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Personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education

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Updated statutory guidance will come into effect from September 2020.

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Mandatory PSHE requirements for Health Education, Relationships Education and RSE

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1. What are the new requirements? The Health Education and Relationships Education (primary) and the secondary Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) aspects of PSHE education will be compulsory in all schools from 2020.

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PSHE Association | Charity and membership body for PSHE education

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A membership association and charity, we support over 60,000 teachers and schools with PSHE resources, training, guidance and advice.

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PSHE Association Programme of Study for PSHE Education (Key stages 1–5), Jan 2020

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Find out everything you need to know about drugs, their effects and the law. Talk to Frank for facts, support and advice on drugs and alcohol today. | FRANK

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Young people navigate their way through many challenges - including what to do if they are offered a drug. Both legal and illegal substances are freely available in this internet age, whoever you are or wherever you live.

In response to this huge challenge, our mission is to support, educate and equip young people with the skills they need to make healthy choices when faced with decisions about legal and illegal drugs.

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A national charity providing drug and alcohol education and training for children and young people, parents and youth workers.

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At Kenward Trust, we give residents choices on how to manage their own recovery, through a structured programme. In Kenward House, we take a Therapeutic Community approach, which is a participative, group-based method for treating alcohol and drug addiction, as well as retaining many aspects of the Recovery Model of treatment delivery, where recovery is seen as more of a journey, rather than an aim of treatment.

In The Barn, we offer a safe place to find and develop an understanding of the 12 Step Programme, designed for people to help one another achieve and maintain abstinence from their addiction.

We also provide 'a safe place to call home' for those on their journey of recovery from addiction to stay in our Resettlement Programme. This begins with a stay at Stage 2 Resettlement at Kenward, before proceeding on to one of our Stage 3 Move On projects at sites across Kent and East Sussex. The length of stay in these projects is generally up to two years. We offer regular support from their Key Worker but they are encouraged to become active in the community through volunteering and linking in with recovery groups available in the area.

Our Vision, Mission and Values underpin the way we help people in crisis. We aim to reach out to those who are on the margins of society and we believe that everyone deserves a second chance. People with mental and physical health needs; people who seek the road to recovery.

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Kenward Trust | Kent's Leading Alcohol & Drug Rehabilitation & Resettlement Centre

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Kenward Trust is a charity in Kent, that provides residential rehab and resettlement accommodation for people experiencing alcohol and drug addictions and/or homelessness.

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Independent alcohol advice, information and tools to help people make better choices about…

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When you quit smoking, good things start to happen - you can begin to see almost immediate improvements to your health.

It's much easier to quit when you get the right support and there are lots of options to choose from. Check out our free tools and tips to help you stay on track.

Let's do this and make 2024 the year you quit.

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Quit smoking this January - Better Health

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It's never too late to quit smoking. Read about the free support, advice, and tools available to help you stay on track and make 2024 the year you quit.

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Information About Illegal Drugs & Alcohol Abuse - Drug-Free World

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Watch Truth About Drugs Documentary Video & Learn About Substance Addiction. Get The Facts About Painkillers, Marijuana, Cocaine, Meth & Other Illegal Drugs.

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In 2008 Race Equality Sandwell and the University of Kent put in a project proposal,

"Tackling racism amongst adolescents: a route to greater wellbeing
and community cohesion",

to the Big Lottery Fund. By investigating adolescents' experiences of racism in Sandwell schools
our aim was to produce a "Guide" for young people and practitioners to benefit from.
The creation of this "toolkit", informed by young people in Sandwell, was to help young people deal
with racism more effectively and to counteract the negative effects of racism.

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Safe teaching and learning
Ensure a safe environment for using these films by doing the following for each lesson in which they are used: Remind pupils of any existing ground rules you might already use, or agree ground rules with them before the lesson. Examples could include:

The films are the stories of real people - be sensitive in your comments

Discuss the situations in the films, not personal experiences (unless these are willingly volunteered)

Make judgements and comments based on what people say and do, not on who they are

Discuss the situations and experiences shown in the films, not popular opinion, speculation, conjecture or unsupported assumptions about refugees and immigrants

Everyone has the right to pass

An anonymous question box or sticky notes can help pupils ask questions privately and anonymously and enable you to prepare responses to questions you may not immediately be able to answer, or identify any potential safeguarding issues or disclosures. Be sensitive to individual pupils who may themselves be refugees or have experienced war and conflict, either directly or indirectly. You may want to discuss the films with these pupils ahead of the session, or give them the choice not to view if they prefer. Sensitivity is important even if you are not aware of any personal experiences in the class - working on the basis that there is at least one person who may be vulnerable ensures safe delivery for all. No-one should be placed under any pressure to discuss their own circumstances or experiences - any personal information or experience should be done so voluntarily and willingly. This is especially important if a student makes a disclosure. If you are unsure of the procedures, seek advice from your Designated Safeguarding Lead. students to sources of additional information or support if they need it, including named adults within school. Some external sources of support are given below.
Using the Seeking Refuge films
The films can be used flexibly to suit your teaching needs, depending on your cohort, scheme of work, subject/topic area, learning objectives, etc. You can choose how to view them with your students, whether one or more in a lesson, over a series of lessons, or all at the same time. You should allow time for related activities, questioning and discussion, and you may also want to build in some quiet reflection time at the end of the lesson before pupils leave the classroom. The following notes are general suggestions for ways to structure discussion around the films as a whole, or develop further opportunities for understanding. Next to each film (above) are additional questions or considerations specific to that film's content.

Before showing the films, build in time to find out the background to the situation in the countries featured so that pupils have a context to the story (eg. the status of Kurdish people in Iran). Pupils could do this research themselves, or the class could prepare questions to ask about the countries which they could research in groups. Locate the countries on a map. and discuss anything the class might already know about that country and its situation. Highlight any recent news stories relating to the country, and why this story is relevant to us in the UK (eg. the British withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2014 and again in 2021).

Ask pupils why people become refugees, or what they know already about refugees, and collate their responses, for example, on a graffiti wall. Keep the wall to refer back to during future discussion, pupils could also add responses to it in different colours as their learning and understanding about refugees develops through viewing the films. Once all lessons have taken place you could use the responses to compare 'what we knew then' to 'what we know now' - this can also feed in to assessment of learning objectives. Note: be alert to any negative or baseless assumptions and judgements (including racism), and challenge these where necessary.

Explain that a key reason for people seeking asylum is because they are persecuted (denied basic rights) based on their gender, sexuality, race, religion, nationality or because they belong to a particular social group or have particular political opinions that conflict with the politics of government. Ask if they can think of an example of this happening (eg. Jewish persecution in Nazi Germany).

Other reasons for people fleeing from their countries are due to war, or ethnic or political violence. Can they think of any recent examples of these (eg. the Russian invasion of Ukraine)?

Emphasise to pupils that refugees are defined in and protected by international law, and that seeking asylum is not a crime.

Discuss the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the reasons why most countries in the world are signed up to it. Highlight some of the articles (eg. 28: right to education; 38: war and conflict; 9: separation from parents; 30: minority and indigenous groups) and also Article 22, which requires governments to give aid and assistance to refugee children. While watching the films, pupils could consider whether each child's rights are being met, or compare rights within the children's home countries versus the UK.

Ask pupils to imagine that when they go home that night, a parent or other adult tells them that they have to leave their home in the morning and go to an entirely different country. Ask them to write a list of how they might feel, or questions that they might have if this happened.

Create an imaginary line across the classroom and label the ends Strongly agree and Strongly disagree . Read out some statements such as the examples below, and ask pupils to place themselves on the line depending on the strength of their response to these. Pick out pupils to explain reasons for their positioning. After viewing the films, do the continuum activity again with the same statements to see if pupils place themselves differently or give different reasons for their placings.
An alternative to this activity is : place a different statement in each corner of the room (or on walls or tables as space allows). Ask pupils to move to the statement with which they most agree, or remain in the middle of the room if they are undecided. Ask students in different corners to share their reasons for their choice, then give everyone the opportunity to change positions or join a corner if they are undecided.

Examples of statements:

Anyone should be allowed entry to the UK if they are escaping from war, famine or persecution related to their race, religion, gender, sexuality or nationality

No refugees should be allowed to enter the UK

Only certain refugees should be allowed to enter the UK

All refugee children should be allowed to live in the UK

Refugee children should not be allowed into the UK alone

No refugee children should stay in the UK without a parent

Only refugees arriving from certain countries should be allowed to stay in the UK

If I had to leave the UK because of war or persecution, I should be allowed to enter and stay in another country

Anyone can become a refugee

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KS3 PSHE: Seeking Refuge - Real life stories of young people fleeing their homelands

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Five animated stories giving a unique insight into the lives of young people who have sought refuge in the UK, told by the children themselves.

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From the Blog

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Are you a woman or child experiencing complex abuse via the everyday technology you use? Or perhaps you know someone who is a victim of this kind of...

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A few months ago we reported that Screwfix were the victims of a Fathers Day WhatsApp scam. British Airways are the victims to the latest scam to hit...

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Our website is a unique resource providing practical advice on how to protect yourself, your computers and mobile devices and your business against fraud, identity theft, viruses and many other problems encountered online. It contains guidance on many other related subjects too - including performing backups and how to avoid theft or loss of your computer, smartphone or tablet.
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From the Blog Blog Help is at hand for victims of tech abuse Are you a woman or child experiencing complex abuse via the everyday technology you use? Or perhaps you know someone who is a victim of this kind of...

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We work with schools and educational settings to help children, staff and parents to understand online risks and how to manage them.

Staying safe online for parents and children (PDF, 1.4 MB).

The Kent Online Safety Group provides guidance and assistance for those within educational settings.

Social media

Social media allows users to share their ideas, thoughts, photographs and memories online to their friends, family and others. A user's profile can be private, where they choose who can view their updates or can be made public. They can be accessed on a computer, tablet or a mobile phone.

Popular social media apps are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.

Although social media is a great way to share highlights of your life, users must always be aware and understand the risks when updating their profiles.

Mobile phone safety

Children can access the internet using smartphones and tablets, go to the Internet Matters website to get information about setting up parental controls on smartphones and other devices.

If you or your child have received a text scam, you can report this to Ofcom by forwarding it to '7726' (which spells out SPAM).

Useful websites

We recommend the nationally-acclaimed Thinkuknow website which has information for children, teenagers, parents and teachers. You can report illegal or inappropriate online behaviour through the 'report abuse' button.

There are many websites you can visit for additional support.

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online safety for your family; esafety; e-safety; e safety; cyberbulying; cyber bullying

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We work with schools and educational settings to help children, staff and parents understand online risks.

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The National Crime Agency's CEOP Education team aim to help protect children and young people from online child sexual abuse.

We do this through our education programme, providing training, resources and information to professionals working with children, young people and their families.

I am:

Respecting me, you, us: building healthy relationships and creating positive cultures is a CEOP Education resource for 12 -14 year olds developed in association with clinical psychologist, Dr. Elly Hanson.

Under 18 and worried about online sexual abuse?
To report, click to visit the CEOP Safety Centre.

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The CEOP Education programme from the National Crime Agency's CEOP Education Team aims to protect children and young people aged 4-18 from online child sexual abuse.

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THINK! is the Department of Transport's dedicated road safety website, with guidance and information for all road-users, along with the latest THINK! TV ads

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Why we're here

We're here to support people bereaved and seriously injured by road crashes.

We're here to help people be community champions for safe and healthy mobility.

We're here to campaign for safe streets and the rights of road victims.

We want a world where everyone is free to move in a safe and healthy way, every day. We work to stop road deaths and injuries, support people affected by road crashes and campaign for safe and healthy mobility for all.

Support us

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0808 8000 401

Brake's free support service if you are bereaved, seriously injured, or helping a road crash victim.
Meet your named caseworker. Call 0808 8000 401 or email help@brake.org.uk

Helping you, if bereaved, injured, or someone you love has been injured

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For victims of road crashes and their families

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Read about the service standards that the National Road Victim Service aims to meet

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Learn about, and get involved with, our work in communities, in schools, and with organisations to raise awareness and make a positive change for safe and healthy mobility.

Support our national campaigns for road safety and the rights of crash victims.

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The road safety charity. Care for victims, safe and healthy journeys.

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A year in the lives of inpatients at a teenage mental health unit.

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What’s it like living with bipolar disorder? We explain what bipolar is, plus the stigma linked to bipolar disorder.

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OCD is a term that many are familiar with on a passing level, but few understand the consequences that sufferers contend with.

Twenty-two-year-old Josh Cannings has suffered from symmetry OCD or obsessive compulsive disorder for nearly 10 years.

It is a condition that has had a massive effect on his day-to-day life, but one that is often trivialised by society.

"I have to touch everything with my left and right hands, my left and right feet an equal amount of times everywhere I go, 24/7. It's constant," says Cannings.

"So say I pick up a fork with my left hand I have to also touch it with my right hand the same amount of times.

"I shake hands with both hands clasping."

Cannings, who works as a chef in a restaurant, says if he does not "equalise" he gets a feeling of dread in his mind and to counteract that feeling has to continually obey his compulsions.

"It's that dread you get when you feel like something horrible has happened, when you find out a piece of extremely bad news, like someone you love is injured.

"It's that feeling of helplessness about not being able to do anything about it and obviously anxiety levels rise, you start sweating, you can feel your heart beating faster and you start breathing heavily."

People suffering from symmetry OCD often feel compelled to perform tasks in a symmetrical, orderly or balanced way. This can involve, for instance, aligning objects so that they feel right or as with Cannings, repeating the same action with each hand, foot or side of the body.

Cannings first noticed the symptoms of OCD when he was 12 years old and was playing in goal at a school football match. He had to touch the markings on the pitch with both feet and touch the ball with both hands, but it was only as he got older he started to realise that not everybody did this.

"The worst thing that I did was not talk to someone," says Cannings. "Just be open about it, it's not something to be ashamed of, everyone's going to struggle with mental health at some point in their lives."

The causes of OCD have not yet been identified and are widely debated within the research community. However it is thought genetic history, increased activity and blood flow in some parts of the brain and a lack of the chemical serotonin could play a part, along with environmental factors and life events.

It is estimated that 1.2% of the population in the UK have OCD, or 12 out of every 1,000 people, however these estimates might not tell the whole story. Many more may be suffering in silence.

"I sort of see OCD as mental health's lesser known cousin," says Cannings.

"Everybody sort of knows it, but not everybody knows what it actually involves. Not everybody knows how much it impacts people's lives."

Ashley Fulwood, chief executive of OCD-UK says the condition can be mentally and physically draining and can completely destroy a person's quality of life. Even so, it is often made light of by the uninformed.

"There are a lot of misconceptions about OCD, that it's just a little bit of handwash and a little bit of quirkiness. Unfortunately OCD sometimes can lead to very tragic consequences," says Fulwood.

"So every time a celebrity uses the term, 'I'm a bit OCD', it really just trivialises what is a most serious, devastating illness that completely consumes lives."

OCD can make life twice as hard and symptoms can vary from the mild to the severe.

Compulsions can be overt, or observable by others or covert, or unobservable, such as mental actions.

While the compulsive behaviour or rituals may take up hours of the day, some OCD sufferers can still go about their daily life, whereas others find the condition so incapacitating that they cannot work, study, have a social life or even leave the house.

For Cannings it can take double the amount of time to carry out a simple task, such as typing out a letter on a computer. On a recent trip to the cinema he accidentally brushed his left hand on the wall and, not wanting to draw too much attention to his compulsion, went home. He had to return an hour later.

"[I had] to get a taxi which cost me £25 just to go up to the cinema wall and touch it with my right hand. It's a bigger strain monetary-wise because I don't like getting public transport."

Treatment for OCD includes talking therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy, medication and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), where a person is asked to confront their fears. Cannings attended a therapy camp in America which specialises in ERP and is aimed at helping young adults affected by OCD.

Before attending the camp, if Cannings touched something with his left hand he would have had to touch it with his right within a minute, or face an anxiety or panic attack, but the treatment process has extended this window to 30 minutes.

He is confident that this window will keep increasing with time, but believes OCD is not something that can be completely overcome.

"I think it's always going to be there in the background," says Cannings, "but I feel that the severity of it will go down in time."

With treatment, the outlook for OCD is good and symptoms can be reduced, but "cure" seems to be a word that is blacklisted among the OCD community, says Fulwood.

"My personal belief is that OCD can be treated. I have seen people completely recover from OCD to the point where they wouldn't even be diagnosed with OCD now," says Fulwood. "They can regain control of their lives."

Cannings says the important thing to remember as an OCD sufferer is you do not have to feel alone, there are other people that feel the same way as you.

Extreme OCD Camp will be broadcast on Tuesday 30 July at 21:00 BST on BBC Three

You can follow the Magazine on Twitter and on Facebook

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

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For 10 years Josh Cannings has suffered from symmetry OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), a condition which has a massive effect on his day-to-day life.

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Read about 5 steps you can take to improve your mental health and wellbeing.

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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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Money Games and Online Financial Resources | MoneySense

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MoneySense is an impartial financial education programme that helps educate young people about money. Explore our resources for teachers, students and parents.

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Careers advice - job profiles, information and resources | National Careers Service

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Get advice on the different stages of a job hunt, including how to improve your interview technique and write an effective CV. You can get help to search for your first job, get back into work or change career direction.

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The following information could help if your child has lost or is about to lose someone, such as a family member or friend.

If your child is about to lose someone

If a child has a loved one, such as a friend or family member who's going to die, they can benefit from special support.

A child's stress level is often at its highest before bereavement because of fear and the unknown.

Pre-bereavement counselling gives a child a chance to think and talk about their feelings and share their worries.
The YoungMinds website has more information on counselling services for children and young people
Making a memory box

If you're a parent and you know you're going to die, you could make a memory box to give to your child, or make one together.

A memory box contains things that remind you both of your time together. It can provide an important link between you and your child once you've gone.
Macmillan Cancer Support has information about making a memory box

If a child has lost someone

Talk about the person who has died

During bereavement, it can help a child to talk about the person who's died, whether it was a grandparent, parent, brother, sister or friend.

Direct, honest and open communication is more helpful than trying to protect your child by hiding the truth. If you exclude them from family ceremonies and services after someone has died it could make them feel excluded.

This can also help your child be open about their own feelings and avoid confusion about what has happened. It may be helpful to talk as a family, perhaps with your child, about how to include them in any events that celebrate or say goodbye to the person who has died.

It's important for them to have someone with whom they can talk about that person and share their emotions. This could be through photos, games, memory boxes or stories.

Over time, children may start to talk more about their loss at different times and in different ways. Young children may start talking about death or including it in their play, but this is normal and is a way for them to make sense of what has happened.

Further support for your child

There are also bereavement charities that offer helplines, email support, and online communities and message boards for children.

These include:

Child Bereavement UK - call 0800 028 8840 Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, or email helpline@childbereavementuk.org

Cruse Bereavement Care - call 0808 808 1677 Monday and Friday, 9.30am to 5pm; Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 9.30am to 8pm; Saturday and Sunday 10am to 2pm

Grief Encounter - call 0808 802 0111 Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm, or email contact@griefencounter.org.uk

Hope Again - call 0808 808 1677 Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5pm, or email hopeagain@cruse.org.uk

Winston's Wish - call 0808 802 0021 Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm, or email ask@winstonswish.org

You can also find out more about children and bereavement from the Childhood Bereavement Network
Make a memory box

If the person who's died did not leave a memory box, you could make one with your child.

It can include:

gifts

shells collected on the beach

memories written on a card

anything that makes the child feel connected to that person

Don't forget to look after yourself

It's important to make sure you're also getting the support you need after a loss. This can also help you to better support your child.
Read more about getting help with grief after bereavement or loss

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Find out what to do and where to find bereavement support if your child has lost a loved one or has a loved one who's dying.

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Experts generally accept that we go through 4 stages of bereavement or grief:

1. Accepting that your loss is real

2. Experiencing the pain of grief

3. Adjusting to life without the person or thing you have lost

4. Putting less emotional energy into grieving and putting it into something new

Most people go through all these stages, but you will not necessarily move smoothly from one to the next.

Your grief might feel chaotic and out of control, but these feelings will eventually become less intense over time.

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Get help with grief after bereavement or loss

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Experts generally accept that we go through 4 stages of bereavement or grief: Accepting that your loss is real Experiencing the pain of grief Adjusting to life without the person or thing you have lost Putting less emotional energy into grieving and putting it into something new Most people go through all these stages, but you will not necessarily move smoothly from one to the next.

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On this page, you'll find information to help you support your child or young person with grief and loss. We've also got advice about where you can find grief support services.

Guide Menu for Grief and loss

What is grief?

Losing someone we love and feel close to, or going through a bereavement, can be extremely painful. Grief is our natural response to this loss, and it is a process rather than an event.

Your child or young person, as well as you and other family members, may be grieving because:

someone in the family has died, like a parent, grandparent or sibling

their friend or someone at school has died

they have lost someone by suicide

someone they are close to has become ill

a pet has died or been lost

What does grief feel like?

Grief feels different to every individual child or young person. Our feelings around grief also change over time.

It's important to remember that there is no right or wrong way to grieve. It's okay to feel whatever emotion we do, and to process it in our own way. It's a time for being kind and patient with ourselves.

You might sometimes hear people talk about the 'stages of grief' or the 'grief cycle'. These describe some of the common feelings that people who are grieving can experience.

What are the 'stages of grief'?

1. Denial - for example, feeling confused, numb or in shock.

2. Anger - this might be towards the person who has died, or with the world in general.

3. Bargaining - for example, going over things from the past, or feeling guilty or anxious.

4. Depression - this might feel like intense sadness or loneliness about living without the person.

5. Acceptance - this might be feeling more able to live with our grief, rather than feeling we have 'got over it'.

It's important to understand that not everyone experiences all these things, and that we do not move through these stages one-by-one.

We might move forwards or backwards between them, or experience them in any order. Or we might feel different emotions.

Your child or young person might also experience some of the physical signs of grief. These can include:

waves of crying, which can sometimes feel like they come out of the blue

feeling unwell or sick

eating more or less than before

being extremely tired

finding it difficult to get to sleep

finding it difficult to concentrate, including at school

It's helpful to remember that it is normal for your child or young person to feel and experience these things after a loss.

Tips for talking about grief and loss

If your child doesn't want to talk

If your child or young person feels uncomfortable about talking, you could try starting a conversation while doing an activity. This can help them to relax by making it feel less like a 'big chat'. Have a look at our activity suggestions to get some ideas.

It's also okay to give them some space, especially with older children and teenagers. Sometimes it helps to just sit together quietly, or to offer a hand squeeze or hug. Reassure them that it's okay to talk to someone else they trust too.

You can find more tips about talking in our guide.

Helping your child or young person to cope with grief

Supporting your child or young person with a sudden death

When someone they're close to dies suddenly or unexpectedly, children and young people are likely to feel extremely shocked. They may find it impossible to believe that it's happened, or feel numb and empty. They might find it difficult to talk, or to eat or drink. They may experience physical symptoms like tummy aches, headaches and being extremely tired. These reactions are a normal way of coping with huge shock.

In the days and weeks after a sudden death, the most important thing you can do is provide safety and support.

Grief and loss support services

There are lots of organisations who provide counselling and other types of support to families, children and young people after a bereavement.

Sometimes, the grieving process starts before someone dies. For example, when we know they are ill and they are going to die soon. This is sometimes called 'anticipatory grief'. In pre-bereavement counselling, your child or young person can talk through their feelings and worries. Some hospices and other organisations offer this service. Speak to the professionals supporting your family to see what's available.

In bereavement or grief counselling, your child or young person will have a space to talk. They can also start to process some of their feelings around what's happened. You may be able to access this service through:

Let your child or young person know about the grief support services that are available to them via phone, text or online chat. You can find a list of support services below.

Over the longer-term, a counsellor or therapist can listen, provide emotional support and help your child or young person to make sense of their feelings. They can also support them to find ways of coping. You can find out how your child or young person can access counselling and therapy in our guide for parents.

If you have wider concerns about your child's mental health, it's a good idea to speak to the GP about next steps. They can find out more about what's going on and refer your child for more specialist help.

Looking after yourself

Supporting a young person who is grieving can be a very emotional experience. Take time to look after yourself and top up your own batteries when you can. If you are also grieving, things may feel overwhelming at times. Allow space for your own grief too. Remember that it's okay to ask for help from family and friends when you need it.

If you need support with your own grief, or you're struggling to cope, it's really important that you get the help you need. This will make you more able to be there for your child. You can access counselling, helpline support and support groups via the grief services listed below.

Useful helplines and websites

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

This page was reviewed in October 2023. It was created with a parent or carer with lived experience of supporting their child or young person with grief. We will next review the page in 2026. YoungMinds is a proud member of PIF TICK - the UK's quality mark for trusted health information.

Help us improve our content

Whether you love the page or think something is missing, we appreciate your feedback. It all helps us to support more young people with their mental health.

Please be aware that this form isn't a mental health support service. If your child is in crisis right now and you want to talk to someone urgently, find out who to contact on our urgent help page.

At YoungMinds we take your privacy seriously. If you'd like to read more about how we keep the information we collect safe, take a look at our privacy policy.

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A guide to supporting a child or young person with grief, bereavement or loss, including information about finding grief counselling and other help.

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We help children, young people, parents, and families to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies.

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Child abuse and harm: prevention and support

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Find out more about what child abuse is and information about different types of abuse, including how to spot it and where to find help.

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It's important that all adults know how to spot the signs of child abuse and exploitation, and how to do something about it. Understandably children can find it very difficult to talk to adults about the harm they are experiencing and may not even recognise that what's happening to them is abuse or exploitation. They may not always show any outward physical signs of abuse, but there are some things to look out for, including emotional or behavioural signs.

Some things you may notice in your child are:

physical signs, such as unexplained injuries, sexually transmitted infections or urinary tract infections

changes in emotion, such as increased fear, anxiety or anger or being less able to regulate their emotions

issues with their mental health, emotional wellbeing or self-esteem

changes in behaviour, such as suddenly becoming withdrawn or isolated, or distrusting others

changes in their usual habits such as eating, use of internet/ gaming, phones or friendships

having more sexual knowledge or displaying more sexualised behaviour than is developmentally appropriate for their age

discomfort with sex and their body

having things such as money, phones, expensive clothes or other items, when you don't know how they have bought them

being away from home or school where you don't know where they are

This is not an exhaustive list of the signs of abuse and exploitation. Abuse can also be indicated by the inappropriate and controlling behaviour of the person abusing. Environmental factors, such as the child having more needs that are going unmet, should also be considered as it may make them more at risk of abuse. If you have any concerns about your child, speak to them about their safety and wellbeing or to a professional who can support you.

Read our advice about talking to your child about their safety and wellbeing.

Barnardo's hosts the Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse (CSA Centre) which has produced a template to support professionals working with children to identify the signs and indicators of sexual abuse and build a picture of their concerns.

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Learn more about child sexual abuse (CSA) and child sexual exploitation (CSE) from our specialists.

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Tell us your feedback: * Please do not include personal details. This is not a mental health support service and you will not receive a reply.

Please note:

This form is not a mental health support service. We cannot reply to this. If you or your child are at immediate risk of harm, call 999 and ask for an ambulance or go to your nearest A&E. If you are worried about your child's mental health, call our Parents Helpline on 0808 802 5544, Mon-Fri, 9:30am - 4pm. If you are struggling with your own mental health, call Samaritans on 116 123.

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Abuse and Domestic Violence | Parents Support Guide

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If you're worried your child has witnessed or experienced abuse or domestic violence, read our guide to types of abuse and how to get support.

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Infant Family Team is a service that helps social workers and judges decide whether a child should stay with their birth family or enter care permanently.

Moving in and out of care is very disruptive and can have long-term effects on a child's mental health. But some effects can be prevented if they're placed in a secure, loving home early in life.

Who is it for?
We work with the birth parents and foster carers of children aged between 6 months and 5 years old. The children must be in local authority care for the first time, in a foster or kinship care placement.

We help parents to understand the effects of their own early experiences, recognise the importance of their role as parents, learn ways to make sure their children are safe and protected, and access associated support, such as alcohol misuse services.

We also support foster carers, helping them to meet the needs of children in their care.

Decisions about who the child should be permanently placed with are only made after the treatment phase. This decision is based on whether the parent is able to build their relationship with the child.

Where is the Infant Family Team available?
Glasgow.
Get in touch with one of these service centres
Find out more at NSPCC Learning

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Infant Family Team is a service that helps social workers and judges decide whether a child should stay with their birth family or enter care permanently. Moving in and out of care is very disruptive and can have long-term effects on a child's mental health.

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Free teacher classroom resources suitable for use in PSHE, Relationships and Sex Education, and Health Education lessons with secondary school children at Key Stage 3 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and at 3rd and 4th level in Scotland.

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KS3 PSHE, Relationships and Sex Education, and Health Education

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Free teacher classroom resources suitable for use in PSHE, Relationships and Sex Education, and Health Education lessons with secondary school children at Key Stage 3 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and at 3rd and 4th level in Scotland.