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Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)

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Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) is a set of specialist services (Child and Family Service; Inspire - children's learning disability team) for young people of all abilities to support with mental health, emotional and psychological difficulties.

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Infographic Video - Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD)

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Mrs Bayliss - SENDCO and Assistant Headteacher

Mrs Gleeson - Family and Pupil Support Officer

Mrs Wainwright - Teacher of the Deaf and Assistant Headteacher

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We aim to support all our children equally, whatever their need, disability or concern.

We will be putting examples of how we can support your chidlren on this page.

Please find below our Local Offer and SEND policy
SEND Information Report 2021-22 (Local Offer)

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We aim to support all our children equally, whatever their need, disability or concern. We will be putting examples of how we can support your chidlren on this page. Please find below our Local Offer and SEND policy SEND Information Report 2021-22 (Local Offer)

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Welcome to Wolverhampton's Local Offer of support for children and young people with Special Educational Needs or who are Disabled (SEND). Find out more about our Local Offer.

UPDATE.
Here you will find the Outcome of inspection of SEND services in city published | City Of Wolverhampton Council .

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Wolverhampton Local Offer | Wolverhampton Information Network

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Welcome to Wolverhampton's Local Offer of support for children and young people with Special Educational Needs or who are Disabled (SEND). Find out more about our Local Offer. UPDATE. Here you will find the Outcome of inspection of SEND services in city published | City Of Wolverhampton Council .

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Wolverhampton Information, Advice and Support Services for SEND (WIASS)

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Wolverhampton Information, Advice and Support Services for SEND (WIASS)

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Wolverhampton Information, Advice & Support Service

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Welcome to the 0-19 service in Wolverhampton. We provide services including health visiting, school nursing, and the Partnering Families Team (PFT).

We follow a public health approach and our main aims are health promotion; health protection; prevention of ill health and accidents; and early intervention.

Clinically the services are provided by qualified health visitors, school nurses and midwives. All services are supported by a range of clinical and clerical colleagues.

Pregnant women, children and young people from the age of 0 to 19 and their families.

We accept referrals from anyone, including professionals, children, young people and family members. To access the service, please call:-

For health visiting and school nursing: 01902 441057For Partnering Families Team: 01902 446288

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Welcome to the 0-19 service in Wolverhampton. We provide services including health visiting, school nursing, and the Partnering Families Team (PFT). We follow a public health approach and our main aims are health promotion; health protection; prevention of ill health and accidents; and early intervention.

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For the health and wellbeing of our team and prioritising sessions for young people at this challenging time, we are currently operating limited opening hours.

Our phone lines are currently open during session hours (5pm-8.30pm), but for all other queries please use one of the following options:

For Youth Work and session queries, please email
youthworkeronline@thewayyouthzone.org
For Safeguarding, please email
safeguarding@thewayyouthzone.org
For Fundraising queries please email
fundraising@thewayyouthzone.org
For HR and Recruitment, please email
recruitment@thewayyouthzone.org
For Mentoring, please email
thewaymentoring@thewayyouthzone.org
For anything else, please email
info@thewayyouthzone.org
Thank you.

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For the health and wellbeing of our team and prioritising sessions for young people at this challenging time, we are currently operating limited opening hours.

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Wolverhampton SNEYS (Special Needs and Early Years Support) 

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Wolverhampton SNEYS (Special Needs and Early Years Support) 

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Wolverhampton Special Needs Early Years Service

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Wolverhampton Respite for families of a SEND child

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Wolverhampton Respite for families of a SEND child

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Ever wanted to do something special?

This is care when a foster carer helps a family cope with the wide-ranging demands of a child with learning or physical disability by providing care on an occasional or regular basis perhaps for a day, overnight, weekend or longer.

Here at Fostering for Wolverhampton we are looking for people to join our specialist short break foster carers providing family based overnight short break care for disabled children.

Children with disabilities are children first and foremost, and they need stability and security as other children do, as well as the sensitivity, warmth and care you can offer.

You can help to shape a positive future for a disabled child by offering parenting skills and the support they need for their growth and development.

Family based overnight short breaks give the disabled child the chance to spend quality time outside of their own family and can help them become more independent, widen their horizons and form new friendships.

At the same time their families get a regular break from the demands of caring for a disabled child and a much-needed chance to recharge their batteries.

Have you got what it takes?

Our specialist short break foster carers for disabled children come from all sorts of backgrounds with differing levels of experience and skills. You may have cared for a disabled child within your own family. Either way you will have some experience of caring for a child with a disability and the motivation to offer care and support to children with a wide range of additional needs. These could include some physical and/or learning disabilities, or they may be on the autism spectrum.

What we can offer you

Full training, support and development opportunities

Great job satisfaction

Excellent pay and allowances

A growing fostering community where most of our foster carers stay with us for years

A swift and supportive assessment process that can take around 16 weeks for approval

A diverse community where we embrace foster carers from a wide range of backgrounds, communities and ethnic groups

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This is care when a foster carer helps a family cope with the wide-ranging demands of a child with learning or physical disability by providing care on an occasional or regular basis perhaps for a day, overnight, weekend or longer.

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Inspire learning with our magical games for kids.

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Brain Games For Children - Fun Exercises for Brain Training | MentalUP

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Level up to your mind with these award-winning and fun brain games. Scientific brain exercises with math, vocabulary, logic, and many more. Play now!

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Useful apps for improving English skills

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Useful apps for improving English skills

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Speech and Language Therapy in Wolverhampton

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Speech and Language Therapy in Wolverhampton

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The children's Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) service is available to all children and young people aged 0 to 16 years old, or up to the age of 19 years if they are in full time education at school or college.

The service is for children with speech, language, communication and/or eating and drinking difficulties.

The aim of the Speech and Language Therapist is to help the child or young person to reach their full potential by providing assessment, diagnosis and intervention through programmes of activities, individual or group therapy and advice and support. We also have a team of Speech and Language Therapy Support Practitioners who work in primary schools throughout Wolverhampton to provide therapy.

The Speech and Language Therapy team works in close partnership with the child, their family and other professionals such as teachers, nursery staff, health visitors and Early Years workers, to promote positive outcomes for all children.

Anyone can refer a child to this service by completing the referral forms. This includes health visitors, GPs, Consultants, teachers and parents.

All Speech and Language Therapists are registered with the Health Professions Council as the national regulatory body and with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

Please use the links on the left to find out more

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The children's Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) service is available to all children and young people aged 0 to 16 years old, or up to the age of 19 years if they are in full time education at school or college. The service is for children with speech, language, communication and/or eating and drinking difficulties.

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Speech, Language and Communication Mind Map

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Speech, Language and Communication Mind Map

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Welcome to DLD and Me! Spreading the word about Developmental Language Disorder Latest Articles What is Developmental Language Disorder? DLD is a brain difference that makes talking and listening difficult. DLD affects about 2

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Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives

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Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives

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We are Speech and Language UK - we want every child to face the future with confidence. For 1.7 million children in the UK, learning to talk and understand words feel like an impossible hurdle.

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Ready to lean how small emotions get bigger, and how big ones get smaller?

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Supporting Social and Emotional Learning

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Supporting Social and Emotional Learning

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Resources for Emotional Literacy Support Assistants - ELSA Support

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Emotional literacy support assistants - or ELSAs - are teaching assistants trained to provide emotional and social skills support to children.

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What is Sensory Processing Disorder? | Kati Morton

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A range of Occupational Therapy support for life skills

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A range of Occupational Therapy support for life skills

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Life Skills

For children and young people Life Skills means being able to take part in Self Care, Play and Education. You can find general hints and tips to teach children and young people new life skills. There are also sections on Sleep and Listening, Understanding, Talking and Interacting.

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KIDS - Kids Independently Developing Skills

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KIDS stands for Kids Independently Developing Skills and the information on this site is designed to help children and young people be as independent as possible in all aspects of daily living. Information has been provided by Health Professionals in Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

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

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British Sign Language - Learn BSL Online

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British Sign Language online course, free resources, games, information, and greeting cards. Learn British Sign Language today.

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Friends Forever - learn the signs for the whole song

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Uploaded by The Deaf Health Charity SignHealth on 2014-12-10.

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How we can help

RNIB is committed to helping blind and partially sighted people

If you're blind or partially sighted, you've come to the right place for products that help you live independently and enjoy everyday activities. Not sure where to start? Why not have a look at our best sellers, our new products, or our special offers.

We are leading the creation of an accessible world. A world where everyone can participate equally is a better world for everyone.

Our impact

RNIB is dedicated to making a difference

We provided employment advice and information to more than 2,400 people, and supported more than 800 people to stay in work.

Find employment advice

Our Eye Care Liaison Officers (ECLOs) provided vital emotional support to over 60,000 eye clinic patients, their friends, and their families.

Find out more about ECLOs

With the help of our supporters, we raised £61.5 million this year to support and empower blind and partially sighted people.

Get involved

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The homepage of the Royal National Institute for Blind People. Discover how the RNIB supports blind people and those with visual impairments.

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How to sensory circuits for beginners tutorial

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Teach Your Monster: Free Phonics, Reading and Mathematics Games

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Help children learn with our free, award-winning reading, mathematics and phonics games.

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Find out more about dyslexia here, where you will find expert articles and videos.

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Improve Your Spelling, the latest book written by Nessy founder Mike Jones, explains the rules of reading and spelling. It will help teachers teach, and parents to understand how to help their children.

By the end, you'll be a master speller!

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You've found Nessy; World leader in helping children who learn differently. Founded and run by educators and dyslexia specialists, our award-winning programs are guided by the Science of Reading.

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Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that lots of people have. It affects about one in ten people in the UK, including adults as well as children.

If somebody has dyslexia, they may have difficulties with their reading, writing or spelling.

It doesn't affect intelligence and it is not a disease or an illness - it is a condition that someone is born with.

The British Dyslexia Association hold an annual event called Dyslexia Week to raise awareness of the condition.

In 2020, the week will run from 5-11 October.

Read on to find out more about dyslexia and also check out our Newsround Special on it here.

Getty Images

What is it like having dyslexia?

Some people learn special techniques to help them to live with dyslexia on their own, whilst others may need special support to help them to do this.

Figures suggest that even though the condition is quite common, there are a lot of people who are living with it without knowing that they've got it. This means that they are 'undiagnosed'.

As with many learning difficulties and conditions, not everybody with dyslexia has the same experience.

Some people might struggle with their reading and writing, while another person with dyslexia might find maths more tricky.

One experience that is quite common is finding it difficult to remember things.

This can affect tasks like going to the shop or remembering what to pack for a particular trip.

People with dyslexia often have good skills in other areas, such as creative thinking and problem solving.

Another way that people with dyslexia might experience the condition is finding that words move about on the page when they try to read.

This can make school work difficult to complete without special help and support.

Radio 1 DJ Mollie King, who has dyslexia, explained: "The prospect of reading out loud in class filled me with dread. It got to the stage where I was so panicked that I'd make up an excuse to leave the room when it was my turn. That's when my teacher suggested I get tested for dyslexia."

When I was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of 10, it came as a huge relief. I'd been feeling like I was stupid and somehow worse than my classmates, and I didn't understand why. But with the diagnosis, everything clicked into place. I knew I wasn't worse than everyone else - I was just different.

How do you manage dyslexia?

There are lots of different ways that children with dyslexia manage their condition. It also depends on their experience of it and how it affects them.

Some children who struggle to remember things may use a voice recorder to set reminders.

Children who have trouble reading might use a coloured overlay over the top of their text to help them to read.

"Reading through a coloured sheet really helps - the colour that works for me is yellow," explains Mollie. "If I put it over, it means I can read from left to right and it stops the words popping out on the page."

Others may benefit from special learning techniques or personal tutoring.

Dyslexia is caused by differences in the language areas of the brain and the connections between them.

It often runs in families and it can affect people of any age from any country.

Dyslexia can't be cured and people who are born with dyslexia have it all their lives - but it can usually be managed if a person is given the right support.

People with dyslexia can go on to be as successful as somebody without the condition - like successful businessman Sir Richard Branson.

Speaking to BBC Newsbeat, Mollie King has some great advice for anybody who is living with dyslexia.

"You're not alone - it's something to be proud of we shouldn't be embarrassed or ashamed and really focus in on those things you are good at," she said.

"For me it knocked my confidence because I couldn't keep up with the pace they read at [in school]. Focus on those things that you're good at - maybe you're sporty or maybe you're very creative."

Dyslexia isn't something that defeats you. The key is being diagnosed as early as possible. It breaks my heart that there could be people out there struggling through life unnecessarily because they've not been diagnosed, and are still feeling stupid the way I did. The better we all understand dyslexia, the more we can help people who have it to reach their full potential.

Getty Images/BBC

If you watched CBBC's music talent show 'Got What it Takes?' then you may remember Georgie.

Georgie has dyslexia and finds it hard reading things like song lyrics.

"It's something that I've found difficult and people don't always understand what it means to have dyslexia" Georgie said.

Georgie says she didn't wanted 'to make a big deal' out of having dyslexia and says it's just something she has.

But she still finds it hard and and hopes that other kids know that it's ok to struggle sometimes.

"I've had so many supportive messages, it's been amazing and that's why I wanted to talk about having dyslexia, I want other people know it's a completely normal thing."

Georgie isn't alone, she even had a special message from musician Freya Ridings who also has dyslexia.

"It was so amazing to get the message from Freya, she has achieved all the things she's achieved.

"That makes you feel as if nothing can stop you from doing the things you want to do."

And, Georgie said Freya is right: "Dyslexia is a superpower!"

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Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that lots of people have. It affects about one in ten people in the UK, including adults as well as children. If somebody has dyslexia, they may have difficulties with their reading, writing or spelling.

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This website places cookies on your computer to improve your experience. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. For more details, see our privacy policy. I agree

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The British Dyslexia Association is the voice for the 10% of the population that are dyslexic

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Dyslexia Awareness Part 1: Module 1 - About Dyslexia

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Amazing Things Happen - by Alexander Amelines

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On Friday 2 April it's World Autism Awareness Day.

The aim of the day, which is organised by the United Nations, is to raise awareness of autism and highlight what can be done to improve the quality of life for autistic people.

Here's everything you need to know about the condition.

What is autism?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) - its medical name - is the name for a range of conditions which affect how a person communicates and interacts with the world around them, as well as their interests and behaviour.

It's not a disease or an illness, but a condition that somebody is born with. People who are born with autism have it all of their lives. Some people prefer to call it 'autism spectrum condition' (ASC) instead of ASD.

You cannot tell that somebody is autistic by looking at them.

It is estimated that about one in every 100 people in the UK is autistic, with more boys than girls diagnosed with the condition - though there are lots of theories about why this may be.

No one knows why people are born with autism, but there's lots of research going on into what causes it.

What is Asperger syndrome?

One form of autism is called Asperger syndrome. Tyler is 11 years old and has Asperger syndrome.

Following the death of his grandma, Tyler suffered from depression and mental health problems.

But, with the help of counselling, he got better and has now written a book all about his condition, his life and how he overcame his problems.

Someone with Asperger syndrome may find it hard to express themselves and how they feel. They may want to make friends and socialise with people just like everybody else, but they might find it very difficult.

Generally, people with Asperger syndrome don't have as many problems with talking, but they might still find it difficult to understand language, so they could struggle to understand how other people are thinking or feeling.

They may have above average intelligence, as they don't have the learning disabilities that many autistic people might have.

However, they may have specific learning difficulties and could need additional support, just like anybody else who is autistic.

How does autism affect people?

Autism affects different people in different ways.

This is why it might take time for someone to be diagnosed, as there isn't one simple list of symptoms and signs to look out for.

Anne revealed that she didn't actually get diagnosed until she was 45, back in 2003.

It can affect the way someone communicates with people, so a person might seem more shut off from those around them because they struggle to interact with them.

Autistic children might choose to play on their own rather than in groups or they might be a lot quieter than everybody else.

It can also have an impact on how a person makes sense of the world around them.

Someone who is autistic might be over-sensitive or under-sensitive to sounds, touch, tastes, smells, light or colours. They might wear special headphones to cancel out sounds so that the noise of the world around them isn't overwhelming.

People who are autistic can be really good at remembering things so they might have a lot of knowledge about one particular subject.

Newsround explores mental health

Because autism affects people differently, some people don't need a lot of help, but others might need extra support throughout their life.

For someone who is autistic, everyday life can be confusing and chaotic.

Their brain works differently so just communicating with people can be really hard.

Simple things like talking to other people, and reading people's body language and expressions can be difficult. Some people will be able to speak, while others may not be able to speak at all. They might use sign language to help with this.

An autistic person might seem like they're not interested in people and find it hard to make friends and meet new people.

They might also find it hard to use their imagination or be creative, so made-up games in the playground might be quite difficult for someone with autism to take part in.

Many autistic people find comfort in having a routine, so it is quite common to want to repeat things. Doing the same things every day can help - for example, playing the same games or eating meals at the same time - or they may engage in repetitive behaviours like turning light switches on and off, opening and closing doors, or lining up objects.

It can be frustrating not being able to communicate in the way that they might like, so this frustration might come out through their behaviour.

More of your inspiring stories

1. Be understanding - While you might find it difficult if somebody who is autistic doesn't want to talk to you or play with you, it's not their fault that they feel that way. They might even be frustrated about it themselves. Be patient and remember, the most important thing is not to take it personally. If you think someone is being rude or unfriendly to you, remember that they don't mean to be. If you're upset about anything, go speak to an adult that you trust about it.

2. Be accepting - The world can be a confusing place for autistic children and adults, and they may behave in a way that you think is a little strange. They might make noises or flap their hands, for example. Be kind and let them behave in a way that they are comfortable with. Don't stare or single somebody out because they are behaving differently.

3. Don't make assumptions - Don't make assumptions about what autistic people are like. It affects different people in different ways. For example, just because somebody who is autistic might struggle to communicate, it doesn't mean they struggle to understand what is being said around them.

4. Ask - If you are at all unsure about anything, go speak to an adult that you trust. You can speak to them about ways you might be able to help your friend with autism to make sure that they are OK.

World Autism Awareness Week 2021 takes place from 29 March to 4 April.

If you have any more questions about the condition or want to find out more, speak to an adult that you trust - maybe a parent, teacher or another relative - or you can speak to your local doctor, who will have lots of information and advice if you need.

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Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the name for a range of conditions which affect how a person communicates and interacts with the world around them, as well as their interests and behaviour.

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Watch My Autism and Me - a Newsround special

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Autism is a condition that affects the way you live your life and see the world around you. Find out more about what it means with our special programme.

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Support, Advie and services for children with Autism

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Support, Advie and services for children with Autism

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Child Autism UK helping children

Child Autism UK helps children with autism achieve their potential. We provide services to enable children to overcome difficulties with communication, learning and life skills and give families the techniques and strategies to cope with autism through the use of evidence-based strategies. Child Autism UK also provides training for families, schools and professionals working with young children.

Autism, according to the NHS Information Centre, is estimated to affect around 1% of the UK population. That's 700,000 people who live with the condition. Autism is a lifelong condition but the difficulties autistic people in life can be significantly managed through support at an early age. Skill and coping strategies learned as children have lifetime relevance and can make an enormous difference to their ability when they become autistic adults to make the most of their lives.

Is my child autistic?

Often the first contact between a family and Child Autism UK is when a family is struggling to come to terms with any distress their child may be experiencing and any behaviours they may have. Child Autism UK provides a helpline that can provide parents in this situation with valuable advice. We offer information to help them make informed decisions about their next steps.

How do we get a diagnosis for autism?

Assistance available for the families of autistic children depends on the diagnosis of the child and how the child is being affected by the condition. The diagnosis process and the Education and Healthcare (EHC) Plan process are significant hurdles. Child Autism UK provides advice and support to families facing the processes on which funding for the treatment of the condition depends. We can also provide a limited number of Bursaries to families unhappy with their final EHC Plan (subject to meeting eligibility criteria).

What support is available for autism?

There is a range of support that can be put in place to help your child overcome obstacles they are experiencing. Child Autism UK promotes early behavioural intervention based on strategies from Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). This ensures children learn life skills and coping mechanisms that will equip them for life within education and adult life. ABA used within a properly designed programme at an early age can help transform the lives of autistic children and their families.

Child Autism UK

Child Autism UK has been providing services in the UK for over 25 years. Under our previous name 'Peach', we were instrumental in establishing ABA in the UK. We have a very dedicated team that continues to provide excellent services, and information and advice to parents. We want every autistic child to reach their potential. We really value partnerships working with families, schools, other professionals and ABA practitioners.

Child Autism UK has been involved in setting standards and ethical practises in the UK for many years and the CEO and Clinical Manager are involved through the UK Society for Behaviour Analysis. The UK-SBA sets standards and ensures ethical and values-led practise of Behaviour Analysis here in the UK. Their register of practitioners is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) and all Child Autism Staff are registrants.

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Support, advice and services for autistic children - Child Autism UK - releasing potential

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Peach offers early intervention for young children with autism and is the leading UK provider of EIBI / ABA (Applied Behavioural Analysis) services and support.

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Autism West Midlands | Supporting the Autistic Community

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We use our passion and expertise to enrich the lives of people on the autism spectrum and those who care for them.

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Charity support for SEND children through access to pet sessions

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Charity support for SEND children through access to pet sessions

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Latest news

The Duke and Duchess visited our fantastic Sensory Activity Centre and Community Aquarium on the 13th May 2021, as part of #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek. Read more

Listen in to the interview with our Project Manager, Hannah and 'Make a Difference Reporter, Amber from BBC Radio Wolverhampton. Read more

Ormiston New Academy Press Release on HugglePetsCIC's 6 Week Animal Assisted Intervention Programmes to support the Mental Health and Wellbeing of their pupils Read more

Latest events

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The Duke and Duchess visited our fantastic Sensory Activity Centre and Community Aquarium on the 13th May 2021, as part of #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek. Read more Listen in to the interview with our Project Manager, Hannah and 'Make a Difference Reporter, Amber from BBC Radio Wolverhampton.

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Voice4Parents is a group of parents and carers, living in Wolverhampton, whose children and young people have a range of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). It is our aim to ensure the voice of parents and carers in Wolverhampton remains at the heart of service planning and delivery.
Keep in Touch!
admin@voice4parents.co.uk

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Voice4Parents - Wolverhamptons Parent Carer Forum - Giving a voice to parents and carers of children and young people 0-25) with additional needs

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Voice4Parents is a group of parents and carers, living in Wolverhampton, whose children and young people have a range of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). It is our aim to ensure the voice of parents and carers in Wolverhampton remains at the heart of service planning and delivery. admin@voice4parents.co.uk

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The Gem Centre, Neachells Lane, Wednesfield, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV11 3PG

Contact details
Contact:Lucy Harris
Email:Ias.service@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Confidential and impartial information, advice and support to parents and carers of children with an sen/disability. Our aim is to empower parents with the knowledge and confidence they need to work with professionals in relation to their child. We also offer the same support to children and young people.

Opening hours:
Monday to Thursday 8.30am - 5pm
Fri 8.30am - 4.30pm

Telephone:01902 556945
Website: visit website

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The Gem Centre, Neachells Lane, Wednesfield, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV11 3PG Contact:Lucy Harris Email:Ias.service@wolverhampton.gov.uk Confidential and impartial information, advice and support to parents and carers of children with an sen/disability. Our aim is to empower parents with the knowledge and confidence they need to work with professionals in relation to their child.

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Marcus has autism and ADHD. Symptoms of ADHD include inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness.

He says some of the things people get wrong about ADHD are "we're just naughty, and obnoxious and don't listen at all".

He says these views can be quite "upsetting", but he sees ADHD as his super power.

Watch Marcus, who is an ADHD Foundation Young Ambassador, tell Newsround about how ADHD affects him and how his service dog Cocoa helps him

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Marcus: How ADHD affects me and why being different is good - CBBC Newsround

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Marcus has autism and ADHD. Symptoms of ADHD include inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. He says some of the things people get wrong about ADHD are "we're just naughty, and obnoxious and don't listen at all". He says these views can be quite "upsetting", but he sees ADHD as his super power.

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The ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity - an integrated health and education service.

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If your child is struggling to manage their ADHD, here are some ways you can support them and places you can get help.

Get advice and updates directly to your inbox

Join our fight for children and young people's mental health. Sign up to the YoungMinds mailing list to receive our monthly e-newsletter, campaign updates, information about events and fundraising and other opportunities to get involved in our work.

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Guide Menu for Supporting your child with ADHD

Children and young people with ADHD often have lots of energy and difficulty concentrating. They might also find it hard to control what they say or do. For example, they might speak without thinking first, or find that they do things on impulse.

About one in three people diagnosed with ADHD as a child will grow out of the condition and not require any treatment as adults. Those who receive specialist treatment tailored to their needs often see the benefits in their learning, friendships, employability and life skills as they understand how best to cope and adapt.

ADHD diagnosis requires a specialist (child psychiatrist or paediatrician) assessment. This involves observing your child, obtaining reports of their behaviour at home and at school and sometimes using computerised tests. If your child is diagnosed with ADHD, these observations then inform a support plan that aims to ensure your child can flourish and achieve their full potential.

How can I help my child with ADHD?

Download our full Parents Helpline guide to ADHD

For more information and advice, you can download our full Parents Helpline guide to ADHD. The guide includes:

information about ADHD, its symptoms and getting a diagnosis

information about challenges you and your child may face, and tips for overcoming them

quotes from young people living with ADHD on what it's like for them

advice on how you can support your child with ADHD

a list of helplines and services you can use

Where to get further support

Useful helplines and websites

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Help Your Child With ADHD | Parents Guide to Support

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If your child is struggling to manage their ADHD, here are some ways you can support them and places you can get help. Get advice and updates directly to your inbox Join our fight for children and young people's mental health.

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NCMH (National Centre for Mental Health)

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Disability in Sport ft. Ade Adepitan | Voice Box | Childline

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Climate activist Greta Thunberg on why being on the spectrum is her “superpower”

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ADHD and What I Would Tell #MyYoungerSelf | Michael Phelps

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Mollie King - Living with Dyslexia | Newsround

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Did you know these 9 famous people are dyslexic?

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Madeline explains what happened when her daughter Eleanor, who has Down’s Syndrome, started primary school.

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CBeebies Grown-ups: Time For School: Tips for preparing your child for Reception

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Starting secondary school - BBC Parents' Toolkit - BBC Bitesize

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Advice for parents who have a child starting secondary school this year, with tips on the emotional and practical sides of the transition.

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How to help with those first few weeks.

Show your confidence in your child so that they believe in their own confidence. Avoid taking over tasks that they can do themselves - it can sometimes be hard to hold back on trying to help.

Be ready to listen, but don't expect your, "how has your day been?" end-of-day question to be answered. Just be there when your child wants to talk, so that if they have a tough day or a worry, they know you are available.

If your child feels they are being bullied or tells you of a circumstance that you consider to be bullying, contact the school for a confidential conversation to deal with this.

Welcome their new friends into your home and make them feel at ease

Subtly increase your child's independence with practical experiences such as popping out to the shops or getting them to take more responsibilities like getting their own school uniform ready

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How to help with those first few weeks. Show your confidence in your child so that they believe in their own confidence. Avoid taking over tasks that they can do themselves - it can sometimes be hard to hold back on trying to help.

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Moving Up! The transition to secondary school

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Wolverhampton Healthy Minds is a psychological therapies service for people experiencing common mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and stress. Part of the Black Country Healthy Minds family.

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Mentor Link has various volunteering opportunities available. Find out more about becoming a mentor, helping out with fundraising and administration, and volunteering in our Charity Shop by clicking here.

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Mentor Link has various volunteering opportunities available. Find out more about becoming a mentor, helping out with fundraising and administration, and volunteering in our Charity Shop by clicking here.

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5 ways to support my child's mental health

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5 ways to support my child's mental health

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An easy way to understand wellbeing is to say it's 'feeling good and doing good'.

Here are five ways you can help children keep their wellbeing topped up - and your own, too.

For many, it's going to be harder to get outside and move around, but we still need to keep active. When we move our bodies, it has a positive effect on how our brain works, as the brain starts releasing chemicals that make us feel good.

* Host a home disco. Play the family's favourite dance songs and have a boogie for ten minutes.

* Watch BBC Super Movers videos. These short films can get the whole family moving (and learning). Learning routines (or just attempting them) means your child's brain and body (and yours!) are keeping active and engaged.

* Blow up a balloon. Once you've tied it, see how long you can keep it up in the air while passing it between you.

Having more time at home together may also put additional stress on family relationships so give everyone in the family a chance to refuel. It can be as simple as curling up on the sofa together and watching a film or some cartoons - and then chatting about your favourite bits.

Having these sorts of conversations can help to make the positive buzz of watching (and laughing) together last for longer. It'll also improve your child's ability to reflect on their experiences and talk about their preferences.

Stories are another great way to help children recharge as they lose themselves in wonderful fictional worlds. There are likely to be some old favourites they want you to read again, as they'll take comfort from hearing a familiar tale (for children, knowing how it ends is a good thing, not a spoiler alert!).

It's helpful for children (and adults) to have a healthy balance of emotions in a day. Fears and anxieties about the current situation may, at times, overpower our positive emotions unless we make a conscious effort to re-address this balance.

Here are a couple of ways you can help your child to achieve this balance:

* Make a 'Top Times' scrapbook. Help your child to create a scrapbook of memories, with printed out photos, drawn pictures, saved tickets and other bits and pieces stuck in to help them remember. These don't have to mark occasions; they can capture smaller moments of joy, like throwing a ball for a dog or seeing a rainbow.

Once you've built a collection of pages (and maybe several scrapbooks), you can enjoy looking through them together.

* Create a gratitude jar. Another way to take in the good stuff is to write down a little note when something's gone well and keep it in a jar or box. Younger children may prefer telling you what to write so you can record the experiences for them. As they get older, they may want to write their own notes.

You can encourage them by doing this alongside them. The great thing about a gratitude jar is you can revisit it on days when you need a little boost to remind everyone of the things you've been grateful for.

Building gratitude habits doesn't mean we diminish the struggles that children (and we) experience. It's really important to talk about these difficult moments too. But, having a time in the day when you focus on the positive can be useful in helping children to keep their thoughts balanced.

Having more time at home offers an opportunity to set some goals about new things you and your child want to learn. It could be something that helps encourage their independence when they return to school, like tying their own shoelaces or buttoning up their coat. Or it could be something that helps at home, such as how to put their clothes away or helping out with washing up. When children feel they're contributing to family 'work', it can enhance their sense of belonging. If your child is capable of doing things for themselves, give them as many opportunities as you can to practise these skills.

Whatever the learning goals, it can be helpful if children understand they can improve their skills and abilities. This is often referred to as a 'growth mindset' since it's about realising we all have the ability to change the way we think and do things. So, whether it's tying shoelaces, learning to spell, or even how to hop on one leg, the way adults talk to children about the learning will influence those children's beliefs.

Here are two ways to encourage your child to adopt a growth mindset:

* Add the word 'yet'. Changing the way you talk about intelligence and ability can help your child understand that learning is a process - our skills and traits aren't fixed from birth. When your child claims "I can't do this" (whether they're talking about a new hobby, homework, or anything else), say: "You can't do it yet".

Adding and emphasising this tiny word subtly reinforces the learning process and may help them to try again.

* Practise (and fail) with your child. Trying new things can be scary, but it's often less daunting when you do it with others. As a family, you might decide to try something new and celebrate your learning and your failures when it doesn't work (the first, second, or even the ninety-ninth time!).

Being able to support your child's wellbeing also involves taking care of yourself. As a starting point, try and eat nutritious healthy food; it's a great idea to turn cooking into an activity the whole family takes part in. Life can often feel very busy and parents give themselves a hard time about being unable to do everything perfectly. Remember, though, there are no 'perfect parents'.

We all get things wrong, we all have days when we struggle. And while it may be true that you might not have done everything 'perfectly', you've probably done more things to support your child's wellbeing than you realise. So, try and focus on what you're doing well - it's not you being boastful, it's actually really helpful for your child to do this. Children can learn a lot from hearing adults respond kindly to themselves when things don't work out - and then from seeing the grown-ups try again. Notice how you speak to yourself about your mistakes. If you can cultivate kindness towards yourself, your child is more likely to practise this when they get things wrong too.

It might also be useful to take a moment and think about the activities, people and places that help you to feel brighter and refuelled. Even if you can't do these things at the moment, perhaps there are new ways that you can connect with the things that matter to you, like chatting with friends on the phone instead of meeting up. No matter how busy you are, try and squeeze in a little time for yourself. It's likely to help you with the many joys and challenges that parenting can bring.

Dr Hazel Harrison is a Clinical Psychologist with a particular focus on mental health and wellbeing.

For further information check out the rest of Starting Primary School which has lots of ways to help prepare children for different aspects of school life - both practically and emotionally.

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Five ways to support children's mental health

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Clinical psychologist, Hazel Harrison, suggests five ways you can support your child's mental health.

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It can be easy to feel other people's lives are better than our own, especially when we're bombarded with perfect images on social media. We can get stuck thinking others are more beautiful, have more money and fun, or simply 'have more'.

And children are just as susceptible as adults to this comparison trap. So how can we help them (and ourselves)?

One idea is to bring attention to what's working well in your/their life by developing gratitude skills. To develop these skills, you can use techniques such as starting a gratitude jar, writing a gratitude journal or having a gratitude conversation.

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Five steps to help with children's wellbeing

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It can be easy to feel other people's lives are better than our own, especially when we're bombarded with perfect images on social media. We can get stuck thinking others are more beautiful, have more money and fun, or simply 'have more'. And children are just as susceptible as adults to this comparison trap.

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How to boost positivity for your child at home

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How to boost positivity for your child at home

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The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how we live as individuals and as families. We are uncertain about the future and we are limited in what we can do. It's not surprising that we may sometimes struggle to feel happy and motivated.

This is true for both grown-ups and children. How often have we, as parents, felt frustrated or irritable during lockdown? How many times have we found ourselves snapping in situations that we could usually take in our stride? This is the same for children, and it often simply reflects that we have all been facing a difficult situation and need to find better ways of coping with it.

Unfortunately, we can't magically change our feelings, or our children's feelings, by clicking our fingers. However, we can work to change our behaviour, which in turn can influence our emotions.

Here are some tips to help you boost positivity within your family and manage difficult emotions that may arise at this time and in the future.

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How to boost positivity for your family at home

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The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how we live as individuals and as families. We are uncertain about the future and we are limited in what we can do. It's not surprising that we may sometimes struggle to feel happy and motivated. This is true for both grown-ups and children.

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We're an ed-tech company at heart, but we're also aware that too much screen time can have a negative effect on children's well-being. To get the kids off the screens, but still having some serious fun we've compiled a series of free, downloadable non-screen activity sheets for kids so you can print and share. There are six sheets in total and they cover everything from cooking and crafting to music and movement!

Download your copies below:

Download your copy of this sheet here

Download your copy of this sheet here

Want to know more about Pobble?

The Pobble platform has opened up a whole world of possibilities for schools to improve writing. Pupils find inspiration in other children's texts, they learn to formulate good feedback, and they find great pride in seeing their own work published alongside that of thousands of others. Teachers can find and build inspiring lessons, engage their pupils with tools to write, edit, and publish their work, then easily moderate writing judgements online. Pobble provides everything teachers need to teach, improve and assess writing.

Visit Pobble.com today to get started by signing up for a free account.

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Non-screen activities for kids! 6 printable sheets

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We're an ed-tech company at heart, but we're also aware that too much screen time can have a negative effect on children's well-being. To get the kids off the screens, but still having some serious fun we've compiled a series of free, downloadable non-screen activity sheets for kids so you can print and share.

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Prioritising happiness and kindness influences how we approach everything - including our personal lives, families, communities, schools and workplaces. It also shapes our views on public policy and helps us to consider the wellbeing of future generations too.
We have no religious, political or commercial affiliations and welcome people of all faiths (or none) and all parts of society. Our members make a simple pledge: to create more happiness and less unhappiness in the world.

Our patron is The Dalai Lama.

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Action for Happiness is a charity that promotes a happier and more caring society. We promote how to be happy, kindness, connection & wellbeing

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Life can be tough for children with modern day pressures. It can result in anger, worry, anxiety and emotional overwhelm. If your child is experiencing stress at school or home, such as friendship issues, exams or sibling rivalry Chatterminds can help.

Chatterminds helps to...

Equip children and adults with the skills and benefits of mindfulness

Enable young people to name and recognise different emotions and how they feel in the body

Empower young people to regulate their emotions and foster an ethos of kindness and gratitude

Support young people with their friendships, giving them the confidence to stand up for themselves whilst still being kind

Build resilience and self-esteem

Equip young people with skills to nurture their mental health, with an emphasis on positive self-care

Why not join the Chatterminds Facebook group?

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Life can be tough for children with modern day pressures. It can result in anger, worry, anxiety and emotional overwhelm. If your child is experiencing stress at school or home, such as friendship issues, exams or sibling rivalry Chatterminds can help.

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Kooth is your online mental wellbeing community. Access free, safe and anonymous

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YoungMinds | Mental Health Charity For Children And Young People

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YoungMinds are a mental health charity for children, young people and their parents, making sure all young people can get the mental health support they need.

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Special Needs Jungle provides parent-centred information, news, resources and informed opinion about SEN, disability, children’s health and SEN politics

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

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(IPSEA) Independent Provider of Special Education Advice

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(IPSEA) Independent Provider of Special Education Advice

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IPSEA (Independent Provider of Special Education Advice) - helping children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get the education they are entitled to by law

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We’re Sense, the national disability charity. We believe everyone should be able to take part in life, no matter their disability.

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Supporting children with additional needs

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Supporting children with additional needs