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All babies and children from time to time will experience some fear or anxiety. They might do so when they come up against challenging tasks, unfamiliar people (known as stranger anxiety) or when they are separated from their main caregiver (known as separation anxiety).

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Toddlers might feel anxious when faced with new situations such as going to nursery, moving to a new house or the birth of a sibling.. Because they cannot always understand or express what they are feeling, it's important to be aware of possible signs of anxiety in their behaviour.
6 Signs that a toddler is experiencing anxiety

They may become tearful, clingy or irritable

They might become out of control during outbursts

They could be having difficulty sleeping

They could start waking in the night

They could be having bad dreams

They might start to wet the bed

5 tips on how to help children who are anxious

Show children that you are available to talk about their worries: Let them know you have noticed that they seem worried and that you want to try and listen and help. But if they don't want to talk, don't force the issue. Try and engage them in play and stay close and available. Young children usually find it easier to open up when they're doing something else, like drawing or going for a walk.

Prepare them for change: If you know that a child is due to experience a significant change, like the birth of a sibling, changing school or moving to a new house, it's really helpful to try and prepare them in advance for the change. For instance if they are starting nursery and you think that they are feeling more nervous than excited, you can talk about the mixed feelings they might have, for example, "It's very exciting to go to big school - but it's fine if feel that it's a bit scary too, that's completely normal."

Show that you understand the depth of their feelings, and that you believe that they are valid: It's natural to want to quickly reassure an anxious child, especially if the worry seems quite trivial to you. But just remember, what may seem like a little thing to you, may be a big deal to them. Before jumping in to reassure, spend time listening and getting a real idea about the child's specific worries, feelings, and thoughts. This can take time but stick with it because it lets the child know that you are taking them and their worries seriously. This will help them to develop trusting relationships as they grow up. It also helps to develop the child's ability to reflect on their emotions as they develop into adulthood.

Suggest different ways of looking at a worry: When you've really listened to what the child thinks and feels, gently introduce different ways of looking at their worry. For instance, if they fear a particular situation happening, help the child to consider other potential outcomes that could happen that are less catastrophic. By doing this, you are helping the child to learn to manage their anxiety. They will also start to become more resilient.

Don't put pressure on a child who is feeling shy: Some young children can feel very shy and nervous in social situations. These children need extra support and reassurance to help them to develop their confidence gradually. If you push them into the limelight when they're not ready, it will only make them feel more anxious and exposed, and it could take them even longer to develop confidence.

Helping babies manage general anxiety

The best way to soothe a baby who is showing anxiety by crying is by cuddling and using soothing, reassuring voice. Picking up babies when they're anxious or upset doesn't spoil them or make them too dependent on you. In fact, it helps them to develop higher levels of trust and resilience. Having these will actually help them to become more independent.

For more information, see our crying section

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All babies and children from time to time will experience some fear or anxiety. They might do so when they come up against challenging tasks, unfamiliar people (known as stranger anxiety) or when they are separated from their main caregiver (known as separation anxiety).

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Strategies to help soothe and guide an anxious child.

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Get information and guidance on how to support babies and young children with their mental health.

This article was written by the Department for Education (DfE) in consultation with a team of early years experts and senior health professionals, including NHS England and the National Children's Bureau.

Contents

What mental health means for babies and young children

We all have mental health, just as we have physical health. In the same way that we can be more or less physically healthy from time to time, we can also be more or less mentally healthy from time to time too.

The term 'mental health' for babies and young children describes their wellbeing in terms of their social and emotional development.

Each baby or child will have different experiences with their mental health. Many factors can influence their social and emotional development and wellbeing. This includes things like the quality of their relationship with their parents and carers, nutrition and their experiences in the womb.

Self-regulation and co-regulation

Self-regulation is our ability to adapt, adjust and control our emotions, actions and thoughts. It plays an essential role in mental health. Self-regulation helps us to:

Children are not born with the ability to self-regulate. These skills are shaped by their temperament and their experiences in the womb and in early childhood. These skills must be developed over time.

Children need to continually learn and develop their self-regulation skills throughout the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). To do this they need responsive, sensitive care from the adults around them.

Responsive and supportive relationships are where adults notice and understand children's emotions and needs and respond appropriately. This includes soothing children and calming them down. This is called co-regulation. Responsive relationships with reliable adults, like early years practitioners, will help children build their self-regulation skills.

These skills are not only critical during the early years but are also key to being mentally healthy throughout childhood, adolescence and into adulthood. Helping children learn to self-regulate during the early years supports lifelong emotional wellbeing.

Your role in supporting mental health in the early years

Babies and young children feel more secure when they form close relationships with reliable adults who are consistently available to them. When they experience loving and nurturing environments and relationships, they are also more likely to:

Practitioners, particularly a child's key person, can help by responding to them in a warm, calm and understanding way. This encourages co-regulation, and helps children learn how to manage their own emotions and responses.

The importance of the key person

Every child in the EYFS must have a named key person. This is a practitioner who has a close relationship with their key children and works in close partnership with their parents and carers. A positive relationship between a key person and their key children is central to supporting their mental health.

As a key person, it is important to remember that all babies and young children are different. These differences shape what positive mental health looks like for them and the support they need from you.

You should:

Recognising emotional and behavioural changes

How very young children behave is an important way in which they express their feelings. It can also be a key indicator of how mentally healthy they are.

It is important to understand that every child will grow and develop at different rates and have different experiences. The intensity and frequency of the emotions and behaviours they display can change from child to child and at different ages.

As a practitioner, it is important that you get to know your children and understand their individual patterns of behaviour. This can help you to notice and understand changes in their:

This will help you identify when these changes may be a cause for concern.

Identifying when children need extra support

Some emotional and behavioural changes in children can be quite normal. They may be due to regular developmental growth periods like teething and growth spurts. A child may also behave differently when they feel unwell.

However, some changes may be caused by:

developmental delay

an educational support need

a trauma or bereavement

high levels of stress at home

difficulties in relationships with parents or caregivers

a mental health problem

physical illness

In these cases, children may display behaviours or emotions that seem to be more severe, happen more often, or last longer than usual. It is important to be attentive to the child and curious about the cause of these issues. They may put themself or others at risk or find their own emotions and behaviour overwhelming. This can impact on their physical health and development.

Heightened emotional states in young children can also lead to behaviours that you may find concerning. Some examples could include children:

being very overactive or restless

often feeling irritable or unhappy

finding it difficult to respond to caregiver's cues

struggling to self soothe after a change in routine or separation from a caregiver

often experiencing overwhelming anxiety which interferes with their daily life

regularly displaying what you perceive as angry or aggressive behaviours

having frequent 'temper tantrums' - this is a term used by the NHS, it describes a heightened state where children are unable to manage their emotions or behaviour

showing little interest in social interaction, or being very withdrawn

developing regular habit problems, for example with toileting

being unable to develop routines, for example for sleep and feeding

Every child may display these emotions and behaviours from time to time. It's for you to decide whether they are concerning for a particular child. To do so, you can think about:

how often the emotions and behaviours happen

how intense they are

whether there is a known cause - such as illness, being hungry or a stressful event at home

whether the child usually displays these behaviours - based on your own experiences and those of their parents and carers

Some children's emotions can cause them to display behaviours you find concerning. It is important for you to be curious about the causes of these behaviours and explore these with parents and carers. For most children, using different behavioural and emotional support strategies in your setting will be enough to secure their development.

However, some children will need more support. This is why it is so important that you try to understand the cause of the behaviour and get advice where necessary.

Working in partnership with parents, carers and specialists

If you are worried about a child, always get professional advice and follow your setting's procedures, where relevant. This may include discussing concerns with your:

When getting external support, make sure to engage parents and carers in the process at all stages. This includes involving them in:

You should help parents and carers to understand the importance of positive mental health in the early years. When doing this, it can be helpful to use language such as 'emotional wellbeing'. The best outcomes happen when practitioners and parents work together to support a struggling child.

You could also consider encouraging parents to talk to their GP or health visitor.

Safeguarding

If you are even slightly concerned that a child's change in behaviour may be due to a safeguarding issue, you must follow your setting's safeguarding procedure. Inform the lead practitioner responsible for safeguarding. Where necessary, you should also notify the relevant local safeguarding partners.

Emotional and behavioural support strategies

Find out how you can support early years children with common emotional and behavioural challenges.

Common emotional and behavioural challenges in the early years

When children are struggling to process their emotions, they may display a range of common behaviours. These include:

As a practitioner, you can put emotional and behavioural support strategies in place to help the children in your setting. For most children, if these strategies are also being implemented at home, this will be enough to address these challenges.

Strategies to support children in a heightened emotional state

Throughout the EYFS, children are still learning to self-regulate. You should therefore be supportive of them when they experience all kinds of emotions. This includes a heightened emotional state where they are not able to manage their emotions or behaviour. You should also try to understand what the underlying cause of the emotion or behaviour might be.

To help children who are struggling to self-regulate, you can try some of the following strategies.

Talk to them in a slow and calm way

This can help them co-regulate their emotional responses.

Offer them a hug

A hug can soothe, calm and make a child feel safe. They may be feeling alarmed by their own behaviour.

However, some children may not be ready for physical contact until they are calmer. You may want to quietly sit close to them and let them know you are there when they are ready to come and sit with you.

Let them know that you understand how they are feeling

Think about why the child is feeling or behaving this way and explain it to them so they feel understood. For example, you can say "I know that you feel angry when someone snatches your toy."

Encourage them to do something physical to release the energy

You could encourage them to run outside, dance or stamp.

Find a distraction

Try to distract the child by pointing to something in the room or by switching to a topic you know they are interested in.

However, use distraction carefully. It is always important to acknowledge a child's feelings and help them work through them.

Use simple relaxation techniques

Encourage the child to take 3 deep, slow breaths, breathing in for a count of 3 and out for 3.

For young babies and toddlers, it can help if you hold them and breathe slowly and deeply. Your calm breathing will help them to regulate their breathing too.

Use activities like role play, stories and creative play

Once the child is in a less heightened state of emotion, you can use role play, stories and creative play to help them express and make sense of their feelings.

Strategies to support babies in a heightened emotional state

First check to make sure the baby is comfortable, fed, and has a clean nappy.

You should also check to see if they are showing signs of tiredness, such as:

For a fussy or crying baby, you can:

go to a quieter space, for yourself and the baby

cuddle them

gently rock them

hold them against your chest and take deep, slow breaths

softly 'shush' them

walk with them

Strategies to support a crying child

Crying is a common way in which babies and children express difficult emotions. When a child is crying, it is important to approach them with understanding and patience.

Along with the strategies above, the following strategies can help you to soothe and calm a crying child.

Be there to listen to their concerns

Children need calm, warm and supportive responses from practitioners to help them understand their feelings, emotions and behaviours. You should create an environment where children are encouraged to express their feelings, and where they know adults will respond and listen to them.

Help them to identify their emotions

Helping children to find words to name their feelings teaches them to understand and accept different emotions. You could also ask the child to think about how their emotions are impacting their body physically.

Suggest they come with you to wash their face

Sometimes washing tears from a child's face with cool water will have a calming effect. This can help them regulate their emotions.

Strategies to support sleep routines

If there are children in your setting who struggle with their sleeping patterns, you can:

recreate their at-home sleep routine, or aspects of it, where possible

spend time winding down and doing calm activities before nap time

offer them a familiar toy or blanket to cuddle

help them understand and explore sleep through conversation, storytelling and role play - for example, you could set up a bedroom in the setting and role play going to sleep

Strategies to support an anxious child

Children might feel anxious when faced with a new situation such as:

Remember that it is normal for all children to be fearful or anxious from time to time. However, children may need help if they often experience overwhelming anxiety which interferes with their daily life.

You can use the following strategies to help an anxious child.

Let them know you are there to listen and help with their worries

Always take a child's anxiety seriously. Tell the child you have noticed that they seem worried and encourage them to talk about it. Spend time listening and getting a real idea about the child's specific worries, feelings, and thoughts.

If they do not want to talk, do not force them to. Try and show that you understand how they feel and that you believe their feelings are valid.

Reassure them and help them find solutions

Once you have listened to how the child is thinking and feeling, you could suggest a different way of looking at a worry. You can also offer potential solutions to help.

Prepare them for change

Try to prepare children who you know are due to experience a significant change. This could include the birth of a sibling, moving house or starting school. You can do this by talking to them about what is going to happen and why.

When talking to the child about future events, try not to create an expectation that it will be difficult. Talk to them about positive aspects of the experience. You could also read stories to them that show the scenario they are about to experience or create relevant role play areas.

Help them cope with separation anxiety

To help reduce separation anxiety, encourage parents and carers to say goodbye in an upbeat way. This could include smiling and waving happily and confidently. This will prevent children from picking up on any worries a parent may have about leaving their child. It can also boost their confidence that it is safe to be left.

If younger babies and children seem worried about being left, offer cuddles and gentle distractions. Help the child to become engaged in activities. It may be helpful to introduce them into parallel play with other children and activities.

For slightly older children, you could talk to them and offer reassurance that their parent or carer will return. Try to show them that you understand how they are feeling.

You can also give children familiar items. Ask parents and carers what the child enjoys playing with at home. Then, encourage them to play with similar toys in the setting. You could also offer them comforting items, like a blanket or a teddy. Some children like having pictures of their family they can carry with them.

Strategies to support new children in your setting

Children are all different, and some may take longer to feel comfortable in new environments. It is important to be gentle and to take things slowly with these children. They may need extra support from their key person and a more phased approach to starting in the setting. Keeping set routines in your setting, and telling these children about upcoming changes in advance, can also help.

Children in the earlier stages of starting at your setting, or who are transitioning back following a break away, may need more support. It can be helpful to be present with them to help them manage transitions from one activity in the schedule to the next.

Strategies to address aggression

Most young children will sometimes show behaviour that you perceive as aggressive. This is a normal part of child development. This kind of behaviour usually starts from a feeling of intense emotion that they find difficult to process. This could include anger, fear or frustration.

Children need adults to help them understand and express difficult feelings without behaving in a way that could hurt themselves or others.

You can use several strategies to help a child showing behaviours you perceive as aggressive.

Try to stay calm

Coping with behaviour you consider to be aggressive can be difficult. However, it is important to stay as calm as possible. Remaining calm may be reassuring for the child and help them regulate their own emotions.

Work together to identify early signs of intense emotions

Intense emotions may lead children to display feelings of anger. Talk to the child about how they feel in their body when they start to get angry. This will help them learn how to notice the signs of anger. It will also give them the chance to express this feeling of intense emotion in other ways.

Find ways to manage physical feelings

Encourage children to do something physical to release their energy, like running or jumping. You could also encourage them to use simple calming techniques. For example, ask children to count to 10, breathe slowly and deeply, scrunch up their face or fists, and then release them.

You can also let children know that:

Strategies to support a withdrawn child

From birth, children have an inbuilt instinct to interact with their caregivers. However, all children sometimes need downtime. It is normal for them to avoid interacting with their caregiver when they need a break.

Some children are more naturally quiet and reserved than others. Where this is the case, you will need to adapt to their needs.

To help a withdrawn child, you can use the following strategies.

Use the secure relationship between the child and their key person

A key part of this relationship also involves responding sensitively to children's verbal and non-verbal cues. This helps you understand the child and what they need.

Introduce new experiences gradually

Build up your interactions with children slowly. To do this, you can:

Some babies and children are very withdrawn. They may be very passive and quiet, avoiding eye-contact and physical touch. It is important to be curious as to why a baby or child acts like this as it may be the result of difficult relationships with other adults in their lives.

Remember, if you are even slightly concerned that a child's behaviour may be due to a safeguarding issue then you must follow your setting's safeguarding procedure. Inform the lead practitioner responsible for safeguarding and where necessary notify the relevant local safeguarding partners.

Useful resources

UNICEF and the University of Cambridge's Centre for Research on Play in Education, Development & Learning (PEDAL) offer guidance on understanding and supporting mental health in infancy and early childhood.

NHS Every Mind Matters gives advice and information on looking after a child or young person's mental health.

Maudsley Charity's Families Under Pressure includes tips and tricks from NHS mental health experts for supporting children with their emotions and behaviour .

MindEd suggest ten handy tips for managing behaviour that can be difficult.

The Anna Freud Centre has some advice on how to recognise trauma in young children, along with strategies and tips you can share with families.

The Anna Freud Centre also has some advice on sharing concerns about a child with parents and carers.

DfE has guidance to help practitioners identify the signs of child abuse and neglect and understand what action to take.

The role of a key person is explained by The Anna Freud Centre.

The Anna Freud Centre has some advice regarding withdrawn or passive behaviour in babies, small children.

NHS has advice on soothing a crying baby.

NHS has advice on how to cope with temper tantrums in young children.

The Anna Freud Centre has some advice on how manage tantrums.

The Sleep Charity offer some useful advice sheets for children and helping them to sleep.

NHS offers some advice on signs on anxiety in children and how to help.

The NHS also offers some helpful advice and tips on separation anxiety.

The Anna Freud Centre offers advice on different types of anxiety in children and how to manage them.

Childline offers some useful tips for older children on ways to feel calmer.

The NHS has advice on helping children with anger issues.

The Anna Freud Centre has advice on aggression in the early years.

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Get information and guidance on how to support babies and young children with their mental health. This article was written by the Department for Education (DfE) in consultation with a team of early years experts and senior health professionals, including NHS England and the National Children's Bureau.

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Finally, spend time with your family and friends (virtually or, if possible, in person) and each day make some free time for yourself to relax and do the things you enjoy.

Whether temporary or in the long run, routines are important. Routines don't need to be stressful, they can be as unique as you are, make your daily routine interesting and see what works best for you.
Advice from Dr George Kitsaras (CPscyhol), University of Manchester.

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When you're at home and don't have the school bell to tell you when it's lunch and home time, having a daily routine is really important. Making your own routine will give you control over your day and help you to beat boredom and get more work done.

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If there isn't anyone you feel you can speak to, you may want to check out some charities or helplines.

Childline, Young Minds or the NHS have numbers you can call, as well as lots of detailed information on their websites.

You might feel better contacting these people because they are trained experts who can get you the help you need straight away.

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How to reach out to others when you're worried or sad

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Everyone feels upset or down from time to time and everyone has different ways of coping.

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One in ten people in the UK will suffer with anxiety or a phobia at some point in their lives.

And anxiety can be something we experience everyday, whether it's because of things like exam stress or starting a new school.

Whatever anxiety you're coping with, we have some top tips to help.

Check out more advice on what you can do if you are struggling with anxiety.

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300,000 young people in the UK struggle with anxiety - we've got some top tips to help.

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It is okay to feel this way from time to time, as it is our body's natural response to a situation we are not comfortable with.

However, some people feel it more often than others and it can have a difficult impact on their lives.

Celebrities like Zayn Malik and Selena Gomez have spoken about how they have struggled with anxiety.

In 2017, Selena Gomez announced she would be taking a break from music to deal with problems with anxiety and depression, as they can sometimes come together.

She made a speech at the American Music Awards where she said she "had to stop" because of the effect it had on her.

The children's charity Childline said they have noticed an increase in the number of children and young people who they are helping for anxiety, from 8,642 in 2014/15 to 11,706 in 2015/16. This is a 35% increase.

Newsround spoke to an expert on mental health from the charity Mind, Stephen Buckley, to find out more about anxiety, what can cause it and what you can do if you're worried that it's something that's affecting you.

Feeling anxious is a feeling of nervousness, fright or worry.

We all feel like that a bit from time to time and that's completely natural. It's our body's way of preparing us for a situation that we don't really like!

"It's common to feel tense, nervous and perhaps fearful at the thought of a stressful event or decision you're facing," says Stephen.

"For example, starting or moving school, moving home or sitting a test or exam are all things that could make someone worried and stressed."

But if you're finding it difficult to deal with or you're feeling anxious and uncomfortable a lot of the time, that's when it may be a problem.

"If your feelings of anxiety are very strong or last for a long time, it can be overwhelming," Stephen explains.

Feeling anxious can be triggered by many different things.

It depends what sort of things make you feel nervous, uneasy or frightened, as nobody is the same.

Daily events like visiting the dentist or taking a test at school might make you feel a bit anxious or stressed. You might also feel worried about something you've seen in the news.

You may find you get scared of something, like small spaces, which other people are not scared of.

In some cases, it might be difficult to work out why you are feeling anxious because it is not something that's obvious straight away, but you know that you just don't feel completely comfortable.

For example, it could be because of something that happened a long time ago to which you may be having a delayed reaction.

The children's charity Childline says: "We have found that children and young people are being struck down with anxiety with causes ranging from personal and family issues, to concerns about world affairs, such as the EU Referendum, the US Election and troubles in the Middle East."

Feeling a little bit anxious or stressed is completely normal, so long as you feel better soon.

If you find you are remaining nervous, worried or scared for a long time - or very regularly - then it could be an issue.

Anxiety can also be a problem if you find yourself feeling worried or nervous about something that hasn't actually happened yet or which might have finished a while ago.

Sometimes, people can experience anxiety and depression together. Selena Gomez spoke about how these two conditions affected her, which is why she took time away from work to get better.

Stephen explains: "Often feeling anxious about certain situations can lead to you feeling down. Some people blame themselves for their feelings and end up getting quite upset and down, which can lead to depression."

Feeling a bit stressed about something is a normal part of everyday life, but different people are able to cope with different amounts of it.

"When it gets too much and these feelings become unmanageable, it can negatively affect our physical and mental health," says Stephen.

"Stress itself is not a mental health problem, but when it last a long time and you become unable to deal with the feeling, it can lead to mental health problems, like depression or anxiety."

How can anxiety affect you?

Feeling anxious can affect the way you feel and the way your body behaves, but everyone will react differently.

In terms of affecting your emotions, anxiety can make little things feel like really big problems and stop you feeling like your normal self.

It may stop you from being able to concentrate at school or mean you struggle to get to sleep at night.

If the thing that bothers you doesn't worry other people, it might make you feel a bit isolated, as everyone else seems to be okay.

You may also try to avoid certain situations or people if you're worried about how they might make you feel, which could lead to you cutting yourself off from things that otherwise would make you happy.

Feeling anxious can make the body behave differently too. It can give you butterflies in your stomach, your heart rate might go up or your hands might get clammy. It can cause pain like headaches too.

In cases of more extreme anxiety, the body might react by having what is called a panic attack.

This is a more severe, physical reaction.

When someone has a panic attack, their breathing may get quicker or more difficult, and they might start to sweat more or feel dizzy.

They might also become shaky.

Many people experience feeling anxious, scared, nervous or stressed from time to time.

But if it's something that is stopping you from living your life happily then the most important thing is that you go to speak to an adult you trust so that they can help you.

If you think that anything described in this guide might be affecting you, follow these tips below.

Many people struggle with anxiety, so it is not something you should beat yourself up about.

If you are worried about feeling anxious fairly regularly or your feelings of anxiety tend to last quite a long time, you should always speak to someone.

They can talk through with you what might be making you feel that way so you can try to work out where the problem might be.

They may take you to speak to a doctor or therapist, whose job it is to help with problems like this.

If you find yourself feeling anxious, breathing exercises may help you to calm down and feel more relaxed.

Breathe in deeply for three seconds, and out for three seconds, and repeat this for a few minutes. Counting slowly to 10 might also help.

When you're feeling anxious, it may help to go outside and get some fresh air, go for a walk, watch a film you really like or read a book you enjoy, to help clear your head. Exercise can be really good for this, so go and kick a football about!

Tidying your room might also help things to feel less cluttered and help you to feel more in control.

Stephen says: "It might seem overwhelming at times but it is really important to tell someone you trust how you are feeling. This could be a parent, friend, teacher or school nurse. There is no right or wrong person to open up to, but it should be someone you feel comfortable talking to."

"If talking to someone you know feels more daunting, then there are phone lines and online forums which can also offer support."

"Remember no matter how small your problems might feel there is someone who cares and will want to help."

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Newsround spoke to mental health charity Mind to find out more about anxiety and what you can do if you're worried you might be experiencing it.

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3 facts about difficult experiences

There's no right or wrong way to feel after something bad happens.

Talking can really help. And if it doesn't help first time, keep trying.

It may take time, but things can get better.

Use your senses

Focusing on things you can touch, see, hear, taste and smell can help to remind you of where you are and help you to feel safe. Try grounding yourself by:

touching something soft or hard, like a rock or toy. Or you could pop some bubble wrap

looking at what's around you, try naming the colours of the objects you can see or counting the number of things you can see that are made of wood

listening to a piece of music you enjoy or naming any noises you can hear outside

tasting something bitter, like a lemon or focusing on sucking a mint.

Square breathing can help to calm you down and focus on things here and now by taking slow, deep breaths.

Sit down if you can with your back straight and relax your shoulders. You can repeat the 4 steps below as much as you need to.

Breathe in and count to 4.

Hold your breath to the count of 4.

Breathe out all your breath to the count of 4.

Hold your breath out to the count of 4.

You can count slowly or quickly, whatever feels comfortable.

If you're struggling with your thoughts or feelings, it can help to focus on things around you. Try naming:

5 things you can see

4 things you can touch or feel

3 things you can hear

2 things you can smell

1 thing you can taste.

A ritual is something special you can do that makes you feel positive or safe. You can plan to do it at a specific time every day. Changing your rituals over time can help you find different and new ways to cope.

Your ritual could be anything, but some ideas might be:

have a hot drink

watch a YouTube video

listen to some music

complete a puzzle

do something creative like write or draw

practice a dance routine

do some yoga

have a bath

look up jokes of things you find funny online.

Your ritual can be whatever you want.

There are lots of things that can help you to feel better, it could be people, animals, objects or things you like to do.

Make a list of the things that could help you to feel calmer, so if you start to get anxious or worried, you know what might help. Your list could include:

people you trust

pets

toys or games you like

videos or music.

How can you feel after a trauma?

Trauma affects people in different ways. And going through something difficult doesn't mean you'll always be affected after.
If you're experiencing trauma, you might:

feel shaky or disorientated

get anxious or having panic attacks

have nightmares, flashbacks or night terrors

struggle to get to sleep or sleep more than normal

get distracted easily, or lose interest in things you used to enjoy.

Lots of the physical feelings you have are your body's way of letting out difficult feelings. For example, shaking can help you release tension and feel calmer.

You might want to avoid your feelings after a trauma, but it's important to get support.

Talking can really help. And having someone there to listen can help someone feel like they're not alone.

Your friend might want to say a lot, or hardly anything. Listening to them at their pace can show that you care, and that you want to support them. But don't push your friend to say things if they're not ready.

There are lots of ways to get help with mental health. Your friend might find it easier to talk to someone they don't know, or a professional.

Encourage them to speak to someone like:

Perhaps you can ask them what you could do to help them feel more ready to talk.

Remember it can take time for feelings to change, and you're not responsible for helping someone feel better. It's also important that you get support.

If helping your friend is difficult or upsetting, talk to a counsellor for support.

Lots of people worry about being seen differently because they've got a mental health issue. But no matter what's happening, they're still your friend.

Doing things that you both enjoy can help to take your friend's mind off what's happening.

Sometimes your friend might not be able to spend time with you because of their mental health. Remember that this doesn't mean that they don't want to be your friend.

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3 facts about difficult experiences There's no right or wrong way to feel after something bad happens. Talking can really help. And if it doesn't help first time, keep trying. It may take time, but things can get better.

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https://www.childline.org.uk/toolbox/calm-zone/

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When you're feeling low or overwhelmed, it can be hard to know how to cope. But distracting yourself or doing one of our activities or games can help you feel better.

Even doing just one positive thing every day can help your mood. Not sure what you want to do today? Use our tool to help.

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When you're feeling low or overwhelmed, it can be hard to know how to cope. But distracting yourself or doing one of our activities or games can help you feel better.

Even doing just one positive thing every day can help your mood. Not sure what you want to do today? Use our tool to help.

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When you're feeling low or overwhelmed, it can be hard to know how to cope. But distracting yourself or doing something positive can really help. We've got lots of activities for you to try!

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Help with Meal Times- Tips to help with Picky Eaters

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Help with Meal Times- Tips to help with Picky Eaters

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Top 10 tips for coping with a fussy eater

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When you've got a fussy eater to contend with, it's easy to get locked in a battle of wills. Annabel Karmel shares her top 10 tips

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If you encourage your child to interact with foods, without the pressure to try them, that eating can become fun and rewarding.

This is a process that can be challenging for both the parent/carer and the child. Start off slowly, by putting into practice one or two strategies in this booklet. Try to make it a part of your everyday routine so that it all becomes normal for everyone.

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A collection of articles and child-friendly recipes to help you make mealtimes a fun learning opportunity for your little one.

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A collection of articles and child-friendly recipes to help you make mealtimes a fun learning opportunity for your little one.

Baby and child-friendly recipes

Weaning and child-friendly recipe collection

Tips on weaning, including children in family mealtimes and recipes for all stages from 6 months to 12 months+.

WEANING

Baby-friendly Fajitas / Family Chicken Fajitas (from around 12 months)

Miguel Barclay's fajitas two ways - one version for baby and another for the rest of the family.

WEANING

Child-friendly breakfast ideas you can make together

Children's dietitian Angharad Banner has come up with some easy breakfast ideas you can make with toddlers.

WEANING

Weaning tips

Your weaning questions answered

NHS registered children's dietitian, Angharad Banner and a team of Health Visitors answer your weaning questions.

WEANING

The Parent Manual: Weaning

Advice for starting to wean babies onto solid foods.

TIPS AND ADVICE

What can my baby eat and when?

A children's dietitian answers all sorts of questions when it comes to weaning, baby foods and mealtimes.

WEANING

Making the most of mealtimes

How to include your baby in family mealtimes

From breakfast to dinner: easy ways to chat and interact with your baby at mealtimes.

TIPS AND ADVICE

Brain-boosting bites for babies and toddlers

Dietitian Angharad Banner gives the lowdown on foods that are great for fuelling children's brain development.

TIPS AND ADVICE

How do I get my fussy toddler to eat?

Pickiness is common, but how can you help your child develop a healthy attitude towards food?

TIPS AND ADVICE

Shikha Gill - 'Don't put pressure on yourself with kids' food'

We caught up with Shikha Gill from My Little Food Critic to ask her all about cooking with kids.

TIPS AND ADVICE

In case you missed it

Find an activity to try

Tips and advice

Child development science

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Mealtimes with kids - BBC Tiny Happy People

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A collection of articles and child-friendly recipes to help you make mealtimes a fun learning opportunity for your little one.

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Healthy brain development - My Baby's Brain

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Healthy brain development - My Baby's Brain

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A collection of films and articles all about the science behind your baby's early development and language learning. Learn all about their different baby development milestones and language skills.

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Baby development and language milestones - BBC Tiny Happy People

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A collection of films and articles all about the science behind your baby’s early development and language learning.

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Healthy brain development - My Baby's Brain

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Healthy brain development - My Baby's Brain

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Watch this video to find out about the five everyday things you can do with your baby or young child to develop their brain.

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My baby's brain video (subtitled) Learn how to help develop your baby’s brain at home

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Building Relationships- Activities for 4-5 year olds

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Building Relationships- Activities for 4-5 year olds

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A collection of activities and things to do with children aged 4-5 years old. Your child may be able to take turns in conversations, use more complicated language, and enjoy playing with friends.

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A collection of activities and things to do with children aged 4-5 years old. Your child may be able to take turns in conversations, use more complicated language, and enjoy playing with friends.

Activities for 4-5 year olds: Playtime games

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Activities for 4-5 year olds - BBC Tiny Happy People

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A collection of fun learning activities and things to do with children 4-5 years. Our collection of fun and creative games for preschoolers will help develop their language and communication skills. Help them learn and have loads of fun while you do.

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Building strong Relationships- Singing Songs

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Building strong Relationships- Singing Songs

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A meltdown is completely out of a person’s control.  A person cannot control a meltdown.  Once a meltdown happens, it has to run its complete course.

A tantrum is control.  It is behaviorally motivated and in fact, it is a learned behavior.  The person who is having a tantrum is seeking out something.  There is an end goal, usually to get what they want.

Here are some great websites for exploring Nursery Rhymes and Songs:

https://www.familylives.org.uk/advice/early-years-development/singing-with-your-baby

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/school-radio/nursery-rhymes-songs-medleys/zf2792p?scrlybrkr=246c62be

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/school-radio/eyfs-listen-and-play-early-learning-themes-tales/zffh7nb

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Most young people don’t want to carry or use a knife. But some may carry a weapon because they’re afraid of others carrying one. Knife crime can also be a direct result of drug dealing and gang turf wars.

The topic is often in the news, so it’s common for parents and carers to worry about knives. There is support available if you need it, and some things you can do to support your child.

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Support for Parents from Action For Children

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I’m worried about my child and knife crime - Support for Parents from Action For Children

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Most young people don’t want to carry a knife. But some may carry a weapon because they’re afraid of others. Find out what you can do, and where to get help.

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Racism, racial discrimination and racial bullying can take many forms and children and young people may experience more than one type of racism.

For example, a young person experiencing racial bullying in school could also be sent abusive comments online, and face racial discrimination at their workplace.

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"I am struggling with the racist bullying I get at school... I feel like everyone is against me. School is a quite an isolating place and nobody has ever stood up for me.

"I don't really want to address it to the school because that'll create more drama and it will make more people turn against me and my school life will be even more miserable. I'd rather the school did a talk about racism and its history."*

*Girl, aged 12.

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Advice to help parents or concerned adults understand how to talk to children about race and racism, and what you can do to support a child who's experiencing racial bullying.

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As a parent or carer, you may worry about whether your teenager is safe online. It can help to understand what the risks are, and how to support your child.

Being informed may make it easier to talk to your child, too.

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Support for Parents from Action For Children

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Online spaces can be a positive thing. But they can also come with risks. Understanding where the dangers might be can help you educate your child.

The risks can be broken into three areas:

Content: This may be content that is inappropriate or unreliable. It could include content that is sexual, violent, biased or extreme in opinion.

Conduct: They may put themselves at risk through their own behaviour. This could include sharing too much information.

Contact: This includes bullying, harassment, grooming, or pressure to behave a certain way.

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How can I help my teenager stay safe online? - Support for Parents from Action For Children

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As a parent or carer, you may worry about whether your teenager is safe online. It can help to understand internet safety, and how to support your child.

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It’s common for parents to worry about their children trying smoking, alcohol or drugs as they get older. However, in recent years, more young people have been using e-cigarettes, known as vaping. Children are trying vaping younger than ever and the risks are less well known than with other substances.

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Support for Parents from Action For Children

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The vape is a battery powered device which heats a cartridge of liquid. It is the vapour from this liquid that is inhaled. You can get refillable vapes where you can fill it with different flavour liquids, or disposable vapes. These come in a variety of colours and flavours making them popular with young people.

Most vapes contain nicotine which makes them highly addictive. Vapes are intended for adults who smoke to help them give up smoking, like nicotine patches or gum. They are less harmful than cigarettes because they don't contain tobacco, however they still contain harmful ingredients. If you have never smoked, you shouldn't vape.

E-cigarettes and liquids are sold in vape shops, newsagents, supermarkets and many other shops. It is illegal to sell vaping products to anyone under the age of 18 or to buy them on their behalf, however like cigarettes and other substances, young people still manage to get hold of them.

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I'm worried about my child vaping - Support for Parents from Action For Children

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The vape is a battery powered device which heats a cartridge of liquid. It is the vapour from this liquid that is inhaled. You can get refillable vapes where you can fill it with different flavour liquids, or disposable vapes. These come in a variety of colours and flavours making them popular with young people.

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It’s natural to worry about the dangers of games and apps. But you can help your child learn to keep themselves safe.

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Support for Parents from Action For Children

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All modern video game consoles, smartphones and tablets provide tools for parents and carers. Games often have parental control options built in.

You can control how children interact with other people, what they spend money on and what content they can access. If you can, set these up with your child and agree how much time they're allowed to spend playing.

Work with your child to agree a list of websites they can visit. Most social media channels have an age limit of 13. You can find guidance for the most popular websites and apps on  Internet Matters .

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How do I help my child stay safe on games and apps? - Support for Parents from Action For Children

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It's natural to worry about the dangers of games and apps. But you can help your child learn to keep themselves safe.

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It can be hard to know how your child will react in situations. Having strategies to refer to can help you to remain calm in tricky situations!

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A meltdown is completely out of a person’s control.  A person cannot control a meltdown.  Once a meltdown happens, it has to run its complete course.

A tantrum is control.  It is behaviorally motivated and in fact, it is a learned behavior.  The person who is having a tantrum is seeking out something.  There is an end goal, usually to get what they want.

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Difficult or aggressive behaviours (such as biting, snatching, kicking, pinching, scratching, pushing or sulking) are really common in toddlers, but can be very tricky for a parent to deal with, especially when they happen in public.

Remember, as your child grows they go through development stages that are new to both of you. As they build physical strength and co-ordination they learn to crawl, walk, run and climb.

It can take a lot of perseverance and practice before they master each skill. In the same way your child has to develop socially and emotionally, learning to cope with a range of feelings.

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Terrible twos and tantrums - Parentchannel.tv

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Healthy brain development with Five to Thrive

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Healthy brain development with Five to Thrive

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Five to Thrive is based on five key activities that are the building blocks of healthy communication and brain development:

Respond: Thinking about what your child needs and responding to this.

Cuddle/Engage: Connecting and engaging. This building block is “cuddle” for babies and children. This becomes “engage” for young people and adults.

Relax: Learning to respond to stress and react in a suitable way.

Play: Being playful and activating the right side of the brain.

Talk: Speaking or signing and activating the left side of the brain.

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Singing with your young child or baby is a great way of connecting with them and aiding their thinking skills, language, and emotional development.

Babies and young children love nursery rhymes, and the rhythm of songs and rhymes helps with the development of their language.

Songs with actions in them are especially good because babies can join in with them by moving their body or doing the actions with their hands, long before they can sing along. Your child will be able to start with simple actions like clapping, or opening and closing their hands, and gradually learn to do more complicated actions as they grow and develop.

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Introduction video on singing with your baby

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A self-soothe box is a box children can create to turn to in moments of distress or worry.

It's recommended to have a range of sensory things and something to focus their mind on. You could include something to smell, something to touch, something to look at and maybe even something to taste.

The self-soothe box can change depending on their interests and preferences.

This box could be used at home, or when travelling to new places.

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Having an activity to complete can really help you self-soothe. Reading and colouring in are the more obvious options and both of these work for me. You can find plenty of inexpensive beautiful colouring books, pretty much anywhere nowadays - The Works, Amazon and Waterstones all have a good variety to choose from. You can also find a lot of printable colouring sheets online. I keep some colouring pencils and a pad to fill in.

Colouring is a very simple task and having something beautiful that you made can feel very rewarding. You might like to write about how you are feeling, or try some creative writing or poetry; for that you can include a pen and notepad. I also keep a book that is an easy, light read.

I would recommend avoiding books that could be potentially triggering, particularly if you are in a vulnerable mindset. However, this can vary from person to person. I know for some people, emotionally dense poetry or literature can help reduce feelings of loneliness or isolation. Other activities can include: word searches, word games, sudoku, knitting, crocheting, collaging, games on your phone etc.

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Having an activity to complete can really help you self-soothe. Reading and colouring in are the more obvious options and both of these work for me. You can find plenty of inexpensive beautiful colouring books, pretty much anywhere nowadays - The Works, Amazon and Waterstones all have a good variety to choose from.

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Candle and flower breathing is a great strategy to control stress, anxiety and helps to slow down and feel focused.

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Candle and Flower Breathing – Relaxing Mindfulness & Deep Breathing Exercise for Calm & Focus

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Regulating our emotions is a skill. Some of us learn to regulate our emotions as we grow up. For example, when a child spills their drink they may be distraught, but as they grow up they no longer become upset by this and instead learn to pick up the cup, clean up the mess and get a new drink.

We are all different so some people find it easier than others to regulate their emotions. It is also important to remember that at times everyone struggles to manage their emotions!

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Emotion regulation is the ability to manage our emotions. Emotion regulation is also known as emotional self-regulation. There are lots of emotions that we all experience such as happy, sad, and angry plus others. We experience these emotions in response to our thoughts and feelings and because of what is happening around us. We are all different so the same thing could happen to two people and yet they could both feel totally different emotions! For example, if a family member is having a baby one person might feel very happy and another might feel worried about the change!

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Every family is different, so make this guide your own.

All children need boundaries and discipline, and this guide helps you develop what works for you and your child(ren).

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A self-soothe box is a box children can create to turn to in moments of distress or worry.

It's recommended to have a range of sensory things and something to focus their mind on. You could include something to smell, something to touch, something to look at and maybe even something to taste.

The self-soothe box can change depending on their interests and preferences.

This box could be used at home, or when travelling to new places.

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Learning how to complete breathing exercises can help children and teens by:

Relaxing the body

Refocusing the mind

Reducing stress and anxiety

Lowering heart rate

Increasing the body's oxygen levels, which can have calming effects

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If your child is acting out, starting a conversation about what’s going on can often feel like the hardest bit. Your child might not want to talk, or they might find it hard to recognise that there is a problem.

Starting a conversation while doing an activity together is a good strategy to try. This can help your child to relax by making it feel like less of a ‘big chat’.

Depending on your child’s age, you could go for a walk, cook or bake together, or do something creative like colouring. Or you could start a conversation while travelling somewhere together.

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This is a summary of the book with the same name.

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This gives some quick ideas about how to interact with children in a way that supports behaviour and relationships. You know your child best, so it does remind you that we may need to be mindful of reasons why these techniques might not work e.g. when children feel hungry or tired, are overwhelmed or when the task doesn't meet their developmental stage.

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Our School Values are simple but important.

We teach children how to be a member of our school community by thinking about themselves and others in a positive way.

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Our School Values are simple but important.

We teach these values through lessons, assemblies and whole-school celebration days.

We encourage children to 'think' and 'reflect' on their choices and encourage them to make positive changes when needed.

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What do we believe?

We place nurture at the heart of every child’s education. We believe that this is important to help address children’s behavioural, social, emotional and mental health needs.

We believe that every individual should be supported to succeed within their education through a safe, caring and calm environment where patience, tolerance, and respect for others is taught and fostered.

Positive behaviour is essential. Being taught how to behave well and appropriately is essential so children can succeed personally and academically.

In July 2023, we achieved the Nurture Award as recognition of the work done in school. We know that our school is a calm, safe environment for everyone.