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Local Authority funded transport assistance

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Supporting children throughout Hampshire

We know that caring for a child or young person with SEND is a challenging time. Here you can learn what help may be available for your child and your family. We can guide you through the support available in education settings and how to get a break from caring.

People that work with children and young people can also learn about their responsibilities towards those with SEND. You can find out what professionals must do to support your child, and how we make decisions relating to that support.

Contact and support

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Special educational needs and disabilities

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Supporting children throughout Hampshire We know that caring for a child or young person with SEND is a challenging time. Here you can learn what help may be available for your child and your family. We can guide you through the support available in education settings and how to get a break from caring.

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Empowering children and young people to achieve

STAS is a specialist multi-disciplinary team, who aim to share expertise by working in partnership with families, children or young people and educational staff. STAs aim to build capacity, act as advocates and promote quality provision and inclusion in all educational settings. Children and young people are supported, and empowered, to achieve throughout their learning journey and be well prepared for adulthood.

We support children and young people who are deaf or have hearing loss, have a vision impairment or physical disability, or have speech, language and communication needs.

Our team is made up of experienced teachers and other professionals with qualifications in their relevant specialisms. Once we receive a referral we will assess and support your child based on their level of need.

STAS can offer support to schools, parents or other professionals by phone or email. If you would like a consultation with a member of the service, please either email the STAS professional who is currently supporting your child or contact the relevant STAS Team Leader below.

STAS is a term-time only service.

See our privacy notice to know how your data is held and used by our service.

Services supported

Basingstoke Local Office

Winchester Local Office

Havant Local Office

Resources

We have produced some resources to help you. There is also support available from charities, professionals and other external organisations.

View Resources

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Empowering children and young people to achieve STAS is a specialist multi-disciplinary team, who aim to share expertise by working in partnership with families, children or young people and educational staff. STAs aim to build capacity, act as advocates and promote quality provision and inclusion in all educational settings.

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Sharing stories about various situations can put a child's mind at ease and make transitions and new experiences easier to cope with and more understandable. When a book might help is a list of story books suitable for this purpose.

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Sharing stories about various situations can put a child's mind at ease and make transitions and new experiences easier to cope with and more understandable. When a book might help is a list of story books suitable for this purpose.

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

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

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

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

Feedback

Tell us what you think by taking a quick questionnaire!

Get in Touch

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

0808 164 5504

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

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Hampshire SENDIASS | Impartial SEND Advice & Support

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

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

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

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

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Hampshire Specialist Parenting Support Service

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

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Family Information and Services Hub

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

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

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

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

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

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This document is produced in accordance with Clause 65 of the 2014 Children's Act.
The kinds of Special Educational Needs and Disability for which provision is made at Boorley Park Primary School.
Boorley Park Primary School is a mainstream school. Our philosophy is based on the belief that all pupils are of equal worth and should have an entitlement to equal opportunities.

Our school opened September 2019. The SENCO is Mrs Tamsin Sillars.

If you are considering whether your child with special needs should join Boorley Park Primary School, you may wish to contact the SENCO on 01489 737970.

The Local Authority has produced their Local Offer of services available. This can be found at www.hantslocaloffer.info
How is my child supported prior to joining Boorley Park Primary School?

If your child has an Education Health and Care Plan or complex needs, contact the school to arrange a visit to meet the SENCO - Mrs Sillars.

Your child's Pre-school should invite the SENCO to the Annual Reviews and to any IPA meeting before transfer to Boorley Park Primary School.

In the summer term prior to starting, Mrs Siillars visits the SENCO at your child's pre-school and SEND information about your child is passed on to her.

Your child will meet their class teacher at his/her pre-school together with other key members of staff.

Your child will be invited to attend all induction events and may have additional visits if needed.

Parents of Year R pupils are invited to a new intake parents' evening in the Summer Term at Boorley Park Primary School.

Boorley Park Primary School holds an Open Evening during the autumn term where prospective parents are able to look at what is offered by the school.

How does Boorley Park Primary School know if my child needs extra help and what do I do if I think my child has special educational needs?
We place pupils on the SEND Register if they have an identified need, whether this can be met with High Quality Inclusive Teaching or whether the pupil requires specific intervention. Pupils' difficulties will be indicated on the register.

Pupils who have needs which do not meet the criteria for inclusion on the SEN Register will be placed on an Information Register so that staff are aware of specific needs and how to support them in class.
Prior to Transition:

Meetings between linked pre-schools and Boorley Park Primary SENCO enable early identification of pupils who may need support.

Learning Support staff attend statement annual reviews/IPA meetings of pupils prior to starting the school.

We review all relevant data and information from pre-schools and parents to identify pupils who may need additional support.

On entry to Boorley Park Primary:
Pupils are assessed using an Early Years Baseline test.

This data is reviewed by the SENCO and may lead to further assessments where there is a concern. These may be carried out either by school staff or by external agencies.
Whilst on roll at Boorley Park Primary:
The school's general arrangements for assessing and reporting also contribute to the identification of SEND pupils.

Monitoring of pupil progress by staff

Reports sent to school by Local Authority external agencies, e.g. Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), Education Psychology Services and Occupational Therapy

Pupils may be referred for additional tests or assessment, e.g. the Dyslexia Portfolio or the Dyslexia Screening Test

Creation and implementation of Pupil Profile Sheets

Annual Reviews for pupils with a Statement/Education, Health and Care Plans

What should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs?
If you have any worries about your child, you can raise your concerns by contacting the SENCO via the school office.

The SENCO, in consultation with your child's teachers, can screen your child for some common learning difficulties using a range of tests. Following assessment, we will share the report with you.

For a formal diagnosis of certain difficulties e.g. Speech and Language or Dyspraxia you should contact your GP. Further advice can be sought from the SENCO.
How will Boorley Park Primary School and I know how my child is doing and how can I support my child's learning?

We are committed to the policy of home-school partnership and acknowledge that the value of parent's views and wishes are of paramount importance.

SEND support plans will be shared with parents and pupils on a termly basis. On the first meeting they are asked to sign and outline their involvement and support.

Parents/carers are invited to parent-teacher consultation meetings for further discussion

Parents / carers are invited to contribute to EHCP plan reviews and attend any associated meetings.

As a school we measure children's progress in learning against National expectations and age related expectations.

Results of screening tests (such as the dyslexia screening test) will be shared with parents if children are identified as 'at risk'.

The class teacher continually assesses each child and notes areas where they are improving and where further support is needed. As a school, we track children's progress from entry at Year R through to Year 6 using key performance indicators and progress against set objectives for their year group.

Children who are not making expected progress are picked up through Pupil Progress meetings between the Class teacher and Senior Leaders. In this meeting a discussion takes place concerning why individual children are experiencing difficulty and what further support can be given to aid their progression.

When the child's SEND support plan is reviewed comments are made against each target to show what progress the child has made. If the child has not met the target, the reasons for this will be discussed, then the target may be adapted into smaller steps or a different approach may be tried to ensure the child does make progress.

Appointments can be made via the School Office to speak in more detail to the Class Teacher or SENCO at a mutually convenient time.

How will the school staff support my child?
The class teacher will oversee, plan and work with each child with SEND in their class to ensure that progress in every area is made. If they are identified with SEND, they will have a SEND support plan with specific targets related to their needs which may include involvement from External Agencies, such as Occupational Therapy, SALT. Additional general support may be provided by the teacher or teaching assistant in the class.

Small group 'Close the Gap' support may be available for any pupils who have specific gaps in their understanding or area of learning. These pupils are identified on a Class Action Plan (CAPs) and are reviewed half termly.

There may be a Learning Support Assistant (LSA) working with your child either individually or as part of a group; if this is seen as necessary by the class teacher. The regularity of these sessions will be explained to parents when the support starts and be identified on their Individual Education Plan.

Pupils will have their support explained to them and are able to contribute their views particularly in relation to provision for them. They are also invited to give their views as part of any Inclusion Partnership Agreement(IPA), or Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

On occasion, a child may need more expert support from an external agency, such as Educational Psychologist or Specialist Teacher Advisors etc. A referral or a recommendation of referral will be made either by the school or by parents / carers (supported by the school). Once the referral has been accepted and assessed, a support programme is usually provided to the school and parents / carers.

Where a child has demonstrated significant cause for concern over a period of time or has severe, complex or lifelong needs, an assessment for an Educational, Health and Care Plan will be made. An EHC needs assessment will not always lead to an EHC plan. The information gathered during an EHC needs assessment may indicate ways in which the school, college or other provider can meet the child or young person's needs without an EHC plan.

Our SENCO oversees all support and progress of any child requiring additional support across the school.

How will the curriculum be matched to my child's needs?

Within the school's inclusion and equal opportunities policy all children are given access to the full range of curricular and extra-curricular activities.

A range of teaching strategies and approaches are used to enable effective differentiation.

Numeracy and Literacy are both taught in classes but with LSA support and differentiated work. Additional resources (such as concrete apparatus or ICT equipment) are also available to support progress.

Intervention programmes are used for those pupils who are falling slightly behind government expectations for their age appropriate level.

When children are withdrawn from specific teaching support related to SEND targets, it is planned to ensure that full access to the curriculum is not compromised.

If appropriate, specialist equipment may be given to the pupil e.g. writing slopes, disco-sit cushions, pencil grips, triangular pens / pencils, coloured overlays etc.

If a child is unable to participate in an aspect of the curriculum due to their SEND, another appropriate activity will be available to meet their needs.

How is the decision made about the type and how much support my child will receive?
The class teacher alongside the SENCO will discuss the child's needs and what support would be appropriate. Different children will require different levels of support in order to close the gap to achieve age expected levels. Decisions are based upon school-based and outside agency assessments, pupil progress and / or discussions with parents.

Access arrangements (such as a reader, scribe or additional time) for public examinations will be sought following guidelines and criteria from the related Examination body.

The school budget includes money for supporting children with SEND. The Head Teacher decides on the budget for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in consultation with the school governors, on the basis of needs in the school. The Head Teacher and the SENCO discuss all the information they have about SEND in the school, including:

The children getting extra support already.

The children needing extra support.

The children who have been identified as not making as much progress as would be expected.

All resources/training and support are reviewed regularly and changes made as needed. Resources are allocated according to individual needs within the budget of the school.

Children with a statement of SEN or EHCP may have specific allocations in terms of resources and additional adult support. These will be met in full.

Pupils' progress will be closely monitored each half-term and we may seek further advice or remove the pupil from the intervention when they have made sufficient progress.
How will my child be included in activities outside the school classroom including school trips?
An underlying principle of the school's ethos is that of inclusion. All pupils are valued for what they can bring to the school and are entitled to take part in all that the school offers. We are committed to making this accessible to all our pupils given the resources available. There is recognition of pupils' differences, and the provision of appropriate learning opportunities, matching work to the needs of pupils.

We endeavor to include pupils in all activities, trips and visits subject to risk assessment and the ability to make reasonable adjustments.
What support will there be for my child's overall well-being?
We are an inclusive school; we welcome and celebrate diversity. All staff believe that children having high self-esteem is crucial to a child's well-being. We have a caring, understanding team looking after our children.

The class teacher has overall responsibility for the pastoral, medical and social care of every child in their class, therefore this would be the parents' first point of contact. If further support is required, the class teacher liaises with the SENCO for further advice and support. This may involve working alongside outside agencies such as Health and Social Services, and/or the Primary Behaviour Service.

There is also access to the services of a trained counsellor should the school and parents agree this is a suitable course of action for the child.

The Governors of Boorley Park Primary School are responsible for entrusting a named person, to monitor Safeguarding and Child Protection procedures.
What specialist service and expertise are available or can be accessed by Boorley Park Primary School?
The school SENCO holds the National Award for SEN Co-ordination.

When your child joins Boorley Park Primary School the following services may be accessed:

Specialist Teacher Advisors for Hearing Impaired (HI) / Visual Impaired (VI) and pupils with physical difficulties.

Speech and Language Therapy Services

Educational Psychology services

CAMHS

Behaviour Support Team

Occupational Therapy

School Nurse

Children's Services

How accessible is the school both indoors and outdoors?
The school site remains open throughout the day. It is maintained in order to make sure it is safe and accessible for pupils with a Visual Impairment or Physical Disability. The school conforms with current disability legislation and the school is equipped for wheelchair access The school has disabled parking bays as well as a disabled toilet and changing room. The school will make 'reasonable adjustments' to accommodate disabled users including pupils, staff and visitors.
How can I get involved in the school?

As a parent, you know your child best. If your child is new to Boorley Park Primary School, arrange a meeting with the class teacher or the SENCO to discuss your child's needs.

Your child will have a planner for recording homework and for communication between home and school. This will be checked regularly and should be signed by the parent every week.

Please help your child with homework by making sure they understand what they have to do and checking that they keep to deadlines.

Please make sure your child has the correct equipment and uniform before getting to school. This will help them with their organisation.

Please encourage your child to read for pleasure.

We will seek the views of pupils when they are involved in working with the Educational Psychologists, writing Pupil Profile Sheets and in Annual Reviews.

How will Boorley Park Primary School support my child to transfer to another school or on to secondary school?
We recognise that transitions can be difficult for a child with SEND and take steps to ensure that any transition is as smooth as possible. If your child is moving child to another school:We will contact the school SENCO and ensure he/she knows about any special arrangements or support that needs to be made for your child.We will make sure that all records about your child are passed on as soon as possible.

When moving between classes at Boorley Park Primacy School:

Information will be passed on to the new class teacher in advance and a planning meeting will take place with the new teacher. All SEND profiles will be shared with the new teacher. If your child would be helped by a social story to support them understand moving on then it will be made for them.

In Year 6:

The SENCO will attend the primary transition event to discuss the specific needs of your child with the SENCO of their secondary school. Your child will do focused learning about aspects of transition to support their understanding of the changes ahead. Where possible your child will visit their new school on several occasions and in some cases staff from the new school will visit your child in this school.
What steps should I take if I have a concern about the school's SEND provision?
Please contact Mrs Sillars (SENCO) if you have an immediate concern. Parents are always welcome by appointment to discuss provision. Any parent who is dissatisfied with the provision can find the school complaints policy on the school's website and on request.
Where can I get further information about services for my child?
The Local Authority has produced their Local Offer of services available. This can be found at www.hantslocaloffer.info

This document is provided as part of The Local Offer for Hampshire.

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This document is produced in accordance with Clause 65 of the 2014 Children's Act. The kinds of Special Educational Needs and Disability for which provision is made at Boorley Park Primary School. Boorley Park Primary School is a mainstream school.

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The tremendous, relentless stress that used to be our "dinnertime" fell off like a weight of world off my shoulders. My husband says he got his wife back, and I started seeing my precious child smile and laugh and be goofy more often than ever. And for that alone - I am eternally thankful to you, dear Alisha. Thank you for your website and all the advice - they were the most helpful resources I've ever come across.

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The tremendous, relentless stress that used to be our "dinnertime" fell off like a weight of world off my shoulders. My husband says he got his wife back, and I started seeing my precious child smile and laugh and be goofy more often than ever.

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Sensory Integration_ Sensory Processing - Activities - Parents and School

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Learn touch typing online using TypingClub's free typing courses. It includes 650 typing games, typing tests and videos.

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

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Developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD), also known as dyspraxia, is a condition affecting physical co-ordination. It causes a child to perform less well than expected in daily activities for their age, and appear to move clumsily.
This topic is about DCD in children, although the condition often causes continued problems into adulthood.

Find out more about DCD in adults.

Symptoms of DCD

Early developmental milestones of crawling, walking, self-feeding and dressing may be delayed in young children with DCD. Drawing, writing and performance in sports are also usually behind what is expected for their age.

Although signs of the condition are present from an early age, children vary widely in their rate of development. This means a definite diagnosis of DCD does not usually happen until a child with the condition is 5 years old or more.

Find out more about symptoms of DCD in children.

When to seek medical advice

If you're concerned about your child's health or development, talk to a GP or health visitor, or speak to a nurse, doctor or special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) at your child's school.

They may refer your child to an occupational therapist, paediatrician, or another health professional who can assess them and try to identify any developmental problems.

Find out more about diagnosing DCD in children.

Causes of DCD

Doing co-ordinated movements is a complex process that involves many different nerves and parts of the brain.

Any problem in this process could potentially lead to difficulties with movement and co-ordination.

It's not usually clear why co-ordination doesn't develop as well as other abilities in children with DCD.

However, a number of risk factors that can increase a child's likelihood of developing DCD have been identified.

These include:

being born prematurely, before the 37th week of pregnancy

being born with a low birth weight

having a family history of DCD, although it is not clear exactly which genes may be involved in the condition

the mother drinking alcohol or taking illegal drugs while pregnant

Treating DCD

There's no cure for DCD, but a number of therapies can help children to manage their problems.

These include:

being taught ways of do activities they find difficult, such as breaking down difficult movements into smaller parts and practicing them regularly

adapting tasks to make them easier, such as using special grips on pens and pencils so they are easier to hold

Although DCD does not affect how intelligent a child is, it can make it more difficult for them to learn and they may need extra help to keep up at school.

Treatment for DCD will be tailored to your child and usually involves a number of different healthcare professionals working together.

Although the physical co-ordination of a child with DCD will remain below average, this may be less of a problem as they get older and develop coping strategies. Some children may continue to have problems.

However, difficulties in school - particularly producing written work - can become much more prominent and require extra help from parents and teachers.

Find out more about treating DCD in children.

Dyspraxia or DCD?

While many people in the UK use the term dyspraxia to refer to the difficulties with movement and co-ordination that first develop in young children, this term is used less often by healthcare professionals.

Instead, most healthcare professionals use the term developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD) to describe the condition.

This term is generally preferred by healthcare professionals because dyspraxia can have several meanings.

For example, dyspraxia can be used to describe movement difficulties that happen later in life because of damage to the brain, such as from a stroke or head injury.

Some healthcare professionals may also use the term specific developmental disorder of motor function (SDDMF) to refer to DCD.

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Developmental co-ordination disorder (dyspraxia) in children

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Read about developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD), also known as dyspraxia, a condition that affects physical co-ordination.

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Supporting individuals and families affected by dyspraxia/DCD

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developing gross motor skills at school ks1

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Here is a collection of 40 fine motor skills activities for young children that are easy to set up and promote a whole range of skills. They're creative, open-ended, appropriate and varied with ideas for practising motor skills through art, sensory play and simple manipulative games, and there are so many to choose from!

One of the most important ways we can help our children while playing with them at home or in a childcare/ classroom setting is through setting up simple activities that help to develop fine motor skills. Young children need to be able to hold and use scissors and pencils appropriately before using them in a classroom context. We cannot expect them to be able to write if they haven't yet developed the strength needed in their hands and fingers.

There are plenty of easy ways to strengthen these muscles, practise co-ordination and develop hand:eye co-ordination using simple, everyday materials and a bit of creative fun! Here are 40 that we have done over the past few years with babies to 5 year olds. There are a million variations you could make from each of these to cater for your own child's particular interests and learning dispositions. Use these as a springboard and pin it for future reference too!

[ Herbal play dough with natural materials to explore]

My personal favourite tool for developing all fine motor skills is the humble ball of homemade play dough. It can be used in SO many ways by adding other combinations of materials to it, and automatically strengthens little hands as they roll, squeeze, twist and build with it. Here is a whole post about the benefits of playing with play dough and a handy guide to starting out with building your own play dough tool kit. Of course, baking with real dough is another wonderful way to play and learn simultaneously!
The many benefits of play dough (and a tool kit)
Other activities we have loved have included exploring sensory play materials, transporting small parts, threading beads, hands-on art projects, cutting and sticking, tearing and scrunching papers, opening and closing fastenings and countless others. Here is a selection of some of those favourites, all of which can be adapted for different age groups and abilities.
Threading with beads onto pipe cleaners Threading, posting and slotting toys for babies and toddlers Poking straws into holes Pasta necklaces Monster play dough Weaving around cardboard Fairy sparkle playdough Pipe cleaners and colanders Beads on spaghetti Hair rollers sticky construction First sewing basket Edible fingerpainting Making marks in fairy dust Decorating play dough eggs Mark making and scooping in lavender sensory salt Building 3D models Sorting and pattern making with shells Patterning with lego Lid posting game Snipping and doodling sticky stained glass windows Whisking up coloured sensory soap Salt dough alphabet modelling Pebble sorting Stacking cups Play dough cupcakes Foam and water window art

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40 Fine Motor Skills Activities - The Imagination Tree

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Here is a collection of 40 fine motor skills activities for young children that are easy to set up and promote a whole range of basic learning skills.

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The Coronavirus pandemic brings with it a significant amount of uncertainty and is therefore likely to impact on children and young people in terms of their emotional wellbeing. Children and young people may be feeling more stressed, anxious, worried and low as they absorb and react to the evolving Coronavirus situation.

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Partnership of CCGs would like to remind all young people aged 11-17 yrs and living in Hampshire or the Isle of Wight, that the Think Ninja App is free and available to provide support for those struggling with mental health and emotional wellbeing in this time of uncertainty.

Think Ninja can help young people in the following ways:

Keeping calm when stress levels rise by accessing the Skill Zone for breathing and distraction exercises

Helping to address unhelpful thoughts related to Coronavirus in the CBT skills section and 'My Challenges' section

Boosting their mood with various PowerUps

Connecting via text chat with a 'live' Healios mental health professional, if required, all within the app

It is important to highlight that Think Ninja offers support only and should not be used as a replacement intervention for Mental Health input from NHS CAMHS or Counselling services.
The app can be downloaded for free from the App Store and is available on all Android and Apple IOS smartphones and tablets. Unfortunately Think Ninja is not available on laptops or PC's as yet. Once downloaded you will be asked to enter your postcode. Think Ninja has already been populated with all Hampshire and Isle of Wight postcodes and is being used by a number of young people in these areas.

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Think Ninja - Maintaining emotional wellbeing during the Coronavirus situation

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The Coronavirus pandemic brings with it a significant amount of uncertainty and is therefore likely to impact on children and young people in terms of their emotional wellbeing. Children and young people may be feeling more stressed, anxious, worried and low as they absorb and react to the evolving Coronavirus situation.

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

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You can help to build your child's self esteem by letting them know how well they have done and how proud you are of them. Don't just say this, use descriptive words to ensure that they understand why you are pleased. Even though they might feel embarrassed talking to you they need to know that you are there to listen and support, not judge them for feeling the way they do at times.

Tips for helping build self-esteem

When things don't go according to plan, talk the situation through and try to stay calm

If you feel your child is struggling with the way they look or feel acknowledge their feelings and ensure that your child feels listened to as their feelings will be very real

Pick your moment carefully as having a one to one chat might be a little forceful. Try not to make things too intense to begin with

Talk about the positive aspects of your child's personality and help them to understand that it isn't always about the way a person looks, it's the person inside that really counts

Try not to label, criticise or blame your child which will give them negative messages which can stick and can have a detrimental impact on their emotional wellbeing later on in life

Positive parenting is also vital as it is important that your child knows that you do recognise when they have done well, have made an effort and look good which will help to improve self esteem in children

When your child feels they have failed or have been rejected try to find something good out of the experience to praise them for. This could be the amount of effort they put in, or the dedication they showed to a project. Engage with the about changes that they might be able to make in the future and what they have learned from the experience. Building resilience in children can be an essential life skill as it can help them cope with many challenges.

If you are struggling to accept the way your child is behaving and you think that low self esteem could be responsible for this, remind yourself that it is their behaviour you don't like, not them as people. Remember too that as children get older their self esteem can dip as they hit puberty. They have the additional worry of coping with mood swings and changes within their body that they may not be entirely happy with.

If you think your child is suffering with low self esteem think about what might have affected your child such as:

Has there been a recent family trauma?

Could your child be having problems at school such as bullying etc?

Have you introduced a new partner that your child could be struggling with?

If you continue to be concerned talk to their teacher as it is always helpful to keep communication lines open with the school and they might be able to shed some light on any problems at school. As a parent, you have a major part to play in ensuring that your children grown up feeling confident, secure and loved. How you deal with failure and upset will undoubtedly reflect on your own children. Children need to understand that failure is part and parcel of life and that it doesn't always go according to plan. We all make mistakes, no one is perfect so showing your child that you can dust yourself down and start again will set a good example and help them to understand that we can learn from mistakes and move forward.

Further resources

It may help to chat to other parents on our forums to find out how they are dealing with this issue within their family life. You can also talk to us online via our live chat service, email us at askus@familylives.org.uk or call us on our helpline on 0808 800 2222 to speak to trained family support worker.

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Helping your child build self-esteem | Family Lives

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You can help to build your child's self esteem by letting them know how well they have done and how proud you are of them. Don't just say this, use descriptive words to ensure that they understand why you are pleased.

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As parents and carers, we cannot prevent our children and young people from going through some hard times. But we can be a big part of supporting them to develop the self-esteem that makes them more able to cope.

Having good self-esteem is an important part of having good mental health. This is because it helps us to feel good about ourselves and our life, as well being one of the things that can get us through tough times.

Feeling loved, supported and valued by a parent or trusted adult is an essential part of having good self-esteem. So remember how much you're doing every time you hug your child or young person, tell them you love them, spend quality time together or ask if they're okay.

On this page, you can find information and advice to help you feel more confident about supporting your child or young person when they're struggling with their self-esteem.

Building self-esteem takes time, there's no magic wand. But there's always hope. It might not feel like it sometimes, but there's always hope that things will get better.

Self-esteem means the way we think and feel about ourselves. When we have good or high self-esteem, we:

feel good about who we are most of the time

believe in ourselves, and our qualities and strengths

believe we are worthy and deserving of all the good things in life, including love, kind friends and fun experiences

Having good self-esteem is not about being happy all the time, or always feeling confident. We all have bad days and negative thoughts sometimes. But when we have good self-esteem, we're more able to move on from these feelings by being kind to ourselves and asking for support.

having a generally positive image of yourself

believing you matter

feeling confident about your strengths

feeling proud of your achievements

not feeling too worried or upset about things you cannot do so well

believing you have good things to offer other people - for example believing you are a kind, good or interesting friend

believing your opinions and views matter, and are worth hearing

feeling able to try new things or give something a go

having a kind and understanding inner voice when things go wrong

being kind to yourself when you're having a hard time, including doing self-care and giving yourself a break

feeling positive or comfortable most of the time about your body and how it looks

having a more negative image of yourself - you might sometimes feel bad, ugly, unlikeable or stupid

having a lack of confidence in your qualities and strengths, or feeling you're not good enough

finding it difficult to feel proud of things, or often feeling you should have done better

having a more negative inner voice when things are hard - for example telling yourself you 'should not' have made a mistake

feeling more cautious about doing new things or giving something a go

putting yourself down, for example by saying 'I'm stupid' or 'I can't do that'

comparing yourself to others in a negative way

feeling negative or uncomfortable about your body and how it looks

doubting whether you are worthy and deserving of being valued, listened to, loved or cared for

What causes low self-esteem?

Your child or young person's self-esteem will naturally go through ups and downs at different points. Going through big changes like starting a new school or moving to a new area can affect a child's confidence. But with support, they can usually get through this and feel okay again.

Sometimes, however, a child or young person can experience low self-esteem over a longer period of time. This can make it harder for them to look after their mental health. It may leave them struggling with things like low mood or anxiety.

This can happen when a young person hears negative messages about themselves from other people. These could come from a parent, relative, peer, teacher, sibling or through social media. These messages can have a big impact because a young person develops their opinion of themselves through the way they are treated in their relationships. This is especially true while they're still growing up.

The types of messages that damage self-esteem include:

being called labels or names like 'naughty', 'stupid', 'ugly', 'bad' or 'weird'

being criticised when you make mistakes

being put under too much pressure to succeed or do everything well, or only being noticed when you achieve something

seeing lots of images about what a 'beautiful' or 'attractive' person looks like, when this person looks different to you

being told off when you struggle with schoolwork

Low self-esteem can also develop after going through a stressful or upsetting experience.

This can include:

being bullied

experiencing discrimination such as racism, homophobia, sexism or transphobia

experiencing abuse or neglect

having difficult relationships in the family or at home

having mental or physical health problems

Being made to feel 'different' because of a part of your identity can have a negative effect on self-esteem too.

This can include:

children and young people with a neurodiverse condition or additional need such as autism, ADHD or dyslexia

Black and minoritised children and young people, who may be made to feel bad about their cultural identity, or like the way they look is 'wrong'

LGBTQIA+ children and young people

Signs your child or young person is struggling with their self-esteem

If your child or young person is feeling low about themselves, these are some of the signs you might notice:

saying negative things about themselves

making negative comments about their appearance

making negative comments about things they've done, for example at school

comparing themselves negatively to other people

withdrawing - for example avoiding social situations and activities

seeming low in their mood - for example, showing less interest in things

avoiding trying new things, or worrying a lot about doing something new

seeming very anxious when they make a mistake, or not being able to move on from it

giving themselves a hard time when things don't go as planned

turning to coping mechanisms like self-harm

Talking to your child or young person about what's going on

As a parent or carer, starting a conversation with your child or young person can sometimes feel like the hardest bit. But it can also be a bit of a turning point. Talking things through can help them to feel less alone. And once you know what's going on, you're in a better position to help. So even though it can feel difficult, it is important to try gently checking in with your child or young person when you see that they're struggling.

Here are some tips for starting a conversation:

For example you could say:

'I've noticed that you're staying in your room a lot at the moment. Is everything okay?'

'I thought you seemed kind of upset the other day. Is there anything going on?'

'I've been thinking about how upset you were last night about your homework. Can we have a chat about it?'

When your child or young person does talk, try to:

Helping your child or young person to build their self-esteem

Alongside talking and providing emotional support, there are things you can do to help your child or young person improve their self-esteem.

As you think about strategies you might want to try, always remind yourself you're doing your best. It's natural to feel a bit overwhelmed sometimes, or to feel guilty as parents or carers about what we're not doing. Remember that modelling good self-esteem is really important. That means not expecting yourself to be perfect or giving yourself a hard time either.

Have a look through these suggestions and pick one or two things you think might help. Trust yourself to know what suits your child or young person best in terms of their individual needs and where they're at.

Talk about how great it is to give things a go and to enjoy the process of doing something, rather than focusing on success. Encourage them to pursue their interests without worrying about whether the outcome will be 'good'. If they are struggling at the moment, you can start with something small like going for a walk somewhere new or cooking a new meal together.

Show them that you know they will be okay if something does not turn out the way they planned. Things not going perfectly is just part of life, and it's never the end of the world. If they do something they find challenging, notice and celebrate them for it.

What this might look like in real life: 'Oh! I don't know if that turned out how you were expecting. Well done for giving it a go though, I'm so proud of you. It was really hard but you did it!'.

Being part of a group, or finding an interest they enjoy, can give them confidence and purpose, which can improve their self-esteem.

What this might look like in real life: If they'd like to do something alone, support them to try out an activity they're interested in, and help them find the resources they need to get started.

Or if they'd like to, look for local groups or clubs where they can meet like-minded people. They might be interested in art, drama, writing, singing, music, chess, lego, video games or something else. They might also enjoy getting involved with a voluntary or community project that makes a difference in the world. This can help them to develop a more positive opinion of themselves.

If your child is feeling isolated around an aspect of their identity, they might benefit from meeting other young people, as well as older role models, who share this identity.

Autistic children and young people might be able to join a local group through one of the National Autistic Society's local branches, or by searching the NAS directory.

There may be a local LGBTQIA+ group run by your child's school or a local charity.

You can search the Bayo website for local groups run for and by the Black community.

If something you're going through feels like a huge mountain to climb or it feels overwhelming, try not to focus on the whole task or end result. Try instead to think about the best first step, and take it from there, one day at a time. Then ask yourself, has it helped? Has it helped your young person, or do you need to change direction and try something new?

Looking after yourself and modelling good self-esteem

Children and young people learn about how to be in the world from the people around them. So it's really important that we model good self-esteem as parents and carers. For example, you can show your child that it's okay to try new things by doing it yourself. Or, when things are hard, you can show them you have a kind, accepting attitude towards yourself.

This may feel difficult if things are tough or overwhelming at the moment. It's harder to do these things when our batteries are running low. Remember to keep finding ways to re-charge and take care of yourself, as well as your child. Make time, however small, for the things that work for you. Remember that it's okay to ask for help when you need it and to share your worries with someone you trust.

If self-esteem is an issue you find particularly difficult, it might be helpful to reflect on your own experience. What messages have you been given by others, and how has this affected your attitude towards yourself?

Take care of yourself. Model good self-care and mind your own language. Avoid phrases like 'I've been good so I can have this' or 'I've been bad so I can't have that'. Just be and don't base it on rewards and denying yourself. You can treat yourself for no reason at all. And so can your child. You are worthy.

Our children are picking up, absorbing and often copying our behaviours - even if subconsciously! So we have to be mindful about our modelling. Building our own self-esteem will ultimately help build our children's.

Finding help and support for your child or young person

If your child or young person is struggling with their self-esteem, a good first step is speaking to their school. The school may be able to:

Link them with a mentor or buddy, which can help them feel there is someone at school who really cares about them.

Encourage and support them to join a club, or to take on a new responsibility such as library monitor or peer learning mentor.

Link them with support groups, which lots of schools run around issues like making friends.

If they are feeling anxious about school at the moment, have a look at our guide to find information and advice about what to do next.

A counsellor or therapist can work with your child or young person to improve their self-esteem. They can explore where their feelings have come from, and gently challenge some of their beliefs about themselves. They can also support them to find ways of coping when things are tough.

Read our guide to find out how they can access counselling and therapy.

Sometimes, issues with self-esteem can lead to feelings of depression or anxiety. They can also lead to a young person turning to coping mechanisms such as self-harm. If this is the case, it's a good idea to speak to a GP about what support is available.

Read our guide to getting help from the GP for more information about this.

You are the expert in your child. You can work alongside doctors and other people supporting your young person, but ultimately you know your child best. Attending parenting classes, and getting support in a peer space where other parents and carers understand, can boost your confidence and self-esteem, which will ultimately help your child too.

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 September 2023. It was created with parents and carers with lived experience of supporting their child or young person with self-esteem. 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.
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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Self-Esteem and Mental Health | Guide For Parents

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There are many pressures and obstacles that can affect your child's self-esteem. Read our guide for information and advice on how you can provide support.

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People often say "I'm so depressed" when they're having a bad day or week, but depression is different from feeling sad, down or 'can't be bothered'.

Depression is a mental health difficulty that involves persistent low mood (continuing for a long time). It impacts on the way people feel, think and behave. Depression can happen as a reaction to difficult experiences such as bullying, bereavement or family relationship difficulties. It can also happen without any obvious trigger or reason.

People with depression can feel a range of emotions including sadness, stress, hopelessness, loneliness, irritability (anger), emptiness or numbness. People with depression often have negative thoughts about themselves, other people, the future or life in general. It can be hard to carry out usual routines and tasks including self-care (showering/ brushing your teeth), eating and sleeping.

People with depression often stop enjoying activities or seeing friends as they can feel tired and have no energy or motivation. People with severe depression, and/or depression that has been going on for a long time, sometimes have thoughts or urges to harm themselves or to end their lives. It is important to tell someone so that a safety plan that supports the person not to act on these thoughts can be put in place.

Depression isn't something people can 'snap out of' or simply 'cheer up' from. It is more than just having a bad day or week, it's a medical condition that can affect many aspects of a person's life. The good news is that depression is treatable and people can recover.

It is important to tell someone how you are feeling so that you are not alone. You could talk to a parent/ carer, teacher, health professional (school nurse or your GP). This is particularly important if you are having thoughts or urges to harm yourself or end your life.

If you are feeling unsafe or in crisis, see the 'Help I'm in Crisis' section.

Following a basic daily routine and making sure that you still do the activities you need to do and do some other activities that you used to enjoy but have perhaps stopped doing because you are feeling depressed. Plan activities for the morning, afternoon and evening and try to stick to these even if you do not feel like it. Avoiding or withdrawing from activity is known to lower mood so make sure that you see friends, go to school/ college, do things you enjoy (or used to).

Look after yourself; eat well, sleep, get some fresh air daily, do exercise and avoid self-medication (for example using alcohol, drugs or caffeine).

YoungMinds crisis messenger

This service provides free, 24/7 crisis support across the UK. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis and need support, you can text YM to 85258.

They will listen to you and help you think through how you're feeling, and will aim to help you take the next steps towards feeling better.

Texts are free from EE, O2, Vodafone, 3, Virgin Mobile, BT Mobile, GiffGaff, Tesco Mobile and Telecom Plus.

I had a black dog, his name was depression - credit World Health Organization

Guided Mindfulness: Passing Clouds - Dr Natalie Roberts

Guided Mindfulness: Leaves on a Stream

I had a black dog, his name was depression - credit World Health Organization

Guided Mindfulness: Passing Clouds - Dr Natalie Roberts

Guided Mindfulness: Leaves on a Stream

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People often say "I'm so depressed" when they're having a bad day or week, but depression is different from feeling sad, down or 'can't be bothered'. Depression is a mental health difficulty that involves persistent low mood (continuing for a long time). It impacts on the way people feel, think and behave.

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CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) :: Healthier Together

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Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a type of anxiety disorder. It can be serious, but it is treatable.

People with OCD have repeating thoughts, images or feelings that are distressing. These are sometimes known as 'obsessions' or 'obsessive thoughts'. Sometimes when our mind is filled with very upsetting thoughts, we can try to take actions that will bring us relief and make the thoughts go away. We might start to believe that these actions will get rid of our anxiety or make these thoughts go away. Sometimes having rituals that calm us down can be really helpful. But sometimes these rituals or habits become 'compulsions', meaning that we think we have to do them. We might start to believe that if we don't do them, something bad will happen to us, or to the people around us.

It's important to realise that with OCD, often our compulsive habits or rituals end up making us feel worse. This is because once the ritual is finished, anxious thoughts come rushing back again, sometimes even more extreme. This is how some people get trapped in a cycle of doing the same action again and again, feeling unable to stop.

OCD rituals can be obvious to other people (like checking if doors are locked) or they can happen inside your head (like counting things, or trying to counteract negative thoughts with positive ones).

OCD is not just about being tidy

There is a misconception that 'being OCD' is just about being tidy and ordered. This is not true.

OCD thoughts can come in all shapes and sizes and involve lots of different types of habits and rituals. They often revolve around things like danger, dirt and contamination, or worries around sexuality or religion.

Some people feel guilty, or even ashamed of their thoughts. But it is common to have thoughts like these, and there is nothing to be ashamed of.

The symptoms of OCD

Common symptoms of OCD include feeling:

like your mind is being 'invaded' by horrible thoughts repeatedly

scared, disgusted, guilty, tearful, doubtful or depressed

a powerful urge to do something to stop the feelings

temporary relief after rituals

a need to ask for reassurance or get people to check things for you

Just because you experience one or more of these symptoms, it doesn't mean you're definitely affected by OCD. It's important to talk to your GP to get more help.

Things that can really help

It is important to recognise when your behaviour is making you feel worse. Knowing that what you are doing is increasing your anxiety, rather than helping it, is the first step to overcoming it.

Talking about how you feel is the first step towards getting better. It might be difficult to explain, but people who care about you will want to support you. You could try talking to a relative, teacher, friend, counsellor or helpline.

Let the people know what you find helpful. Whether you just want someone to listen, or you need someone to help distract you when you're feeling anxious, it's ok to say what you need.

If you're not sure who to talk to, take a look at our guide to support and the organisations listed at the end of this page.

Whenever you feel like you are getting anxious, or about to do something you don't want to do, find a distraction. You could try:

listening to music

texting a friend

going for a walk

It's important not to try and manage alone, as OCD normally needs treatment to get better. Your doctor will be able to help you get that treatment. They may offer to refer you to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), an expert or a psychiatrist who can help you.

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OCD is not just there when you can see someone performing compulsions

Treating OCD

You might be offered cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) using a technique called exposure response prevention (ERP), which helps you feel less upset by your thoughts.

You might also be offered other types of psychological therapy such as counselling or family therapy, and you might be given support from specialist Mental Health Nurses, Occupational Therapists and Art Therapists working in CAMHS.

There are medications that can help too, e.g. antidepressants.

With the correct combination of professional treatment and support, people with OCD can improve their condition and recover.

When times are tough, know that whatever you are going through right now, it isn't permanent. You have reserves of strength you don't even know about.

More information and support

Get help now

OCD can be really hard to cope with, so please don't struggle alone. Here are some services that can help and support you.

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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder | OCD Symptoms & Support

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Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a type of anxiety disorder. It can be serious, but it is treatable. People with OCD have repeating thoughts, images or feelings that are distressing. These are sometimes known as 'obsessions' or 'obsessive thoughts'.

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How to support a young person who may have anxiety

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How to Beat Anxiety Self-help Workbook-Children

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

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

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Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust

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Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust

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Resources for Children's Speech and Language

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Children's Speech and Language resources to download

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Learn about the Zones of Regulation a powerful framework and curriculum to help students develop emotional self-regulation and control.

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Wondering how to parent an autistic child? Well, hopefully you'll find this large collection of tips and autism resources for parenting an autistic child helpful!

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Wondering how to parent an autistic child? Well, hopefully you'll find this large collection of tips and autism resources for parenting an autistic child helpful! There's no one right way to parent an autistic child. But parenting is hard some days. Autism or not.

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The Cygnet Parenting programme really helped me deal with Q's behaviour and gave me coping strategies. I am now able to take Q out in public without being in fear of a major tantrum and having people judge me in how I deal with his behaviour

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

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The parent/carer/autistic persons’ group of the Hampshire Autism Partnership Board

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Please give today and help Autism Hampshire to be there for people on the autism spectrum, and their loved ones, when they most need us Working for Autism Hampshire can be both rewarding and challenging. Do you have what it takes?