.bloomsbury.co.uk or vendors such as Amazon.

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Vocabulary Ninja was created to offer exciting, time saving and evidence-based learning resources that have impact, particularly focusing on developing, deepening and widening a pupil's vocabulary. Your student's vocabulary is quite simply their key to unlocking the doors to a world of understanding.

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Tricks and Tips

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Letter Reversals...they are a major cause for handwriting concern by most parent's standards. Here we are covering information about writing letters backwards and what is normal for letter reversals in development. We also have some great tips for addressing common letter reversal struggles and even reversal activities that can help with visual perception handwriting struggles. Read on!

Letter b and d reversals: These specific strategies cover letter b and d reversals.

Letter p and q reversals: You'll find more specific letter reversal information in this post on reversing letter p and q.

Also check out these activities to work on backwards letters.

Writing Letters in Reverse

Do letter reversals mean dyslexia? Not exactly! Dyslexia means problems learning to read, spell, and write. However, there is much more to reversals than what meets the eye, and should be assessed before jumping straight to the conclusion of dyslexia. Be sure to read our resource on Dyslexia and occupational therapy for more information.

One creative tool to support the skills needed for this area of development is our new color by letter worksheet. Just print and go and work on letter identification and matching skills.

Check out all of our letter formation worksheets for more free printables to target letter forming.

Letter Reversals Normal Development

Reversals are age appropriate up until 7-8 years of age!

That's right! Letter reversals are normal up to a certain age range. And when kids write letters backwards it is actually typical development in handwriting skills. Working on letter reversals in occupational therapy (and other visual perceptual areas) can be a common occurrence for school-based OTs...but just because kids are writing letters backwards, it doesn't mean there is a true problem indicating a need for intervention.

It takes our brains that long to integrate all the skills needed to form a letter correctly and automatically during written expression. Skills needed range from phonetic awareness, ability to imitate pre-writing strokes, automation of letter formation, and higher level cognitive skills for multi-tasking.

Some kiddo's develop these skills faster than others. Some kiddo's struggle with these skills and may receive support services such as occupational therapy or pull out services with their school's reading specialist before age 7.

Services provided before age 7 are typically preventative and because the child has shown struggles in the foundation skills needed for reading and writing, such as phonemic awareness, challenges with pre-writing strokes and shape formation (visual motor integration), poor fine motor skills, dominance concerns or underlying vision concerns.

What is a letter reversal

The term Letter reversals refers to several things related to reversing letters in reading or writing:

Writing a specific letter backwards, when they replace a letter with another such as forming a letter b as a d or a letter p as a letter q

Writing a letter upside down or flipped, such as forming a u as an n

Reading a letter backwards, as when kids replace a d with a b

Writing letters backwards as when kids write letters h, n, s, z, etc. in a mirror image

Transposing letters or switching the order of letters when writing

Reversing or writing numbers backwards

Common Letter and Number Reversals

So, knowing that it is quite common developmentally, to reverse letters and numbers up until age 7 or 8, it can also help to know which letters are commonly reversed in writing.

Letter Reversals List

These letters and numbers are often times transposed for one another:

It's easy to see why the letters and numbers listed above are often reversed. They all contain similar pencil strokes. For children that are just learning to write, spatial integration can be still developing. Kids are getting the muscle memory in place can replace one letter or number for another.

These letters are often written backwards:

Each of these letters has a starting point at the top and pencil strokes that then go into a different direction. Children that are still developing handwriting skills are establishing the motor plan for direction changes with the pencil. The can sometimes "guess" the correct direction which results in letters being written backwards.

Numbers that are commonly written backwards include:

Each of these numbers also have a direction change which could easily be confused.

In many cases, working on letter and number formation so the muscle memory is established with fix reversal issues. Using multisensory formation activities helps to establish that motor plan.

Phonetic Awareness and Letter Reversals

The current theory among the educational community is that reversals start with phonemic awareness. If a child is lacking phonemic awareness, they may struggle with letter identification and spelling needed for fluent written expression. Similar struggles may also be seen with numbers, resulting in a negative impact on math skills.

In my clinical experience, I have found that children with high rates of ear infections and PE tubes (ear tubes) struggle with sound awareness. If the kiddo is unable to hear the sound of the letter clearly and consistently, it leads to poor sound awareness.

I have also found that children with difficulties with attention and auditory filtering often pair the wrong letter sound with wrong letter. This is important to note in sessions as it may require remediation by a speech therapist or reading specialist if available. Here is more information and activities for auditory processing.

While phonetics play a large role in reversals, many other foundational skills may influence whether a child will struggle with reversals or not.

Hand Dominance and Letter Reversals

Hand dominance is typically fully developed by five years of age. Right at the same time most children are learning and mastering the formation of letters and numbers. It also coincides with the start of kindergarten, or formal education where children who are struggling may be noticed for the first time. Writing with both hands can be a common struggle and an indicator of hand dominance challenges.

Children with handedness issues, whether it's mixed dominance or delayed development of dominance, are more likely to struggle with left versus right tasks.

This plays into reversal concerns as many of these children cannot consistently discriminate left from right, leading to b's and d's, p's and q's being flipped. Often times, they are unable to recognize that they have made the mistake as their brain is registering the letter as they meant it to be.

Letter Reversals and Visual Processing

Vision is can be one of the biggest challenges facing children who struggle with reversals. Chances are, they have had an underlying vision concern that goes unaddressed or unrecognized during the critical learning period of letters and their sounds.

You will find much more information on visual perception in our free visual perception lab series.

(Children in the U.S. typically begin to learn letters and sounds between 3 and 4 years of age when they enter preschool programs. Curriculums now expect children to know their letters, sounds and how to write them upon entering kindergarten.)

Due to their vision deficit, the child may not consistently see the same image of the letter each time, or may not see the letter that is being taught due to "wandering" eyes or poor abilities to focus on the letter. The kiddo now has a poor foundation from which to build on, due to difficulties with recalling from their visual memory what the letter looks like, and pairing it with the correct sound.

To add to vision deficits, vision is not just what we see, or how the eye's work together. It is also a motor task of taking information in with the eyes and reproducing an image, or in this case, letters on paper. This skill is known as visual motor integration and also plays a role in reversals.

Here are free visual perception worksheets that can address a variety of visual skills.

Visual Motor Integration and Letter Reversals

Visual motor integration allows us to write, draw and paint freely. To do all of these things, we go through a set development of producing pre-writing strokes and basic shapes in imitation to freely producing them from our memories and eventually becoming automatic. Here is more information and activities related to visual motor skills.

Most children learn to imitate these strokes and shapes at a young age from top to bottom and left to right. However, some children do not learn it this way or their brains are not "wired" to follow this pattern of development.

Children who deviate from this pattern may have difficulties with reversals as they struggle to learn and integrate letter stroke combinations in the correct order. When this happens, they struggle to write fluently and reversals may begin to appear.

Signs of poor visual motor integration skills that could lead to reversals include:

Segmental Drawing-drawing a shape one stroke at a time instead of integrated

Bottom to top orientation when drawing

Right to left orientation when drawing

Difficulties crossing the midline during drawing tasks

Rotation of the paper to adjust for angle execution

Failed attempts to imitate basic shapes after the child has stated what the shape is

Executive Functioning and Letter Reversals

Executive functioning skills refer to our higher level thinking that includes attention, multi-tasking and memory, among many other skills. Writing requires all of these skills to be working at their best. If a child is struggling with any of these skills, they may demonstrate reversals and poor overall handwriting.

Reversals and poor handwriting may be the result of the child being unable to recall the strokes of the letter, the sequence of the strokes, what the letter looks like, where to start the letter, how big to make the letter, what each letter sound is, how to spell a word and complete their thought.

Oh, and lets add in that they have to remember how to hold their pencil correctly. For a kiddo who is struggling, this is a CHALLENGE.

There are so many more things that go into writing that may lead to reversals then what I have listed, but are too many to list out.

The main concept of executive functioning is that if the child cannot make it all work together, from fine motor to phonemic awareness to visual motor, they are more likely to struggle with reversals in their work.

Letter Reversal INterventions

It is important to recognize that reversals may be the sign of underlying deficits with foundational skills and should be addressed when they are noticed. The sooner that these underlying deficits are addressed the better off the kiddo will be. Once a child has had a long enough time period to practice incorrectly, it will be that much harder to break the "bad habits" and correct the reversals.

You will find many letter reversal interventions in this blog post.

This resource on letter b and d reversals is a helpful read on how specifically to work on these commonly reversed letters. You'll find multi-sensory writing strategies to address b-d letter reversals.

2. Try "building" letters to establish the motor plan needed to create muscle memory. Use different colors to help children see the ways that the pencil moves when writing letters and numbers. This letter construction activity explains more about this process. This letter building strategy, paired with other forms of multi-sensory handwriting and teaching letters in groups based on the ways the pencil moves can make a big impact.

Addressing some of the other co-existing issues discussed in this article can be a start.

3. Address the motor planning in handwriting necessary for letter and number formation. Strategies that develop motor planning skills utilizing multi-sensory approaches can help with letter reversal.

With handwriting practice of letters with visual, auditory, and kinesthetic sensory channels at the same time, the weaker channel may be reinforced (Berninger, 2000).

Multi-sensory letter reversal strategies include:

4. Work on visual perception with toys and games, and activities to address specific visual perceptual skills or visual motor skills.

5. Use cursive writing in some cases. Here are creative ways to teach cursive and our entire cursive writing series.

6. Gain a better understanding of visual processing and all of the "pieces" of the vision puzzle that play into letter reversal and other concerns by joining thousands of other therapists, teachers, and professionals in the Visual Processing Lab.

7. Use this Vision Screening Tool to identify and address specific vision concerns such as letter reversals.

8. Try some of these activities to address visual motor integration and eye-hand coordination.

9. Try rainbow writing.

Have concerns? Talk to your child's teacher or occupational therapist to address your concerns.

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Letter Reversals and How to Fix Them - The OT Toolbox

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Try these letter reversal strategies to help kids who write letters backwards. Understand what's really going on behind letter reversals in writing.

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ColorVeil: Reduce eye strain, help with Dyslexia and Visual Stress

A screen color filter over any application you are using

Helps users with Dyslexia and Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome

Reduce eye strain along with screen brightness

Easily customize the color and opacity of the filter

Match the prescription from the optometrist

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Dim screen brightness, reduce eye strain, and save energy. It helps with eye strain, Dyslexia, Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome, or Visual Stress.

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Android Apps to support Learners with Dyslexia

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Android Apps to support Learners with Dyslexia

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Learn how to touch type with the BBC Dance Mat Typing game. It’s a fun introduction to touch typing game for kids and covers levels 1, 2, 3, 4.

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Looking to boost your typing speed? Kidztype.com has got you covered with our exciting collection of free typing games. Unleash the power of your fingers as you enjoy thrilling activities like whacking moles, racing through the jungle, bursting rockets, and competing in races with cars, bikes, and boats. Our captivating keyboard games provide the perfect blend of fun and skill-building, allowing you to enhance your typing skills while having a great time. With Kidztype's tailored-made games, you'll be typing faster and more efficiently in no time!

Fun and Engaging Free Typing Games for Kids: Boost Typing

Advancing Skills through Games:

Coordination and Accuracy: Typing game improve hand-eye coordination as kids learn to synchronize their hand movements with what they see on the screen. This helps them become more accurate and proficient in navigating the keyboard.

Vocabulary and Spelling: Many keyboard games incorporate word and sentence challenges, expanding children's speech and enhancing their spelling skills. Kids reinforce their language skills while improving their typing speed by repeating words and sentences in a fun context..

Speed and Motivation: By offering challenges and achievements,kidztype games motivate kids to improve their speed and accuracy. Setting high scores and beating previous records provides a sense of accomplishment and encourages them to continue practising and advancing their skills.

Engaging Kids through Interactive Games:

Easy-to-Learn Methods: The games use simple and memorable techniques to teach keyboarding skills. Kids can quickly grasp concepts like letter placement, home rows, upper rows, and numbers, making learning more accessible and enjoyable.

Exciting Themes: With captivating themes like fantasy worlds, car races, and space adventures, these games capture children's imagination and keep them engaged. The immersive experience ensures that learning to type feels like an exciting adventure rather than a chore.

Customizable Difficulty: The games offer scalable complexity and difficulty settings, allowing children to progress independently. Whether they're beginners or more advanced typists.

Suitability for Kids of All Ages:

These Keyboard games and dance mat typing activities are suitable for kids of any age. Starting early with keyboarding skills sets a strong foundation for the future. Whether your child is just beginning or wants to refine their typing abilities, these games provide a platform for growth and improvement.

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Typing Games - Learn Typing with Free Keyboard Games - KidzType.com

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Kidztype Typing Games: Kidztype's keyboard games are the best way to master typing speed and accuracy. Choose a suitable typing game to sharpen your fingers! Check us out and start playing now!

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Games to improve Executive Functioning Skills

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Games to improve Executive Functioning Skills

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This social story explains the social expectations involved in using a public restroom, including use of a stall and use of a urinal.

This single page is designed to be enlarged on a copier and made into a booklet.

These skills take practice and time to master, and patient instruction, so keep a change of clothes handy.

Please use this tool with sensitivity and privacy.

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﻿These social stories are designed to be enlarged on a copier and made into booklets, with one image per page. Feel free to customize them for your own child's needs. ﻿

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12 Amazing Superpowers of students with ADHD

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12 Amazing Superpowers of students with ADHD

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The positives of ADHD are numerous and mighty - creativity, empathy, and tenacity, just to name a few. Here, readers share their amazing superpowers.

Thinking positive to find the plus sides of adhd.

1 of 13

Problem solving skills are a positive about ADHD.

2 of 13

Children use their creativity to build a fort.

3 of 13

A teenager consoles a friend, using her gift of compassion.

4 of 13

Girl with snorkel by family unpacking van shows her sense of humor.

5 of 13

The word impossible is written on a chalkboard, with the "im" crossed out, because those with ADHD have perseverance.

6 of 13

A woman is very observant and employs her keen sense of observation.

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A mom holds her child while also ironing - multitasking is a strength for those with ADHD.

8 of 13

A man is very focused on writing in his notebook. Hyperfocus is a positive trait of ADHD.

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A group of young children are running with endless energy, another positive trait of ADHD.

10 of 13

A father and son play airplane together. Their seal for life is an ADHD superpower.

11 of 13

A green apple in a group of oranges illustrates differences. Kids and adults with ADHD are very accepting.

12 of 13

A road sign has an arrow pointing to Right and another toward wrong. Those with ADHD have a strong moral compass.

13 of 13

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Parent Guide to support with anxiety and refusal

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Parent Guide to support with anxiety and refusal

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It's normal for children and young people to feel worried about something that's happening at school - for example, when starting a new school or during exams. Sometimes, however, school can become challenging, stressful or distressing over a much longer period of time.

If your child is feeling anxious about school, or not able to go, it can be exhausting for both of you. Mornings in particular can become really stressful for the whole family, as you try to juggle your child's feelings alongside the need to get them to school and get on with your other responsibilities such as work. Even if you manage to get your child to the school gate, you might know how difficult they're going to find the day - or know that you'll be facing the same problem tomorrow morning.

If you're in this situation, we've got advice to help you explore what's going on with your child, make changes at school that can help, and find the support you need if your child can't go to school.

About the term 'school refusal'

When anxiety builds up to the point that a young person cannot go to school, this is often called 'school refusal' - and you might hear the school or other professionals using this term. However, many young people and parents do not like this term because it implies that 'refusing' school is a choice, and you may prefer to use terms such as emotionally-based school avoidance (ESBA) or anxiety-related absence.

What makes young people feel anxious about school?

Young people can feel anxious about school for lots of different reasons. They might be worried about making friends or fitting in, find schoolwork or lessons confusing, feel pressured to learn in a certain way or find their relationships with teachers difficult.

Sometimes, going through difficult experiences outside of school - such as bereavement, an illness in the family or being a young carer - can also make it harder for a child to feel settled at school.

For some young people, the school environment isn't right for them, and trying to fit into it can create a huge amount of stress. This might be the case if they are struggling with their mental health, or have a neurodiverse condition or Special Educational Need (SEN) such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia or dyspraxia. This can make the school environment anxiety-provoking and exhausting, especially if their condition or need is undiagnosed or not being well supported.

Young people might show they're feeling anxious about school by:

not wanting to get up and get ready

saying they can't go

worrying a lot about small issues, such as having the right equipment for a lesson

feeling sick, or having stomach aches or headaches

not sleeping well

not doing schoolwork, or their grades dropping

being angry or upset, or acting out - at school or at home

withdrawing - seeming low, quiet or depressed

Finding out what's going on for your child

Sometimes it can be difficult to work out what's making your child feel anxious, and the first step is often helping them to identify exactly what's worrying them. Once you understand the problem, you'll be in a much better position to make changes that can help.

Young people can find it hard to explain what's causing their feelings, and might not be able to answer direct questions like 'what's going on?' Using an anxiety iceberg can help to open up the conversation - giving you a more relaxed way of exploring together what's causing their anxiety.

Watch our video to find out how to make an anxiety iceberg with your child.

If you're making an anxiety iceberg with younger children, you might want to draw images on the iceberg, or encourage them to write simple words. With older children and teenagers, you can ask them to write key words and phrases on the iceberg, or do this as a mind map, with 'school' in the middle and all the things they're finding difficult around the outside.

Through this exercise, you might identify worries such as arriving at school, finding the environment noisy or overwhelming, finding lessons confusing, feeling lonely through the day, or feeling uncomfortable during specific subjects.

Making changes at school

Once you understand what's going on for your child, you can use their anxiety iceberg or mind map to communicate with the school and ask for specific changes.

Follow these steps to start a conversation with the school:

Here are some examples of things you can ask the school for:

Remember that even though this situation can be really tough for you and your child, it's a good idea to maintain a positive relationship with the school. Recognise the support they're offering and any changes they're making. This will help you work together to make things better for your child.

Building a relationship with the attendance team at my son's school was hugely helpful, we were talking with them each day.

Strategies you can try at home

For more information and advice on managing anxiety, have a look at our guide for parents.

If your child isn't able to go to school at the moment

If your child isn't going to school at the moment, this can be incredibly stressful and exhausting for you - and really tough for your child. You might be worried about whether they will be able to get back to school or the impact on their education. Or, you might feel overwhelmed because you're juggling this alongside work and other family commitments.

If your child's anxiety about school has built up to the point where they can't go, it's a good idea to get them some professional mental health or SEN support - see our advice on this below.

Alongside requesting professional help, try to:

The school's SEN and attendance policies should be on their website. Knowing what these are can support you during meetings with the school.

This can help if your child is unable to go to school for a longer period of time and you need to ask for more support, including provision of alternative full-time education.

Encourage your child to get up, do some studying and stop for lunch at the same times they would if they were in school. This will make adapting back to school easier. Explain to your child that if they cannot go to school, they will need to study at home - at least until alternative arrangements are put in place. Ask the school to help you facilitate tasks and activities your child can do and use online resources such as BBC Bitesize.

Not going to school could leave your child feeling really isolated. Make sure they stay connected to the outside world by seeing friends and family, doing activities they enjoy and getting outside for walks and exercise.

Speaking to friends online can be really important if your child is feeling isolated at home. Sometimes, however, you might notice that your child is spending lots of time gaming or on their phone, and that this is getting in the way of important daily activities like spending quality time with family, learning, or sleeping and eating well. If this is becoming a problem, have a look at our guide to gaming or guide to social media for more information and advice.

Local authorities must provide alternative education if a child of compulsory school age is unable to attend school over a longer period of time. If your child cannot attend school because of a mental or physical health issue, the local authority should provide an alternative as soon as it is clear that they will be away from school for more than 15 days (either consecutively or over time). Find out how to request alternative education.

What will happen if my child doesn't go to school?

Parents often tell us they are worried about fines and prosecution, but schools generally consider this only if they feel there is no valid reason for the absence, or that parents aren't engaging with the problem.

If the absence is prolonged, the case may be referred to a local council Education Welfare Officer (EWO). They will arrange a home visit to find out more and discuss strategies. The school may also refer to other support, including from CAMHS.

Helping your child return to school after an absence

Getting back to school after weeks or months may feel extremely difficult for your child, but you and the school can help make it more manageable. Here are some things you can do to help:

Set small, achievable targets, such as visiting the building outside school hours or attending one lesson.

Request a home visit from a school staff member so your child can check in while feeling safe, see that the school cares and discuss any strategies that might help them.

Ask for a reduced timetable, with regular reviews to discuss building back up at a manageable rate.

Discuss changing classes or sets if your child thinks this would help.

Focus on qualifications needed for what your child wants to do next, perhaps dropping a less relevant GCSE to reduce stress.

My son wasn't questioned about his absence when he did feel able to pop in for favourite lessons, helping to ease him back into full days of education.

Getting mental health and SEN support

If your child is struggling with anxiety and it's affecting their day-to-day life, learning or relationships, it's a good idea to find some professional support. Speaking to the GP and finding them a counsellor or therapist are two good places to start. You can find more information about GPs, counsellors and other mental health services in our guide to getting help for your child.

If there is no other obvious reason for your child's inability to attend school, they may have an undiagnosed Special Educational Need (SEN) such as dyslexia, autism or ADHD.

If you think this is the case:

Speak to the school's SENCO or your GP to ask for a referral for an assessment.

While you are waiting for an assessment, you can also ask the SENCO to refer your child for support from other professionals, such as an Educational Psychologist or Speech and Language Therapist. These professionals can identify specific needs and make recommendations for additional support the school can put in place - even if your child hasn't had a formal diagnosis yet.

SEN support at school
If your child is diagnosed with SEN, extra support and adjustments should be put in place at school to help them attend and learn. This is called SEN support, and should be available within the school's existing resources. Speak to the school's SENCO in the first instance about how the school will support your child.
Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans
If you do not think your child's needs can be met by the school's existing resources, you can ask the local authority to carry out an Education, Health and Care needs assessment (EHC needs assessment). If the local authority decides your child needs additional support, they will then make an Education, Health and Care plan (EHC plan). This outlines how the extra support they need will be provided. Find out more about EHC plans.
Your Local Offer
Your Local Offer is the information, support and services available for young people with SEN, and for their parents and families. You can find out what support is available in your area by going to your local authority's website and searching for their Local Offer.

If you need more information and advice about getting the right education for your child when they have been diagnosed with a Special Educational Need (SEN), IPSEA can help.

If you need to talk through a problem, their Advice Line can provide support with any educational issue resulting from your child's SEN. You can also find lots of information, including information on assessments and diagnosis, as well as getting support from the school and local authority, on their website.

Finding more information and advice

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.

You might also find this helpful

We have more tips and advice on supporting your child with school, and information about how you can get in touch with our Parents Helpline.

This page was reviewed in December 2022. It was created with parents and carers with lived experience of supporting their child or young person with school anxiety. We will next review the page in 2025. 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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School Anxiety and Refusal | Parent Guide to Support

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If your child is anxious about school, or refusing to go to school at all, read our tips and advice on how you can support their mental health.

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A collection to encourage children to develop a positive mindset and to look for the positives in each day.

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Mental Health Resources For Children and Young People

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Free mental health resources, posters, lesson plans and activity sheets for primary and secondary school staff, and mental health professionals working with children and young people.

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Fortunately, specific behavioral changes and adjustments to the sleep environment will help most children with insomnia. We've compiled the top tips that are proven to help kids sleep. The recommendations outlined here are best suited for toddlers through early adolescence. Both babies and teens will have specific considerations of their own.

These lists may seem long, but you don't need to implement them all at once. It's better to focus on trying a few small changes, giving them time to work, and then adjusting your approach based on how your child responds.

Keep in mind that every child's sleep needs will vary based on their age, genetics, and cultural differences. Therefore, not all approaches will work equally well for all children, and there can be an element of trial and error. However, your patience will be rewarded in time as your little one learns to fall asleep quickly on their own and keep sleeping soundly through the night.

Sleep hygiene - a collection of habits and behaviors that promote good sleep - is vital for children. Many sleep struggles are caused or made worse by poor sleep hygiene. When practicing sleep hygiene, remember that consistency is key. Sleep strategies take time and repetition to be effective.

Create a Routine: Humans are creatures of habit. A lets your child's body and mind know that it's time to settle down and prepare for sleep. The actual routine can be specific to your child, but it should last around 20 minutes and consist of three to four quiet, soothing activities such as putting on PJs, brushing teeth, a warm bath, and reading. Bedtime routines provide children with a sense of familiarity and comfort, which acts in direct opposition to the uncertainty of insomnia.

Set a Bedtime: A sleep schedule works with your child's natural biological clock to promote dozing off with regularity. Bedtimes are most useful when they're consistent, so try to keep the same bedtime on weekends as on school nights. Altering bedtimes during the weekend will make it more difficult for kids to maintain their normal weekday schedules.

Implement a Screen Curfew: The ubiquity of screens makes this rule hard to implement, but it's well worth it. Mobile devices, TVs, and tablets emit a type of blue light that suppresses melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep. Children may be to the effects of light from screens. Screen time also stimulates the brain, making it harder to wind down for sleep. Electronic devices should be kept out of the bedroom and ideally not used within one hour of bedtime. Consider using the created by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Get Exercise: Physical activity is proven to help people of all ages . Most children need at least of exercise per day. Just make sure to avoid vigorous activity within two hours of bedtime. Otherwise, your child may feel wound-up and find it harder to fall asleep.

Avoid Scary or Violent Content: Feeling scared or worried is a common reason kids can't sleep. So it's no wonder that scary or violent movies, TV, video games, and even books in the evening are in children. If your kiddo likes the gory or spooky stuff, save it for the daytime.

Nix Caffeine: This is a no brainer. Caffeine is a stimulant that can both make it harder to fall asleep and reduce the quality of sleep. In addition to the usual suspects like soda, coffee, and energy drinks, watch out for more discreet sources like tea, decaf coffee (which still has trace amounts of caffeine) and chocolate. Even small amounts of caffeine can have a in a little body. Don't let your child consume caffeine , or preferably, avoid it all together.

Don't Sleep With a Pet: While it's tempting for tots to snuggle Fido in bed, a pet's movements and noises during the night can awaken them from a peaceful slumber. Try having your furry family member sleep outside of your child's bedroom for a few nights to see if that helps. To make the transition easier, include saying goodnight to pets in the bedtime routine.

Optimizing your child's bedroom is an integral part of inducing quick and seamless shuteye. People with insomnia are more likely to be distracted by an uncomfortable bedroom National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source , which makes sleep even harder. These tips can help you create the perfect sleep setup for your little one:

Room Temperature: The body and brain both in preparation for sleep, and this can be disrupted by a stuffy bedroom. To avoid this, try to keep the thermostat around 65 degrees.

Noise: Research suggests that even mild sound disturbances can , even if the sleeper never awakens. Consider noise-blocking curtains to cut down on street noise. You can also use a fan or white noise machine to drown out unpredictable or distracting sounds.

Light Level: Start dimming indoor lights as bedtime approaches, and keep your child's bedroom as dark as possible. This and . If your child is afraid of the dark, a small nightlight is okay.

Soothing smells: Calming scents like can have mild sedative effects. You might try using essential oils, a room diffuser, or dried potpourri sachet to provide a soothing, sleep-inducing smell.

Unfortunately, childhood anxiety is steadily rising Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) As the nation's health protection agency, CDC saves lives and protects people from health threats. known to disrupt sleep Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) ADAA's mission focuses on improving quality of life for those with anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, and co-occurring disorders through education, practice, and research. View Source . Stress is View Source in all ages, so anything that can reduce worrying before bed is helpful. Help your child learn to manage their concerns with these tactics:

Write In a Journal: Encourage your child to get their anxious thoughts out of their head and onto paper. It can also help for them to write about the good things that happened in the day. Focusing on the positive will help children feel more secure.

Mindfulness Exercises: Mindfulness exercises like meditation are proven to . There are many kid-friendly meditations that parents and children can do together. These often consist of simple breathing techniques, body awareness, or guided imagery. Look to books, tapes, and even smartphone apps for ideas.

Create a Worry Time: It's okay to discuss worries, just not at bedtime. Set aside a specific time during the day for your children to discuss their concerns and how to cope with them. This can free children of the need to dwell on worries before bed.

It's normal for even the best little sleepers to awaken from slumber and ask for a parent. When your child cries out for you, it's okay to tend to them. However, you should do so with intention. This is not the time to give in to demands, as doing so can increase stimulation and make it harder to fall asleep. Fulfilling your child's every request can also reinforce an unhelpful pattern of relying on parental assistance for sleep.

Instead, keep the checks short and simple. The point is to provide your child with reassurance that they're safe and cared for, while still fostering their ability to self-soothe and sleep on their own. Some parents may even wait a few seconds before answering a call so that their child has the opportunity to fall back asleep on their own.

If you have any doubt over whether your child's nighttime checks are appropriate, consult your child's doctor for guidance.

If your child continues to have trouble sleeping despite your best efforts, it may be time to check in with their pediatrician. Although uncommon, there can be more serious causes of childhood insomnia, such as childhood sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome.

Any of these reasons are cause to involve a doctor:

Significant daytime sleepiness

Frequent or severe snoring or other abnormal breathing during sleep

Suspected psychological or developmental condition

Considering medications or supplements to aid in sleep

For a couple of weeks before the doctor appointment, it can help to keep a sleep diary. This is a nightly recording of your child's bed time, nap times, sleep length, and activities. A sleep diary helps to identify patterns and possible problems to address.

Learn more about our Editorial Team

References

1. Esparham, A. (2020, January 2). Melatonin and Children's Sleep. HealthyChildren.Org.
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/sleep/Pages/Melatonin-and-Childrens-Sleep.aspx

2. Mindell, J. A., Li, A. M., Sadeh, A., Kwon, R., & Goh, D. Y. (2015). Bedtime routines for young children: a dose-dependent association with sleep outcomes. Sleep, 38(5), 717-722.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25325483/

3. LeBourgeois, M. K., Hale, L., Chang, A. M., Akacem, L. D., Montgomery-Downs, H. E., & Buxton, O. M. (2017). Digital media and sleep in childhood and adolescence. Pediatrics, 140(Suppl 2), S92-S96.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29093040/

4. Family Media Use Plan. (n.d.)., Retrieved September 23, 2020, from
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/media/Pages/default.aspx

5. A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia. (2017, August 30). Benefits of Exercise., Retrieved August 30, 2020, from
https://medlineplus.gov/benefitsofexercise.html

6. A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia. (2017, August 30). How Much Exercise Do I Need?., Retrieved August 30, 2020, from
https://medlineplus.gov/howmuchexercisedoineed.html

7. Garrison, M. M., Liekweg, K., & Christakis, D. A. (2011). Media use and child sleep: the impact of content, timing, and environment. Pediatrics, 128(1), 29-35.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21708803/

8. Temple J. L. (2019). Review: Trends, Safety, and Recommendations for Caffeine Use in Children and Adolescents. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 58(1), 36-45.
https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0890856718318847

9. Drake, C., Roehrs, T., Shambroom, J., & Roth, T. (2013). Caffeine effects on sleep taken 0, 3, or 6 hours before going to bed. Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 9(11), 1195-1200.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24235903/

10. Narisawa H. (2013). Anxiety and its related factors at bedtime are associated with difficulty in falling asleep. The Tohoku journal of experimental medicine, 231(1), 37-43.
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/tjem/231/1/231_37/_article

11. Harding, E. C., Franks, N. P., & Wisden, W. (2019). The temperature dependence of sleep. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 13, 336.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31105512/

12. Van Der Werf, Y. D., Altena, E., Schoonheim, M. M., Sanz-Arigita, E. J., Vis, J. C., De Rijke, W., & Van Someren, E. J. (2009). Sleep benefits subsequent hippocampal functioning. Nature neuroscience, 12(2), 122-123.
http://www.nature.com/articles/nn.2253

13. Burgess, H. J., & Molina, T. A. (2014). Home lighting before usual bedtime impacts circadian timing: a field study. Photochemistry and photobiology, 90(3), 723-726.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24918238/

14. Gooley, J. J., Chamberlain, K., Smith, K. A., Khalsa, S. B., Rajaratnam, S. M., Van Reen, E., Zeitzer, J. M., Czeisler, C. A., & Lockley, S. W. (2011). Exposure to room light before bedtime suppresses melatonin onset and shortens melatonin duration in humans. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 96(3), E463-E472.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21193540/

15. Koulivand, P. H., Khaleghi Ghadiri, M., & Gorji, A. (2013). Lavender and the nervous system. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2013, 681304.
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16. National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. (2020, June 15). Data and Statistics on Children's Mental Health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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17. Anxiety and Depression Association of America. (n.d.). Sleep Disorders., Retrieved August 31, 2020, from
https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/related-illnesses/sleep-disorders

18. Ong, J. C., Manber, R., Segal, Z., Xia, Y., Shapiro, S., & Wyatt, J. K. (2014). A randomized controlled trial of mindfulness meditation for chronic insomnia. Sleep, 37(9), 1553-1563.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25142566/

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Sleep Strategies for Children | Sleep Foundation

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Wondering about sleep aids for kids? These proven sleep tips will help children learn to fall asleep quickly and stay asleep.

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Getting your little ones to sleep can be tricky. Here are 10 tips that may help your kids settle into bed.

Sleep is an important part of maintaining good health, but issues with falling asleep aren't just problems that come with adulthood. Kids can have trouble getting enough rest, and when they can't sleep... you can't sleep.

Bedtime can become a battle zone when little ones won't settle in and fall asleep. But there are ways to even the odds of victory. Try using these 10 tips to learn how to fight the battle... and win!

School-age children need between 9 and 11 hours of sleep each night, according to the National Sleep Foundation. But there's a lot of variability in sleep needs and patterns. Most kids have patterns that don't change much, no matter what you do.

Early risers will still rise early even if you put them to bed later, and night owls won't fall asleep until their bodies are ready.

That's why it's important for parents to work with their children in setting a responsible bedtime that allows them to get plenty of sleep and awake on time, says Ashanti Woods, MD, a pediatrician in Baltimore, Maryland.

Set a wake-up time based on how much sleep your child needs and what time they go to bed. Woods recommends creating a wake-up routine as early as the preschool years to help prevent stress for parents down the road.

And remember to be consistent with the schedule. Allowing your child to sleep later on weekends is generous, but could backfire in the long run.

Those extra hours of sleep will make it hard for their body to feel tired at bedtime. But if you can try to make bedtime and wake-up time the same, within an hour or so every day, you'll be making everyone's lives sooooo much easier.

Routines are especially important for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Woods recommends that after dinner the remainder of the evening should include light playtime, bath, brushing teeth, a bedtime story, and then bed.

Aim for a routine that is comforting and relaxing, setting the ideal bedtime atmosphere. Before long, your child's body may automatically start to become sleepy at the beginning of the routine.

Melatonin is an important piece of sleep-wake cycles. When melatonin levels are at their highest, most people are sleepy and ready for bed.

Research from 2011 found that blue light from a television screen, phone, or computer monitor can interfere with the production of the hormone melatonin.

Watching TV, playing video games, or scrolling web pages on a phone or computer right before bed keep your child up an extra 30 to 60 minutes, according to this 2017 study.

Make the bedroom a screen-free zone or at least make sure all screens are dark at bedtime. And keep your phone on silent when you're in your child's room - or don't carry it in there at all.

Instead of screen time, Abhinav Singh, MD, director of the Indiana Sleep Center, recommends reading to your child in the evening to allow their brain to rest.

Another hormone that plays a role in sleep is cortisol, also known as the "stress hormone." When cortisol levels are high, your child's body won't be able to shut down and go to sleep.

Keep pre-bedtime activities calm. This can help avoid excess amounts of cortisol in your child's system. "You need to reduce stress to make it easier to fall asleep," says Dr. Sarah Mitchell, chiropractor and sleep consultant.

Soft sheets, room darkening shades, and relative quiet can help your child differentiate between day and night, making it easier to fall asleep.

"Creating a sleep-inducing environment is important because it sets the stage for sleep by reducing distractions," says Mitchell. "When you're calm you are not distracted, and can fall asleep more quickly and with less help."

Your child's sleep cycle isn't just dependent on light (or the lack thereof). It's also sensitive to temperature. Melatonin levels help to regulate the drop of internal body temperature needed to sleep.

However, you can help regulate the external temperature. Don't bundle your child up too much or set the heat too high.

Whitney Roban, PhD, clinical psychologist and sleep specialist, recommends dressing your child in breathable cotton pajamas and keeping the bedroom temperature around 65 to 70°F (18.3 to 21.1°C) at night.

Ghosts and other scary creatures may not actually roam around at night, but instead of dismissing bedtime fears, address them with your child.

If simple reassurance doesn't work, try using a special toy to stand guard at night or spray the room with "monster spray" before bed.

Roban recommends scheduling time during the day to address any fears and avoiding using bedtime for these type of conversations.

"Children are very smart and will quickly learn that they can stall bedtime if they use the time to express their bedtime fears," she says.

Kids can have trouble shutting their brains off for the night. So, instead of increasing that anxiety by insisting that it's time to go to bed ("now!"), consider focusing more on relaxation and keeping your child calm.

Tryteaching your child a deep breathing technique to calm their body. "Breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds, hold for 5 seconds, exhale through your mouth for 6 seconds," says Roban.

Younger children can just practice taking long, deep breaths in and out, she says.

Sometimes, your best-laid plans just don't yield the results that you want. (Hello, welcome to parenthood!)

If your child has trouble falling asleep, has persistent nightmares, snores, or breathes through their mouth, they might have a sleep disorder, says Mitchell.

Always talk to your pediatrician if you have any concerns about your child's sleeping habits. They may recommend a sleep consultant or have other suggestions for you to try so the entire family can get a good night's sleep!

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Bedtime can become a battle when little bodies don't abide by the clock. Here are 10 tips to learn how to win the fight.

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A collection of resources based on the idea of sleep hygiene.

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Parenting and Family Support - Family Lives (Parentline Plus) | Family Lives

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Parenting and family support from Family Lives (formerly Parentline Plus) through our website, helpline 0808 800 2222, email service at askus@familylives.org.uk, live chat and local services.

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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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Making Slime Add half cup (100ml) clear glue Add half teaspoon (2.5ml) Bicarb Add several drops of colour Add half tablespoon

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Over the coming sessions we will be making a communication passport together. This lesson is about understanding the emotion sad. We will thinking about how your body feels when you are sad, and what you and people who are with you can do to make you feel better.

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Lesson: My feelings and what makes me sad | Teacher Hub | Oak National Academy

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Over the coming sessions we will be making a communication passport together. This lesson is about understanding the emotion sad. We will thinking about how your body feels when you are sad, and what you and people who are with you can do to make you feel better.

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Not sure who to ask? Ask Teddi for help with you child if they are under 5

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Speech and Language Therapy - Community children's team

The speech and language therapy service provides specialist assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management of communication for children and young people up to the age of 16, or 19 with an EHCP. The team works with parents, carers, early year's practitioners, schools and other healthcare professionals to create a supportive environment for the development of communication skills.

The service supports children and young people who are displaying:

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For further information please visit the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists' website, https://www.rcslt.org/speech_and_language_therapy/explained

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Speech & language therapy - Community children's team

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Speech and Language Therapy - Community children's team The speech and language therapy service provides specialist assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management of communication for children and young people up to the age of 16, or 19 with an EHCP.

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Family Support is here to help Hammersmith and Fulham children, young people and their families thrive.

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18 activities for speech and language practice at home
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Communication Partner Training for anyone wanting to learn how to be a great support for someone who uses or is learning to use AAC

GDSS is a support service for educational establishments in Glasgow City Council. They have created a website containing information and activities to support home learning

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18 activities for speech and language practice at home *PDF supplied by Ian Bean* Please note - this service charges a fee Communication Partner Training for anyone wanting to learn how to be a great support for someone who uses or is learning to use AAC GDSS is a support service for educational establishments in Glasgow City Council.

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We run workshops, information sessions and events for families.

Our Brighter Beginnings workshops are for families with children with additional needs. There are sessions for families with younger children and older children.

Better Together is our series of fun and engaging activities for families with children with additional needs, who might have limited opportunities to access these.

Brighter Beginnings workshops

Thanks to a range of funding sources, we are able to offer our suite of workshops as free virtual one-off sessions - see below for details.

We are pleased to be able to deliver our family support services during these challenging times using digital platforms. However, we do look forward to being able to offer in-person workshops again in the future, once it is appropriate to do so.

Please click onto the links below to book onto your chosen workshop/s.

We are continually adding new dates, so if there is not a workshop suitable for you, please come back again later.

*NEW* Educational support for young children with additional needs - England

Understand what support is available for your child in Early Years educational settings (in England). Understand SEND provision and EHCPs.
Thursday 4th March 7:30 pm Book now via Eventbrite

*NEW* Handling Meetings Effectively - for parents/carers of young children with additional needs - all areas of the UK

Develop your skills for online and in-person meetings with professionals. Feel more confident and better able to express yourself when discussing your child's specialist needs, to make the right decisions and get the right support for them.
Tuesday 23rd March 7:30 pm Book now via Eventbrite

Money Matters - for parents/carers of young children with additional needs - all areas of the UK

An overview of benefits, DLA, Carers Allowance, grants available, discounts on utilities, leisure, discounts for carers. Accessing services for support with financial applications. Local information and helplines. Dispelling myths around benefits. Also covers Covid 19-related financial updates.
Dates to be announced

Helping your young child sleep - all areas of the UK

Gain a better understanding of sleep processes, why sleep problems may occur for young children and possible causes. The importance of sleep and the effect on the whole family. Suggestions for what might help and where to get support.
Tuesday 16th March 10:00 am Book now via Eventbrite

Support for speech and language issues in young children - all areas of the UK

This workshop will help you to think about how you can best communicate with your child and how you can share this knowledge with those in their early years and school settings.
Wednesday 24th March 7:30 pm Book now via Eventbrite

*Brighter Beginnings workshop series for parent carers in the West Midlands*
Growing Up (Puberty) - Tuesday 9th March 7:30 pm Book now via Eventbrite Your Wellbeing - Thursday 11th March 7:30 pm Book now via Eventbrite Money Matters - Wednesday 17th March 7:30 pm Book now via Eventbrite Education (School Age) - Tuesday 23rd March 7:30 pm Book now via Eventbrite Education (Early Years) - Wednesday 24th March 7:30 pm Book now via Eventbrite Siblings - Thursday 25th March 7:30 pm Book now via Eventbrite Handling Meetings Effectively - Tuesday 30th March 7:30 pm Book now via Eventbrite Money Matters - Wednesday 31st March 10:00 am
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*Brighter Beginnings workshop series for parent carers in Bedfordshire*
Encouraging Positive Behaviour - Wednesday 10th March 19:30 pm Book now via Eventbrite Handling Meetings Effectively - Thursday 18th March 10:00 am Book now via Eventbrite Education (School Age) - Tuesday 23rd March 19:30 pm Book now via Eventbrite Supporting your child to sleep - Wednesday 24th March 10:00 am Book now via Eventbrite Wellbeing for parent carers - Thursday 25th March 19:30 pm Book now via Eventbrite Money Matters - Wednesday 31st March 19:30 pm Book now via Eventbrite

*Brighter Beginnings workshops for parent carers in Yorkshire & Humberside*
Money Matters - Tuesday 16th March 10:00 am Book now via Eventbrite Education (School Age) - Thursday 18th March 07:30 pm Book now via Eventbrite

*NEW* Siblings workshop for parent carers

Explore any issues and concerns you face with managing the needs of all your children, when one or more has additional needs.
Dates to be announced

*NEW* Educational support for school age children with additional needs - all areas of the UK

Understand what support is available for your school aged child in educational settings (in England). Understand SEND provision and EHCPs.
Dates to be announced

*NEW* Growing Up workshop for parent carers

- all areas of the UK

Explore how best to support your child as they experience puberty and adolescence. Support with managing their educational, practical and emotional needs, and helping them to develop positive relationships.
Dates to be announced

Money Matters - for parents/carers of children aged up to 16 with additional needs- all areas of the UK

An overview of benefits, DLA, Carers Allowance, grants available, discounts on utilities, leisure, discounts for carers. Accessing services for support with financial applications. Local information and helplines. Dispelling myths around benefits. Also covers Covid 19-related financial updates.
Dates to be announced

Encouraging Positive Behaviour in Young Children- all areas of the UK

Gain a better understanding of why young children with additional needs behave the way they do. Learn ways to handle difficult situations in a calm, stress-free manner. Explore ways of supporting and encouraging your child and how to get support and help.
Dates to be announced

Encouraging Positive Behaviour in children aged up to 16 - all areas of the UK

Gain a better understanding of why children with additional needs behave the way they do. Learn ways to handle difficult situations in a calm, stress-free manner. Explore ways of supporting and encouraging your child and how to get support and help.
Dates to be announced

Helping your child (aged up to 16) sleep - all areas of the UK

Gain a better understanding of sleep processes, why sleep problems may occur and possible causes. The importance of sleep and the effect on the whole family. Suggestions for what might help and where to get support.
Dates to be announced

Wellbeing for parents/carers of children with additional needs - - all areas of the UK

Understand clearly what stress is & how it affects you. Identify new ways of coping with stress & reducing your stress levels. Try new stress busting ideas until you find ones that fit with you!
Dates to be announced

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brighter beginnings early years workshops

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sleep behaviour and money matters workshops

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Contact - for families with disabled children

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We run workshops, information sessions and events for families. Our Brighter Beginnings workshops are for families with children with additional needs. There are sessions for families with younger children and older children. Better Together is our series of fun and engaging activities for families with children with additional needs, who might have limited opportunities to access these.

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Welcome to Nas Thurrock, NAS Thurrock Group launched in S eptember 2015 and is run on a voluntary basis by parents, carers of children on the autism spectrum. We hold monthly support groups for parents and carers.

For some people, shopping centres can be a stressful experience. If you see, hear, or feel the world in a different way, we'll be making simple steps to improve the shopping experience for our customers throughout the year with our Quiet Hours.From autism to dementia, this hour is for anyone who prefers a more quiet setting within intu Lakeside. We'll turn down the music, dim the lights, and our staff will be on hand with guides to the centre that may be of use. Our Quiet Hours will run on the first Monday of every month from 4pm-5pm. Quiet Hour dates 2020

Quiet Hour dates 2020

Monday 6th January

Monday 3rd February

Monday 2nd March

Monday 6th April

Monday 4th May

Monday 1st June

Monday 6th July

Monday 3rd August

Monday 7th September

Monday 5th October

Monday 2nd November

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autism thurrock asperger syndrome support

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Welcome to Nas Thurrock, NAS Thurrock Group launched in S eptember 2015 and is run on a voluntary basis by parents, carers of children on the autism spectrum. We hold monthly support groups for parents and carers. For some people, shopping centres can be a stressful experience.

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Coronavirus info

Last updated: 7 July 2020

The way you get support from us might be different for a while, but we are still here. We'll do everything we can to help you stay safe. Things are changing quickly, so keep checking this page, our Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and our national Coronavirus info pages for under 21s.

You can contact us on 01375 376111 09:00 - 17:00 weekdays or email [email protected] . You can also speak to a member of our online team.

If you are already in contact with us, your key worker will be in touch. They'll be offering support by phone, or online (including Zoom, WhatsApp). If you can't get hold of your key worker, please give us a call on the main service number.
Information for parents and carers and professionals
We're still accepting referrals by email, phone or post and our staff will continue to work with closely with you to keep young people safe.

Resources to help you are available on our national Coronavirus info pages.

This info is correct as of 7 July 2020. The info below this section applies when the service is running normally.

We know this is a difficult time, but it won't be like this forever. For now, the top of this page is where the most up to date info will be. If you have any questions or you're worried about something, please get in touch.

Find the latest information on coronavirus from  the NHS and Gov.UK.

We are a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for young people under 18 (including young offenders) and families in Thurrock.

We are a team of substance misuse specialists who won't judge or tell you what to do. We're here to listen and support you, and help you to make positive choices and changes. We also work with young people affected by parental/carer's substance misuse. We are an outreach service, and we are more than happy to visit you wherever it is most convenient for you. We can meet you at your home, in school/college, at a local library or anywhere else that you feel comfortable.

The Old Court House
Orsett Road
Essex RM17 5DD

Please let us know if you need to meet outside of these times - we're more than happy to help.

Monday 09:00 - 17:00

Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00

Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00

Thursday 09:00 - 17:00

Friday 09:00 - 17:00

Contact us:

If you'd like to find out more about the service and how we can help you, please do get in touch. Don't forget to follow us on social media to see what we're up to.

Phone: 01375 376 111

Email: [email protected]
Webchat
The East London webchat is for young people under 25 looking for advice and info. If you're a professional or a parent looking for advice about/for a younger person, we can help with that too.
Speak to our online team
Don't forget to follow us on social media:

"The service has helped me give up my habit. The workers are good, friendly easy to talk to and they don't make me feel patronized. Even if I am in a bad mood at the start of a meeting I feel better by the end."

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Last updated: 7 July 2020 The way you get support from us might be different for a while, but we are still here. We'll do everything we can to help you stay safe.

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NEW WEBSITE COMING SOON!

We are a registered charity (Registered Charity Number 1186836) based in South East Essex offering free and confidential counselling, Independent sexual violence advocacy and support to adults, young people and children and their families who have been affected by rape or sexual abuse no matter how long ago the experience may have been.

For further information about the support available through SERICC contact us on 0300 0037777 or take a look at our online referral form for yourself or professionals.

SERICC provides specialist services across Essex with our partners in Synergy Essex

If you would like more information about Rape Crisis or you would like support outside of Essex please visit Rape Crisis England & Wales for more details.

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We are a registered charity (Registered Charity Number 1186836) based in South East Essex offering free and confidential counselling, Independent sexual violence advocacy and support to adults, young people and children and their families who have been affected by rape or sexual abuse no matter how long ago the experience may have been.

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Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust

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Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust

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Resources for Children's Speech and Language

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Children's Speech and Language resources to download