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If you think your child is unhappy or if you are worried about their behaviour, it's easy to be hard on yourself and think you aren't doing a good job.

The following tips are for any parent who is worried about their child, or their own parenting skills:

You and Your Child

Make sure they know you love them and are proud of them. Even when things are busy or stressful, and it feels like you are in survival mode, a word or a hug can reassure them a huge amount. Praise them for what they do well, and encourage them to try new things.

Be honest about your feelings - you don't have to be perfect. We all get things wrong and shout or say unkind things from time to time. If this happens, say sorry to your child afterwards and explain why it happened, They will learn from you that it's OK to make mistakes and that it doesn't make you a bad person.

Be clear about what is and isn't acceptable - and tell them why. Children need to know what is OK and what isn't, and what will happen if they cross the line. Follow through on what you say as otherwise they may get confused or stop respecting the boundaries.

Own your own role - you are the parent, so don't be afraid to take tough decisions. If your child sees you are scared of their reaction and always give in to them, it can make them feel very powerful, which can be frightening. Children need to know that you are there to keep them safe.

Helping Your Child

Worrying or difficult behaviour might be short-lived, so give it some time. All children go through stages of feeling anxious or angry and they can show this in lots of ways, for example, tantrums, crying, sleeping problems or fighting with friends or siblings. They might be adapting to a change in the family or in their school life, or just trying out new emotions, and will generally grow out of worrying behaviour on their own or with family support.

Talk to your child: Even young children can understand about feelings and behaviour if you give them a chance to talk about it. Take it gently and give them examples of what you mean, for example, 'When you said you hated Molly, you looked really angry. What was making you so cross?', or 'When you can't get to sleep, is there anything in your mind making you worried?'

With older children, they might not want to talk at first. Let them know you are concerned about them, and are there if they need you. Sending an email or a text can work better if this is the way your child likes to communicate.

Ask your child what they think would help - they often have good ideas about solving their own problems.

If you can, talk to your child's other parent about your worries, when the child is not around. They might have a different take on what's going on. Try and sort out how to deal with the behaviour together so you are using the same approach, and can back each other up. Children are quick to spot if parents disagree, and can try and use this to get their own way.

You can find more advice on when to think about getting professional help, and what to do, if you are concerned about your child's behaviour, in our Parents Guide to Support A-Z.

Looking After Yourself

If your child is having problems, don't be too hard on yourself or blame yourself. Although it can be upsetting and worrying if your child is having a bad time, and it makes your relationship with them feel more stressful, you are not a bad parent. Children often take it out on those closest to them, so you might be feeling the effect of their very powerful emotions.

If you had a difficult time growing up yourself, or have had emotional problems or mental health problems, it can be very worrying to think that the same thing might happen to your child. But the love and care you show them and the fact that you are trying to help will protect against this. Getting help for them and perhaps for yourself too can give them the best chance of feeling better.

If things are getting you down, it's important to recognise this. Talk to someone you trust and see what they think. Many people go on struggling with very difficult situations because they feel they should be able to cope, and don't deserve any help.

Friends and family can often help - don't be afraid to ask them to have your child for a bit if you need some time out to sort out your own stuff. You can repay them when things get better for you!

It's easy to say take some time for yourself but in reality this may not feel possible.You might be too busy, exhausted or hard up for exercise or hobbies. But even a night in with a friend, a DVD box set or your favourite dinner can help.

Go to your GP if things are really getting on top of you. Asking for some support from your doctor or a referral to a counselling service is a sign of strength. You can't help your child if you are not being supported yourself. Some people worry their parenting will be judged and their children will be taken away if they admit they are struggling to cope. This should only happen if a child is being abused or neglected and the role of professionals is to support you to look after your child as well as you can.

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If you think your child is unhappy or if you are worried about their behaviour, it's easy to be hard on yourself and think you aren't doing a good job. The following tips are for any parent who is worried about their child, or their own parenting skills:

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Celebrating 10 years of Talk PANTS!

Pantosaurus has helped 1.5 million parents Talk PANTS and keep their children safe from sexual abuse.

Developed in consultation with children, parents, carers and teachers, Talk PANTS is here to help children understand their body belongs to them, and they should tell a safe adult they trust if anything makes them feel upset or worried.

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Our PANTS activity pack makes it easy to talk to your child about staying safe from harm. With a word search, dot-to-dot and maze game, you can help them learn without using any scary words.

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Resources to support you when things are tough

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Cookies

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support for parent carers of disabled children in Sussex - Amaze

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This website or its third party tools use cookies, which are necessary to its functioning and required to achieve the purposes illustrated in the cookie policy. If you want to know more or withdraw your consent to all or some of the cookies, please refer to the Cookie Policy

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Do you have children attending school at home? Or are you a teacher looking for additional resources? These PDF learning packs are based on our museum displays and collections but can easily be used at home. You may also want to take a look at the free images on our Digital Media Bank.

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There are lots of different types of support, finding the right one is an individual choice and what works for some people, will not always work for others.

If you are worried about your drinking or even just curious, take our drinking quiz to see if it's likely to be affecting your health.

You'll be asked a few simple questions about your drinking habits, like how often you drink and how many units you consume in an average week.

If your score is 15 or more, you may wish to discuss it with your GP or your local alcohol service, as you could benefit from cutting back. If your score is 20 or more, you are at risk of alcohol dependence and we would strongly advise you to speak to your GP or local alcohol service as soon as possible, to find out about your options for reducing your drinking.

Warning!

People who are clinically alcohol dependent can die if they suddenly, completely stop drinking.

If you experience fits, shaking hands, sweating, seeing things that are not real, depression, anxiety, or difficulty sleeping after a period of drinking and while sobering up, then you may be clinically alcohol dependent and should NOT suddenly, completely stop drinking.

But you can still take control of your drinking. Talk to a GP or your local community alcohol service who will be able to get help for you to reduce your drinking safely.

Wherever you live, there will be a service in your area which supports people with alcohol problems. You can access these services in a few key ways:

Your GP is your first port of call for alcohol problems. They will be able to provide confidential advice and refer you for extra support.

Check on your local authority website to see how you can access your local provider.

There are a number of NHS services directories you can use to find support and treatment services near you:

You can also find support remotely:

Drinkline, a free, confidential helpline for people who are concerned about their drinking, or someone else's. Call 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am-8pm, weekends 11am-4pm)

If you live in Wales, you can contact the DAN 24/7 alcohol and drug any time of the day or night. Freephone: 0808 808 2234, or text DAN to: 81066.

Alcoholics Anonymous, whose helpline is open 24/7 on 0800 9177 650. If you would prefer, you can also email them at [email protected] or live chat via their website at www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk.

You can join a SMART Recovery meeting online here. SMART holds both face-to-face and online meetings which support people in managing harmful addictive behaviour. The SMART Recovery Programme helps individuals and family members of those who are struggling. They also have women's only meetings and those specifically for members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Al-Anon which offers support and understanding to the families and friends of dependent drinkers. You can call their confidential helpline on 0800 0086 811 (open 10am-10pm). There are lots more resources for families and friends here.

Nacoa support anyone affected by their parent(s) drinking, including adults. Here are some of the questions that children often ask about alcohol and the effects on them and their family. For more information, visit nacoa.org.uk, call 0800 358 3456 or email [email protected] . You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter.

If you are looking for urgent support please contact the Samaritans, who are available 24/7 on 116 123 or [email protected] .

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If you're worried that you're drinking too much, there's support available. Find out about your options.

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mASCot - local support for families with ASC

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mASCot - local support for families with ASC

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"As a parent of a child with an Autistic Spectrum Condition,

I wanted a place where parents and carers in Brighton and Hove could meet up together or online to support each other.

Having the coffee mornings and the online forum has made this possible,

watching mASCot grow and become such an amazing group with so many families involved

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"As a parent of a child with an Autistic Spectrum Condition, I wanted a place where parents and carers in Brighton and Hove could meet up together or online to support each other.

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Tiny Happy People is here to help you develop your child's language skills. Explore our simple activities and play ideas and find out about babies and toddlers' amazing early development.

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Children’s language development and parenting advice - BBC Tiny Happy People

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A chatty child is a happy child, so Tiny Happy People is here to help you develop your child’s communication skills through simple interaction and play.

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Simple ideas to get your child school ready.

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Simple ideas to get your child school ready.

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Geocaching is a like a treasure hunt using a GPS gadget. You can also use most smartphones, and there are apps you can download to help you. It's a great way to get your child exploring or keep them interested on a walk or hike.

Pack well! Take a pen, a drink, a snack and warm clothes. Use the pen to write your name in the logbook when you find a cache.

Pick easy caches to start with, choose those with a low difficulty rating on the geocaching website which should be easier for little legs to walk to. Get your little one involved with choosing your cache and planning a route.

Keep your eyes open. When you get close to the cache, put your device to one side and encourage your child to start looking around carefully.

Take your rubbish home with you. Always follow the Countryside Code and talk to your little ones about what it says.

Don't forget your swappables! Caches sometimes contain little tokens for you to take away. Take small toys that you can swap if there is something in your cache. You might need to prepare your child that sometimes caches are empty, but you can still leave a toy for someone else to find.

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Geocaching is a like a treasure hunt using a GPS gadget. You can also use most smartphones, and there are apps you can download to help you. It's a great way to get your child exploring or keep them interested on a walk or hike. Pack well!

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Who are we?

The CYP Wellbeing Service is the hub for all mental health referrals for young people in Brighton & Hove, including CAMHS. It is delivered by YMCA DownsLink Group.

What do we do?

We offer a range of short-term support options for children and young people with mild to moderate mental health needs. All referrals are looked at on a case-by-case basis.

Children & young people aged 4-17: You’ll find support options for this age group below. Referrals can be made using the forms on the right. There will be an option within the form if you wish to request an ASC or ADHD assessment from CAMHS. Please note that the Brighton and Hove Wellbeing Service serves as a referral gateway, but any questions regarding the ADHD/ASC pathway should be directed to CAMHS.

Young people aged 18-25: Click here to view the support options for this age group. Referrals can be made from that page.

Changes to what we can currently offer

Due to the response to COVID-19, the Children and Young People’s (CYP) Wellbeing Service has made some changes to the way appointments are offered to young people. This is to enable us to continue to be able to offer a service to the young people that need our support.

We are currently offering clients online video or face-to-face appointments.

Online video appointments are conducted via a secure website called Attend Anywhere. If you are not able to access appointments online or face-to-face, please let us know. Face-to-face appointments are prioritised based on client age, presenting need and availability.

You can visit the COVID-19 update page for more information. We have also added some helpful resources for looking after your mental health on our Resources page.

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Support for Children & Young People (CYP) — Brighton and Hove Wellbeing Service

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Are you a climate change warrior? Take our quiz!

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Try our quiz to see how much you know about global warming.

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The NHS test and trace service:

ensures that anyone who develops symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) can quickly be tested to find out if they have the virus, and also includes targeted asymptomatic testing of NHS and social care staff and care home residents

helps trace close recent contacts of anyone who tests positive for coronavirus and, if necessary, notifies them that they must self-isolate at home to help stop the spread of the virus

We are introducing this service to help return life more to normal, in a way that is safe and protects our NHS and social care. The service will allow us to trace the spread of the virus and isolate new infections and play a vital role in giving us early warning if the virus is increasing again, locally or nationally.

How test and trace helps fight the virus

The NHS test and trace service will help to control the rate of reproduction (R), reduce the spread of the infection and save lives. By playing your part through the actions set out below, you will directly help to contain the virus by reducing its spread. This means that, thanks to your efforts, we will be able to go as far as it is safe to go in easing lockdown measures.

You can help in the following ways:

if you develop symptoms, you must continue to follow the rules to self-isolate with other members of your household and order a test to find out if you have coronavirus

if you test positive for coronavirus, you must share information promptly about your recent contacts through the NHS test and trace service to help us alert other people who may need to self-isolate

if you have had close recent contact with someone who has coronavirus, you must self-isolate if the NHS test and trace service advises you to do so

This specific guidance applies in England only. All 4 administrations are working closely together to have a consistent and joined-up approach to testing and tracing.

Definitions

'Self-isolation if you have symptoms' means you and all household members must remain at home. Do not go outside your home for any reason i.e. to work, school, or public areas, and do not use public transport or taxis. The guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection page has more information on self-isolation.

'Contact' means a person who has been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus and who may or may not live with them.

How NHS test and trace service works

1. isolate: as soon as you experience coronavirus symptoms, medical advice is clear: you must self-isolate for at least 7 days. Anyone else in your household must self-isolate for 14 days from when you started having symptoms

2. test: order a test immediately at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or call 119 if you have no internet access

3. results: if your test is positive, you must complete the remainder of your 7-day self-isolation. Anyone in your household must also complete self-isolation for 14 days from when you started having symptoms. If your test is negative, you and other household members no longer need to self-isolate

4. share contacts: if you test positive for coronavirus, the NHS test and trace service will send you a text or email alert or call you with instructions of how to share details of people with whom you have had close, recent contact and places you have visited. It is important that you respond as soon as possible so that we can give appropriate advice to those who need it. You will be told to do this online via a secure website or you will be called by one of our contract tracers.

1. alert: you will be alerted by the NHS test and trace service if you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus. The alert will usually come by text, email or phone call. You should then log on to the NHS test and trace website, which is normally the easiest way for you and the service to communicate with each other - but, if not, a trained call handler will talk you through what you must do. Under-18s will get a phone call and a parent or guardian will be asked to give permission for the call to continue

2. isolate: you will be told to begin self-isolation for 14 days from your last contact with the person who has tested positive. It's really important to do this even if you don't feel unwell because, if you have been infected, you could become infectious to others at any point up to 14 days. Your household doesn't need to self-isolate with you, if you do not have symptoms, but they must take extra care to follow the guidance on social distancing and handwashing and avoid contact with you at home

3. test if needed: if you develop symptoms of coronavirus, other members of your household must self-isolate immediately at home for 14 days and you must book a test at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or call 119 if you have no internet access. If your test is positive, you must continue to stay at home for at least 7 days and we will get in touch to ask about your contacts since they must self-isolate. If your test is negative, you must still complete your 14-day self-isolation period because the virus may not be detectable yet - this is crucial to avoid unknowingly spreading the virus.

When to self-isolate

The medical advice is clear: you must self-isolate if you have coronavirus symptoms or live in the same household as somebody who does. The main symptoms of coronavirus are:

high temperature - this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)

new, continuous cough - this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)

loss or change to your sense of smell or taste - this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

For more information, read the further guidance on symptoms.

If you have one or more of these symptoms, you must self-isolate straight away for 7 days - or longer if you still have symptoms other than cough or loss of sense of smell/taste.

If you live in the same household as someone with coronavirus symptoms, you must self-isolate straight away for 14 days.

How to order a test

Please tell us about your symptoms as soon as possible and get a test to find out if you have coronavirus. Please tell us about your symptoms as soon as possible. The sooner you have a test, the sooner we can let you know if you and other members of your household must remain in self-isolation.

Members of the public can order a test through the NHS website.

If you are an essential worker or an employer, please visit:

If you don't have access to the internet, you can order a test by phoning 119.

Our guidance on testing has more information on our testing programme.

We've made it as easy as possible for everyone who has symptoms to access a test quickly, and there are now many potential ways to be tested:

drive-through regional testing sites

mobile testing units

test kits delivered to your home

hospital-based testing for NHS patients and staff

dedicated testing centres in other care settings (for example, care homes)

When you order a test, you will get information on the options available to you.

We currently aim to provide results within 48 hours of taking a test, but some results may take longer.

You will get your results by text, email or phone - and the message will advise you about what to do next.

If you test negative

If you get a negative test result, this means you are at low risk of having coronavirus.

Other members of your household can stop self-isolating. If you feel well and no longer have symptoms similar to coronavirus, you can stop self-isolating. You could still have another virus, such as a cold or flu - in which case it is still best to avoid contact with other people until you are better.

If you test positive

If you get a positive test result, this means that when you took the test, you had coronavirus. You - and other members of your household - must continue to self-isolate.

Health and care workers

If you work in a health or care setting, you should follow the separate guidance for health and care workers on testing and when to return to work.

Telling people about your test result

If you develop symptoms, you may wish to alert the people with whom you have had close contact over the last 48 hours. You should tell them that you might have coronavirus but are waiting for a test result.

At this stage (until the test result is known), those people do not need to self-isolate, but they should take extra care in practising social distancing and good hygiene, like washing their hands regularly. They should also watch out for their own symptoms.

You may want to write down your recent close contacts now so that you have them to hand if you test positive.

If you get a positive test, we will contact you and ask you to share information about any close contacts you had just before or after you developed symptoms. This is vital if we are to stop the spread of the virus.

We will contact you by text message, email or phone. If you are under 18 years old, we will contact you by phone wherever possible and ask for your parent or guardian's permission to continue the call.

You will be sent a link to the NHS test and trace website and asked to create a confidential account where you can record details about your recent close contacts. If you do not have internet access or if you don't complete the online process, one of our contact tracers will phone you to gather this information from you.

The information you give will be handled in strict confidence and will only be kept and used in line with data protection laws. It will help us to contact people who are at risk of having been exposed to coronavirus and explain what they must do to help prevent the further spread of the virus.

When we contact people to advise them to self-isolate, we do not tell them your identity. But if you have alerted them when you first develop symptoms or when you get your test result, they will be better prepared for the advice we give them.

If the NHS test and trace service contacts you, the service will use text messages, email or phone.

All texts or emails will ask you to sign into the NHS test and trace contact-tracing website.

If NHS test and trace calls you by phone, the service will be using a single phone number: 0300 013 5000.

All information you provide to the NHS test and trace service is held in strict confidence and will only be kept and used in line with the Data Protection Act 2018.

Contact tracers will:

call you from 0300 013 5000

send you text messages from 'NHS'

ask you to sign into the NHS test and trace contact-tracing website

ask for your full name and date of birth to confirm your identity, and postcode to offer support while self-isolating

ask about the coronavirus symptoms you have been experiencing

ask you to provide the name, telephone number and/or email address of anyone you have had close contact with in the 2 days prior to your symptoms starting

ask if anyone you have been in contact with is under 18 or lives outside of England

Contact tracers will never:

ask you to dial a premium rate number to speak to us (for example, those starting 09 or 087)

ask you to make any form of payment or purchase a product or any kind

ask for any details about your bank account

ask for your social media identities or login details, or those of your contacts

ask you for any passwords or PINs, or ask you to set up any passwords or PINs over the phone

disclose any of your personal or medical information to your contacts

provide medical advice on the treatment of any potential coronavirus symptoms

ask you to download any software to your PC or ask you to hand over control of your PC, smartphone or tablet to anyone else

ask you to access any website that does not belong to the government or NHS

What we will ask you

We will ask you:

if you have family members or other household members living with you. In line with the medical advice they must remain in self-isolation for the rest of the 14-day period from when your symptoms began

if you have had any close contact with anyone other than members of your household. We are interested in in the 48 hours before you developed symptoms and the time since you developed symptoms. Close contact means:

having face-to-face contact with someone (less than 1 metre away)

spending more than 15 minutes within 2 metres of someone

travelling in a car or other small vehicle with someone (even on a short journey) or close to them on a plane

if you work in - or have recently visited - a setting with other people (for example, a GP surgery, a school or a workplace)

We will ask you to provide, where possible, the names and contact details (for example, email address, telephone number) for the people you have had close contact with. As with your own details these will be held in strict confidence and will be kept and used only in line with data protection laws.

How this information is used

Based on the information you provide, we will assess whether we need to alert your contacts and ask them to self-isolate.

We may refer the case to local public health experts if your case is complex, for example, if you work in or have recently visited:

a health or care setting, such as a hospital or care home

a prison or other secure setting

a school for people with special needs

critical national infrastructure or areas vital for national security

Local public health experts are Public Health England staff and teams employed by your local authority who work together with all parts of the local community to prevent or respond to local outbreaks.

We are currently developing our NHS coronavirus app, which is being trialled on the Isle of Wight. When rolled out nationally this app will supplement the other forms of contact tracing.

If you are told to self-isolate

If we identify you as someone who has had close recent contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus, we will notify you that you must self-isolate in line with medical advice.

You may be feeling well and not have any symptoms, but it is still essential for you to follow the advice that you are given.

This is because, if you have been infected, you could be infectious to others at any point up to 14 days. Some people infected with the virus don't show any symptoms at all and it is therefore crucial to self-isolate to avoid unknowingly spreading the virus.

If you do not have symptoms, you must not seek a test, as the scientific evidence shows that the test may not be able to detect whether you have the virus.

How you will be told to self-isolate

If you are aged 18 or over, we will contact you by text message or email but will follow up by phone if we don't get a response. If we only have a landline number for you, we will contact you on that number.

If you are under 18 years old, we will contact you by phone wherever possible and ask for consent from your parent or guardian to continue the call.

If you have internet access, we will ask you to log onto our NHS test and trace website. This is the simplest way of giving you the information you need and the opportunity to ask any questions. The online service will also ask you to confirm that you are following the advice on self-isolation.

If you do not have internet access, we will arrange for a trained call handler to speak to you by phone to give you the information and advice you need.

What happens next

You must self-isolate for 14 days after you were in contact with the person who has tested positive for coronavirus. This is crucial to avoid unknowingly spreading the virus.

Self-isolation means staying at home and not going outside your home at any time. If you live with other people, they do not need to self-isolate, but they should avoid contact with you as far as possible and follow advice on hygiene. If you do not live with other people, you should seek help from others, or delivery services, for essential activities such as food shopping. Self-isolation can be particularly challenging if you are looking after children, or if you care for vulnerable people who cannot stay with friends or family.

If you go on to develop symptoms, anyone you live with must then self-isolate and you must report your symptoms and get tested.

It is crucial that you complete your 14-day self-isolation period if you've been identified as a contact, even if you get a negative test result. This is because you may have the virus, but it cannot yet be detected by a test, so you could unknowingly spread the virus if you leave the house. Other members of your household, however, do not need to remain in self-isolation.

If the NHS test and trace service contacts you, the service will use text messages, email or phone.

All texts or emails will ask you to sign into the NHS test and trace contact-tracing website.

If NHS test and trace calls you by phone, the service will be using a single phone number: 0300 013 5000.

All information you provide to the NHS test and trace service is held in strict confidence and will only be kept and used in line with the Data Protection Act 2018.

Contact tracers will:

call you from 0300 013 5000

send you text messages from 'NHS'

ask for your full name and date of birth to confirm your identity, and postcode to offer support while self-isolating

ask if you are experiencing any coronavirus symptoms

provide advice on what you must do as you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus

Contact tracers will never:

ask you to dial a premium rate number to speak to us (for example, those starting 09 or 087)

ask you to make any form of payment or purchase a product of any kind

ask for any details about your bank account

ask for your social media identities or login details, or those of your contacts

ask you for any passwords or PINs, or ask you to set up any passwords or PINs over the phone

disclose any of your personal or medical information to your contacts

provide medical advice on the treatment of any potential coronavirus ymptoms

ask you to download any software to your PC or ask you to hand over control of your PC, smartphone or tablet to anyone else

ask you to access any website that does not belong to the government or NHS

Support for people who are self-isolating

We will direct you to your local authority helpline if you need the following during the period of self-isolation:

practical or social support for yourself

support for someone you care for

financial support

This is so you can access the local support available to you, like help delivering food or medicine. You may also be able to get help from the NHS volunteer responders.

Employers should support workers who are told to self-isolate and must not ask them to attend work. See the guidance on the NHS test and trace service for employers, businesses and workers. If you are in employment, speak to your employer to discuss if you can work from home or other options are available during your period of isolation.

Workers in self-isolation are entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) for every day they are in isolation, as long as they meet the eligibility conditions. Guidance has been produced for employees that are unable to work because they are self-isolating.

The NHS test and trace service will provide a notification that can be used as evidence that someone has been told to self-isolate. This notification can be shared with an employer or education provider, for example.

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The NHS test and trace service: ensures that anyone who develops symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) can quickly be tested to find out if they have the virus, and also includes targeted asymptomatic testing of NHS and social care staff and care home residents helps trace close recent contacts of anyone who tests positive for coronavirus and, if necessary, notifies them that they must self-isolate at home to help stop the spread of the virus We are introducing this service to help return life more to normal, in a way that is safe and protects our NHS and social care.

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Info and advice Menu. Press ALT and ENTER to access submenu.

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Nearly 10,000 free video lessons, resources and activities, covering most subjects, from Reception to Year 11

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Primary maths: How to play Race to Twenty

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Gather some shoes together and have a go at this.........

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Covid Brighton & Hove: a coronavirus help directory

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A coronavirus help directory for Brighton & Hove. Need help with food shopping, getting medicine, feeling worried or lonely? Find help in your area.

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To take part in more fun and free football-themed learning activities, head to Premier League Primary Stars. They have a wide collection of free resources to use at home, including ideas to get active, fun videos, games and worksheets for Maths, English and Health and Wellbeing.

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Dan Freedman's football challenge | National Literacy Trust

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To take part in more fun and free football-themed learning activities, head to Premier League Primary Stars . They have a wide collection of free resources to use at home, including ideas to get active, fun videos, games and worksheets for Maths, English and Health and Wellbeing.

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Getting creative with boxes!

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Love these pebble poems from Sharny and Wilson. Writing on a small object means there’s no room for wasted words! Keep them coming, Class 4! @PieCorbett @SueHardyDawson @moses_brian @kidspoetsummit. Inspired by @BaitTheLines #coastlandspoets

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Love these pebble poems from Sharny and Wilson. Writing on a small object means there’s no room for wasted words! Keep them coming, Class 4! @PieCorbett @SueHardyDawson @moses_brian @kidspoetsummit. Inspired by @BaitTheLines #coastlandspoets https://t.co/TUIoVRUoj0

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Love these pebble poems from Sharny and Wilson. Writing on a small object means there’s no room for wasted words! Keep them coming, Class 4! @PieCorbett @SueHardyDawson @moses_brian @kidspoetsummit. Inspired by @BaitTheLines #coastlandspoets pic.twitter.com/TUIoVRUoj0
— Coastlands School (@coastlandsnews) May 21, 2020

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Love these pebble poems from Sharny and Wilson. Writing on a small object means there’s no room for wasted words! Keep them coming, Class 4! @PieCorbett @SueHardyDawson @moses_brian @kidspoetsummit. Inspired by @BaitTheLines #coastlandspoets https://t.co/TUIoVRUoj0

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Love these pebble poems from Sharny and Wilson. Writing on a small object means there’s no room for wasted words! Keep them coming, Class 4! @PieCorbett @SueHardyDawson @moses_brian @kidspoetsummit. Inspired by @BaitTheLines #coastlandspoets https://t.co/TUIoVRUoj0

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Love these pebble poems from Sharny and Wilson. Writing on a small object means there’s no room for wasted words! Keep them coming, Class 4! @PieCorbett @SueHardyDawson @moses_brian @kidspoetsummit. Inspired by @BaitTheLines #coastlandspoets

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the video shows capital letters, it is better to use lower case ...

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Salt Tray Writing | Preschool Activities

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Mindfulness has an extraordinary capacity to build a strong body, mind and spirit in ourselves as adults, as well as in our children. Science has told us that it can help to protect against stress, anxiety, depression, illness and pain, ease the symptoms of autism and ADHD, improve academic performance and social relationships, as well as expand the capacity to experience positive emotions.

Mindfulness is about stepping back and seeing thoughts and feelings come and go, without judgement, but with a relaxed mind, fully focussed on the present moment.

Children are wonderfully present in what they do, but as life picks up speed, the capacity to experience that calm, strengthening stillness can become more difficult to access. The sooner we can encourage the little people in our lives towards mindfulness, the greater their capacity for mindful presence will be. A regular mindful practice will ensure that existing neural connections are strengthened and new ones established.

Mindfulness for children generally works best it's kept to about five minutes or less. Of course, if they're able to go for longer, brilliant - go with that. Ready to play?

1. Mindful Breathing.

Get your kiddos into a comfy position and ask them to close their eyes. Next, ask how their breath feels as they draw it into themselves, and then as it leaves. If they put a hand on their belly, they'll be able to feel the rise and the fall of their breath. Do this about five times - five inhales, five exhales. After five breaths, guide them to any thoughts and feelings they might be aware of, then invite them to let go of those thoughts and feelings. Ask them to imagine that the thoughts and feelings are bubbles, floating away, as they return to their breathing. Repeat the five breaths - five in, five out - and do this as many times as feels right.

2. Thought Clouds.

This is a slightly different take on the above exercise. When your mindful ones are into the rhythm of breathing in through the nose for three, and out through the mouth for three, ask them to try this: 'As you breathe in, imagine that your thoughts are forming as little clouds above your head. Imagine the cloud floating away as you breathe out. Keep breathing slow, strong breaths and let your thoughts come, and then go.'

3. The Mind(ful)-Body Connection.

The way we hold our bodies has a powerful effect on the way we feel and the way other people see us. Different poses can actually change body chemistry. Nurture the awareness of the mind-body connection in your children by asking them to explore how they feel when they strike a pose. Here are some good ones to try, particularly if they're about to do something that could make them a little anxious. In a quiet space where they feel safe and private, encourage them to strike one of these power poses and explore with them what they feel - hopefully more confident!

* Superman: Stand with feet just wider than hip width apart. Clench fists, stretch both arms out, and fully lengthen the body. Expanding physical presence by stretching and opening up can increase feelings of power and pride (think of athletes who crosses the finish line first and throw their arms into the air).

* Wonder woman: Stand up tall and strong with legs apart and hands on hips.

4. And while we're on superheroes ...

Ask them to switch on their super 'Spidey-senses' to find out what they can taste, smell, hear, see and feel in the moment.

5. The Mindful Jar.

A mindful jar works in a couple of ways. First, it will to help them to understand what happens when strong emotion starts to take hold of them. Second, it can help them find calm when they are feeling stressed, upset, or overwhelmed. Here's how:

Start with a jar and fill it almost to the top with water. Into the water, add a few big dollops of glitter glue (or school glue and dry glitter). Pop on the lid and give the jar a shake. Here are some words:

'Imagine that the glitter is like your thoughts when you're stressed, mad or upset. See how they whirl around and make it really hard to see clearly? That's why it's so easy to make silly decisions when you're upset - because you're not thinking clearly. Don't worry this is normal and it happens in all of us (yep, grownups too). [ Now put the jar down in front of them.] Now watch what happens when you're still for a couple of moments. Keep watching. See how the glitter starts to settle and the water clears? Your mind works the same way. When you're calm for a little while, your thoughts start to settle and you start to see things much clearer.'

The beautiful part of this exercise is that while they are learning about their emotional selves, they are also engaging in an act of mindfulness as they watch the glitter fall to the bottom of the jar.

6. Safari.

Oh but not just any safari! The idea here is to guide them towards switching on their senses, turning down their thoughts, and being fully engaged in the present moment. Take them outside and explain to them that they are on safari, looking for any animal that crawls, flies or walks. Let them know that they have to be quiet and alert, with their hearing, feeling and seeing super-senses switched on so they can discover tiny wild beasts that the world may or may not have seen before.

7. Mindful Smelling.

Take a bunch of delicious smelling things from around home - candles, fresh herbs, flowers, fruit, vanilla, cinnamon, grass - anything - and invite them to breathe in the smell and to feel what happens in their body as they do that. ('The cinnamon reminds me of Christmas,' or maybe 'The lavender makes me feel sleepy.')

8. A Breathing Buddy.

Have them lie down with a soft toy on their tummy. As they breathe, guide them towards noticing the toy moving up and down. This can help them to understand what it feels like to have strong breaths, which is a powerful way to calm themselves when high emotion overwhelms them.

9. A Mindful Walk.

Take a short walk together to help them to learn to be mindful while they're moving. First, ask them to focus on their breath. Then turn their attention to anything else their senses tune in to in the moment - the breeze against their skin, the sound of the trees, the smell of fresh air, the way their body feels as they move. The idea is for them to experience the sensations, rather than to become too 'heady' by thinking too hard about them.

10. The Mindful Snack.

Next time you have a bite to eat together, try mindful eating for a few minutes. 'Let's try something called mindful eating. It's where you slow things down when you eat so you can notice things you don't usually notice. What does your food feel like to touch? What about the smell? What if you squish it a little - what does that feel like? Now take a bite but chew very slowly. Really notice your mouth moving up and down. Can you feel the food against your tongue and between your teeth. What does it taste like? What does it feel like? Keep chewing for a little while (20 to 30 seconds). When you're ready, notice what the food feels like as it moves down your throat and towards your belly.'

11. Guided Meditation.

The Smiling Minds app has guided meditations for ages 7 to adult. It's free, easy to use, and brilliant.

Being 'still' can be hard sometimes (for all of us). If your kiddos are squirmy at first, just keep practicing in short bursts until they become more used to it. Afterwards, do something fun with them - give them your full attention with a little chat about what they did, read a story, have a cuddle - whatever works for them, so they associate it with special, fun time.

Anything you do to introduce them to a mindfulness practice will be worth it. In no time at all they'll be doing it on their own and gearing themselves with an incredible skill that will give them a solid, sturdy foundation from which to explore and experience the world.

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Filed under: A Beautiful Mind, Anxiety, Children, Mindfulness, With Kids
Tags: anxiety, mindfulness, mindfulness for children

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Mindfulness for Children: Fun, Effective Ways to Strengthen Mind, Body, Spirit -

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Mindfulness has an extraordinary capacity to build a strong body, mind and spirit in ourselves as adults, as well as in our children. Science has told us that it can help to protect against stress, anxiety, depression, illness and pain, ease the symptoms of autism and ADHD, improve academic performance and social relationships, as well as expand the capacity to experience positive emotions.

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Understanding place value (1) | Oxford Owl

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"kids yoga" "yoga for kids" "yoga for children yoga story for kids" "children's yoga" "yoga adventure for kids" "kindergarten yoga" "preschool yoga" "kids me...

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YOGA | MINDFULNESS | RELAXATION FOR KIDS! Screentime that gives kids SUPERPOWERS! ⬇️ D O W N L O A D T H E C O S M I C K I D S A P P ⬇️ 🍏Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cosmic-kids/ 🛍️Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cosmickids 🖥️ Desktop (great for teachers!): https://app.cosmickids.com/ 📺 Roku: https://rb.gy/44r8d -------------------------------------------------------------------- Why watch on the App?

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Bring a part of Drusillas home with our activities, especially created by our Education Team who have years of experience working with pre-schools, groups and schools.

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Activities To Do At Home| Educational Activities| Animal projects

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Bring a part of Drusillas home with our activities, especially created by our Education Team who have years of experience working with pre-schools, groups and schools. The Jurassic period took place over 145 million years ago! Watch the video to learn all about the Jurassic era!

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Use BBC Bitesize to help with your homework, revision and learning from KS1 to GCSE. Find free videos, step-by-step guides, activities and quizzes.

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Julia Donaldson and Friends: The Cook and the King

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Active kids are happy kids! Free swimming is available at Prince Regent Swimming Complex, King Alfred Leisure Centre & St Lukes swimming pool.

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You will be required to complete an application form to register. A parent or guardian must come into the centre with the completed and signed form and child's proof of age, that is original birth certificate or passport. The child must also be present as their photograph will be taken for the membership card.

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free swimming for under 16s at king alfred leisure centre

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Active kids are happy kids! Free swimming is available at Prince Regent Swimming Complex, King Alfred Leisure Centre & St Lukes swimming pool. Children under eight years old must be supervised by a parent or adult (18 years or over) throughout their use of the pool facilities.

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The 4-7-8 breathing technique, also known as "relaxing breath," involves breathing in for 4 seconds, holding the breath for 7 seconds, and exhaling for 8 seconds.

This breathing pattern aims to reduce anxiety or help people get to sleep. Some proponents claim that the method helps people get to sleep in 1 minute.

There is limited scientific research to support this method, but there is a lot of anecdotal evidence to suggest that this type of deep, rhythmic breathing is relaxing and may help ease people into sleep.

In this article, we look at how to perform this breathing technique, why it might work, and apps that could help.

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Practicing the 4-7-8 breathing technique can help with reducing anxiety and falling asleep.

The 4-7-8 breathing technique requires a person to focus on taking a long, deep breath in and out. Rhythmic breathing is a core part of many meditation and yoga practices as it promotes relaxation.

Dr. Andrew Weil teaches the 4-7-8 breathing technique, which he believes can help with the following:

reducing anxiety

helping a person get to sleep

managing cravings

controlling or reducing anger responses

Dr. Weil is a celebrity doctor and the founder and director of the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine.

Before starting the breathing pattern, adopt a comfortable sitting position and place the tip of the tongue on the tissue right behind the top front teeth.

To use the 4-7-8 technique, focus on the following breathing pattern:

empty the lungs of air

breathe in quietly through the nose for 4 seconds

hold the breath for a count of 7 seconds

exhale forcefully through the mouth, pursing the lips and making a "whoosh" sound, for 8 seconds

repeat the cycle up to 4 times

Dr. Weil recommends using the technique at least twice a day to start seeing the benefits sooner. He also suggests that people avoid doing more than four breath cycles in a row until they have more practice with the technique.

A person may feel lightheaded after doing this for the first few times. Therefore, it is advisable to try this technique when sitting or lying down to prevent dizziness or falls.

The total number of seconds that the pattern lasts for is less important than keeping the ratio. A person who cannot hold their breath for long enough may try a shorter pattern instead, such as:

breathe in through the nose for 2 seconds

hold the breath for a count of 3.5 seconds

exhale through the mouth for 4 seconds

As long as a person maintains the correct ratio, they may notice benefits after several days or weeks of doing 4-7-8 breathing consistently one to two times a day.

According to some advocates of 4-7-8 breathing, the longer and more frequently a person uses the technique, the more effective it becomes.

There is limited clinical research to support these claims about 4-7-8 breathing or other breathing techniques. The evidence is limited to anecdotal reports from satisfied users.

There is some evidence to suggest that deep breathing techniques have a positive impact on a person's anxiety and stress levels.

For example, a 2011 review article in Health Science Journalidentifies some of the potential health benefits of deep breathing techniques, particularly for deep breathing from the diaphragm. These possible benefits include:

decreased fatigue

reduced anxiety

reduced symptoms of asthma in children and adolescents

better stress management

reduced hypertension

reduced aggressive behavior in adolescent males

improved migraine symptoms

Studies suggest that 6 weeks of practicing pranayamic breathing, or breathing that focuses on controlling breath movement, may have a positive effect on a person's heart rate variability, which correlates with stress, and also improve cognition and anxiety.

Using 4-7-8 breathing in conjunction with tai chi may help reduce stress.

There is an association between certain breathing techniques, such as 4-7-8 breathing, and other relaxation techniques. Some people couple this breathing with the following practices:

guided imagery

progressive muscle relaxation

repetitive prayer

yoga, tai chi, and qigong

mindfulness meditation

The most common uses of 4-7-8 breathing are for reducing stress and anxiety. With frequent use, it reportedly becomes more effective in helping a person manage their stress levels.

This improvement is in contrast to anti-anxiety drugs, which tend to lose some of their effectiveness over time as the body adjusts to them.

People who are interested in trying breathing techniques but unsure of their ability to self-regulate may wish to use an app to help them. People can find apps for various devices in the Apple and Google Play stores.

For example, is a free app for Apple products, which helps people practice the 4-7-8 breathing method. Overall, the app has good reviews from people who have installed it. It also includes a feature to set reminders to use it regularly during the day.

A free app called Prana Breath: Calm & Meditate is available from the Google Play store. It helps users practice breathing cycles and different methods of breathing for relaxation.

The 4-7-8 breathing pattern and other breathing techniques may offer many potential health benefits, such as helping a person fall asleep faster and lowering their stress levels.

The only reported side effect is lightheadedness. If a person experiences this, they should either stop using the technique or modify the length of their breaths.

Interested mobile users can also try apps to remind them to use the technique throughout the day and help them pace their breathing.

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4-7-8 breathing: How it works, benefits, and uses

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The 4-7-8 breathing technique, also known as "relaxing breath," involves breathing in for 4 seconds, holding the breath for 7 seconds, and exhaling for 8 seconds. This breathing pattern aims to reduce anxiety or help people get to sleep. Some proponents claim that the method helps people get to sleep in 1 minute.

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Sitting Still Like a Frog Excercises by Shambhala Publications

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These are the audio excercises to accompany the book Sitting Still Life a Frog by Eline Snel from Shambhala Publications, available here: https://www.shambhala.com/sitting-still-like-a-frog-2968.html

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Why Is Practicing Mindfulness Important for Children?

When you look at your child and take a glance into childhood, what is it that you see? Do you see unending curiosity, innocence, and whimsy or maybe you see the metaphorical blank canvas that is just waiting to be splashed with the colors of life.

As you, the parent, navigates daily life and all of the stress and struggles it contains, chances are you might look at your child with a little envy of the stress free simplicity of their lives. What you, like most parents, might be surprised to realize is that growing through the stages of childhood is actually quite difficult and stressful in its own right.

The truth is that children feel stress and a range of emotions, both positive and negative, similar to that of adults. The difference is that as adults, our minds and bodies have matured enough to be able to use learned coping strategies, primarily mindfulness, to bring us back to centered place that resides in the present, not the past or the future.

As parents and caregivers of children of all ages, we have a responsibility to help our children learn to cope with stress and emotions by teaching and demonstrating mindfulness to them.

"What", you may ask, "is so stressful about childhood?" Well, to begin with, a certain level of stress is normal for everyone. It helps us grow and develop and teaches us how to react to and process certain situations and circumstances. Think for a moment about what causes you stress, anxiety or unpleasant emotions.

For most of us it is a matter of things not going the way we had intended, experiencing changes, relationships and pressures to perform at work or to live up to expectations at home. Children have many of the same stressors in their lives. For the child, who is so enmeshed in the present, the slightest thing going wrong can cause an upheaval. The same is true when they experience separation anxiety, changes at home or to their routine, academic pressures and begin to discover the complexities of personal relationships.

Without techniques to help them cope, emotions can run wild and the child ends up feeling sad, miserable and defeated. By helping your child experience and practice mindfulness, you can help them navigate these difficult and delicate situations. Mindfulness can turn a stressed and anxious child into one that is happy, content and in control of their emotions.

When left to its own, our brains all respond to stress and anxiety triggers the same way, regardless of age. The things that bring us away from mindfulness are processed by the brain in the Limbic system, which is the area of the brain where the system of nerves controls our moods and instinctual actions. It is the powerhouse of emotion and memory.

When we practice mindfulness, we also engage the cortex, which is the part of the brain that bestows us with the ability to perform higher thought. By that, we mean that this is the part of the brain that controls our perception of stimuli, and the way we react in response. This part of the brain is also connected to speech, memory and the approach we take to solving problems, both big and small.

Concentrated mindfulness allows the cortex to influence the Limbic system and as a result we achieve a state of calm, purposeful thought that helps to guide us through the emotions that we are feeling. The point is not to totally take away the situations your child is experiencing trouble with, but instead help them learn how to cope, which is a valuable lifelong skill.

Benefits Of Mindfulness With Children

Practiced mindfulness can help your child in the following ways:

Mindful children experience less stress, anxiety and sadness

Mindful children are better able to cope with change and other stressors.

Mindful children have better sleep habits

Mindful children feel more connected to the people around them

Mindful children are more compassionate

Mindful children have more confidence in themselves and their decisions

Mindful children tend to perform better academically

Mindful children understand, feel and express gratitude more freely

Mindful children are better able to focus and concentrate

Mindful children are more resilient

Mindful children are all around happier and more content

Learn more about how mindful practice can help your child.

The Goal of Mindful Awareness: Enlightenment, Not Control

A ren't children supposed to impulsive with their thoughts and actions? Isn't that the way of childhood, to live only in the moment and learn the benefits and consequences of those actions? Will teaching mindfulness to my child deprive them of these experiences? Will I turn my child into a controlled robot? These are questions that stem from common misconceptions about mindfulness teaching and children. Mindful awareness doesn't take away the impulsiveness and freedom of childhood. Actually, it encourages creative thinking, problem solving and individuality.

While having an angelically behaved child can make parenting easier, the goal of mindfulness in children isn't about controlling them and their emotions. It is about giving them the tools to be able choose options other than anger, fear, anxiety, stress and disconnectedness. It is helping them notice the difference in how they feel when they focus mindfully on their thoughts and emotions. Practiced mindfulness allows your child to more freely enjoy the pleasures of childhood.

When To Practice

On this note, it is important to stress that there is a right time to encourage mindfulness and a wrong time to enforce it. By this I mean that mindfulness practice should never be used as a punishment or a response to your own frustrations. If you have a child that is in the midst of a tantrum or some sort of emotional turmoil, the best response is not to order them to their quiet place and practice mindful thought for ten minutes, like a time out. A better option is to first sympathize with the situation that the child is in, even if they are technically "in the wrong". Once you are feeling compassionate towards your child rather than frustrated, you can help them practice mindfulness, even if that means spending time in a quiet place with them or participating in other mindfulness promoting activities.

Keeping Mindfulness Fun

Y ou want to help your child when they are having trouble, just as any parent does. I feel that it is safe to say that most parenting experts would agree that treating your child and their feelings with respect is incredibly important to their development. The thing is that as adults, we sometimes forget how to engage with the younger mind.

We talk our children through their troubles as if they were a close friend sharing coffee and confiding their troubles. We may attempt to reason with them on a level that is too advanced for them to effectively process. On the flip side of this, we may tend to try to help them by minimizing the issue. When your child is upset because they feel they have been betrayed by a friend, be it a five year old taking a toy without asking or an adolescent sharing what was meant to be a secret, as parents we may tend to brush the incident aside with a hug and a few well meaning words meant to soothe.

These solutions might both let your child know that you care about them, but neither is really the best method of helping your child through the situation.

The first thing that you need to do is practice mindfulness yourself. Before you jump in to offer comfort, advice or a solution, think for a moment about just how important this must be to your child for them to be experiencing this reaction. Put yourself in their place and feel compassion for them. Next, be your child for a moment. Think about how to best approach a toddler, an eight year old or a teenager. Each approach will be different, and needs to be in order to be most effective. When you are able to relate on the same level as your children, teaching and practicing mindfulness is accomplished easier and becomes more enjoyable for them to learn.

I think it is the case that most of us learn best when we are having fun, or at the least not feeling like learning is a chore. This is even more true with children.

The best educators know how to present new information to children in a way that they are most likely to learn, retain and practice. The same mentality should be used for teaching mindfulness. That last thing you want is for mindfulness to feel like work, possibly adding additional stress to your child. You want to keep it fun and light whenever possible. Of course, the ways of doing this will depend upon the child's individual personality and also their age.

Age Based Tips
Here are a few age based, fun ways that you can help your child achieve mindfulness:
Toddler: Try blowing bubbles. This is potentially the most difficult age to teach mindfulness to, however the sooner you start the better it is for your child. Children this age have only a little ability to control their emotions and think of consequences. It is your responsibility to help teach and guide the child through this very sensitive age. When your toddler is upset one of the easiest ways to calm them down is simple distraction. But rather than changing the environment or distracting with a toy, bring the child to an area where you can blow bubbles. As you blow the bubbles, wave and say something like "good bye sad" or "fly away tears". This simple gesture connects the bubble blowing with a sense of letting go. The young child will take some time to grasp this concept, but something like this gives you a foundation, one that is also fun for both of you.

Five to Eight Year Olds: This is a very sensory dependent age where major developments in personality and emotion control take place. The child begins to associate what they feel and experience with themselves and begin to realize that they actually control over themselves. This is a perfect age to practice calming mindfulness activities, such as a calming jar. You may have seen this concept in various places on the internet, but it is most often referred to as a time out jar. Most children associate the term "time out" with punishment, which is why I have renamed it for this activity. It is simply a jar filled with water and glitter. When the child needs to practice mindfulness, they simply sit in a quiet spot, shake the jar and watch as the floating glitter settles to the bottom. This gives the child not only a chance to calm themselves, but the opportunity to spend some time with their own thoughts while enjoying the almost magical quality of the floating glitter.

Nine to Twelve Year Olds: At this age children are still impulsive, but have a certain understanding of how their behavior and reactions affect others, as well as the beginnings of understanding of how they choose to feel can make a difference in perception and general contentment. This is a good age to begin the practice of short, guided meditative sequences. Sit with your child in a quiet, undisturbed setting and have them close their eyes and relax as you recite a guided meditative visualization created specifically for children, or create one that is tailored to your child's specific interest. The guided meditations tend to take your child on some sort of journey where they either metaphorically conquer whatever may be bothering them or in some sense let it go.

For an age appropriate guided meditation for a child, you would first want to make them comfortable and as relaxed as possible. This usually involves a soft place to sit or rest their head and the removal of shoes. A familiar blanket or stuffed animal can add comfort and induce relaxation if the child requires it. Have the child close their eyes as you slowly recite a guided visualization such as this:

" Now that you are relaxed, I want you to take a deep breath and notice how it feels. Now take another, but this time think about how you are feeling in your heart and in your head. As you blow out this breath, I want you to blow out the any color that you see. Pretend that as you breathe out you are creating a bubble of color that has all of your feelings in it. It is a safe place to put your fear and anger, or anything else. Only you know what is inside the bubble, it is your secret. Your bubble can contain what you don't want in your body anymore or it can contain thoughts that you want to send out into the universe.
With each breath, grow it bigger and bigger, until it is so full that you cannot fit anymore in it. Now that your bubble is full, take one more really deep breath, feel the breath all the way down in your tummy. Now breathe it out and blow your bubble far, far away.
Now that your bubble is gone, think of a color that brings you happiness. Picture a beautiful, fluffy cloud of that color that comes down and surrounds you like your favorite blanket, keeping you safe and protected."

Teenagers: For teenagers, who are blossoming adults, it is important to recognize and respect their autonomy. There will be times when your teenager needs you to guide by your actions rather than instruct them. This is a good time to introduce how to sit and reflect with certain music. The style of music that helps each person come to a place of mindfulness is highly individual, so it is important to respect that. Ask your teenager to spend ten minutes in the morning just listening to music and focusing on the direction of their thoughts. You can also appeal to the pleasure sensors while coaching mindfulness in teens by introducing (and using them yourself) and number of apps that are available to guide meditative and reflective thought, many of which are geared towards a younger audience.

So, there were just a few ideas of ways to show how helping children and young adults to become mindful can be fun and enjoyable. This also brings about another important point and a question that many parents ask.

How Early Can I Start?

That is, what is the best age to teach mindfulness to a child and when is it too early or too late to begin? The answer to this is that whatever the age of your child is the perfect age to start. Even babies, who cognitively are not capable of that type of control over their emotions can learn soothing techniques, such as a gentle massage, or swaying to help calm. And a teenager who has never practiced mindfulness can appreciate how the concept can help them deal with the pressures of their daily lives and take those lessons with them into adulthood. The best time to introduce practiced mindfulness to your child is right now.

Introducing Mindfulness to Your Child

A s a parent, you want what is best for your child. If your child is having extra trouble coping with their emotions and gaining a sense of control over themselves and these difficulties are manifesting themselves in negative ways in your child's life, then you may feel more of a sense of urgency to help your child get started on the path to mindfulness. But, let's say your child appears to navigate the stressors of childhood with relative ease. Are mindfulness techniques still beneficial and why? Also, how do you go about introducing mindfulness to a child? The answer to the first question is that mindful practice is beneficial to all of us, regardless of age, temperament or life circumstances. Mindfulness is not a magic cure that is meant to erase all of the troubles from our lives, but rather a tool to make us more aware, more present and more compassionate.

Tailor The Practice

Secondly, there are many different ways to introduce mindfulness to your child, and the technique may be individualized depending upon your child and the stage of life they are at. For instance, a young child may need periods of quiet and rest sitting in your lap, while you gently calm them and illustrate compassion, while an older visually stimulated child may benefit more from the calming jar or something as simple as swirling food coloring into a bowl of milk and focusing on the patterns and color changes as they do so. One child may be able to easily calm their mind by simply sitting in a quiet room and thinking about pleasant things, while another child might actually need some sort of stimulation to induce calmness.

You know your child better than anyone else, and you will be able to notice which techniques are helpful and which are not.

Adjust the techniques as needed, but also remember that adjusting to mindful thinking takes time and repetition. Do not switch techniques without being sure that you have given it ample time for your child to adapt. And, most importantly, do not give up. Practiced mindfulness is one of the most important skills that you can give you child.

With that said, you need to know how to get started. Following are important first steps and techniques for introducing mindful thinking to your child.

First Steps

First of all, practice it yourself. This is potentially the most important thing that you can do the help your child become more mindful and aware. Children are natural observers and when you practice mindfulness, them learning it will seem like second nature. If you're new to mindfulness or want to freshen you practice you can check this link for free guided mindfulness meditations from UCLA Health. They offer online classes for adults as well.

Take advantage of the quiet times. Mindfulness should not be made into a big deal, especially in the beginning when the concepts are new. The best way to introduce mindfulness is by practicing it in the moments when your child is calm and not stressed.

One way to start is by simply talking to your child. Ask them how they are feeling, if anything has upset them recently and show compassion, no matter what their answers.

Unplug from technology and spend time together. Go for a walk and point out things to your child that they may not have noticed before, and have them point out things to you. You might notice the different shades of pink of your neighbor's flowers, but never once noticed the crack in the sidewalk that your child looks at each time they cross it. Chances are your child sees the pebbles and random blades of grass that spring from it. They likely also know that it is a favorite spot for ants to scurry through. Your child notices an incredible amount of detail every day. Help them realize it by stopping to experience it with them.

Use periods of calm and quiet to help your child get in touch with their senses. Play sensory games on a quiet afternoon, like a mystery grab bag where each item has a unique texture and have your child try to guess what it is. At the end, ask your child what their favorite item was and why. Was it the soft feather that gently tickled their fingertips or was the smooth rock that felt cooling against their hands? Learning what sensations your child likes will help you find items to bring into your child's mindfulness practice. The same is true for other senses. You can use a blindfold and explore different smells or experiment with different types of music and how they make you feel.

Tell a story. Use down time to have your child sit back and close their eyes while you tell them a story or guided meditation. Tell them that while their eyes are closed that you want them to imagine that they are actually in the story while you are telling it. When you are done ask them how they felt and what they saw.

Help them to recognize their emotions. This might seem too simple, but it is actually an important first step in teaching your child mindfulness. Of course your child recognizes their emotions when they are at extremes. But, how are they are recognizing the feelings that lead up to the extremes? You can help them become aware of these subtle changes in mood and emotions. A good place to start is when your child is happy or content. Ask them how they are feeling, but take it further. Talk to them about how their body feels. When they are excited about an upcoming trip, ask them if they feel butterflies in their stomach or how their face feels when they can't keep their smile off of it. Later, use this same technique when your child is upset. Ask them how their stomach feels, how the muscles in their body feel. Help them discover where in their bodies that they physically feel emotions. As your child becomes tuned into these subtle body changes, they will be able to recognize them before they reach an unpleasant extreme.

Teach them to breathe. We all breathe, it is vital to life, but how often do we stop and concentrate on our breath? This is a single act that helps a child break themselves away from the stressful situation, even for a moment. When you take a moment to stop and think about something that is so natural and instinctive, it causes a change in how your body is thinking and processing almost instantly. This is also one of the first techniques that you should teach because it can be done anywhere, at any time. This like the other techniques should first be introduced when your child is calm. Show them how to breathe in deeply, hold it for a second and then slowly let it go. If you have a younger child, or one that is influenced by imagery, you can add the visualization of blowing a certain color out when letting go of the breath. For example, if the child is angry they can blow out red (or whatever color they personally associate with anger); if they are feeling peaceful maybe they will blow out pink or purple. Have them place a hand over their chest and stomach and feel their own breath coming in and going out of their bodies. This beginning awareness will be helpful as eventually you teach them how breathing can bring them calmness and awareness.

Talk to your child about mindfulness. You don't want your child to feel as if they are being tricked into this. Keeping open communication is very important. Once you have introduced some of the basic concepts during times when your child is calm and content, you can begin discussing with them how they can use the very same techniques to help calm themselves, make them less sad and afraid while making them more compassionate and connected. Once you have begun this process begin to use the techniques when you see your child beginning to struggle. How you approach the subject will depend greatly on your child's age and emotional development. For example, you can have quiet open conversations about mindfulness with an adolescent on a level that a younger child is just not going to understand. A younger child will relate more on an emotional level, especially when you approach it from their point of view. Here's a post on how to explain mindfulness to children.

How Will I Know It's Working?

Get some feedback. There are two main ways that you will know how mindfulness practice is affecting your child. The first is by your observations. The second is by asking the child how they feel before, during and after practicing mindful awareness and techniques. Do not be discouraged if at first your child seems negative, or just plain unimpressed with the idea. Changes take time, but it is extremely important to understand where they are coming from so that you can help them to move forward.

Mindful Activities and Techniques

O nce you have begun the introduction of mindfulness into yours and your child's life, you can then begin to introduce more concentrated activities meant to specifically bring your child to a more centered place when they are experiencing any type of distress. Here are a few ideas of mindful activities that are suitable for a wide range of ages:

The Quiet Place: We all need a place to go, where we can be alone with our thoughts, especially when we are upset or troubled. Children are no different. Have a designated area in your house that is a quiet place. Do not confuse this with a time out punishment place. The quiet place can be an area created just for mindfulness, or just a place where your child feels the most comfortable. If possible, fill the space with items that promote mindfulness. For example, soft blankets and pillows if you child wants to sit or relax while they calm themselves, or a music player with ear buds loaded with relaxing music or prerecorded meditative scripts. Fill the area with calming colors and textures, and anything that your child has indicated brings them to a more peaceful, centered place. Make sure the quiet place has an open door policy. No matter what is going on, let your child go to the quiet place if they need to, without question.

Take the Quiet Place To-Go: You will not always be at home when your child needs to practice mindfulness, and your child may not be at the point where all they need to do is breathe and center their thoughts. For these cases, it is good to have a mindfulness kit. This can be just a small bag that contains age appropriate mindfulness inducers, such as music, essential oils, sensory items or even a journal to write in or draw through their emotions.

Breathe: If you have already introduced breath awareness to your child, this one is easy to implement. Help coach your child through guided and relaxed breathing, helping them see how their emotional state changes through the process. Do this anywhere and everywhere so that your child will recognize it as a strategy that can be used at any time.

Get Artsy: This is a simple technique that appeals to all ages. Present your child with some art materials and help or encourage them to show how they are feeling through art. This might be erratic scribbles for a young child to simple clay sculptures for an older child. This works for a couple of different reasons. First, it helps the child focus on something other than intense negative feelings and emotions. Secondly, making feelings into something tangible makes them more real and when something is real, we can more effective cope with it. Third, you can keep your child's art and show them the difference between their art when they are upset and their art when they are calm and mindful. Help them to see how they were able to move themselves from one place to the next.

Do Regular Meditative or Guided Readings: This is especially helpful for highly creative and visual children. Short meditative scripts will not only relax them and provide them a much needed break from stress and worry, but it will also imprint a scenario in their minds that they can return to when they feel the need to center and become mindful.

Help Others: Getting your children involved in helping other, even in small ways, helps them to develop an awareness about themselves that extends further than just their immediate needs, wants and feelings. Compassion is a big part of mindfulness, and it is also a concept that must be demonstrated, practiced and learned.

Develop Mindful Routines: Help your child to commit to mindful practices, even when they are not feeling stressed. For example, some quiet mindful awareness at the beginning or end of the school day can make a tremendous difference in an adolescent, especially when done on a regular basis, while taking some time to hold your child's hand and breathe with them each night before bed can be just what a tense or hyper younger child needs to get a relaxing, good night's sleep. When something is routine, it becomes familiar and when we are stressed we turn towards what we know. Turning towards mindfulness will eventually become instinctual.

Practicing What You Preach: Mindful Parenting

H ave you heard of the term "emotional contagion"? Emotional contagion is the ability for two or more individuals to synchronize their thoughts, actions and emotions simply by being in close physical or emotional space with another person. In other words, your children will do what you do, not what you say. Emotional contagion is a very real and very important concept, and children are especially affected. Your child, and how mindful they are, is formed by you and your experiences with them. Here is a great link that explores emotional contagion.

Even the teenager that seemingly wants nothing to do with their parent, is still looking towards you for guidance and direction, even when they are not totally aware of it. This is why your own practice of mindfulness is so important.

Practicing mindful parenting does not involve any complicated techniques, rather it is more about being instinctual in your parenting style. So many times we find ourselves as parents to be rushed, over burdened and over tired. Our fuses are short and what we want is the simplest and quickest solution to the problem. This is why many times when a young child is upset, we may be quick to dismiss by drying a tear and saying it isn't that big of a deal, or don't worry it will get better. Your child may exhibit an improvement in mood, but the issue is still within them, unresolved.

Mindful parenting means that we have to stop being dismissive and take the time to really understand what our child is going through, even when they have done something wrong. It doesn't mean that you will no longer discipline your child. But it does mean that along with disciplining them when appropriate that you are also helping them to realize how they got to this point in the first place and how to prevent it from happening again. This means that you have to become more aware of your own thoughts and emotions as your child is always watching you, keeping mental track of how you react and behave.

Mindful parenting can be achieved though simple techniques such as practicing the same strategies that you expect from your child, practicing being more compassionate and patient, giving your child ample love in the form of words and actions, helping them to see that they are not alone, and being the first to admit when you haven't acted in a mindful manner. It is difficult to be mindful all of the time, let your child see this in you and let them see what you do to make it better and bring about calm and mindfulness in yourself. You and your child are in this together, for life. You can help each other grow, learn and thrive through mindfulness.

May you be happy and healthy!

This guide is a collaboration between Chris Bergstrom and Angel Woodard. Let us know what you think.

UPDATE: Many parents have asked us for more fun exercises to help keep practice fresh and engaging. Here's our answer... we hope you like it!
Book: "102 Playful Mindfulness Activities For Kids, Teens and Grown-ups"
Childhood is meant to be a carefree time, full of fun, whimsy and abandon. Childhood is also a time of amazing growth, physically, but also emotionally. You may have noticed that your child, or even other children, seem to be having a more difficult time navigating the many changes that take place during these formative years. As a parent, it is easy to think of your own childhood and recall the "simplicity" compared to your life now. This might leave you a little out of touch with how to best approach and help your child during their periods of struggle. The truth is that children today do have more to cope with on a daily basis than many generations before. Their world is made larger by virtual communities and social media, there is more academic pressure put upon them, family structure is ever changing and we live in a world where turmoil and danger sometimes seem just a fingertip away. As a parent or caretaker of a child, you want to know how to best help them through these unfamiliar growing pains. This is where "102 Playful Mindfulness Activities" can enable you to help and guide your child.

Mindfulness for children isn't a new, passing scheme or fad. Instead, it is about helping your child to connect to the world around them, helping them learn how to handle their emotions and how to become a more compassionate, aware human being. Practicing mindfulness with your child will help to reduce child anxiety, stress, meltdowns and disconnection. The ultimate goal is to give your child the tools they need to live fulfilling lives as adults. This book will show you that there is no complicated process to achieving this, but rather a series of small adjustments and activities, meant to bring both you and your child to a more mindful, peaceful and content place in your lives. Reading this book and following the advice within, is one of the most important things you can do for your child now and in the future. Sign up below to be notified when the book is available.

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How To Practice Mindfulness With Children - The Essential Guide - Blissful Kids

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When you look at your child and take a glance into childhood, what is it that you see? Do you see unending curiosity, innocence, and whimsy or maybe you see the metaphorical blank canvas that is just waiting to be splashed with the colors of life.

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Time Out (Peace Out: Guided Meditation for Kids) | Cosmic Kids

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Taste Test | Cosmic Kids Zen Den - Mindfulness for kids

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'Gruffalo stayed in the cave': Axel Scheffler and Julia Donaldson's coronavirus cartoons

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The creators of the Gruffalo have produced a series of cartoons to encourage people to stay home during the crisis

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What are my children doing online?

Children can and do all sorts of amazing things online. The internet is, after all, creative, fun and educational. Our advice guides give you the need-to-know information about the most common online activities.

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Internet safety advice and information | Internet Matters

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Want to safeguard your child's internet usage, but where do you start? Learn how to protect your child in the form of guides, videos and checklists.

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School and nursery closures

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Information for parents and carers about attending schools, nurseries and colleges in the spring term 2021.

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What parents and carers need to know about early years providers, schools and colleges during COVID-19

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Young children learn best through real experiences and this is especially true when they are learning maths. Here are some great ideas for fun activities you can do together to teach important concepts without them even realising!

Fruit Salad

Chop fruit, such as bananas and apples, into equal-sized portions or find fruit that is easily divided into smaller portions, such as satsumas, grapes or berries. Ask your child to share the fruit between you. This teaches early concepts of sharing (division).

Give your child a bowl of fruit and invite them to take (say) 10 grapes or 5 strawberries. They will need to be able to count out the correct number of fruits accurately by touching and moving the fruit and saying the correct number names in sequence.

Knife Skills

Introduce the concept of fractions by asking your child to help you cut vegetables or fruit into halves or quarters. Choose soft fruit or vegetables such as bananas, strawberries or mushrooms so that they can safely cut them with a blunt knife.

Ask your child to cut up a vegetable or piece of fruit and count the pieces, or to cut enough pieces for everyone in the family to have a piece. This teaches counting and sequencing skills and 'one-to-one matching' - children need to understand that four people will need four pieces of banana, for instance.

Plan a Meal

Look in a recipe book to choose a meal to cook. Help your child to look in the contents page and recognise the number of the page they need to find.

Look through the recipe together and talk about the measurements you may need to do - weight and volume.

Shop for the ingredients and talk about the different prices. At the till, if possible, pay in cash and talk about the coins and notes you are using.

When making the meal, weigh and measure ingredients together, using words such as heavy, light, full, empty.

If the food requires cooking in the oven, talk about temperature, hot and cold, and how we measure this.

Bake a Cake

Look in a recipe book or on the Twinkl site to choose a cake to bake. Help your child to look in the contents page and recognise the number of the page they need to find.

Look through the recipe together and talk about the measurements you may need to do - weight and volume.

Shop for the ingredients and talk about the different prices. If possible, pay in cash and talk about the coins and notes you are using.

When making the cake, weigh and measure ingredients together, using words such as heavy, light, full, empty. If anything needs counting out (e.g. eggs), help your child to do this.

Talk about the temperature the cake bakes at, and how long it will take to cook. Introduce the idea of measuring temperature and time.

Decorate Biscuits

Bake or buy some plain biscuits and decorate them with icing, sprinkles and other cake decorating items.

Challenge your child to make a pattern on each biscuit, e.g. 'red, blue, red, blue' or 'circle, star, circle, star'.

Use icing to make different 2D shapes on the biscuits.

Put different numbers of decorations on each biscuit, e.g. 'Can you put 5 flowers on this one and 8 stars on this one?'

Make Pastry (Or Buy It!)

Let your child play with the pastry, rolling it out, squishing, marking and making shapes.

See if you can make different 2D and 3D shapes.

Roll spheres or sausages and talk about 'long, short, wide, narrow, thin'. Make a series of different lengths and see if your child can order them, shortest to longest.

If your child knows their numbers, challenge them to mould actual numbers out of the pastry.

At the end, bake your pastry treats and enjoy!

Do the Washing-Up

Let your child play with different containers in warm soapy water.

Encourage them to pour water from one container to another and talk about containers that hold a lot and those that hold less.

Use language such as full, half-full, empty to describe the containers.

Cupboard Audit

Tell your child you need to find out what is in your cupboards.

Challenge them to count how many of each type of object you have, e.g. how many tins, how many packets of pasta, how many jars.

Alternatively, clean out the cutlery drawer and ask your child to count how many forks, spoons and so on. If you have teaspoons, dessert spoons and tablespoons, they could also order spoons from smallest to largest.

Love, The Twinkl Parents Team

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Young children learn best through real experiences and this is especially true when they are learning maths. Here are some great ideas for fun activities you can do together to teach important concepts without them even realising! Chop fruit, such as bananas and apples, into equal-sized portions or find fruit that is easily divided into smaller portions, such as satsumas, grapes or berries.

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This is a really challenging time for families. Parents are experiencing a sudden change in their lives and routines - and are having to balance children being home full time alongside jobs, employment and health worries, financial concerns and care for vulnerable family members. This is inevitably going to feel stressful at times. Remember, it's okay if things don't always feel okay at the moment.

As parents, there are things you can do to help daily life feel as manageable as possible for you and your family. Here we share our top tips for coping with isolation, activities you can do at home with your children, advice for parents from young people, and ideas for how you can make sure you're also looking after your own wellbeing.

We know that parents are being offered lots of information, advice and online activities to help them support their children through the coronavirus pandemic - so also keep reminding yourself that you can only do your best, and you don't need to make every day a family fairground!

Top tips for coping with isolation

1. Keep a daily routine going as much as possible, while also allowing for the fact that things will be different and trying not to give yourself a hard time about this. A meal planner might help to structure your days, breaking up the time and giving your family regular opportunities to gather together.

2. Get some fresh air and exercise together every day - whether that's walking, running, scooting, skipping, doing an online workout or an egg and spoon race in the garden! This is really important for wellbeing and helps to lift our mood. The government is currently advising that people can go outside with people they live with once a day for exercise - as long as no one in the household is showing symptoms or has a condition that means they need to isolate more strictly.

3. Connect online with family and friends. Having contact with our support networks is really important at the moment - and you and your children can keep in touch with people using free apps such as Whatsapp, Facetime, Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts and more. If you're in touch with other parents from your child's class, can you come up with some ideas together for staying connected?

4. Search online for free activities your children can join in with virtually - helping them stay entertained and giving you opportunities for a quick break. You can find free online classes for young people in dance, P.E. workouts, science, yoga and more. For more activity ideas and suggestions on how you can use this time together to start a conversation with your child about their mental health during these uncertain times, have a look at our page on activities and conversation starters during the coronavirus pandemic.

5. Make a boredom jar. Ask your children what their favourite indoor activities are and use them to make a lucky dip or boredom jar. Write their ideas down on strips of paper and keep them in any container you've got, such as a bag, bowl, jar or hat. In moments of boredom or struggle, invite them to choose something they know they enjoy doing. Depending on their age, activities could include crafting, making playdough, dressing up, baking or cooking, watching their favourite film or playing a video or board game with you.

Young people's advice for parents

We asked young people what they'd say to parents to help them support themselves and their family through the coronavirus pandemic. Here's their advice for you:

1. Don't check the news all the time or spend lots of time on your phone when you don't need to. Check the news once or twice a day for important updates and focus on doing positive stuff together the rest of the time.

2. Make the most of the opportunity for family time. Do activities together that help you bond, show an interest in your child's hobbies and consider choosing a new skill to learn together.

3. Listen to your child and find out what will help them as an individual.

4. Especially with teenagers, respect your child's boundaries. Find ways to connect and spend time together without being on top of each other 24/7. If your child doesn't feel like talking, let them know you're there and wait until they're ready.

5. Be patient with each other.

6. Remember you're doing your best as a parent. You will get frustrated and stressed - this doesn't mean you're a bad parent. It's okay to take some time for yourself.

Looking after yourself

As parents, you will often be thinking about your children's health, wellbeing and feelings first - but remember you are just as important. This is a really difficult and challenging situation, and you need to find ways to take care of yourself so that you can continue supporting your children.
Here's our advice for looking after yourself:

1. It's okay to feel worried. We are living in uncertain times and it is completely natural to feel stressed and anxious - so try not to put pressure on yourself to feel fine or normal.

2. Keep a daily routine going as much as you can. It might help to create a plan for your day each morning with your family - so that you can fit school work, family time, exercise, meals and me-time in. But don't be hard on yourself when the routine is difficult to stick to and things are different - all of our routines have changed and this is unavoidable.

3. Remember that you can only do your best to support your children with their school work.

4. Take time out. It might be really difficult to find time, or even space, for yourself at the moment - but it is important that you do something each day that you enjoy. It might be watching that Netflix series you've been meaning to start, having a soak in the bath, doing some exercise or reading a book. Whatever it is, make sure you take some time for yourself.

5. Stay connected. Now more than ever, it is so important for us to keep in touch with our friends, families and work colleagues - so make use of the instant messaging and video calling services that are out there, and keep catching up regularly.

6. Try not to compare yourself to what other families are doing or the way they're handling this. We're all doing our best and we're coping with different stresses and situations.

7. Seek support and ask for help if you are struggling with your mental health during this period. Keep in touch with your GP by phone or online if you need to, and make use of helplines and other organisations that may still be able to offer online or phone support.

If you're unsure about anything and need some advice, you can call our Parents Helpline for free. We're open Monday-Friday from 9.30am-4pm and you can reach us on 0808 802 5544.

If you need further help after speaking to one of our Helpline Advisers, we can refer you to one of our mental health specialists - who range from psychotherapists to psychiatrists, psychologists and mental health nurses. They will arrange a phone consultation within seven days of your call.

Where to find help

For more support with looking after your child's mental health, take a look at our resources for parents.

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Supporting your family's wellbeing during isolation

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This is a really challenging time for families. Parents are experiencing a sudden change in their lives and routines - and are having to balance children being home full time alongside jobs, employment and health worries, financial concerns and care for vulnerable family members. This is inevitably going to feel stressful at times.

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As we learn to live safely with coronavirus (COVID-19), there are actions we can all take to help reduce the risk of catching COVID-19 and passing it on to others. These actions will also help to reduce the spread of other respiratory infections, such as flu, which can spread easily and may cause serious illness in some people.

COVID-19, along with many other respiratory infections such as influenza (flu), can spread easily and cause serious illness in some people. You may be infected with a respiratory virus such as COVID-19 and not have any symptoms but still pass infection onto others.

The risk of catching or passing on COVID-19 is greatest when someone who is infected is physically close to, or sharing an enclosed and/or poorly ventilated space with, other people. When someone with a respiratory viral infection such as COVID-19 breathes, speaks, coughs or sneezes, they release small particles that contain the virus which causes the infection. These particles can be breathed in or can come into contact with the eyes, nose, or mouth. The particles can also land on surfaces and be passed from person to person via touch.

You will not always know whether someone you come into contact with is at higher risk of becoming seriously ill from respiratory infections, including COVID-19. They could be strangers (for example people you sit next to on public transport) or people you may have regular contact with (for example friends and work colleagues).

There are simple things you can do in your daily life that will help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections and protect those at highest risk. Things you can choose to do are:

1. Get vaccinated.

2. Let fresh air in if meeting others indoors.

3. Practise good hygiene:

wash your hands

cover your coughs and sneezes

clean your surroundings frequently

4. Wear a face covering or a face mask.

Face coverings and face masks can help reduce the chance of you spreading infection to others, especially in crowded and enclosed spaces, and may protect you from becoming infected by some respiratory viruses.

If you have symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as COVID-19, and you have a high temperature or do not feel well enough to go to work or carry out normal activities, you are advised to try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people.

There is guidance on steps you can take to protect other people if you are unwell with symptoms of a respiratory infection, including COVID-19.

1. Get vaccinated

Vaccines are the best defence we have against COVID-19 and other respiratory infections such as flu. They provide good protection against hospitalisation and death. They also reduce the risk of long-term symptoms. The COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective and vaccine programmes are continuously monitored.

If you are eligible and you have not yet received your full course of a COVID-19 vaccine, you should get vaccinated. A full course of a COVID-19 vaccine provides protection against severe disease, including against the Omicron variant, but this protection wears off over time. Booster doses significantly improve the protection offered by vaccines. You should get a booster vaccine for COVID-19 if you are offered one.

You may be eligible for other vaccinations, particularly if you are at risk of becoming seriously ill. Get vaccinated as soon as you are able to.

There is more information about the vaccinations available and when you should have them on the NHS website.

2. Let fresh air in

The amount of respiratory virus in the air can build up in poorly ventilated areas. This increases the risk of spreading COVID-19 and other respiratory infections, especially if there are lots of infected people present. The virus can also remain in the air after an infected person has left.

Meeting outdoors greatly reduces this risk, but this may not always be possible.

Bringing fresh air into a room by opening a door or a window, even for a few minutes at a time, helps remove older stale air that could contain virus particles and reduces the chance of spreading infections. Trickle vents (small vents usually on the top of a window) or grilles can also be useful for bringing a little fresh air constantly. The more fresh air that is brought inside, the quicker any viruses will be removed from the room.

Ventilation is most important if someone in your household has COVID-19 or another respiratory virus, to try and stop the virus spreading. See further guidance here.

Good ventilation has also been linked to health benefits such as better sleep and fewer sick days off from work or school.

There is further advice on what you can do to improve ventilation.

3. Remember the basics of good hygiene

Following these basic rules of good hygiene will help to protect you and others from COVID-19 as well as many other common infections:

cover your nose and mouth when you cough and sneeze

wash your hands

clean your surroundings

GermDefence is a useful website that can help you identify ways to protect yourself and others in your household from COVID-19. It provides scientifically proven advice on reducing the risks from COVID-19 and other viruses in your home.

Cover your nose and mouth when you cough and sneeze

Coughing and sneezing increases the number of particles released by a person, the distance the particles travel and the time they stay in the air. If an infected person coughs or sneezes without covering their nose and mouth, it will significantly increase the risk of infecting others around them. By covering your nose and mouth, you will reduce the spread of particles carrying the virus.

Cover your mouth and nose with disposable tissues when you cough or sneeze. Put used tissues in a bin and immediately wash your hands or use hand sanitiser. If you do not have a tissue, cough or sneeze into the crook of your elbow, not into your hand.

Wash or sanitise your hands

Hands touch many surfaces and can become contaminated with viruses and other germs. Once contaminated, hands can transfer these to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the germs can enter your body and infect you.

Washing or sanitising your hands removes viruses and other germs, so you are less likely to become infected if you touch your face. Using soap and water is the most effective way to clean your hands, especially if they are visibly dirty. Hand sanitiser can be used when soap and water are not available. You should do this regularly throughout the day.

In addition, wash your hands:

after coughing, sneezing and blowing your nose

before you eat or handle food

after coming into contact with surfaces touched by many others, such as handrails, and shared areas such as kitchens and bathrooms

when returning home

Clean your surroundings

Surfaces and belongings can be contaminated with COVID-19 and other germs when people who are infected touch them or cough, talk or breathe over them. Cleaning surfaces will reduce the risk of you catching or spreading infections.

Clean surfaces in your home often. Pay particular attention to surfaces that are touched frequently, such as handles, light switches, work surfaces and electronic devices such as remote controls.

4. When to consider wearing a face covering or a face mask

Wearing a face covering or face mask can reduce the number of particles containing viruses that are released from the mouth and nose of someone who is infected with COVID-19 and other respiratory infections. Face coverings can also protect the person wearing the face covering from becoming infected by some viruses.

When to wear a face covering

when you are coming into close contact with someone at higher risk of becoming seriously unwell from COVID-19 or other respiratory infections

when COVID-19 rates are high and you will be in close contact with other people, such as in crowded and enclosed spaces

when there are a lot of respiratory viruses circulating, such as in winter, and you will be in close contact with other people in crowded and enclosed spaces

If you have symptoms or have a positive COVID-19 test result and you need to leave your home, wearing a well-fitting face covering or a face mask can help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections. See further advice in the guidance for people with symptoms of a respiratory infection or a positive test result.

Those attending education or childcare settings will not normally be expected to wear a face covering. Face coverings for children under the age of 3 are not recommended for safety reasons.

What makes a good face covering

Face coverings work best if they are made with multiple layers (at least 2 and preferably 3) and form a good fit around the nose and mouth. A wire nose bridge can improve the fit and may also help to prevent glasses from fogging. Scarves, bandanas or religious garments are likely to be less effective if they do not fit securely around the mouth and nose, and are of a single layer.

Reusable face coverings should be able to be washed with other items of laundry according to fabric washing instructions and dried without causing the face covering to be damaged. Single-use disposable masks should not be washed or reused and should be disposed of responsibly.

Easy read

Translations

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Living safely with respiratory infections, including COVID-19

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As we learn to live safely with coronavirus (COVID-19), there are actions we can all take to help reduce the risk of catching COVID-19 and passing it on to others. These actions will also help to reduce the spread of other respiratory infections, such as flu, which can spread easily and may cause serious illness in some people.

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The coronavirus outbreak is leading to big changes in the way we live our everyday lives. Our relationships will be hugely important for getting us through this but self-isolation, social distancing and other concerns may also place them under added pressure. Here you can find blogs, advice and tips for helping your relationships stay healthy during the pandemic.

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We have had a lot of enquiries recently about how people in the city will be able to access food over the coming weeks and months because of the Coronavirus. As plans develop we will update this page.

If you need help translating this page, contact Sussex Interpreting Services.

Free and low-cost food

B&H City Council have created an online form & helpline for finding help with shopping, collecting prescriptions and other support; getting emergency food bank referrals; support to keep active and well and to reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness.

Food banks - some are now offering delivery options, see the link for the latest details on which food banks are currently operating. There will be new neighbourhood-based emergency food distribution points opening in the next couple of weeks (with volunteers doing doorstep deliveries) - we will list these as soon as they open.

Free School Meals update for families who are eligible

From 6 April, pregnant mothers and families with children under 4 who are on benefits can apply for Healthy Start Vouchers without needing a health professional's signature- just leave part B blank. You will need to print off the online form after completing it- if you don't have a printer call the helpline 0345 607 6823 and they will post a form out

Low-cost and free meal services offering delivery & takeaway options

If you need help with money please contact Money Advice Plus via their website or call 01273 664 000.

If you are able to donate money to support this work, please consider giving to the citywide crowdfund campaign.

Food to buy

Fresh and dry goods for delivery

Meals available via delivery & takeaway

See our listings for local shops and plastic-free stores

If you can't find what you want at your local store: We often hear that smaller/ independent shops and international food stores are not having the same shortages as larger stores. Supermarkets restock overnight so the earlier in the day you can go the better your chances to find what you want. Please try not to panic - the UK government is working with retailers to avoid shortages and manage demand if the situation continues.

If you need help to access food

People that are most at risk and therefore require 'shielding' should have been contacted directly via the NHS re food delivery options. If you are unsure, please get in touch with your GP.

B&H City Council have created an online form & helpline for vulnerable residents with no other support

List of trusted organisations who can help people by going shopping for them and offering contact free, doorstep deliveries.

The Brighton & Hove Ageing Well team have an extensive directory of support services for those aged 50+ including the current advice about going out shopping and special opening hours. These hours are also relevant to key workers.

Some people may wish to contact a neighbour for help - there are various 'Mutual Aid' groups setting up on Facebook or in neighbourhoods but these work best if they are very local and connect people who already know and recognise each other.

Food waste & donations

Individuals with excess food can use Olio to share this (please follow their safety advice closely).

Try to prevent food waste from happening, follow these tips.

If you want to donate to food banks & other emergency providers, use the collection point at your local shop or consider donating money instead to the citywide crowdfund campaign.

Food businesses with surplus/unused stock to donate, please fill out our brief online form here. (Emergency food providers can use all kinds of food, as well as takeaway containers, kitchen consumables, bags, gloves and packaging etc)

Helping others

Whilst many food banks and other food projects currently have enough volunteers some are looking to create a bank of volunteers they can call on if people are off sick. Many of the projects are particularly keen for people who already have a DBS check. Please be patient with projects as they are often run by volunteers and are dealing with a lot of enquiries currently - responding to offers of help can take time.

The organisations below have said they need more volunteers. Please only volunteer IF you are young (under 70), healthy (no underlying health conditions) and have no caring responsibilities. Please only volunteer for an organisation that you can reach via foot, bicycle or car (if necessary). Volunteers are strongly advised not to use public transport if possible.

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Coronavirus update - food access, volunteering and more

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We have had a lot of enquiries recently about how people in the city will be able to access food over the coming weeks and months because of the Coronavirus. As plans develop we will update this page. If you need help translating this page, contact Sussex Interpreting Services.

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Use your library card to join our online service.

If you don't have a library card, you can register for a temporary library card number to use online.

Borrow eBooks & eAudiobooks

If you're a library member you can borrow eBooks and eAudiobooks from Borrowbox. You can also borrow eComics and eMagazines from RBDigital.

Read eNewspapers

Use the Pressreader website to read e-Newspapers

Learning online

Families and children can use these websites for reading, learning and literacy:

Activities for children

Early Years Sessions Online

#LibrariesFromHome

Library buildings may be temporarily closed but we are still sharing stories and rhymes by offering early years sessions online for everyone to watch at home.

Storytime is taking place every morning at 10.15am.

Visit Brighton & Hove City Libraries Facebook page to see library staff read stories from their homes.

Our popular Baby Boogie sessions are also taking place online.

Baby Boogie will be posted on Facebook on the first and third Thursday of the month at 2.30pm.

Our regular Dads' sessions continue on the second Saturday of the month also at 2.30pm.

April sessions:

Storytime daily at 10.15am

Dad's Baby Boogie Saturday 11 April 2.30pm

Baby Boogie Thursday 16 April 2.30pm

If you miss a session or want to repeat your favourite you can visit Facebook at any time to catch up or watch again. There are already over 15 early years sessions for you to enjoy.

Libraries social media channels are sharing lot of suggestions and resources for reading, learning and creativity so keep checking back.

Activities for adults

Join the Brighton & Hove Libraries Online Book Group

Our online book group is open to all library members, so if you're missing your regular book group or if you've never tried a book group before - join us online!

Download the eBook or eAudiobook from BorrowBox. Then join in with the book group staff-led questions a​nd comments every other Wednesday at 3pm on Libraries Facebook or Twitter.

The first discussion will be about Matt Haig's 'How To Stop Time on Weds 22nd April at 3pm.

Book Group discussion and launch dates thereafter: Weds 22nd Apr, Weds 6th May, Weds 20th May, Weds 3rd June.

Classical music concerts, ballet and operas

Watch free recordings of classical performances from around the world on Medici.TV.

Information service

Explore the library's online resources from home including family history tool findmypast.com and the Times Digital Archive.

Contact our information service if you need help using any of the online resources or if you need information on just about anything:

Business & IP Centre

Brighton & Hove Libraries are joining the Business & IP Centre Network. Find out about how you can use our free business databases including FAME, COBRA and IBISWorld. Find out about local and national business support.

Get free 1-to-1 remote digital support

Abilitynet are providing free one-to-one remote support for anyone who needs help to get online during the pandemic (e.g. setting up a new device, keeping in touch with family, online shopping, staying safe online). Call 0800 269 545 to get help.

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Library services available during COVID-19

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Use your library card to join our online service. If you don't have a library card, you can register for a temporary library card number to use online. If you're a library member you can borrow eBooks and eAudiobooks from Borrowbox. You can also borrow eComics and eMagazines from RBDigital.

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Making a shopping list together will encourage your little one to speak about their favourite meals and foods.

Sit down with your child and start making a list of their favourite foods. Look for pictures of the things on the list, then cut out pictures and labels and stick it next to the item on the list.

Chat as you go and ask your child lots of questions like "What do you like for breakfast?" or "What's your favourite?"

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Words for Life | National Literacy Trust

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Making a shopping list together will encourage your little one to speak about their favourite meals and foods. Sit down with your child and start making a list of their favourite foods. Look for pictures of the things on the list, then cut out pictures and labels and stick it next to the item on the list.

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Join us for online #storytime this morning!
Every day at 10.15am, click the link when it appears here to watch along!
https://bit.ly/EVENTStorytimeOnline

#Stories #toddlers #children #activities...

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During this difficult time, no child should be "hidden". Please help us keep all our children safe in Brighton and Hove.

If you see something that worries you, call 01273 290400 to report a concern to Brighton and Hove City Council's Front Door for Families.

or email - FrontDoorforFamilies@brighton-hove.gov.uk

There is also an electronic referral form.

In an emergency call 999

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"See something... Say something" to keep our children safe - BHSCP

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During this difficult time, no child should be "hidden". Please help us keep all our children safe in Brighton and Hove. If you see something that worries you, call 01273 290400 to report a concern to Brighton and Hove City Council's Front Door for Families.

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Gather a selection of fruit and vegetables in a range of colours. Choose vegetables that can be eaten raw, for example, carrot or pepper. If you can, include some that people haven't tried before.

Wash the fruits and vegetables.

Peel any fruits and vegetables that need peeling, and chop any that need chopping with a sharp kitchen knife. Softer fruits, such as bananas or strawberries, can be left whole for young people to chop with a table knife.

Lay out the fruit and vegetables in bowls on a table.

Make sure you have enough adults to supervise people using knives appropriately. This may mean you need to limit the number of knives being used at once.

Get ready

The person leading the activity should remind everyone how to be safe when using knives.
Never point a knife, or use it too close to someone else. Keep the sharp side facing down. When not using the knife, always lay it down on the table. People should ask for help if they need it.
Everyone should wash their hands.

Pick your fruit

1. Everyone should look at all of the fruit and vegetables. They shouldn't touch anything, but they should look at all of the colours, shapes, and sizes.

2. The person leading the activity should ask if anyone remembers how many portions of fruit and vegetables we should aim to eat every day. Everyone should share their ideas. The person leading the activity should tell everyone that people should try to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables every day.

Tinned or canned, frozen, and dried fruit and vegetables count too. Beans and pulses can count as one portion (no matter how many you eat). Fruit juice or smoothies can count as one portion (no matter how much you drink).
Everyone should think about the colours of fruits and vegetables. The person leading the activity should ask whether anyone thinks certain colours might be better for people. The best thing to do is it eat a 'rainbow' of fruits and vegetables, to get a wide range of nutrients.

Make a monster

1. Everyone should choose the fruits and vegetables they'd like to use. The person leading the activity may want to remind everyone to choose a variety, including something they haven't tried before.

2. Everyone should use a table knife to chop the soft fruit and vegetables into the size pieces they need to make their monster. They could think about the different things monsters may have, for example, claws, spikes, fur, eyes, and tentacles.

Slices of strawberry make great spikes, orange segments make brilliant horns, blueberries could become eyes, and slices of banana will layer to make scales.

1. Everyone should make their monster using a rice cake as a base. They should use the honey or peanut butter to stick everything together.

2. Everyone should think about what their monster's called, where they live, and if they have any superpowers or abilities.

3. Everyone should gather together to show off their monsters. Then, everyone should enjoy eating them as a tasty treat.

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Gather a selection of fruit and vegetables in a range of colours. Choose vegetables that can be eaten raw, for example, carrot or pepper. If you can, include some that people haven't tried before. Wash the fruits and vegetables. Peel any fruits and vegetables that need peeling, and chop any that need chopping with a sharp kitchen knife.

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Your child's favourite TV show can be a great thing to talk about and share.

TV time doesn't have to be something your child does quietly on their own. It can be a good way to get them chatting about something they like.

Sit down together and watch your child's favourite show. Try asking questions like:

'Why is this your favourite show?'

'What's happening?'

'Who's your favourite character?'

Talk about how it makes both of you feel. Does it make you laugh or make you feel sad? This is a good way of helping your child learn about feelings.

See if there are ways to relate the show to real life. For example, if there are animals in the show, are there animals you see in the real life?

Good to know

By watching TV shows together and talking about it, you are helping your child make connections with the world around us.

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Your child's favourite TV show can be a great thing to talk about and share. TV time doesn't have to be something your child does quietly on their own. It can be a good way to get them chatting about something they like. Sit down together and watch your child's favourite show.

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Asking questions encourages your baby to speak.

You can help your baby practice new words by chatting every day. Asking questions shows them you're interested and paying attention to them.

A good place to start is 'Where's your...?' questions.

Sit with your child in front of you.

Ask "Where's your nose?" and encourage them to point.

Join in to show them what you mean.

When they have the hang of this, try asking other questions like "Where's my nose?" or "How many fingers?". Your baby will know their own name even if they can't say it. Questions that use their name will get their attention.

Good to know

This game will help your baby understand that they are a person and recognise their own body parts.

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Asking questions encourages your baby to speak. You can help your baby practice new words by chatting every day. Asking questions shows them you're interested and paying attention to them. A good place to start is 'Where's your...?' questions. Sit with your child in front of you. Ask "Where's your nose?"

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For any child to enjoy!

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Appropriate for most young children.

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Pick some activities that suit your child best.

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These activities can be enjoyed by various ages.

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Coronavirus health advice in Arabic (other languages also accessible on this website)

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Coronavirus health advice in Arabic (other languages also accessible on this website)

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Coronavirus (COVID-19) is the illness caused by a new strain of coronavirus first identified in Wuhan city, China. It can cause a cough and/or a fever/high temperature.

These are Arabic versions of the latest coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance.

Contact us in Arabic

Our health information team can help you with any questions about coronavirus. You can speak to them in Arabic using Language Line.

Find out how to contact us using Language Line

Close Utility Slider Translations

Chat to an NHS operator in our Live Chat - opens a new window

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Coronavirus (COVID-19) is the illness caused by a new strain of coronavirus first identified in Wuhan city, China. It can cause a cough and/or a fever/high temperature. These are Arabic versions of the latest coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance. Our health information team can help you with any questions about coronavirus.

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I love teaching kids about shapes. There's just something simple and fun about it, and it's always been one of my favorites. This shape sorting activity has been a staple in my life for almost a decade now - because it's that good.
WONDERING WHAT I TEACH MY KIDS EACH DAY? Check out "Playing Preschool", my easy at-home preschool program.
What you need to know about teaching shapes.

The thing with teaching kids about shapes is that often we show kids a flat representation of the shape and work on them memorizing how it looks.

Once they can spout off the names of a few shapes, we think it's done. They know their shapes!

But actually, that's just the beginning.

There are TWO keys to teaching shapes.

1. Kids need to recognize shapes in their environment, to recognize that a clock is a circle or a table is made of rectangles. The more we can expose kids to identifying shapes in their environment, the more well-rounded their understanding of shapes becomes.

2. Attributes: memorizing how a shape looks is the base of learning shapes. The next level is attributes - being able to describe why something is a shape or the specific characteristics of a shape.
Understanding that a square has 4 sides, 4 points, and each side is the same is a BIG skill and one that we have to teach our children. They need to know why and what shapes are.

Here's how this shape sorting activity teaches those skills

This simple shape sorting activity is easy to set up but packs a big learning punch.

(this list contains affiliate links. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.)

Painter's tape

Random toys / objects from around the house

Materials:
I grabbed my 3-year-old for this activity. First, we made a circle, square, and triangle on the carpet. Please forgive the terrible circle I made. It worked for us (wink).

I went through the family room toys and the kitchen searching for items that were square, circle or triangular. It didn't take long before I had a mountain of objects to work with.

How did I teach this shape sorting activity?

We first started by tracing the outline of each shape and talking about the attributes.

"This is a triangle. It has three sides and three points."

Then she started sorting.

While she sorted, I stayed close and asked questions - good questions, the kinds that need more than a yes or no answer.

"How did you know that yo-yo was a circle?"

"Why didn't you put that book in the triangle?"

This is about going deep with our knowledge of shapes

We want our children to go beyond the surface, to move past simple memorizing, and to really know and own their learning / knowledge.

By taking shapes off the paper and into the real world, we give our kids the chance to dig deep with shapes and expand their understanding even more.

When will you build a shape sorting activity?

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Shape Sorting Activity: Go Beyond Memorizing - Busy Toddler

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I love teaching kids about shapes. There's just something simple and fun about it, and it's always been one of my favorites. This shape sorting activity has been a staple in my life for almost a decade now - because it's that good. WONDERING WHAT I TEACH MY KIDS EACH DAY?

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Geocaching is a like a treasure hunt using a GPS gadget. You can also use most smartphones, and there are apps you can download to help you. It's a great way to get your child exploring or keep them interested on a walk or hike.

Pack well! Take a pen, a drink, a snack and warm clothes. Use the pen to write your name in the logbook when you find a cache.

Pick easy caches to start with, choose those with a low difficulty rating on the geocaching website which should be easier for little legs to walk to. Get your little one involved with choosing your cache and planning a route.

Keep your eyes open. When you get close to the cache, put your device to one side and encourage your child to start looking around carefully.

Take your rubbish home with you. Always follow the Countryside Code and talk to your little ones about what it says.

Don't forget your swappables! Caches sometimes contain little tokens for you to take away. Take small toys that you can swap if there is something in your cache. You might need to prepare your child that sometimes caches are empty, but you can still leave a toy for someone else to find.

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Geocaching is a like a treasure hunt using a GPS gadget. You can also use most smartphones, and there are apps you can download to help you. It's a great way to get your child exploring or keep them interested on a walk or hike. Pack well!

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Free videos and downloadable worksheets to help adult learners improve their calculation and numeracy skills.

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Free videos and downloadable worksheets to help adult learners improve their reading, writing, spelling and grammar.

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Getting on With Numbers | National Numeracy Challenge

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The National Numeracy Challenge is a website that helps you learn the maths needed for everyday life. However maths makes you feel, you're not alone and we're here to help.

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Brighton & Hove residents' free advice line: 0800 988 7037

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Our Mission is to help people manage their money effectively. We do this by providing free innovative money handling and advice services, working in partnership with other agencies. Our independent, confidential and flexible approach is tailored to individuals' needs, allowing us to reach those who find it most difficult to access advice.

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Many people are worried about having enough money to buy food. The pages below can help signpost to food banks and other support - from financial advice to affordable meals. You can also search for projects near you in our directory.

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Many people are worried about having enough money to buy food. The pages below can help signpost to food banks and other support - from financial advice to affordable meals. You can also search for projects near you in our directory.

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Looking at your situation

Finding yourself in debt can be a stressful time, but the sooner you assess your situation and get advice, the easier it will be to deal with.

Making a list of your debts is an important first step to taking control. Make a list of all unpaid bills including money owed to friends and family.

Also include bills that you may not have fallen behind with yet, but are struggling with, especially if trying to pay them is leaving you short of money for other essential items.

Which debts are you responsible for?

Generally, you are responsible for all bills that are in your name, but there are some exceptions to this. Speak to a debt adviser about the enforceability of a debt if at the time you took it out you were:

Under the age of 18

Suffering from mental health problems

Persuaded to take out the debt by someone else.

You should also seek advice if it is more than six years since you made a payment or wrote to a creditor. This area of law is complicated. To find a debt adviser visit organisations such as StepChange or National Debtline.

Joint debts

If a bill is in more than one name, you and the other named person are jointly responsible for paying it. This means that either one of you can be asked to pay back the full amount owed. If the other person named on the bill cannot, or will not, pay the debt, you can be asked to pay all of it. Give the contact details of the other person to the creditor (the person or company you owe money to) so that they can be asked to make payments too.

There may be debts that you do not consider to be yours, but if you want to keep using the service the debt has been incurred on, you may still have to deal with them. For example, you may need to take full responsibility for rent or mortgage costs if you wish to remain in your home. If the mortgage or rent agreement is in joint names or just in someone else's name, get housing advice about your right to stay in the property.

For free housing advice, contact organisations such as Shelter and Citizen's Advice.

Finding out what debts you have

You can get a credit history report, which will list all of the credit taken out in your name, including joint debts. Companies that provide credit history reports are:

Thinking about your budget

Putting together a budget can help you see what money you have, where it goes and if you could make any savings. Your budget will also show what money, if any, you have left over to pay debts. You may already know that you have no money left at the end of the week or month, but many creditors will ask for a copy of your budget, often called a financial statement, as part of their negotiations.

It is also used by debt advisers to work out your options.

Putting a budget together

Your budget can be a simple list of your income and household spending each week or month. Be honest with yourself when completing your budget and write down what you really spend. Otherwise, your budget will never work and you will not be able to keep up with any arrangements that you make with creditors. Include regular household bills in your budget, such as gas and electricity. Write down the amount that you should pay each week/month if you were not in arrears. List any arrears or debts separately.

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Finding yourself in debt can be a stressful time, but the sooner you assess your situation and get advice, the easier it will be to deal with. Making a list of your debts is an important first step to taking control. Make a list of all unpaid bills including money owed to friends and family.

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Get advice on dealing with debt, bailiffs, bankruptcy, pensions, tax and more.

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This tool is brought to you by our friends at the Money Advice Service. It's a free money management tool for people on Universal Credit. Simply fill out your details and it will help you make the most of your money when you most need to.

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This tool is brought to you by our friends at the Money Advice Service. It's a free money management tool for people on Universal Credit. Simply fill out your details and it will help you make the most of your money when you most need to. > You have JavaScript turned off.

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SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) resources, activities and support to help parents support their family.

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This guidance explains how schools can support pupils eligible for free school meals during the coronavirus outbreak.

Providing meals for pupils attending school

Schools should provide meal options for all children who are in school, and meals should be available free of charge where pupils meet the benefits-related free school meal eligibility criteria and to all infant pupils.

The government will continue to provide schools with their expected funding, including funding to cover benefits-related free school meals and universal infant free school meals, throughout this period.

Support for pupils who have to stay at home

Under normal circumstances, schools do not provide free school meals to eligible children who are not in school. But during the coronavirus outbreak, we expect schools to continue supporting children eligible for benefits-related free school meals who are at home.

The steps you take will depend on your circumstances. This could include:

providing meals or food parcels through your food provider

using the Department for Education's (DfE) centrally-funded national voucher scheme

providing alternative vouchers for a local shop or supermarket

Pupils who attend a breakfast club

We are committed to supporting schools and their pupils who would usually benefit from the DfE breakfast club programme.

If you're on the programme, you should have received an email from Family Action and Magic Breakfast about children who would normally receive a healthy breakfast at school.

You can choose to support eligible children in the way which works best for them, this could include:

parents collecting food parcels

breakfast food 'drop offs' which should be arranged alongside the school's wider support for children on benefits-related free school meals, and schools must follow Public Health England's advice on social distancing at all times

Universal infant free school meals

There is no requirement to continue to provide universal infant free school meals to infant pupils who are not in school.

Meals for children returning to school

When reception and year one children return to school they should have the option of a free meal under the universal infant free school meals policy. Meals should be available for all pupils in school as a priority, and these should also be free of charge for pupils that qualify for benefits-related free school meals.

Free meals for further education students

Further education institutions should continue to provide support for free meal students where their existing funding and delivery arrangements allow for this.

Further information is available in the 16 to 19 free meals in further education guidance.

Providing meals or food parcels through your food provider

We know that many schools and food providers are finding very effective ways to ensure that eligible children already receive healthy meals during this period. As they prepare to open more widely, schools should speak to their school catering team or provider. You should ensure that they are supported to return to school to provide food for those children attending.

In addition, you should consider with them whether to see if they can prepare meals or food parcels that could be collected by or delivered to families that are not in attendance. If you do provide meals or food parcels, ensure they are distributed in line with guidance on social distancing at all times.

National voucher scheme

If your school catering service cannot provide meals or food parcels for children who are at home, you can offer vouchers to families of eligible pupils.

We have developed a national scheme to provide supermarket vouchers via the Edenred online portal. You will not have to pay for these vouchers.

Before ordering vouchers, check which pupils are eligible and would be receiving free school meals.

How to order vouchers

You should have received an email from Edenred with an activation code and a step-by-step guide to using the online ordering portal.

Once you have activated your account on the Edenred portal, you can begin to order vouchers.

You can:

order a single voucher to cover a longer time frame, for example, £45 to support one eligible child over 3 weeks

order a single voucher to cover more than one eligible child within the same household, for example, £90 to support three eligible children over 2 weeks

set a weekly £15 rolling voucher

Once you have confirmed the voucher's value, you can either:

send an eCode directly to the parent or carers of the pupils(s) eligible for free school meals - they will need to choose an eGift card from a range of supermarkets

select an eGift card on the parent or carer's behalf, and print and post the eGift card to them

select an eGift card on the parent or carer's behalf, print the eGift card and arrange for families to collect it

Sending eCodes to families

You can send a redemption eCode from the Edenred system directly to the parent or carers of the pupil(s) eligible for free school meals. They should receive the eCode and instructions on how to use this to create an eGift card within 4 days.

You should only consider this approach if the family receiving the support has a working email account which they can access.

Alternative approach

You can choose a supermarket on the family's behalf and either post the eGift card to the parent or carer or arrange for them to collect it. The family will be able to redeem the eGift card as soon as it arrives. You should take this approach if the family receiving the voucher does not have access to an email address or the internet.

If you choose this option, you should think carefully about which shops and supermarkets are most convenient for families to access - if possible, ask the families.

Supermarkets available

Through Edenred, you can currently access eGift cards for the following supermarkets:

We recognise that it may not be convenient or possible for some families to visit one of these supermarkets and we are working to see if additional supermarkets can be added to this list.

Redeeming the vouchers

Once families have received their voucher, they will be able to redeem them in store at the selected retailer by either:

presenting the voucher on a smartphone or tablet

presenting a paper copy of the voucher

Families are free to select the most appropriate food and drink for their child. When selecting products, we encourage families to consider health and nutrition. The School Food Standards and the NHS Eat Well website may act as a useful guide for families.

Vouchers must not be used for age-restricted items, such as alcohol, cigarettes or lottery tickets.

Additional costs

The payments for the national voucher scheme will be met centrally by DfE.

We understand that other approaches, such as providing food parcels or purchasing vouchers for shops not in the national scheme, may mean that schools incur additional costs. We have published guidance on the financial support available for schools who incur these additional costs in this way.

Schools will be able to claim up to a certain limit, depending on their number of pupils, and where they are unable to meet these additional costs from their existing resources, or which they could only meet by drawing down on reserves and undermining their long-term financial sustainability. In exceptional instances where individual schools face additional costs that are higher than the grant's limits, schools will be able to apply to increase their limit.

School food contracts

Speak to your catering provider(s) about your arrangements in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

The Cabinet Office has published guidance for public bodies ( Procurement Policy Note 02/20) on payment of suppliers that are at risk. It provides details on identifying suppliers that are at risk.

Inform suppliers who you consider to be at risk that they will be paid as normal (even if service delivery is disrupted or suspended) until at least the end of June.

The government will continue to provide schools with their expected funding, including funding to cover free school meals and universal infant free school meals, throughout this period.

You should continue to make payments to food suppliers (that are considered at risk) for the cost of free school meals and universal infant free school meals. Payments should be based on the previous 3 months' invoices, provided the supplier agrees to act on an open book basis and make cost data available.

This does not apply to the costs of meals usually purchased by parents for pupils who are not eligible for free school meals.

Free school meal eligibility

You should continue to accept and verify free school meal applications. The eligibility criteria for free school meals can be found at apply for free school meals.

During the coronavirus outbreak, we are temporarily extending free school meals eligibility to include some groups who have no recourse to public funds ( NRPF).

This temporary extension covers both children who are attending school and who are at home.

See guidance for the temporary extension of free school meals eligibility to NRPF groups for more information.

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Providing free school meals during the coronavirus outbreak

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This guidance explains how schools can support pupils eligible for free school meals during the coronavirus outbreak. Schools should provide meal options for all children who are in school, and meals should be available free of charge where pupils meet the benefits-related free school meal eligibility criteria and to all infant pupils.

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Worried about coronavirus? Tips to help manage anxiety - Every Mind Matters

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The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak may cause you to feel worried and stressed. Read our tips to help you manage anxiety and look after your mental wellbeing.

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How a health trainer can help you

Health trainers can give you free advice, support and encouragement.

They can help you:

understand the benefits of changing your lifestyle

decide what changes are important to you

understand what stops you from making changes

set achievable goals

cope with difficult situations

stay motivated and confident

Health trainers can also help you find activities and other support near to where you live.

Who can get support

If you're over 18 years old and live in Brighton & Hove, you can get free support. You need to have an interest in one or more of the following:

How to get support from a health trainer

To get support from a health trainer, for yourself or someone else, fill in the online support form, send an email to healthylifestyles@brighton-hove.gov.uk, or phone 01273 294 589. Someone will phone you back to speak to you about how they can help.

They can meet you up to six times, or if you prefer, they can speak to you on the phone, or by email.

More information

Find out about the single point for access for General Practice (GP) referrals.

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Health trainers can give you free advice, support and encouragement. They can help you: understand the benefits of changing your lifestyle decide what changes are important to you understand what stops you from making changes set achievable goals cope with difficult situations stay motivated and confident Health trainers can also help you find activities and other support near to where you live.

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Ideas on how to stay active at home - for all of the family

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Ideas on how to stay active at home - for all of the family

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How to stay active at home during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

During these unprecedented times, we are all taking it day by day as we try to look after ourselves and our friends and family through challenging circumstances.

Staying physically active is an essential way to look after your wellbeing, de-stress, keep healthy and manage long-term health conditions.

The activities you do should be at the right level for you, and the opportunities below are accessible to most people, no matter what your age or fitness level is.

Even if you cannot leave your home to exercise because you're self-isolating, or in a high-risk group, we can help. Our Healthy Lifestyles Team and Active for Life sessions and leaders are sharing opportunities and resources to stay active in your home.

It's great to see that the global sport, health and fitness profession has really risen to the challenge of providing online content.

In this section you'll find ideas on how to be active, links to information, resources and advice about how to get the most from your physical activity and how to exercise safely.

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During these unprecedented times, we are all taking it day by day as we try to look after ourselves and our friends and family through challenging circumstances. Staying physically active is an essential way to look after your wellbeing, de-stress, keep healthy and manage long-term health conditions.

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Welcome to the award-winning Healthwalks scheme! There are 18 regular walks across the city and lengths range from under a mile (average walking time: 20 to 30 minutes) up to three miles (average walking time one and a half to two hours). They are all free, led by trained Volunteer Walk Leaders and are also accessible by public transport.

Research suggests that walking is possibly the single most effective and accessible form of physical activity and health professionals now recommend that everyone should aim to do 30 minutes of moderate exercise (such as walking) at least five times a week. Because walking is such an accessible form of exercise it is particularly beneficial to those who are getting little or no exercise, recovering from illness or lacking in confidence. Many of the walks are also wheelchair and buggy-friendly.

In the last 15 years we have helped thousands of local people improve their physical and mental health and find out more about the wonderful places to walk in Brighton& Hove.Healthwalksare a great way to be more active, get out in the fresh air and make new friends. They are friendly, supportive and ideal for those who want to start exercising in a gentle and safe way, as well as those who want to walk regularly but don't have the time to attend longer walks.

We've achieved some extraordinary things:

provided over 8,000 walks

1,000 people attend health walks every year

40,000 hours of volunteer time given to deliver walks

Healthwalkers have walked over 250,000 miles in that time - the equivalent of walking to the moon and back!

90% of regular walkers say their health has improved and they have made new friends

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Welcome to the award-winning Healthwalks scheme! There are 18 regular walks across the city and lengths range from under a mile (average walking time: 20 to 30 minutes) up to three miles (average walking time one and a half to two hours).

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How to get the support you need

Contact the Learning Disability Helpline, our advice and support line, for guidance and information about what support we can offer you.

Or why not take a look at our online community? This is a place for parents and family carers of people with a learning disability to share experiences, advice and support.

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Contact the Learning Disability Helpline, our advice and support line, for guidance and information about what support we can offer you. Or why not take a look at our online community? This is a place for parents and family carers of people with a learning disability to share experiences, advice and support.

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Free Kids Activity Sheets - Daisy First Aid

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Medical advice and information incl. GP appointments

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Medical advice and information incl. GP appointments

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Frequently Asked Questions from the Community on COVID-19 FINAL VERSION 1 June 2020

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How to make your home a fun learning zone

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Parent Adrianna Baker explains how to create a learning-friendly home for preschoolers.

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Story time: Winnie's Perfect Pet | Oxford Owl