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Moving up A5 x 2 Our Lady of Good Help (1)

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Children’s Mental Health week 2025: What is the week about?

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This year Children’s Mental Health Week takes place from 3 February - 9 February.
It is all about helping young people speak up and feel empowered to talk about mental health.

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The Mental Health Foundation is the home of Mental Health Awareness Week. Mental Health Awareness Week 2024 is taking place 13 to 19 May. Mental Health Awareness Week is an annual event where there is an opportunity for the whole of the UK to focus on achieving good mental health.

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Use the link to access resources linked to transition by Liverpool Learning Partnership.

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Workshops and other useful resources to support year 6-7 transition

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Help give a voice to children and young people across the UK in Children’s Mental Health Week, from 5-11 February 2024.

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What matters to you? Activity for 4-11 year olds

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Place2Be’s Art Room developed a creative activity to get children thinking about what matters to them.

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Supporting your child with anxiety and loneliness.

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Supporting your child with anxiety and loneliness.

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This video link provides support and advice for any parent who feels that their child is experiencing anxiety or loneliness.

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KoothTalks Parent & Carer supporting YP with Anxiety and Loneliness over Winter

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YPAS City Centre Hub will be offering a limited service of the Alternative to Crisis Drop-in over the Christmas holiday period for children and young people aged 5-25 as well as parents and carers to support mental health and wellbeing. Please follow this link to view our “Whats On” calendar for our opening hours over the Christmas period. YPAS Whats on Calendar .

All three of our YPAS community hubs will return to regular working hours from Tuesday 2nd January 2024.

If over the Christmas Period you or someone you know requires immediate support, please see below.

If you are a child or young person in crisis, you can call the Alder Hey CAMHS crisis care line 24/7 on  0151 293 3577  or free-phone 0808 196 3550, or Email: CrisisCare@alderhey.nhs.uk

You should only present to Accident Emergency Department if you need medical treatment or are struggling to keep yourself safe.

If you are a parent or carer of a young person aged under 18 please click on the following link to access emergency advice Emergency advice - Liverpool CAMHS.

If you are 18+ and in distress or crisis please call Mersey Care Urgent mental health support contact number: 0151 296 7200 or access support through the following website Merseycare Urgent Mental Health Support.

If you have Immediate concerns for your safety or someone else's safety, please go to your nearest A&E.

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World Mental Health Day is taking place on 10th October. This is an opportunity to think about the importance of mental health and wellbeing. The theme this year is ‘Mental Health as a Universal Human Right’.
Please join us for a tea, toast and talk time session in the school hall at 9am for any parents who would like to attend. It would be great to see you!

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The children will be taking part in various livestreams and Mental Health activities throughout next week.

Human beings thrive in communities, and this connection is vital for our wellbeing, and our survival. When we have healthy connections – to family, friends and others – this can support our mental health and our sense of wellbeing. And when our need for rewarding social connections is not met, we can sometimes feel isolated and lonely – which can have a negative impact on our mental health.

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This year, Place2Be's official Children's Mental Health Week will take place from 5-11 February 2024. Our theme is 'My Voice Matters'.

We have free resources available to download so that everyone can take part in Children's Mental Health Week. Take a look and see what's available for schools, families and how you can take part and raise vital funds for children's mental health.

Get your own digital or physical copy of our pack, which is bursting with resources to help you take part - from class activities and assembly guides, to lots of creative arts and crafts and fun photobooth props!

Get a resource pack

Our free resources for families, parents and carers can help you get involved with Place2Be's Children's Mental Health Week at home.

Families

Find out more

Learn about how Children's Mental Health Week started and find out about this year's theme, 'My Voice Matters'.

Learn about the week

Download resources

Use our free resources for primary schools and secondary or high schools to take part in Children's Mental Health Week.

Schools

Take part

Find out how you can take part in the week, spread the word and raise vital funds to get us closer to reaching our goal that no child or young person has to face mental health problems alone.

Take part

Raise money

Help us reach our mission our goal that no child or young person has to face a mental health problem alone.

Fundraise for us

Add yourself to our map!

We'd love for you to add your school or organisation to our map! You can see who else is taking part in Children's Mental Health Week across the UK.

However you're planning on taking part in giving a voice to children and young people, we'd love to hear it.
Add yourself to our map

Tell me more

Sign up for Place2Be's Children's Mental Health Week email alerts to be the first to hear about new updates.

How we made a difference in 2023

Schools, families and organisations across the UK (and the world!) took part in Children's Mental Health Week 2023. Whether you downloaded a resource to use in class, held an assembly, organised a fundraiser, made a donation, or tweeted about the week - your support helped Place2Be to reach more children, young people and families.

114330

raised for Place2Be

197000

downloads of our resources

516463

children and young people supporting the week

News and blogs

Keep up with the latest news and views about Children's Mental Health Week.

Children's Mental Health Week 2024: resources available now

With just over 3 months until the week, we're excited to release our free resources to help everyone get involved.

Read more

Place2Be announces theme for Children's Mental Health Week 2024

Place2Be wants all children and young people to be able to say - and believe - "My Voice Matters".

Read more

Young Voices to support Place2Be's Children's Mental Health Week 2024

Young Voices has selected Place2Be as its charity partner for another year, following two successful years of partnership.

Read more

Would you like to become a supporter for Children's Mental Health Week? Get in touch to find out more.

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Place2Be's Official Children's Mental Health Week shines a spotlight on the importance of children's and young people's mental health.

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Let's Connect is about making meaningful connections for all, during Children's Mental Health Week - and beyond.

For Children’s Mental Health Week 2023, we’re encouraging people to connect with others in healthy, rewarding, and meaningful ways.

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With Children's Mental Health Week 2023 less than four months away, today Place2Be have announced that next year's theme is Let's Connect.

Human beings thrive in communities, and this connection is vital for our wellbeing, and our survival. When we have healthy connections - to family, friends and others - this can support our mental health and our sense of wellbeing. And when our need for rewarding social connections is not met, we can sometimes feel isolated and lonely - which can have a negative impact on our mental health.

Let's Connect is about making meaningful connections for all, during Children's Mental Health Week - and beyond.

For Children's Mental Health Week 2023, we're encouraging people to connect with others in healthy, rewarding, and meaningful ways. Watch the video below to learn more about the theme.

Watch this video with BSL interpretation

In early November, we'll launch our free resources for primary and secondary schools, and for parents and carers. These will include assembly guides, slides, group activities, top tips, and more to help schools and youth groups explore the importance of meaningful connections.

Following the success of Children's Mental Health Week 2022, we'll also be re-launching our Dress to Express fundraising campaign for schools, organisations, and individuals. During Children's Mental Health Week 2022, your support helped raise over £208,000 for Place2Be. We'll also be announcing an exciting new partnership soon.

Place2Be launched the first ever Children's Mental Health Week in 2015 to shine a spotlight on the importance of children and young people's mental health. Now in its ninth year, we hope to encourage more people than ever to get involved and spread the word.

Sign up for email alerts  to be the first to hear when our free resources become available.

Read more about Children's Mental Health Week

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Place2Be announces theme for Children's Mental Health Week 2023

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Human beings thrive in communities, and this connection is vital for our wellbeing, and our survival. When we have healthy connections - to family, friends and others - this can support our mental health and our sense of wellbeing.

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Mental Health Support Team Virtual Coffee Morning

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Mental Health Support Team Virtual Coffee Morning

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MHST Primary Coffee Event for Children’s Mental Health Week: Let’s Connect

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Grab a drink and join two of Alder Hey’s Mental Health Support Team’s parenting practitioners for a discussion on children’s mental health.

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Liverpool FRESH CAMHS is a service for children/young people (aged 0-18) and their families/carers who are struggling with how they are feeling, thinking or the way they are doing things.

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Liverpool FRESH CAMHS is a service for children/young people (aged 0-18) and their families/carers who are struggling with how they are feeling, thinking or the way they are doing things.

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Liverpool FRESH CAMHS is a service for children/young people (aged 0-18) and their families/carers who are struggling with how they are feeling, thinking or the way they are doing things. We especially help those whose difficulties are getting in the way of being able to manage everyday life and relationships. Once assessed, referrals are directed to the most suitable part of the service where there will be access to a highly-skilled multi-disciplinary team trained in a range of therapies and approaches.

What is the service?

Liverpool FRESH CAMHS, part of Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust

What do you do?

For a more young person-friendly explanation of our service please follow this link: www.freshcamhs.org We are a community-based specialist mental health and emotional well-being service for children/young people (aged 0-18) and their families/carers. Based at the FRESH Building on the old Alder Hey site, we offer a range of therapies and interventions to help children/young people who are struggling with how they are feeling, thinking, or the way they are doing things. We work particularly with those children/young people whose difficulties mean that they are struggling to manage everyday life and relationships and whose safety might be a worry to them or those around them. Liverpool FRESH CAMHS works with all children/young people (aged 0-18). We work with a range of difficulties from issues requiring just a few sessions up to complex mental health difficulties requiring intervention from a multi-disciplinary team. FRESH CAMHS is organized into 4 teams, each working with a range of child and adolescent mental health difficulties, but each also with expertise in working with vulnerable or specific groups (16-18-year-olds; 0-5-year-olds; Youth Offenders; Looked After Children; Children with Learning Disabilities). FRESH CAMHS works hard to understand what might be going on for a young person and find the best intervention(s) to help. We also have Key Workers in every secondary school in Liverpool so that young people can begin to access a service from us very quickly.

What age group does FRESH CAMHS work with?

We work with children/young people aged 0 to 18 years. However, referrals received for young people aged 16 and over may also be directed to other services in the city, depending on their needs, such as YPAS, Talk Liverpool or Adult Mental Health Services.

Do you work with other family members?

Yes. We know that children/young people live and develop in families, care relationships and other systems and networks that all have an impact and a role to play in how well they are able to cope with problems. We often work with parents, carers, siblings, grandparents and other adults involved in children's lives. For all children/young people, we balance the right to privacy and confidentiality with the rights of those who have a responsibility to be involved in your care. For those aged 16 and over, we seek the same balance but also uphold young people's legal right to make decisions about their own healthcare. Sometimes parents contact us who are very worried about their children, but their children do not want to come to our service. In these cases we offer to meet with parents alone to try and address their worries.

Are you limited to working with people from a specific geographical area?

Yes, FRESH CAMHS see children/young people who are registered with a Liverpool GP. For children/young people who are "looked after" by Liverpool Children's Services but placed out of the Liverpool area, we may also be involved in their care. If a child/young person is registered with a Sefton GP there is a similar service operating within that area and access to this is via the Single Point of Access (0151 293 3662).

Who would someone ask for in the first instance?

All referrals to Liverpool FRESH CAMHS should go to the Single Point of Access in the first instance (0151 293 3662). They can also be contacted to discuss whether a referral is appropriate and there are staff there who can advise you about what to do next.

What are your opening times?

We are open 9am-5pm, Mon- Fri (although we do offer some appointments outside of these hours in certain circumstances)

Can you be contacted out-of-hours?

Outside of office hours you can call our Crisis Line on 0151 293 3577 which operates Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and on weekends and Bank Holidays runs from 10am to 4pm. Please also call this number if you are considering attending A&E (unless you need urgent medical attention). If another doctor, such as a GP or a hospital consultant, is very worried because they suspect a mental illness in a child or young person he/she can contact the on-call psychiatrist at any time through the Alder Hey Hospital Switchboard (0151 228 4811). Outside of working hours, if a young person is in crisis and is under 16, they should attend Alder Hey A&E or their GP out of hours service. Young people aged 16 or over should access their nearest A&E (e.g. The Royal or Aintree).

Do you have appointments outside working hours?

Our usual working hours are between 9am-5pm. These can be flexible depending on need.

Where do you see young people?

We have rooms to see children/young people and families at the Catkin Building at Alder Hey. However, we also try to be as flexible as possible and we can offer appointments at home, at school, children's centres, GP surgeries or any other location that might be suitable for that child/young person's needs.

Do you take referrals directly from children/young people, parents/carers?

A direct referral to Liverpool CAMHS can be made using our online referral form.

Who else can make referrals to you?

Referrals are also accepted from any professional within the statutory and community sector, for example, any health professional, teachers, school mentors, connexions, social workers, youth and community workers, providing the young person or family has consented to the referral. All referrals need to come through online referral form.

What kinds of things do you help with?

Liverpool FRESH CAMHS staff have expertise in working with children/young people with complex mental health difficulties and their families/carers. We also have staff with expertise in working with children/young people from vulnerable groups and their networks. This includes 16-18-year-olds, Looked After Children; Youth Offenders and Children with Learning Disabilities. A group of young people in Liverpool have helped us find a way to explain the things we help with, they said it like this:

IF YOU ARE FEELING: *Very sad, isolated or alone *Very worried *Hurting yourself or others *Having thoughts or experiences that are scaring or confusing you *Struggling to cope with things that have happened in your past *Feeling worthless

AND THIS IS AFFECTING: *How you feel about yourself *Work, college or school *Relationships with others *Home life *Physical health, e.g. sleeping, eating

AND YOU CAN'T SORT IT OUT ON YOUR OWN then Liverpool FRESH CAMHS can help

What do you offer?

A full range of evidence-based therapeutic interventions. These might be individual sessions, family sessions, group sessions or training programmes.

What happens after a referral is made?

If FRESH CAMHS is the best service to help, then you will be given an appointment to see a clinician in that service who will meet with you and help you to make a choice about your ongoing care. After making your choice together you will then see your 'Partnership' clinician. This clinician will have been chosen for you because they have the skills and experience to best help you with your difficulties.

What will happen at the first appointment?

When you first meet with your 'Partnership' Clinician, they will work with you to decide what your goals are from coming to FRESH CAMHS, what is the best way to help with your difficulties, how long this might take, and also who else might need to be involved.

What do you do if a client is not happy with the service?

If a client is not happy with the service, in the first instance, the child/young person or family/carers and their worker should try to discuss what the issues are and try to work things out together. If the child/young or family/carer does not feel comfortable talking to their worker, they can speak to any other member of the team or the team lead/manager. If the child/young person or family/carer still wants to take the issue further or speak to someone outside of the team, Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust has a feedback and complaints procedure (PALS). The details of this are made clear and available in the team's waiting area and any member of the team will explain everything you need to know about making a complaint and support you with this process.

What skills do your staff have?

Liverpool FRESH CAMHS staff come from a range of different professional backgrounds including Clinical Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Mental Health Nurses, Psychotherapists, Counsellors, Family Therapists, Social Workers, Other Mental Health Professionals and Key Workers. All of our clinical staff have a range of core skills in cognitive, behavioural and systemic/family interventions. In addition, we have staff who have expertise and training in a range of other therapies and interventions (such as EMDR, Group Work, Play Therapy, Drama Therapy, Art Therapy, therapeutic approaches for children/young people with Learning Disabilities etc.). Please see the list of interventions above or visit the FRESH CAMHS website to find out more.

Do you offer training in your specialist area?

Yes - Please see the training section.

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Liverpool FRESH CAMHS (Alder Hey Childrens NHS Foundation Trust)

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Liverpool FRESH CAMHS, part of Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust For a more young person-friendly explanation of our service please follow this link: www.freshcamhs.org We are a community-based specialist mental health and emotional well-being service for children/young people (aged 0-18) and their families/carers.

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Kooth CAMHS support provides free, safe and anonymous online support for young people.

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Kooth CAMHS support provides free, safe and anonymous online support for young people.

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If you are a child or young person in crisis, you can call the crisis care line 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 0151 293 3577 but you should only present to Accident Emergency Department if you need medical treatment or are struggling to keep yourself safe in the immediate moment.

Kooth CAMHS support provides free, safe and anonymous online support for young people.

What do you do?

On Kooth children and young people in Liverpool, aged 10-25 will have 24-hour access to self-help materials as well as goal-setting and mood-tracking tools. The online service hosts moderated forums, allowing for peer-to-peer support and interactive messaging with counsellors. Users are also able to drop-in or book anonymous online counselling sessions with qualified therapists who are available in the evenings and at weekends; sessions are available on weekdays from 12 pm and 10 pm, and from 6 pm to 10 pm on weekends.

How can children and young people access Kooth CAMHS support?

Self-referral online. www.kooth.com

Our I&P workers also visit GP practices, CAMHS, schools, FE, and many other service providers. Kooth works best when offered as a collaborative approach with other service providers.

What kinds of things do you help with?

Live chat function for a CYP to converse with a qualified counsellor.

Messaging function for the CYP to contact the service, these are monitored and managed by counsellors, emotional wellbeing practitioners and media workers.

Static and live topic-focused forums; forums encourage the development of a peer-supported community online.

An online magazine containing a wealth of topic-specific resources, from mental health-specific topics to more general subjects such as holidays, family, and relationships. Over 50% of the content is contributed by service users, all of which is moderated before being published.

Crisis information, and self-help resources.

What does Kooth CAMHS support offer?

Early Intervention and Prevention

Mental health stigma is a common barrier to mental health services, which prevents many CYP accessing services at an early enough stage for it to be considered early intervention or prevention. Kooth provides a secure, safe, accessible space, where all content is moderated to assure the protection of all service users.

Outcome Informed, User Led

At Kooth, we collaborate with CYP to understand how the service can meet their needs, and stay current to the generation we are serving. To assure clinical outcomes, and benefit of the service within the wider CYP mental health landscape, online-appropriate outcomes measures are used.

Choice

Support for service users can be accessed through engaging with a counsellor through chat messages, writing and responding to (pre-moderated) forum posts, writing and reading (pre-moderated) magazine articles, messaging the team, and writing a personal online journal.

Autonomy

Anonymous at point of registration, Kooth is viewed by many CYP as an extension of their largely digital lives, where accessibility to a range needs-appropriate features, including counselling are available. Using goals-based outcomes, and the premise of logging in for a scheduled or drop-in chat means that CYP are in control of their therapeutic journey.

Flexibility

Every Kooth user is unique, some will visit once and read an article, another will use the service for two years and engage with other agencies with the support of Kooth; a person-centred approach is used for all service users.

Do you offer training in your specialist area?

Yes, Our I&P worker Emily Hawley is available to train staff at a time to suit you. Emily's contact details are ehawley@xenzone.com 07495 099175.

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If you are a child or young person in crisis, you can call the crisis care line 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 0151 293 3577 but you should only present to Accident Emergency Department if you need medical treatment or are struggling to keep yourself safe in the immediate moment.

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Our Wellbeing Service provides a range of services that are designed to help you with your practical issues: offering various groups, drop-ins and individual information, advice and guidance.

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Our Wellbeing Service provides a range of services that are designed to help you with your practical issues: offering various groups, drop-ins and individual information, advice and guidance.

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GYRO are award-winning LGBTQ+ groups for young people aged 12-25 who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender or are Questioning their sexuality or gender identity. 1 to 1 appointments are available with a worker with an LGBTQ+ specialism for confidential support if you feel groups aren't right for you.

Note: We use LGBTQ+ to encompass and include all identities across the spectrums of sexuality and gender.

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Wellbeing Services - Young Person's Advisory Service

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GYRO are award-winning LGBTQ+ groups for young people aged 12-25 who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender or are Questioning their sexuality or gender identity. 1 to 1 appointments are available with a worker with an LGBTQ+ specialism for confidential support if you feel groups aren't right for you.

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If you are struggling with emotional and psychological distress, and consider yourself or your child to be in a self-defined crisis or feeling lonely and isolated and need a listening ear……. The YPAS CRISIS DROP-IN is here to offer you a safe space. We have trained professional staff to listen and support you through difficult times across our 3 community hubs.

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What's on Calendar - Young Person's Advisory Service

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At OLGH, we have a Wellbeing & Mental Health Team who meet each half term to review and develop the support we have in place. The Wellbeing & Mental Health Team have developed a whole school mental health approach to ensure ALL children receive the correct support. The team includes:

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At OLGH, we have a Wellbeing & Mental Health Team who meet each half term to review and develop the support we have in place. The Wellbeing & Mental Health Team have developed a whole school mental health approach to ensure ALL children receive the correct support. The team includes:

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Mrs. J. Foster

Mr. M. McQuiston

Miss Roberts

External Education Mental Health Team

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Wellbeing tips for parents to help you support a healthy, happy childhood.

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Wellbeing tips for parents to help you support a healthy, happy childhood.

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Parents' Toolkit: Wellbeing tips and advice

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Tips and advice for parents to support a healthy, happy childhood.

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Help and advice for parents and families dealing with mental health problems in everyday life.

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Help and advice for parents and families dealing with mental health problems in everyday life.

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Parenting with mental health problems

Parenting comes with lots of challenges, which can be even more difficult if you're dealing with mental health problems.

Not all children who live with someone with mental health problems will experience abuse or be affected negatively. In fact, many parents are able to give children safe and loving care.

But sometimes it does affect their ability to cope with family life. So it's important that parents and carers can find support when they need it.

What are mental health problems?

When we talk about mental health problems we mean conditions like:

anxiety disorders

bipolar disorder

depression

obsessive-compulsive disorder

personality disorders

post-traumatic stress disorder

schizophrenia.

This is not a complete list. There are many types of mental health problems, and if yours isn't listed, we're still here to support you.

How can mental health problems affect parenting?

Sometimes these conditions can affect a parent's ability to provide the care that children need. Parents or carers may:

have mood swings

find it difficult to recognise their children's needs

or struggle with keeping routines such as mealtimes, bedtimes and taking their children to school.

If you, or someone you know is struggling, there's support available.

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Help and advice for parents and families living with mental health problems.

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If you're worried about a child, encouraging them to talk can be very helpful, whether you're a parent, grandparent, friend or teacher.

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If you're worried about a child, encouraging them to talk can be very helpful, whether you're a parent, grandparent, friend or teacher.

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If you're worried about a child, encouraging them to talk can be very helpful, whether you're a parent, grandparent, friend or teacher.
If you think a child you know has a problem, it can be hard to know how to start talking to them about it.

When there are problems at home, such as parents fighting, divorce or a death in the family, children can become withdrawn and upset.

Being able to talk to someone other than a parent is sometimes very helpful for children. Grandparents, uncles, aunts, teachers or even a counsellor can all offer support.

Look for clues in their play

Children express themselves through play as well as words. You can learn a lot about how they're feeling by simply spending time with them and watching them play.

Stressed and upset children often play fighting games with their toys. Comment on this by saying, "There are a lot of fights going on" or "It seems pretty frightening". This can help to get them talking about what's bothering them.

Even if you do not start a conversation, you'll be making the child feel more comfortable with you, paving the way for them to open up to you about their problems.

If you can get them talking, gently ask what's wrong. But if the child does not want to open up, let the subject go. You can then repeat the process at another time until they're ready to tell you what's bothering them.

If a child is too frightened to talk

If you're worried that a child you know might be being abused, it can help to ask a question like, "Is mummy getting very cross with you? You can tell me about it if you want to".

A child might not understand that they're being abused. They may simply see it as a parent being angry or annoyed with them.

Children who are being sexually abused often do not talk about it because they think it's their fault or they have been convinced by their abuser that it's normal or a "special secret".

See more about spotting signs of child sexual abuse.

Children will often ask if you're going to tell anyone about what they've told you. Never promise not to tell, but explain that you'll only tell other people who want to help.

If you suspect abuse, encourage them to call ChildLine (0800 1111) or ring the NSPCC yourself (0808 800 5000) and get advice about how to report it.

If a child is aggressive or misbehaving

If a child is fighting or being aggressive, they're doing it for a good reason, and talking may help you discover the reason.

Start by telling the child that their bad behaviour is unacceptable and why - for example, because it will harm other people or get them into trouble. Then offer them the chance to talk about why they're angry.

This might not work instantly because an angry child might not listen to you straight away. Do not give up. Children are aware when they're behaving badly, and it's important to find out the reasons why.

See more about helping your child with anger issues.

If your child is worried about scary news

In this digital age it is virtually impossible to stop children from finding out about upsetting news events, such as terrorism, war and violent crime, that they may find traumatic.

Advice from the Mental Health Foundation includes:

do not try to blackout all exposure to news; this is both unlikely to succeed and could actually increase their fears

be truthful about what has happened

let them know it is normal to be concerned and tell them you're also concerned

encourage them to ask questions if they seem unclear about what has happened

reassure them that you will do everything you can to keep them safe

The Mental Health Foundation has advice about talking to your children about scary world news.

If your child is grieving

Young children do not always understand what death means. It helps to explain it by saying, "Nana's died. She's not going to be with us any more."

Watch children carefully if someone close to them has died. If they seem tearful or withdrawn, encourage them to open up about how they're feeling by talking about the person who's died.

You could say something like, "It's very sad that Nana has died" or "I feel sad that Nana has died, and sometimes it's hard to understand why people die".

See more about children and bereavement.

If you're still worried about your child

If you're still concerned about your child after talking to them, see a GP for further advice.

See some tips on talking to teenagers.

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If you're worried about a child, encouraging them to talk can be very helpful, whether you're a parent, grandparent, friend or teacher.

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You're never too young to talk mental health.

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You're never too young to talk mental health.

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Supporting your child with different emotions

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Supporting your child with different emotions

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Welcome to MindEd for Families, Children and Young People. We hope you like our new design. If you are a regular user you might find that some of the topics have moved, or the titles have been changed slightly. But we still have all the same great content, and we hope it will be easy to find what yo…

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Supporting a child experiencing anxiety.

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Supporting a child experiencing anxiety.

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Resources to support  anxiety and worries.

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Resources to support  anxiety and worries.

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Advice and resources for parents and carers to help support their child or young person’s wellbeing.

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Advice and resources for parents and carers to help support their child or young person’s wellbeing.

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Mental health support for parents and carers – Place2Be

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Advice and resources for parents and carers to help support their child or young person’s wellbeing.

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13/10/2022 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am - This bite-size session will look at what worry is, how it normal everyday worry differs from a developing anxiety condition and why as parents we need to support our children to worry and find effective ways to contain worry.

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Good sleep is important mentally and physically. A child’s poor sleep can affect the whole family. 

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Good sleep is important mentally and physically. A child’s poor sleep can affect the whole family. 

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According to the American Massage Therapy Association, approximately 19-28% of adults in the United States had at least one massage between July 2015 and July 2016.[1]

While taking time out of your busy schedule to book a massage with a massage therapist may be nice, sometimes it just doesn't fit in with the busyness of life (or wallet!). Rather than suffering in pain, you can try using self massage techniques to give yourself an effective massage from the comfort of your home or office.

What are Self Massage Techniques?

Self massage techniques are techniques that you can do yourself to get rid of muscle tightness and trigger points throughout your body.

Many self massage techniques can be performed with your fingers, hands, and elbows, while others require simple items such as tennis balls, foam rollers, or trigger point tools such as the Theracane.

Why Self Massage?

Many people want a self-care option for the relief of pain that is caused by stress, pain and muscle tension.

Especially, if you are someone who is suffering from myofascial pain dysfunction syndrome (MPDS), which is caused by the presence of chronic trigger points - You may need to self massage regularly. Trigger points are tight knots in the muscle tissues that can cause pain, as well as, refer pain to other areas in the body.

According to a 2015 study published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science, patients suffering with myofascial pain dysfunction syndrome (MPDS) that received self-massage treatment, combined with home exercise, had reduced their pain intensity MORE during their daily activities when compared to individuals that only received six sessions of traditional physical therapy modalities (heat and transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation TENS). [4]
Self Massage Benefits Include:
Benefits of Self Massage over a Massage Therapist

There are numerous benefits of learning self massage techniques, instead of seeking out professional care, including:

It's less expensive than paying a professional.

It's less time consuming than booking an appointment with a professional.

You can focus on areas that are really bothering you and apply increased pressure when you find especially tender areas.

Results are typically rapid when you focus on your problem areas.

You can do self massage techniques pretty much anywhere including your home, office, or even your car.

There's no need to feel self conscious about being touched by someone you don't know or going into an unfamiliar place, such as a spa or clinic.

6 Things to keep in mind when using self-massage techniques:
1. You only need to massage for a few moments for mild cases; or a minute or two for more severe cases.
2. Massage the area at least twice per day.
3. Explore the muscles in the area where you feel pain until you find the specific spot that is especially painful.
4. Apply pressure that is strong, but tolerable (tip: start with light pressure and work your way up).
5. If you experience pain afterwards ease up the next time you apply self treatment.
6. Gently stretch out the area after self massage treatment.

9 Best Self Massage Techniques (For Diff Parts of Body)

1. For Head Self Massage
Nothing can ruin a perfect day like a throbbing headache. Try this simple self massage technique to relieve your head pan.

What you'll need - Your Hands

Place your thumbs high on your cheekbones, by your ears.

Gently apply pressure in a circular motion with your fingertips to your temples.

Continue making circles as your move along your hairline, until your fingertips meet in the middle of your forehead.

Place two or three fingertips on the back of your neck where your neck meets your shoulders.

Apply firm pressure and hold the area.

Release when the muscle feels more relaxed.

Roll your shoulders forwards and back slowly.

Repeat three times.

position the fingers of your right hand over your right shoulder (your upper trapezius will be underneath your palm).

squeeze your upper trapezius three times and then roll your fingers over the muscle starting from the outside and moving towards the base of your neck.

repeat on your left side.

Recommended Program:
The Complete Posture Fix (With Dr. Oliver) - Fix your fwd head and rounded shoulders posture, ergonomics, get out of pain and increase your mobility.

Position a massage ball/tennis ball between your lower back and a wall.

Move your body up and down, or side to side to find areas of tension.

Apply a stronger pressure in the tender spots to help release the tension.

grab the hook of the Theracane and position the knob in the grove just below your collarbone.

apply downward pressure on hook to help release the trigger point.

move the hook to apply the pressure at different angles to work the whole muscle.

perform on both sides.

begin by lying on your side with a foam roller positioned under your hip.

use your hands to brace yourself as you slowly roll down from your hip to your knee while rotating your body towards the ground as you move down.

slowly roll back to the starting position.

perform on both sides.

sit in a comfortable chair with your feet bare or with a sock on.

position the tennis ball under your foot.

roll back and forth from heel to toe using firm pressure.

if you come across a painful or tender area, work the knot out by rolling in small circles.

do this exercise on both of your feet.

to add more pressure, try performing this technique while standing.

begin in a seated position on the ground with your knees bent.

position a tennis ball under your right buttock and rest your hands on the ground behind your back.

lift your right leg off the ground and roll in small circles on the ball, placing more attention on areas that are tender.

perform this exercise on the left.

begin by placing your fingers over your wrist, as if you're taking your pulse, and apply a side to side pressure across your wrist.

move to the heel of your palms and start applying pressure in a small circular motion, working your way from the pinky finger side and moving towards your thumb side.

next, grasp the web of tissue that connects your thumb to the rest of your fingers and gently move it up and down.

then apply pressure by using a small circular motion to the muscles at the base of your fingers.

next move up each finger using small circular strokes.

once you reach your finger tip, gently pull the finger to stretch the joint.

perform on both sides.

In conclusion, muscle tension and trigger points can cause a lot of pain and discomfort and making time to see a massage therapist might not be possible. There's no need to worry if you can't make time to see a professional, or if you're uncomfortable in a spa setting because you don't like the idea of someone you don't know touching you, learning the simple self massage techniques above will help to ease your pain and get you back to doing your normal activities soon.

Related:
What are trigger points
How Poor posture causes back pain
Best Herniated Disc Stretches
Cat and Cow Stretch for low back pain relief
Forward head posture exercises
Back pain between shoulder blades
Back Intelligence Homepage
Rounded shoulders exercises

Sources:

[1] American Massage Therapy Association. Massage Therapy Industry Fact Sheet. Published 2018. Accessed November 14, 2019.

[2] Mense S. Differences between myofascial trigger points and tender points. Schmerz. 2011 Feb;25(1):93-103. doi:10.1007/s00482-010-0965-4

[3] Borg-Stein J, Stein J. Trigger points and tender points: one and the same? Does injection treatment help? Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 1996 May;22(2):305-22. doi:10.1016/s0889-857x(05)70274-x.

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Self Massage Techniques For 9 Body Parts - How To Massage Yourself

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According to the American Massage Therapy Association, approximately 19-28% of adults in the United States had at least one massage between July 2015 and July 2016.[1] While taking time out of your busy schedule to book a massage with a massage therapist may be nice, sometimes it just doesn't fit in with the busyness of life (or wallet!).

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There's a close relationship between sleep and mental health. Living with a mental health problem can affect how well you sleep, and poor sleep can have a negative impact on your mental health.

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There's a close relationship between sleep and mental health. Living with a mental health problem can affect how well you sleep, and poor sleep can have a negative impact on your mental health.

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Summary

What kind of problems might I have with sleep?

What can cause sleep problems?

How can mental health problems affect sleep?

How can I improve my sleep?

We all need to sleep well to help our bodies recover from the day and allow healing to occur.

But a lot of us struggle to get a good night's sleep. One in three of us suffers from poor sleep, and the consequences can be more serious than feeling grumpy or unfocused. Sleep and mental health are closely related: living with a mental health condition can affect your sleep, and poor sleep can affect your mental health.

Lack of sleep can also make us feel physically unwell. It's linked to heart disease, diabetes, premature ageing and road accident deaths.

What kind of problems might I have with sleep?

We all have nights when it's hard to fall asleep or wake up several times. Most sleep problems sort themselves out within a month, but longer stretches of bad sleep can seriously affect our lives.

Self-help techniques can get you back to a more normal sleeping pattern. But sleep problems can be symptoms of other conditions such as depression or thyroid problems, so speak to your GP if they continue.

Here are some sleep problems people experience:

Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder, affecting around one in five people. You may have insomnia if you find it hard to go to sleep, wake up several times during the night or wake up too early. During the day, you may feel sleepy, anxious, irritable, and unable to concentrate or remember things.

Narcolepsy can cause you to suddenly fall asleep at inappropriate times. It's caused by the brain being unable to regulate your sleeping and waking patterns. If you have narcolepsy, you may feel very drowsy throughout the day and fall asleep suddenly and without warning - for example, while at work, talking, or driving. There is no cure, but the symptoms can be controlled by medication and by lifestyle adjustments such as changing your sleeping routine, improving your diet and exercising.

Sleep apnoea is when your breathing stops and starts when you sleep, constantly interrupting your rest. If you have sleep apnoea, you will often snore loudly or make gasping or choking noises while you sleep. During the day, you will feel very tired, find it hard to concentrate, have mood swings, and have a headache on waking.

Losing weight and sleeping on your side can help with mild sleep apnoea. You can also be prescribed special devices to help keep your airway open during sleep.

What can cause sleep problems?

Many different things that can affect our sleep. They include:

stress or worry

a change in the noise level or temperature of your bedroom

a different routine, for example, because of jet lag

too much caffeine or alcohol

shift work

physical or mental health problems

side effects of medicines

How can mental health problems affect sleep?

Mental health problems can affect your sleep in different ways.

Anxiety can cause your thoughts to race, which can make it hard to sleep

Depression can lead to oversleeping: sleeping late or a lot during the day. It can also cause insomnia if you have troubling thoughts

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can cause nightmares or night terrors. These may wake you up and/or make you feel anxious about falling asleep

Mania can make you feel elated or energetic, so you might not feel tired or want to sleep. You may also have racing thoughts that make it hard to sleep

Medication can have side effects, including insomnia, nightmares or oversleeping. Coming off medication can also cause sleep problems

How can I improve my sleep?

There are many things you can try to help yourself sleep well.

Establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine that lets you unwind and sends a signal to your brain that it's time to sleep

Create a restful environment: bedrooms that are dark, cool and quiet are generally easier to fall asleep and stay asleep in

Try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day

Exercise regularly but avoid vigorous exercise near bedtime if it affects your sleep

Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed. They can stop you from falling asleep and prevent deep sleep

Only use your bed for sleep or sex. Unlike most physical activity, sex makes us sleepy

Try apps and online programmes designed to help with sleep problems, such as Pzizz, Sleepio or Sleepstation

Avoid using screens in the evening, including on smartphones and tablets. The light from the screen can have a negative effect on sleep, and social media, news and games can all stimulate your brain and make you feel anxious

Write down your worries if you lie awake worrying about tomorrow. This can help put your mind at rest

If you can't sleep, don't worry about it. Get up and do something relaxing like listening to music or reading until you feel sleepy

Treatment to help with sleep problems

If self-help doesn't work, talk to your doctor. Consider keeping a sleep diary for 10 days before your visit so you can explain the problem. Doctors will generally look for any underlying medical or psychological reason for the problem and may suggest further changes to your routine or lifestyle to help improve your sleep.

If these don't work, your doctor may suggest sleeping pills for insomnia. Sleeping tablets can help in the short term but quickly become less effective and can even worsen your sleeping problems. They can also be very addictive. For all these reasons, sleeping pills are generally prescribed at the lowest dose and for a short period.

If your problems persist, your doctor may refer you to a specialist sleep disorder clinic.

What if my child has sleep problems?

Children need long periods of uninterrupted sleep for their growth and development, but sleep problems are common - especially among younger children. This can have a big impact on the whole family. Children may be reluctant to go to sleep, wake in the night, have nightmares or sleepwalk. Some children with disabilities like autism seem to have difficulty establishing a consistent sleep pattern.

Some of the self-help measures above can be adapted for children. It's also a good idea to keep a sleep diary to show their doctor. Excessive sleeping or a continued reluctance to get up could suggest depression or another mental health problem. If your child has sleep problems, make an appointment with their doctor to see what help is available.

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What kind of problems might I have with sleep? What can cause sleep problems? How can mental health problems affect sleep? How can I improve my sleep? We all need to sleep well to help our bodies recover from the day and allow healing to occur.

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Supporting a child experiencing low mood

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Supporting a child experiencing low mood

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Signs your child might be experiencing low mood or depression

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Signs your child might be experiencing low mood or depression

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Going through different emotions is part of life. While it can feel worrying as a parent, it is normal for young people to feel low sometimes, and this can be a natural response to what's happening around them. Often, the passing of time and support from people they're close to can help things feel better again.

When a young person is feeling depressed, however, sadness and low feelings become more overwhelming, persisting over a longer period of time and making day-to-day life difficult.

Knowing that your child is feeling depressed can be incredibly worrying as a parent. But remember that lots of young people go through depression and come out the other side and feel okay again, and that there are things you can do to help them - including providing emotional support, working on practical strategies together and finding the right professional support if they need it.

Symptoms of low mood and depression

As a parent, it can be useful to understand the difference between having a generally low mood and feeling depressed. This can help you to think through what your child is experiencing and the type of support they need.

If your child is experiencing a low mood, they may feel more sad, tearful, worried, tired or angry than usual, or feel low and less confident about themselves - but then feel better after a few days or weeks. They may also start to feel better quite quickly after making small changes in their life or routine - for example after resolving a disagreement with a friend, getting to the end of a stressful time at school or starting a more regular sleeping pattern.

When a young person is depressed, sadness and low feelings do not change or go away with time. These feelings can become overwhelming and stop them from doing or enjoying things they normally would. When a young person is experiencing this, it's very difficult to shift the situation without extra help and support.

While every young person is different, and these feelings are often expressed differently at different ages, some signs that your child may be feeling depressed include:

withdrawing, or avoiding friends or social situations

finding it hard to concentrate, and/or losing interest in schoolwork

not wanting to do things they previously enjoyed

feeling irritable, angry or frustrated

feeling tearful, miserable, lonely or hopeless

feeling empty or numb

being very self-critical, or feeling less confident

sleeping more or less than normal

eating more or less than normal

feeling tired or not having any energy

showing less or no interest in self-care activities like washing

wanting to self-harm

experiencing suicidal thoughts

If your child is experiencing one or two of these things, it does not necessarily mean that they are experiencing depression. But it's important to speak to your GP as a first step so that you can explore what's going on together.

How to help your child with depression and low mood

If you are concerned that your child may be experiencing depression, there are lots of things you can do to help.

We have a list of services and helplines they can use on our reaching out for help page, which you can point them towards.

Top tips for supporting your child with depression.

When to seek professional help

If the situation isn't getting better with time and you're feeling worried about your child's mental health, seek professional support and advice.

Many children and young people will need professional and specialist help to feel better if they are experiencing depression. They may benefit from a specific diagnosis or a treatment such as talking therapy.

You can find more information about how to access professional help below.

Where to find professional help

If your child is experiencing depression and needs ongoing support, it can be helpful to create a support plan together with the professionals around your child - so that you know exactly what help is available and how your child can access it. This could include things like:

agreements with their GP, or their key worker if they are being treated by CAMHS, about when they will next check-in

whether any referrals can be made to other services, and a list of the services available locally that might be able to support them

what your child's school can offer - including a staff member who they can speak to when they're struggling.

people your child trusts and can talk to when they need to, including family and friends.

You can find out more about speaking to GPs, finding a counsellor or therapist, accessing Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), getting help from your child's school and finding local services on our guide to getting help.

Young people's advice for others experiencing depression

Speak to your doctor or a trusted adult about how you're feeling.

Don't be afraid to cry, especially if you're male - it helps to release emotions and you'll feel better afterwards.

I've found that identifying behaviours that are not beneficial to you - like endlessly scrolling through Instagram before bed and sleeping late - can be really helpful. It's hard to force good habits, but it can do wonders for your overall mood.

Try to keep going outside, even if it's just a short walk, it can really help your mood to lift.

Find a distraction technique - we all have different ones; it could be jogging, music, art, reading etc.

Realise that how you're feeling won't last forever and there's always something to look forward to.

If your child is having suicidal thoughts

Young people who are struggling with depression can experience feelings of not being able to go on, or no longer wanting to be alive. This can lead them to think about, speak of, or attempt suicide.

A young person can struggle with thoughts of suicide without acting on them. But these thoughts can also develop into stronger feelings, and a plan or intention to attempt suicide. All suicidal thoughts should be taken seriously, and young people going through this need help and support.

If your child is experiencing suicidal thoughts, or you're worried they might be, we have information and advice that can help. Have a look at our page on suicidal thoughts for advice on how to support them and where you can find help - including how to access urgent help.

For advice on supporting and responding to your child when they're experiencing suicidal thoughts, have a look at the Prevention of Young Suicide (PAPYRUS) website. You can also contact their HOPELINE to speak to an advisor via phone or email.

Looking after yourself as a parent

Supporting a young person who is struggling with depression can be incredibly worrying and exhausting - and it's entirely understandable if you're struggling with anxiety or other difficult feelings yourself at the moment.

It's so important to recognise the impact the situation is having on you, and to think about ways you can take care of yourself - including getting support from other people so that you can take some time off. Remember that it's okay to ask for help when you need it, and to share your worries with someone you trust.

Many parents find it helpful to reach out to other parents so they can talk through how they have handled difficult situations with their children and get support. You may also be able to find a local parent support group using the Charlie Waller Trust directory.

If you need more help, you can find services such as counselling or therapy through your GP and other local organisations, or privately if this is an affordable option for you. Sometimes it helps just having someone there who can listen to what you're going through - and if you need someone to talk to, you can call the Samaritans anytime on 116 123.

You might also find helpful...

Where to get further support

Useful helplines and websites

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

This page was reviewed in March 2023. It was created with parents and carers with lived experience of supporting their child or young person with depression or low-mood. We will next review the page in 2024. YoungMinds is a proud member of PIF TICK - the UK's quality mark for trusted health information.

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Depression & Low Mood | Signs, Symptoms & Treatment

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Depression is a mood disorder where low mood persists for a long time. Read about the symptoms, what support is available and how you can help your child.

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Children and young people grieve just as much as adults but they show it in different ways. They learn how to grieve by copying the responses of the adults around them, and rely on adults to provide them with the support they need in their grief.

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Children and young people grieve just as much as adults but they show it in different ways. They learn how to grieve by copying the responses of the adults around them, and rely on adults to provide them with the support they need in their grief.

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Children and young people grieve just as much as adults but they show it in different ways. They learn how to grieve by copying the responses of the adults around them, and rely on adults to provide them with the support they need in their grief.
Further guidance that may be helpful:
How might bereaved children react and what may help?

Children and young people have a limited ability to put feelings and thoughts into words and tend to show feelings with behaviours rather than words. Reactions will vary greatly as children absorb and process information in different ways at different ages.

The following reactions are common, and are likely to settle over time with reassurance, acknowledging what has happened and their feelings, giving them clear and age-appropriate information, and keeping to normal routines.

Picking up on tension and distress

Children pick up on tension, distress or anxiety in adults, and may mirror this in their own behaviour. Even babies sense that something important is missing, and may cry more than usual. Children of all ages may be clingy or unsettled.

Appearing not to react

Children under 6 years old do not understand that death is permanent. Children cannot handle strong emotions for long periods, and may jump quickly in and out of grief ('puddle jumping'). When told that someone important has died, some children may look blank and ask 'can I play' or 'what's for tea?' They may have heard, but they are not able to process what that means yet. They may react later with sudden crying, outbursts, changes in behaviour or asking questions.

Asking questions and exploring what death means

Children may ask repeatedly: "When's Nanny coming back?" or "Where has she gone?" even though they've been told clearly what has happened. They may hunt everywhere for a 'lost' person, and so a clear explanation of what 'died' means may help. Children may play games where the person dies, or is still alive. They may seem fascinated with death, play-act about death or ask repeatedly about it. All of these are ways that children show that they are processing their understanding of what has happened.

Feeling anxious or insecure

When someone dies, a child's sense of safety is rocked. They may not want to leave you, and may cling to you or follow you everywhere. They may behave as if they are younger: being very quiet or tearful, having temper flare-ups, sucking their thumb, being reluctant to do things they used to do with confidence, or wetting the bed.

Try to keep to normal routines which will help them feel safe, and keep them informed about plans for the days ahead. Tell them who will take them to school or activities. If you need to leave them, tell them when you will be home, or who will be looking after them.
Include them in simple decision-making that affects them. If the person who died was ill, address any fears about the illness (for example that it is not catching), and reassure them that you are not ill and not leaving them.

Anger

Anger and other strong emotions are natural reactions to sad or shocking news, and some children and young people may not be able to understand or manage their own feelings. They may feel angry at the person who died, at family, at themselves or at the world in general.

It can help to tell them it is understandable for them to be angry, as long as they don't hurt themselves or anyone else. Safe ways to release anger include hitting cushions, vigorous physical exercise, messy painting sessions, or going outside to shout very loudly.

Another idea is a 'safe zone' where they can go to calm down. This could be a quiet corner with familiar items that help them to feel safe.

Looking after adults or feeling responsible

As children realise that death is permanent, they also become aware that it happens to other people including themselves. They may be protective and try to look after their important adults and siblings. They may feel that they were somehow responsible for the death.

Primary aged children may show 'magical thinking' where they think 'if I do this, Dad will come back'. They may behave very well to compensate for what's happened, or be less well-behaved because they feel angry or guilty.

Denying what has happened or taking risks

Bereavement can be overwhelming, and can bring huge changes, alongside other challenges that young people face as they grow up. They may want to forget or deny the death or how strongly they feel. They may feel 'what's the point?' with school or social activities. Some young people may be impulsive or take risks, in an attempt to get back some control in a life that for them currently feels very out of control.

What helps grieving children and young people

Every child is unique and will cope with the death of someone important in their own way. There is no magic formula but things that help include:

Clear, honest and age-appropriate information

Reassurance that they are not to blame and that different feelings are OK

Normal routines and a clear demonstration that important adults are there for them

Time to talk about what has happened, ask questions and build memories

Being listened to and given time to grieve in their own way

Further information

More about how children and young people grieve, and what helps:

Finding support

For many bereaved children and young people, they may get all the support they need from those already around them that they know and trust. However, some children and young people may need additional support depending on their situation.

Latest

Most read

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Short films delivered by our support practitioners giving guidance on a range of bereavement topics. Read more

A list of books and resources relating to grief and bereavement and what may help. Read more

Watch short films and read experiences of bereaved families and how support has helped them. Read more

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charity bereavement child death grief loss baby stillbirth miscarriage suicide young people

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Supporting bereaved children and young people

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Children and young people grieve just as much as adults but they show it in different ways. Find out how you can help them and more about child grieving.

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The Mix

0808 808 4994
85258 (crisis messenger service, text THEMIX)
themix.org.uk
Support and advice for under 25s, including a helpline, crisis messenger service and webchat

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Young Minds

0808 802 5544 (Parents Helpline)
85258 (Crisis Messenger for young people – text the letters YM)
youngminds.org.uk
Committed to improving the mental health of babies, children and young people, including support for parents and carers.

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TEXT
A free, confidential, 24/7 text message support service for anyone who is feeling overwhelmed or is struggling to cope. Text the word GREEN to 85258

PHONE
If a child or a young person is in crisis, they can call the 24/7 crisis care line, freephone 0808 196 3550

ONLINE
On our website there's lots of information about the range of support available for children, young people and their families. You can also find information about looking after your child's mental health and make a referral if they need the support of a professional.
www.liverpoolcamhs.com

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On Monday 10th October it is World Mental Health day. The theme this year is 'Make mental health and wellbeing for all a global priority.' To celebrate this day thousands across the country are coming together to say #HelloYellow, we are asking the children and staff to come into school wearing something that it yellow that day. We will be asking the children to make a voluntary donation that will be supporting the Young minds charity.
MYA  (Merseyside Youth Association) will be running two Livestream events, one for KS1 and one for KS2. The children will be taking part in these events and will be completing activities relating to them.

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Xmas Alternative to Crisis-Drop-In - Young Person's Advisory Service

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We are open for the Alternative to Crisis Drop-In which available in our central hub over the Christmas Period please see below for the details.

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Virtual Coffee Morning: Managing Anxiety

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Virtual Coffee Morning: Managing Anxiety

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mhst virtual coffee morning: managing anxiety

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mhst virtual coffee morning: managing anxiety tickets

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MHST Virtual Coffee Morning: Managing Anxiety

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Eventbrite - YPAS presents MHST Virtual Coffee Morning: Managing Anxiety - Tuesday, 18 October 2022 - Find event and ticket information.

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On 7th November, the Year 5 children will take part in an interactive workshop. This will enable them to become ROCKET resilience champions within their school.

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On 7th November, the Year 5 children will take part in an interactive workshop. This will enable them to become ROCKET resilience champions within their school.

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A one-day, interactive course aimed at primary aged children to enable them to become ROCKET resilience champions within their schools.

The role of the group is to look at what the school already does to promote resilience, but also where the areas for improvement are regarding resilience, and how the resilience champions can improve on these. Throughout the course we make reference to Resilient Ralph - so for those schools who have received the ROAR Training, the ROCKET Course really compliments and works alongside ROAR, both of which have been developed by the MYA RAISE Team.

When developing ROCKET, we consulted with primary schools in Liverpool to ensure the course would be useful and beneficial to the school, trialling the final course to these two schools which gained really positive feedback from both children and staff.
Who can ROCKET be delivered to?
The course can be delivered to up to 25 children in a full days training, or over a 5-week period. We recommend the course being delivered to year 5 and 6, but during the trial, there were some children from year 4 too, which also worked well.

You can target a specific year group or have a mix across year groups.
The course is split into five separate workshops:

1. What is resilience?

2. What is mental health?

3. What makes a good resilience champion?

4. Fuel for your ROCKET!

5. ROCKET Den - launching the ROCKET in your school to become ROCKET resilience champions.

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The role of the group is to look at what the school already does to promote resilience, but also where the areas for improvement are regarding resilience, and how the resilience champions can improve on these.

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Flourishing Families is a whole family approach therapeutic service aimed at families with children and young people aged 5 – 25. Each member of the family will be assessed on their own needs and the appropriate intervention is offered to support the family member.

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What is Flourishing Families?

Flourishing Families is a whole family approach therapeutic service aimed at families with children and young people aged 5 - 25. Each member of the family will be assessed on their own needs and the appropriate intervention is offered to support the family member.

Flourishing Families can support with :

Behaviour improvement

Improve social and emotional wellbeing

Reduce vulnerability and victimisation which could lead to bullying, criminality, violence

Prevent offending behaviours which could include bullying, criminality, violence

Enable recovery from trauma and adversity

Improve access to opportunities

For employment and training

By...

Improving family attachment and relationships

Supporting with therapeutic recovery from trauma and adversity

Reducing isolation and increasing engagement in the community

Supporting children, young people, and families to receive the support they need engage with services

Empowering families to recognise and reduce vulnerabilities which could be related to adversity or trauma

How do I know if my family is suitable for this service?

Families with children or adolescents aged between 5 and 25 years presenting with internalised or externalised signs of having experienced trauma and/or adversity. This could include (but is not limited to) any one or more of the following experiences:

How do we get support?

Referrals for the Flourishing Families service can be made via the YPAS referral form (click here to view) - please send referrals to [email protected]

Please state clearly on the referral form you are requesting Flourishing Families service.

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What is Flourishing Families? Flourishing Families is a whole family approach therapeutic service aimed at families with children and young people aged 5 - 25. Each member of the family will be assessed on their own needs and the appropriate intervention is offered to support the family member.

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Wellbeing & Mental Health Policy 2025-2026

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There are a range of topics covered to improve the knowledge and understanding of mental health among children and young people. Many of these training opportunities are bitesize, which means they’re up to one hour in length and are delivered personally online by a mental health professional.

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Members of the Liverpool CAMHS Partnership design and deliver an ongoing programme of training opportunities.