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Ideas to support a child at Christmas that finds the change in routine challenging. 

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Ideas to support a child at Christmas that finds the change in routine challenging. 

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Adoption Partnership South East Christmas for Children and Young People who have experienced trauma

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Support with navigating SEND processess

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Do you need some support responding to an EHCP or a Working Document? Join one of our online clinics where we'll guide you through the process.

Impartial Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support (SENDIASS) in Hampshire

Hampshire SENDIASS is an impartial Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) that aims to make a positive and lasting difference for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disability (SEND) and their parents and carers. We do this by providing timely confidential, impartial information, advice and support through our online resources, at events and workshops, via our helpline service and through individual casework.

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Hampshire SENDIASS is provided by Polaris Children's Services, part of a leading Children's Services Group with over 24 years of experience in supporting children, young people and their families to build brighter futures.

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If you can't find what you need, feel free to get in touch with us, our opening hours are Monday-Thursday, 9am-5pm, and on Fridays 9am-4pm . Outside of these hours please use the Contact Us Form. We aim to respond to all enquiries within 2 working days.

0808 164 5504

The Local Offer includes information about education, health, social care, preparation for adulthood, leisure services and impartial information advice and support. Hampshire's Local Offer (co produced with parents, carers and young people) aims to help you find your way through the maze of information to reach the best solutions for you/your child.

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Hampshire SENDIASS | Impartial SEND Advice & Support

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Hampshire SENDIASS provide information and support to Children & Young People with special education needs and/or a disabilities.

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1. Over 90% of families in Hampshire organise their own journeys to school. They walk, cycle, use public transport, lift-share with other families or take their child to school in the family car. Have a look at Hampshire County Council's Travel to school page for ideas and information. For a minority...

2. 100% of school leaders believe that food and diet can affect cognitive function and children's learning progress, according to the latest survey results from HC3S, Hampshire's main school lunch provider. 90% of schools value HC3S as a partner in supporting nutrition at school, so find out more about how HC3S...

3. We would like to hear from young people in Hampshire about what you would like to see on this website. What information would be helpful for you that's not on here? What do you like about this website? What do you not like about this website? Any feedback...

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Family Information and Services Hub | Hampshire's Local Offer for Special Educational Needs and / or Disabilities

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Your Local Offer - Information and services available in Hampshire for children and young people (birth to 25) who have Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) The Local Offer includes information about education, health, social care, preparation for adulthood, leisure services and impartial information advice and support....

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Provides evidenced based parenting programmes for parents and carers who have children aged 5-17 who:
1. Have a diagnosed Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC)
2. Have a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
3. Are experiencing mild-moderate conduct disorder
4. Have behaviour that challenges
5. Are teenagers displaying anti-social behaviour including child to parent violence

We offer the following programmes with wrap-around support:
Cygnet (for ASC) Core programme, with additional supporting siblings and puberty, sexual health and relationships modules
The Parent Factor for ADHD
Family Links The Nurture Programme
Teen Positive Parenting Programme
Talking Teens

Parents and carers can self enrol on to a parenting programme or can be referred by a health, education or early help professional.

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Hampshire Specialist Parenting Support Service

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Provides evidenced based parenting programmes for parents and carers who have children aged 5-17 who: 1. Have a diagnosed Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) 2. Have a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) 3. Are experiencing mild-moderate conduct disorder 4. Have behaviour that challenges 5.

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Hampshire Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) are an NHS service that aims to help young people up to the age of 18 who are finding it…

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Hampshire Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) are an NHS service that aims to help young people up to the age of 18 who are finding it…

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We support Hampshire primary schools with children who have social, emotional and mental health needs that result in challenging behaviour in school

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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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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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Parenting and mental health - Beyond Blue

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Find parenting information and resources to support mental health and wellbeing for children, young people and families.

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Holybrook-guide-to-the-Zones-of-Regulation.pdf (holybrookacademy.co.uk)

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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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Support Links Archive - The Blurt Foundation

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The Association has a countrywide network of phone, e-mail and postal volunteers, who have had, and recovered from post-natal illness. The volunteers are carefully vetted to ensure that they are completely well, that they have had no previous mental illness and that they are not opposed to drug therapy.

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Inside: Kid-friendly coping skills used to help manage anger, including safe ways to express anger, books to read and videos that can help. This post contains affiliate links. Learn more.
It's starting again, as usual, right after your son gets off the school bus. He is frustrated from things that happened during the day, and now he's yelling and stomping around the house. You're feeling overwhelmed and don't know what to do next.
How do you help an angry child?
Here's a collection of the best tools and tips to teach children how to manage their anger in safe and healthy ways. Let's start with some quick, safe ways to help kids express those feelings.

Looking for more quick ideas to help kids express their anger?
Stop sensory meltdowns by hanging upside down 5 simple ways to help children calm angry feelings 10 more ways to help kids manage anger A Different Way to Respond When Your Child is Aggressive
We need to help our kids understand and expect that they will experience a variety of feelings as they go through life, including anger. It's normal to feel angry at times. It's what you do with those feelings that matter.

Here's a great reminder from Imperfect Families that anger is a feeling too.

When a child is in fight, flight or freeze mode, they can't process information as well as when their body is in rest and digest mode. This is not a teachable moment, and they can't take in a lecture at this point. Your goal is to get them through this rough moment. It's best to keep talking to a minimum. When you do speak, make sure you use a neutral, calm, and quiet tone. Keep it short and repeat the same phrase. Repeating it is helpful because they aren't processing information and words as they usually would. Repetition makes it more likely that they'll hear what you are saying.

Phrases that you can say at that moment:

"I'm here for you."

"I love you."

"I want to help you."

"Let me know when you're ready."

"You are mad; I get it."

"I understand."

Looking for some more inspiration for phrases to say? Check this out:
26 Phrases to Calm and Angry Child
When some kids get big feelings, they destroy items around them - rip books, throw toys, etc. If that's the case for your child, it may be helpful for you to set up a safe spot where kids can go when they are angry. In that space, take everything out that can be destroyed or thrown that might injure someone or damage property. If you have more than one floor, set up a safe spot on each level of your home.

If you aren't in the safe spot when your child is dealing with big feelings, move harmful objects out of the way and try to get them to that safe place.

It may make sense to set up their room as a safe place too. We found this helpful when our son was dealing with a lot of angry feelings. We moved his toys and his bookshelf to a different room in the house so he could still play with them. The items that stayed in his room were those things that wouldn't hurt him or us. We did this to keep everyone, including him, safe. And as time went on, and he had better control of his emotions, we were able to add things back to his room.

How to Make a Calm Down Spot at home
Calm Space in Schools
One of the best things you can do is work on teaching coping skills kids can use before things escalate to epic proportions. The trick is practicing when they are in a calm and relaxed mood, not in the moment when they are angry.

Identify Triggers

Start by talking about what's making them angry. Help them identify those triggers, so you both know for the next time. Is it a particular school subject that makes them frustrated? Perhaps being hungry or thirsty? Are their specific noises or locations that are frustrating?

help kids identify where they feel angry in their body

Sometimes, kids don't know they're angry until after the explosion has happened. Help them identify the signs their body gives them that they are feeling angry. Over time, they'll start to recognize that feeling and ideally use a coping skill before things get too overwhelming.

Explore what other emotions they may be feeling

When kids are angry, there are usually other feelings that they are experiencing too. But anger is easy to see and often hides different feelings that lie below the surface. It's sometimes referred to as the "Anger Iceberg." It takes a bit of time to figure it out, but when your child is in a calm place, talk about what other feelings may be hiding underneath their anger.

Read more about the anger iceberg here.

Identify and practice coping skills

Now that they know what causes those big feelings and how to identify them, help them figure out ways to deal with those feelings in safe and healthy ways. Go through the coping skills checklist and have kids check off the skills that work for them, cross off the ones that don't and circle the ones they want to try.

Identify one coping skill your child would like to try. Take a few minutes during the week and have them practice a coping skill they may be able to use next time. For example, if they are going to try using shapes for deep breathing, have them practice before, so they know how it feels. The idea is to have them practice, so they know what it feels like to do it when they are calm.

Using coping skills to deal with big feelings will not go perfectly every time. Learning to manage anger is a work in progress. Little by little, with practice and time, kids will get better at it. Encourage them when they make safe and healthy choices. When they don't, continue to work with them to figure out better steps they can take the next time.

Use a Feelings Thermometer

Using a feelings thermometer can help kids make the connection between their feelings and their coping skills. Here's how you can make an anger thermometer.

How to Make an Anger Thermometer:

Have the child pick out three colors, one for each section of the thermometer and color it in. Then talk about each section.

Ask what it looks like when they are just a little angry, at the bottom of the thermometer. Do they sigh loudly, growl, etc.?

Then move on to the middle section of the thermometer. If they are medium-sized angry, what does that look like? Does their voice get louder? Do they stomp their feet, etc.?

Finally, talk about what it looks like when they are experiencing big anger at the top of the thermometer. What does that look like? Is it yelling, throwing things, etc.?

It isn't always easy for kids to do this. If they are having a hard time identifying what the behaviors were, I tell them what I noticed the last time I saw them get angry. Or, if I haven't seen them angry, I'll give them a prompt to help them, like "When some kids get angry, they yell, is that something you do?"

Once we go through and identify behaviors on the thermometer, then we work on identifying coping skills they can use to calm down. Some examples include getting a drink of water, taking deep breaths, shredding paper, or taking a break.

Make sure they have coping skills that will help them at each level of anger. It's essential to have a variety of coping skills for each level because not all coping skills will work all the time. For some kids, taking a drink of water can help calm them down when they are just slightly angry. However, when they are furious, getting a drink of water won't help. They need to do something different at that point, like take a break.

When Sophie Gets Angry, Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang Poor Sophie has a hard time managing her anger when she has to share gorilla with her sister. It's a visually appealing book to show how big her feelings get and how it looks when she calms down again.

When I Feel Angry by Cornelia Maude Spelman This is part of "The Way I Feel" series. It explains how different things can make you angry, and that feeling angry is an expected part of life, but it's what you do when you're feeling that way that matters.

Cool Down and Work Through Anger by Cheri J. Meiners M.Ed. Another great book that talks about how anger affects your body and suggesting safe ways to express yourself.

Angry Octopus by Lori Lite and Max Stasuyk A great book that actually is a progressive muscle relaxation and deep breathing script for kids. It's wonderful!

Don't Rant and Rave on Wednesdays by Adolph Moser It mentions the consequences of having unchecked anger, and acknowledges that adults struggle with this too. A large part of the book explains different strategies kids can use to express anger in a safe way, which I think is fantastic.

How to Take The Grrrr Out of Anger by Elizabeth Verdick and Marjorie Lisovskis I love using this book for kids who are having a hard time managing being angry. I typically read one chapter at a time with the kids and work on some of the strategies listed in the book.

What to Do When Your Temper Flares by Dawn Huebner This book has lovely illustrations and goes through "anger dousing" methods.

Happiness Doesn't Come from Headstands by Tamara Levitt. This is a beautifully illustrated book all about growth mindset and resilience. Leela wants to do headstands and is getting frustrated, and believes the only way she can be happy is if she does headstands. With the help of a friend, she shifts her focus from what she can't do to what she can and focuses on the journey, not the singular goal is doing a headstand.

The Secret to Clara's Calm by Tamara Levitt. This is another beautifully illustrated book that demonstrates the power of mindfulness in managing big feelings. Clara has a bad temper and has big reactions to small problems, but then that leads to kids not wanting to be around her anymore. She works on learning how to be mindful and manage her big feelings with the help of a bird named Brodhi.

Chillax!: How Ernie Learns to Chill Out, Relax and Take Charge of His Anger by Marcella Marino Craver This is a graphic novel, perfect for the tween set.

It's common for parents to struggle with staying calm when their child is angry. As a mom, I know that's tough, especially when your child is having a difficult time. But it's important to learn to do it. You have to get yourself calm before you can help your child. One of the best ways to help your child is to make sure you stay calm yourself.

Use Self-Talk

Here are some phrases that may help you as you are working with your angry kid:

They're having a hard time, not giving me a hard time.

Share my calm, don't join their chaos.

I am in charge of staying calm, no matter how my child is acting and behaving.

All feelings are OK. My job is to help my kid manage them.

I can remain calm, and be a good example for my child.

Be the thermostat, not the thermometer.

TAKE Deep Breaths

If you're getting upset and about to blow up, try deep breathing. I know, it sounds hokey, but it makes a difference. When you are feeling overwhelmed, your body can go into fight, flight, or freeze mode, but in situations like these, you want to stay in rest and digest mode. By taking deep breaths, you're signaling your body to go back to rest and digest mode. Expand your belly as you inhale, and contract your belly as you exhale. Try taking several deep breaths before you take steps to intervene.

Use a grounding technique

If you're overwhelmed, sometimes it helps to do a grounding exercise to calm yourself down.

FIND your support system

Know that you are not alone. Read what this mom has to say about parenting an angry child. If you don't have a support system, then it's time to find one. Here are some ideas for both in person and online support groups to help you.
In Person Support:
There are lots of places you can get support in person. One resource I love is the National Alliance on Mental Illness. They offer Family Support Groups, which meet regularly. They also offer a 12 week class for parents by parents, called Family to Family Support. Search for your local NAMI chapter here.

Having support for your child outside of your family can be a lifesaver. Talk to the school, teachers and coaches to help support your child during a difficult time. Sharing knowledge about what strategies work, and how you child responds in different environments is invaluable information.

You can also seek help from a licensed therapist to help support you. It's great to have someone to talk through the tough situations you are experiencing. If scheduling an in-person meeting is tough, you can see therapists online at sites like betterhelp.com. Some kids also benefit from seeing their own therapist. Read this to get a little more information about when you should seek outside help for your child.
Facebook Groups:
Did you know you can search for groups on Facebook to find others who are struggling with similar issues to yours? Here are some active Facebook Groups that have been helpful for families.
Note: You may need to apply to some of these groups in order to be added.
Support for Sensory Needs

Raising Poppies

Happy Sensitive Kids Community

Modern Parenting

The Neighborhood, Imperfect Families

The World's Okayest Parents
Coping Skills for Kids Group
As your son continues to stomp and growl, you take a few deep breaths and say to yourself "Be the thermostat, not the thermometer." Then, in a calm voice, you say to your son "I'm here to help. I love you."

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Inside: Kid-friendly coping skills used to help manage anger, including safe ways to express anger, books to read and videos that can help. This post contains affiliate links. Learn more. It's starting again, as usual, right after your son gets off the school bus.

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

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The Dyscalculia Association was set up by Professor Steve Chinn
and Judy Hornigold in February 2018.

The Dyscalculia Association was set up to promote understanding of Dyscalculia and Maths Learning Difficulties generally.

What is Dyscalculia?

Dyscalculia is a specific learning difficulty with mathematics, primarily arithmetic. Research into dyscalculia has lagged far behind research into dyslexia, but this is beginning to even out. Find out more about what Dyscalculia is here

Training Courses

We offer a variety of training courses to assist teachers on assessing dyscalculia, reporting on a diagnosis on dyscalculia and much more. Find out more about our training courses here

Resources

A list of videos, publications created by both Steve Chin and Judy Hornigold and links to useful website and other resources on dyscalculia is available. Find out more here

Contact Us

Please contact Steve and Judy with your questions and bookings here

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The Dyscalculia Association - Understanding Maths Difficulties. Training and Diagnosis.

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The Dyscalculia Association was set up by Professor Steve Chinn and Judy Hornigold in February 2018. The Dyscalculia Association was set up to promote understanding of Dyscalculia and Maths Learning Difficulties generally. Dyscalculia is a specific learning difficulty with mathematics, primarily arithmetic.

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We are the UKs leading charity for autistic people and their families. Since 1962, we have been providing support, guidance and advice, as well as campaigning for improved rights, services and opportunities to help create a society that works for autistic people.

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We are the UKs leading charity for autistic people and their families. Since 1962, we have been providing support, guidance and advice, as well as campaigning for improved rights, services and opportunities to help create a society that works for autistic people.

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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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Videos of how to support different areas of speech and language 

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Videos of how to support different areas of speech and language 

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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Welcome to the Parent Portal, our award-winning speech and language support website for parents, carers and families.

At Speech and Language Link, we understand that supporting your child's language learning, alongside everything else that life demands from you, can be challenging. The Parent Portal provides ideas and advice, information and activities for developing your child's understanding, talking and listening in a way that works for all of your family.

How to use the site? Visit the development tab to help you work out what the next steps are for your child's learning and then go to the stage-appropriate activities section. You don't always need to create a special time for working on listening and talking, use our everyday activities turn many routine tasks into support activities.

Our speech and language therapists have devised support videos for you. Check out the 'Can I have your attention please?' series to help get your child in the right frame of mind for learning and access super fun games and ideas to encourage a range of language skills.

Our activities are designed to fit around normal family life and by implementing some of them every day you can make a real difference to your child's language development.

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Supporting Parents and Carers who support children with SLCN - Speech and Language resources, information and activities

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Communication is key, whether you are the parent or carer of a young child or a teenager. Have a look at our tips for helping you communicate effectively with your child and get in touch to share your suggestions.
1. Make time to talk
Try to find times when your children are most likely to talk - for example, at bedtime, before dinner, in the car - and be available. Try to limit distractions and get really involved in the conversation.
2. If your child is passionate about something then go with it...
Learn about your children's interests - for example, favourite music and activities - and show interest in them.
3. Let them know you're listening
When your children are talking about concerns, stop whatever you are doing and listen. Try to simply listen to their point of view, even if it's difficult to hear and don't interrupt. It's important to let them complete their point.
4. Respond
Try to avoid or soften strong reactions; children could tune you out if you appear angry. Resist arguing about who is right. Instead say, "I know you disagree with me, but this is what I think."
5. Ask the experts....
Parenting and communication are hard, but there are some great resources available to help. Below are a number of great sites offering tips, advice and activities to help you communicate effectively with your children. Check them out and let us know what you think.
Talking Point
We know that each child and situation is different. But we also know that there are some questions that come up again and again. The team of speech & language therapists at Talking Point have written the I CAN Help Factsheets, based on the most frequently asked questions from parents, carers and practitioners. Take a look at the downloadable Factsheets below for information on a wide variety of topics for all ages and stages.
http://www.talkingpoint.org.uk/directory/free-resources-parents The Communication Trust
"Good communication is the gateway to learning, friendships, academic achievement and success at work." To help parents encourage and support children of different ages, The Communication Trust have put together a wide range of resources and activities, check them out here:
https://www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk/resources/resources/resources-for-parents/ Family Lives
Family Lives looks at why communication with teenagers is important, how to encourage it and the 'rules' for good communication.
http://www.familylives.org.uk/advice/teenagers/communicating-with-teenagers/the-importance-of-communicating-with-teenagers/ The National Literacy Trust
You don't need to be an expert to help your child develop good communication skills. All you need is a listening ear and the willingness to chat to your child whenever you can. Here are some top tips and benefits of talking with your baby and young child from The National Literacy Trust.
https://literacytrust.org.uk/resources/tips-talking-your-baby-and-young-child/ Top 10 Talking to Teenagers Tips
One of the most difficult times for any parent is when their child turns into a teenager. For a parent this is likely to be the most painful part of the growing up process aside from the big day when a child leaves home. Children who were previously happy, cheerful and willing to share their world with you can suddenly start to dramatically cut back on communication. Here Parenting.co.uk share their top tips for talking to teenagers.
http://www.parenting.co.uk/help/talking-to-teenagers.cfm Action for Children
Technology is part of our everyday lives - from our smartphones and tablets to our computers, laptops and TVs. So it's natural that our children will grow up skilled using these. Here Action for Children shares advice on using technology to help children's communication skills.
https://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/news-and-blogs/parenting-tips/2017/february/using-technology-to-help-childrens-communication-skills/

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Communication Tips for Parents | Parent Hub

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Communication is key, whether you are the parent or carer of a young child or a teenager. Have a look at our tips for helping you communicate effectively with your child and get in touch to share your suggestions. 1.

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Reading and spelling intervention support for a Dyslexic learner 

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Reading and spelling intervention support for a Dyslexic learner 

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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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TTRS - Touch-type Read and Spell with confidence

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TTRS is a multi-sensory course that teaches touch-typing to help children and adults improve their reading and spelling skills.

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Spellzone - the online English spelling resource

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The Spellzone resource is for students aged six to adult in school, at work and at home. It is also suitable for students learning English as a foreign language and for those with dyslexia. The Spelling Ability Test provides all students with a baseline score and a personalised ‘Course Pathway’. This includes teaching, tests and activities from the Spellzone Starter and Main Courses.

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A site packed with interactive phonics games, phonics planning, assessment ideas and many teaching ideas and resources to help children to learn to hear phonemes, recognise graphemes and develop the blending and segmenting skills that are vital for learning to read and spell.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Any of these reasons are cause to involve a doctor:

Significant daytime sleepiness

Frequent or severe snoring or other abnormal breathing during sleep

Suspected psychological or developmental condition

Considering medications or supplements to aid in sleep

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

Learn more about our Editorial Team

References

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

15. Koulivand, P. H., Khaleghi Ghadiri, M., & Gorji, A. (2013). Lavender and the nervous system. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2013, 681304.
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2013/681304/

16. National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. (2020, June 15). Data and Statistics on Children's Mental Health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/data.html

17. Anxiety and Depression Association of America. (n.d.). Sleep Disorders., Retrieved August 31, 2020, from
https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/related-illnesses/sleep-disorders

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

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Sleep Strategies for Children | Sleep Foundation

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

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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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What Is ADHD?

ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It is a medical condition. A person with ADHD has differences in brain development and brain activity that affect attention, the ability to sit still, and self-control. ADHD can affect a child at school, at home, and in friendships.

What Are the Signs of ADHD?

All kids struggle at times to pay attention, listen and follow directions, sit still, or wait their turn. But for kids with ADHD, the struggles are harder and happen more often.

Kids with ADHD can show signs in any or all these areas:

Inattentive. Kids who are inattentive (easily distracted) have trouble focusing their attention, concentrating, and staying on task. They may not listen well to directions, may miss important details, and may not finish what they start. They may daydream or dawdle too much. They may seem absent-minded or forgetful, and lose track of their things.

Hyperactive. Kids who are hyperactive are fidgety, restless, and easily bored. They may have trouble sitting still, or staying quiet when needed. They may rush through things and make careless mistakes. They may climb, jump, or roughhouse when they shouldn't. Without meaning to, they may act in ways that disrupt others.

Impulsive. Kids who are impulsive act too quickly before thinking. They often interrupt, might push or grab, and find it hard to wait. They may do things without asking for permission, take things that aren't theirs, or act in ways that are risky. They may have emotional reactions that seem too intense for the situation.

Sometimes parents and teachers notice signs of ADHD when a child is very young. But it's normal for little kids to be distracted, restless, impatient, or impulsive - these things don't always mean that a child has ADHD.

Attention, activity, and self-control develop little by little, as children grow. Kids learn these skills with help from parents and teachers. But some kids don't get much better at paying attention, settling down, listening, or waiting. When these things continue and begin to cause problems at school, home, and with friends, it may be ADHD.

What Causes ADHD?

It's not clear what causes the brain differences of ADHD. There's strong evidence that ADHD is mostly inherited. Many kids who have ADHD have a parent or relative with it. Kids also can be more at risk for it if they were born early, are exposed to environmental toxins, or their mothers used drugs during pregnancy.

ADHD is not caused by too much screen time, poor parenting, or eating too much sugar.

How Is ADHD Diagnosed?

If you think your child has ADHD, make an appointment with your child's doctor. They will do a checkup, including a vision and hearing check, to be sure something else isn't causing the symptoms.

To diagnose ADHD, doctors start by asking about a child's health, behavior, and activity. They talk with parents and kids about the things they have noticed. Your doctor might ask you to complete checklists about your child's behavior, and might ask you to give your child's teacher a checklist too.

After gettng this information, doctors diagnose ADHD if it's clear that:

A child's trouble with paying attention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity go beyond what's usual for their age.

The behaviors have been going on since the child was young.

The behaviors affect the child at school and at home.

A health check shows that another health or learning issue isn't causing the problems.

Many kids with ADHD also have learning problems, oppositional and defiant behaviors, or mood and anxiety problems. Doctors usually treat these along with the ADHD.

The doctor can refer you to a child psychologist or psychiatrist, if needed.

How Is ADHD Treated?

Treatment for ADHD usually includes:

Medicine. This activates the brain's ability to pay attention, slow down, and use more self-control.

Behavior therapy. Therapists can help kids develop the social, emotional, and planning skills that are lagging with ADHD.

Parent coaching. Through coaching, parents learn the best ways to respond to behavior problems that are part of ADHD.

School support. Teachers can help kids with ADHD do well and enjoy school more.

The right treatment helps ADHD improve. Parents and teachers can teach younger kids to get better at managing their attention, behavior, and emotions. As they grow older, kids should learn to improve their own attention and self-control.

When ADHD is not treated, it can be hard for kids to succeed. This may lead to low self-esteem, depression, oppositional behavior, school failure, risk-taking behavior, or family conflict.

How Can Parents Help?

If your child is diagnosed with ADHD:

Be involved. Learn all you can about ADHD. Follow the treatment your child's health care provider recommends. Go to all recommended therapy visits.

Give medicines safely. If your child is taking ADHD medicine, always give it at the recommended time and dose. Keep medicines in a safe place.

Work with your child's school. Ask teachers if your child should have an IEP or 504 plan. Meet often with teachers to find out how your child is doing. Work together to help your child do well

Parent with purpose and warmth. Learn what parenting approaches are best for a child with ADHD - and which can make ADHD worse. Talk openly and supportively about ADHD with your child. Focus on your child's strengths and positive qualities.

Connect with others for support and awareness. Join a support group like CHADD for ADHD to get updates on treatment and other information.

ADHD can improve when kids get treatment, eat healthy food, get enough sleep and exercise, and have supportive parents who know how to respond to ADHD.

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ADHD is a common medical condition that can affect kids at school, at home, and in friendships. Learn more about ADHD and how to help kids get the best diagnosis and care.

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

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

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As the new school term started at the beginning of September, and children's sleep starts to settle into a more regular pattern again, we thought it might helpful to make parents aware of how much sleep their child needs and what time they potentially should go to bed.

It's important to note that the hours are on the chart are a guide and it's more important to focus on sleep quality, not quantity, and establish a good bedtime routine and . Just like adults, some children need more sleep, some need less.

However it's one question that we get asked a lot - how much sleep does my child need? While there is no hard and fast rule, the general guide is toddlers need around 12 hours of sleep a night; children aged three to six - 10-12 hours; seven-12 years olds - 10-11 hours; and teenagers - around eight to nine hours.

This means that a seven year old, who wakes at 7am, should ideally be in bed between 7pm and 9pm. For some a 7pm bedtime may not be realistic, especially if you're a working parent who doesn't get home until 6pm and needs to prepare dinner, check homework and sort bath and bedtimes as well as having some quality family time! However, it's not impossible.

When my son was five, he was upstairs by 7pm ready for quiet time. We spent time reading (that's our quality family time - talking about our day and reading a book before bed) and he was often asleep by 7.30pm. He's now 8 years old and he is more likely to be upstairs for 8pm ready for quiet time, with a bedtime of around 8.30pm. Don't get me wrong, we are not rigid with this. Some days my youngest asks to go to bed earlier, some days it's gone 9pm by time we're getting him to sleep but generally on the whole we stick to this routine (even at weekends) as he tends to wake between 6.45 and 7.30am regardless of what time he goes to bed. Our weekends are when we spend quality family time and also catch up on any homework.

Vicki Dawson of The Children's Sleep Charity said: "Sleep is so important in order to ensure that children can meet their full potential in every aspect of their lives. It can be helpful to have an awareness of roughly how much sleep a child needs but we do need to consider that all children are individuals. A good bedtime is really helpful in order to plan the evening routine and fit in quality family time."

What's interesting is that teachers can tell which pupils are well-rested and ready for the day ahead, and which are not. Also, parents don't seem to realise how sleep deprived their children are during the day and how it affects their behaviour and performance at school.

We surveyed teachers a few years ago and we were shocked to find that nearly a quarter (24%) of the teachers questioned admitted that they had had to resort to letting children who are very tired sleep in a corner of the classroom. For two thirds of teachers (65%) the problem is so serious they consider that the long term progress of their pupils can be affected while nearly half (48%) said lack of sleep made children unruly and badly behaved.

Some kids can function well on less sleep than others. It's not set in stone but advises parents on roughly what sort of sleep patterns children of different ages need - many parents don't actually know. A study we did in 2009 showed that 48% of parents with children under 5 didn't know that a 3 year old needs 12 hours sleep a night, 33% didn't know that 6-12 year olds needs 10 hours sleep and 39% didn't know that teens need 8-9 hours a night.

Sleep and children will always be a hot topic and a serious issue so it's important that schools, public health departments and parents all work together to help combat sleep deprivation in children.

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How Much Sleep Does My Child Need? - The Sleep Charity

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As the new school term started at the beginning of September, and children's sleep starts to settle into a more regular pattern again, we thought it might helpful to make parents aware of how much sleep their child needs and what time they potentially should go to bed.

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If your child is routinely waking in the night, it is important that they learn to self-settle rather than seeking a parent or joining a parent's bed. This can be difficult to enforce, and may be emotionally challenging, for both child and parent, but parents should remain firm and assertive.

If your child leaves their bed and seeks you out at night-time, try not to engage them in conversation, but lead them quietly and immediately back to bed. This may need to be repeated several times each night, but it is important that your child learns that they will receive the same response from you each time.

If your child is anxious, the use of a night light, cuddly toy or baby monitor may help them to feel safe and learn how to self-settle.

Praising your child in the morning for staying in bed at night can help reinforce good behaviour; this can be aided by the use of a reward chart or stickers, with a small token prize when a certain number of stickers/rewards have been won.

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Sleep hygiene in children and young people

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This information sheet from Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) explains about sleep hygiene. The lead-up and routine around your child's bedtime is referred to as 'sleep hygiene'. Having good sleep hygiene can help your child both to settle to sleep and

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Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families

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Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families

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We work with professionals to improve the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. Learn about our training, services, research and more.

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Home page for Simon Says Child Bereavement Support charity showing support activities and ways you can support the charity.

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Winston's Wish is the UK's childhood bereavement charity. We support children and their families after the death of someone important.

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Book recommendation - The Invisible String 

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Book recommendation - The Invisible String 

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The Invisible String is a lovely book which offers reassurance to children who may be dealing with loss, loneliness or separation from a loved one.

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Skip to content

-PARENTS MAGAZINE

" The Invisible String by Patrice Karst is a heartwarming story that reassures children that even though they can't always be with a loved one, they're always in each other's hearts."

-TONY ROBBINS

THE INVISIBLE STRING book is "a beautiful way to begin to try, as parents, to instill in children the impenetrable power of the heart, the energy of love, and the flow that can be felt from the grace in every moment."

―United Way (Life Lessons for Little Ones)

"If I could only have one book to use for counseling purposes, this would be it. This book is extremely versatile. It can be used for any type of separation, loss."

―The American Academy of Pediatrics

"Delivers a particularly compelling message in today's uncertain times that though we may be separated from the ones we care for, love is the unending connection that binds us all."

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The Invisible String Book - Patrice Karst | Loneliness | Loss

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Skip to content -PARENTS MAGAZINE " The Invisible String by Patrice Karst is a heartwarming story that reassures children that even though they can't always be with a loved one, they're always in each other's hearts."

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Book recommendation - Badger's Parting Gifts 

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Book recommendation - Badger's Parting Gifts 

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Badger's Parting Gifts: 35th Anniversary Edition of a picture book to help children deal with death

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Badger's Parting Gifts: 35th Anniversary Edition of a picture book to help children deal with death: Amazon.co.uk: Varley, Susan: Books

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We and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and for measurement and analytics purposes. By using our website and our services, you agree to our use of cookies as described in our Cookie Policy.

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Helping Children Smile Again with Amanda Seyderhelm

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Listen to Helping Children Smile Again with Amanda Seyderhelm on Spotify. How do I talk to bereaved children about grief and loss? Set up a therapeutic storytelling group in my class? Build resilience in my team?

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Grief is a natural response to losing someone who is important. It can be a very painful set of emotions, and everyone experiences it differently. The important thing is to allow yourself time to grieve for as long as you need to.

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Grief is a natural response to losing someone who is important. It can be a very painful set of emotions, and everyone experiences it differently. The important thing is to allow yourself time to grieve for as long as you need to.

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Have you ever used the Incredible 5-Point Scale? This is a very simple tool that can be used to teach self-regulation. It was originally designed for children with autism, but it is highly effective with anybody of any age. It's simply a 5-point scale for regulating. It was created by Kari Dunn Buron who describes herself as a pretty good teacher from Minnesota. Although I have not found specific research conducted on the scale itself, it is a form of self-management and similar to other self-management strategies. Self-management is considered an evidence-based strategy by the National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders. Consequently as a tool for implementing self-management, it would be considered evidence-based and you can learn more about self-management strategies in general through the Autism Internet Modules.
This post includes affiliate links. That means if I recommend a resource, I may gain a small commission. You will get, at no extra cost, a resource that can help you in your classroom. See my disclosure statement for more information.
What is it?

The 5-point scale is exactly what it sounds like. A 5-point scale that is developed to help an individual understand and learn when emotions, voices, or whatever you are moderating is getting out of control. It can be developed by the teacher or parent or as a collaboration between the teacher / parent and the individual with autism (or other behavioral issues). I have used it successfully from kindergarten through high school. And many times I think it might be useful for some "typical" adults.

Anger Management Tool

The example below was developed for a student who had difficulty managing anger. A 1 meant everything was fine and 5 meant he was hitting, screaming and crying. The goal was to try to recognize that he was a 2 or a 3. Then he needed to learn to bring the anger level down before it reached a 5. To do this he could take a break, do some deep breathing, or other strategies we had rehearsed with him when he was calm.

Why I Like the 5-Point Scale

Simplicity: How difficult is it to break something down into 5 levels. I have also simplified it with younger children or individuals with more cognitive difficulties to a 3 point scale. I would recommend, if you simplify it, to simplify it as 1, 3, and 5 so that later you can add 2 and 4 if needed. However, I have had folks who used a 3-point scale in the same manner.

Objectivity. By rating feelings and behaviors as numbers, they aren't labeled as good and bad. Being angry isn't bad and we all have been angry. It's what we do to express that anger and manage that anger that matters. The 5-point scale helps individuals with difficulty learn how to manage it in an appropriate way.

Flexibility. This one scale of 5 levels can be used for a wide variety of emotional management, voice levels, anxiety and even understanding other's behavior and social awareness. For instance, the Incredible 5-Point Scale website has one designed for teaching dating rules.

Easy to Use. The 5-point scale, once a student has learned it, gives caregivers and students a shorthand to talk about feelings. I know teachers who model, "I'm feeling like a 3, I better take a break." And the scale gives the opportunity to just say to the individual, "How are you feeling?" and he or she can respond with a number. Then no one around him has to know what that means and he doesn't have to generate much language to express feelings of distress.

Link What to Do with How You Feel. You can use the scale to help students link how they feel with actions to try to reduce their level of stress, anger, voice volume, anxiety, etc. Simply use one of the columns to write actions in. You can have the student generate them with you to talk about it as well.

Resources

So, that is the 5-point scale and why I like it. Let me share some resources to use it.

The first, and most useful resource is Kari and Mitzi Curtis' book which comes with a free CD with blank scales you can use to make your own. The book is a treasure trove of resources for creating and using the scales in a variety of different manners. The new and improved edition of this book goes into much more detail and has so many great examples, it is really a must-have resource for any teacher working with positive behavioral support across the ages.

The Social Behavior and Self-Management book is also a great tool if you are working with adolescents and/or adults to manage and regulate behavior in the community and job sites. The beauty of the scale is that it can be used at any age. This is a small book and relatively inexpensive but it has some great examples of scales appropriate for those of an older age.

The next two books, below, are designed for students to read and I have used them extensively for older students to understand how to use the scales and why it is important.

Looking to use a version of the 5-Point Scale? You can find one in my I Can Handle Making Mistakes Behavior Toolkit!

Have you used the 5-point scale? Please share ideas in the comments.

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The Incredible 5-Point Scale: Review and Tools - Autism Classroom Resources

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Have you ever used the Incredible 5-Point Scale? This is a very simple tool that can be used to teach self-regulation. It was originally designed for children with autism, but it is highly effective with anybody of any age. It's simply a 5-point scale for regulating.

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Reading and spelling intervention support for a Dyslexic learner 

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Reading and spelling intervention support for a Dyslexic learner 

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Literacy Software Overview

The IDL Literacy Intervention is a speaking-computer based multi-sensory system which supports learners with dyslexia and other learning difficulties to increase their reading and spelling ages. The programme was specifically designed for those with dyslexia and is used as an intervention but can also be used effectively as a school wide literacy solution.

Over the last 40 years numerous research studies have shown that IDL Literacy is a proven solution for increasing the reading and spelling ability of pupils with dyslexia and other learning difficulties, including dyspraxia and Meares - Irlen Syndrome, by an average of 11 months after just 26 hours of use. To read a summary of this research click here.

IDL Video Guide

This video is an entire walkthrough of the IDL Literacy programme.
Book Live Demo

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The IDL Literacy Intervention is a speaking-computer based multi-sensory system which supports learners with dyslexia and other learning difficulties to increase their reading and spelling ages. The programme was specifically designed for those with dyslexia and is used as an intervention but can also be used effectively as a school wide literacy solution.

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Cartoon stripes used to teach emotional understanding. 

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Cartoon stripes used to teach emotional understanding. 

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Professor Steve Peters - Consultant Psychiatrist - BA, PGCE, MBBS, MEd, MRCPsych, PhD, DSc, Dip Sports Med.

Steve is a medical doctor; he specialises in mental health and the functioning of the human mind and has dedicated his working life to help people get the best out of themselves and to be in a good place. His current and past experiences include: clinical director of Mental Health Services within the NHS at a district hospital, Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist and Undergraduate Dean at Sheffield Medical School. He has spent 20 years as an examination panel member at the Royal College of Psychiatry and has been an expert advisor to World Anti-Doping Agency.

As an author he has written 4 books including the bestselling self-help book of all time in the UK, The Chimp Paradox, which has sold over a million copies - as per Nielsen TCM Chart 2020.

Other achievements include attending Downing Street for winning the senate award twice for his excellence in teaching. He has been a consultant to over 20 Olympic and national sporting teams and organisations over the course of his career.

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My Hidden Chimp by Prof. Steve Peters | Book | Chimp Management Official Site

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My Hidden Chimp offers parents, teachers and carers some ideas and thoughts on how to help children to develop healthy habits for life.

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Information on dyslexia and how to support it 

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Information on dyslexia and how to support it 

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Our leaflets are bitesize chunks of information for people with dyslexia and for changemakers in different settings. If you'd like to speak with someone about any of the topics in our leaflets, please contact our Helpline on 0344 800 8484 or [email protected]

General information on dyslexia

Children, parents and teachers

Employment and the workplace

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Our leaflets are bitesize chunks of information for people with dyslexia and for changemakers in different settings.

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Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust and Barnardos are working together to deliver the Healthy Child Programme throughout Hampshire. This website provides details for access to health visiting and school nursing services, workshops for healthy eating and support with post-natal depression.

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When you visit any website, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. This information might be about you, your preferences or your device and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to. The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalized web experience. You can choose not to allow some types of cookies. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings. However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.

For more information, see our cookies policy

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Free Debt Advice and Support | National Debtline

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Get free, confidential debt advice from an independent England and Wales debt charity. Call, chat online, or use My Money Steps for expert support today.

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This website has lots of information

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Struggling with debt or worried about money? At CAP we offer free, confidential debt help, budgeting support and advice through local UK based churches.

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Government support in addition to Universal Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support

National Breathing space scheme

From Monday 4 May 2021, The National Breathing Space Scheme enables people to apply for "breathing space" from their debts to allow extra time to repay. If you are experiencing debt issues and wish to apply for the Breathing Space Scheme you need to apply for Breathing Space via a money or debt advisor.

The Council work in partnership with The Citizens Advice Bureau to enable residents to have access to this support. If you are looking to apply they can be contacted for support by phone 0808 278 7862 or on their website.

Universal Credit Advance

A Universal Credit Advance (new claim) or (change of circumstances) is an advance payment of a future award of Universal credit which is recoverable from subsequent payments of benefit. Call 0845 600 0723, lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am-6pm.

Council Tax Hardship Payment

If you are struggling to pay and you have already made a claim for Council Tax Support, whether it was successful or not, you can also apply for a Council Tax Hardship Payment (CTHP).

Local Welfare Assistance

Hampshire County Council has been given money by the Department for Work and Pensions to develop what has been called Local Welfare Assistance. This money is to be used to develop local help and support for people who are facing crisis or struggling to cope.

Department of Work and Pensions - Short Term Advance

Advance payments for new benefit claimants in hardship who are awaiting their first payment of benefits; payment has been delayed; or there has been a change of circumstances that will increase their entitlement but it has not yet been paid. Ring and request Short Term Advance, providing info on financial circumstances, specific costs for which the advance is needed, amount required, and period the amount will last for. Info taken in a telephone interview will be passed to a decision maker, who will ring the claimant within 24 hours and confirm the decision.

0345 or 0845 608 8545 Either dialing code may be used, but check with your phone company which will be cheaper.

Department of Work and Pensions - Hardship Payments

Payments for claimants who have been sanctioned and are in financial hardship. Ring to request, details will be taken and passed to decision-maker, who will assess and ring claimant back within 24 hours. Applicants will need to explain the payments they need, how the money will be used, and how long it will last

0345 or 0845 608 8545 Either dialing code may be used, but check with your phone company which will be cheaper.

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Financial hardship government support | Eastleigh Borough Council

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From Monday 4 May 2021, The National Breathing Space Scheme enables people to apply for "breathing space" from their debts to allow extra time to repay. If you are experiencing debt issues and wish to apply for the Breathing Space Scheme you need to apply for Breathing Space via a money or debt advisor.

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The principle of the pantry is to give those in need the opportunity to have a 'helping hand' by getting food for a small membership fee per visit. Our Pantry's provide a wide range of Fresh...

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If you need a referral to the food bank, please contact Hayley Sharp via the school office

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Eastleigh Basics Bank is a charity in Eastleigh which provides food parcels to people who are experiencing financial hardship.

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Southampton City and Region Action to combat hardship, Scratch is a charitable organisation that manages various social action projects in Southampton and the surrounding area.

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Solihull Approach - These free online courses offer advice and practical tips to boost your confidence as a parent, help you navigate family life and strengthen your relationships. They have been designed to help you understand your feelings, development and behaviour, as well as focus on your own feelings as you grow as a family. https://www.hants.gov.uk/solihullapproach

Family Links provide programmes suitable for parents of children from -9 months to 18 years, underpinned by the Nurturing Programme and developing an understanding of behaviour in the context of relationships. https://www.familylinks.org.uk/at-home

Youth Options provide a free to access course for Non-Violent Resistance (NVR) therapeutic intervention. They take referrals for families experiencing child-to-parent violence, aggression, challenging or self-harming behaviours, for focus young people living in Hampshire aged 5 – 17 years. They provide NVR support for families having difficulties with Trauma, ASD, ADHD, SEN and more. You can find more information on their website. https://youthoptions.org.uk/what-we-do/targeted/family-support/

BRAAIN support parents and carers of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) or Special Educational Needs (SEN). More information can be found on their website www.Braain.co.uk or they can be contacted at enquiries@braain.co.uk

YoungMinds has practical advice on supporting them with their ADHD and mental health. https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/parents-a-z-mental-health-guide/adhd/#WhatyoucandotosupportyourchildwithADHD