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This leaflet is for children and young people who deliberately harm themselves. It attempts to explain what self-harm is and offers self-help advice.

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A global youth charity, here to help you navigate the tough stuff. If you’re aged 12-25 and struggling with things like mental health, relationships, bullying or identity, we’re here and we’ve got all the advice and support you need

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For over 10 years, we've been on a mission to help young people overcome the issues that affect them the most. Whether that's bullying, mental health, relationships, identity or the tough stuff in-between, we're here. We provide digital safe spaces, direct support, education, campaigns and world-class research.

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Gorse Hill Studios- January & February 2026 Newsletter

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Gorse Hill Studios- January & February 2026 Newsletter

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This leaflet is for parents and carers who are concerned that their child may be self-harming. It attempts to explain what self-harm is and offers advice.

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A UK-wide emergency alert test will take place on Sunday 7th September 2025 at 3pm.

Mobile phones will emit a loud siren and vibrate - even if they’re on silent.

Whilst these alerts aim to protect the public in emergencies, they could put victim-survivors of domestic abuse at risk - especially those who rely on hidden phones as part of their safety plan.

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It's important that vaccines are given on time for the best protection, but if you or your child missed a vaccine, contact your GP to catch up.

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A full list of the routine vaccinations offered on the NHS and when they should be given.

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Weekly home workouts to help you get, stronger, healthier and happier.

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Welcome to the Body Coach TV where I post weekly home workouts to help you get, stronger, healthier and happier.

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Joe Wicks and government join forces to get children moving

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Joe Wicks and government join forces to get children moving

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New animated series for kids, known as Activate, will get more children across the country moving more and encouraging a healthier lifestyle.

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Children to be inspired to get physically active over summer as Joe Wicks, MBE, launches Activate, a new animated series for kids

Created by Joe and produced by Studio AKA, Activate aims to tackle inactivity among children through fun, 5-minute workouts - led by Joe as an animated character

Programme backed by government funding as part of Plan for Change to give children the best start in life

Children across the country are being inspired to move more this summer following the launch of a new series from fitness coach, Joe Wicks MBE, backed by the government as part of a new partnership to reach schools and families across the country.

The innovative animated Activate series features 5-minute episodes which combine animation with upbeat music, courtesy of Universal Music UK, encouraging children to enjoy short bursts of movement that easily fit into their day and can be transformational for their physical and mental health. The government will be backing the programme to fund a further 10 episodes.

The series has been co-created by Joe and BAFTA award-winning Studio AKA (creators of Hey Duggee), bringing the nation's favourite fitness coach to life through animation for the first time.

Activate is backed by the government's 10 Year Health Plan, which is already hitting the ground running with its pledge to work with influencers and changemakers across society to shift the NHS from treating illness to preventing it.

The new animated series was unveiled at Ripple Primary School in Barking, east London, where Joe Wicks and Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, met teachers and parents to discuss keeping kids moving over the summer holidays and beyond.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

Childhood obesity robs our young people of their future, and inactivity is one of the biggest culprits. That's why it's crucial to start building healthy habits from a young age.

Our 10 Year Health Plan sets out how we would tackle obesity through prevention and today demonstrates how we're taking action. In the spirit of mission-driven government, we're building a coalition of the willing to tackle the obesity epidemic head-on.

This initiative directly supports our focus on giving children the best start in life - a cornerstone of our Plan for Change. By investing in prevention today, we're building a healthier generation for tomorrow.

Being physically active is good for physical and mental health and helps relieve pressure on the NHS, preventing an additional £10.5 billion worth of treatment a year. Despite that, inactivity levels remain stubbornly high for adults and children, with huge inequalities across the country. The Activate programme represents a collaborative approach to tackling this growing health challenge.

The first episode is now available on The Body Coach TV by Joe Wicks YouTube channel, with further episodes set to be released weekly over the summer holidays.

The series is released 5 years after Wicks united the nation with 'PE with Joe', which received over 100 million views online. Now, Joe is on a renewed mission to get children moving through this series.

Joe Wicks said:

Activate is the natural next step in everything I've worked towards over the past decade. From my early YouTube workouts, to 'PE with Joe' during the pandemic, my goal has always been to get children moving and feeling good - physically and mentally.

This project brings together everything I am most passionate about, and everything I've learned on my journey - going back to my own childhood where I discovered movement as a way to cope with the challenges of living with parents with drug addiction and mental health issues.

Activate is designed to make movement fun and inclusive for every child, with short, high-energy workouts that fit into everyday life. These can be enjoyed in the living room, the garden, in the classroom, or anywhere else!

As a dad, I know how important it is to make movement something kids enjoy, not something they have to do. That's exactly what Activate is all about so I hope it can be a real support for busy families, this summer and beyond.

Earlier this month, the government launched its 10 Year Health Plan, which outlined how a shift from sickness to prevention will safeguard the nation's health and put forward a range of measures to tackle growing rates of childhood obesity.

Obesity rates have doubled since the 1990s, including among children. A forthcoming report by the Chief Medical Officer will show that more than 1 in 5 children are living with obesity by the time they leave primary school, rising to almost 1 in 3 in areas with higher levels of poverty and deprivation.

Measures included in the 10 Year Health Plan include:

launching a world-first partnership with food retailers and manufacturers to help families make healthier choices

restricting junk food advertising targeted at children

reforming the soft drinks industry levy to drive reformulation

This 2-pronged approach of encouraging active lifestyles and healthy diets aims to tackle the UK's most preventable chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, while tackling the £11.4 billion bill that obesity costs the NHS a year.

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy, said:

I know what a difference sport and physical activity make in shaping a young person's life. It's why we're investing £400 million in grassroots facilities for all, joining up schools with sports clubs across the country and backing major events that inspire.

For too long, it has felt as if we have hit a ceiling on participation in this country, and for too long the dial on inactivity has gone unmoved. Together, through initiatives like this, we will put that right and deliver on our Plan for Change.

With Universal Music UK as the exclusive music partner, each episode features upbeat tunes from UK artists, including Becky Hill and Bastille. Each track has been chosen for its appeal to parents and children alike.

Sue Goffe, Chief Executive at Studio AKA, said:

We're thrilled to bring the world of Activate to life through animation. Collaborating with Joe Wicks has been a joy, and we're proud to be part of this creative project to inspire movement and wellbeing in children.

Sarah Boorman, General Manager, Youth Strategies at Universal Music UK, said:

Our shared goal with Joe was to make being active feel like something children genuinely want to do, powered by great music which is appropriate for them and loved by families too.

Alison Lomax, Managing Director for YouTube UK and Ireland, said:

We're so excited that Joe Wicks is bringing his new kids' fitness show, Activate, to YouTube just in time for the holidays. Joe's fun, energetic approach to getting kids moving has already made a huge impact on our platform, and Activate is set to become a go-to for families looking to keep active over the summer. It's great to see YouTube being used in such a positive way - bringing free, accessible and family-friendly fitness to homes everywhere.

About the programme

Created by Studio AKA, the BAFTA-winning creators of Hey Duggee, the Activate series sees Joe Wicks brought to life through animation alongside 6 loveable new characters, 'The Activators', accompanied by upbeat music from top UK artists. Together, they make movement feel personal, playful, and inclusive - so every child can find a character to connect with.

Joe and the Activators lead children through fun, 5-minute bursts of movement that can be easily integrated into their day - whether at home, at summer clubs or on the go.

With Wicks appearing as an animated character (a first for the family fitness coach), each short episode offers a burst of movement, fun and energy to get kids' hearts pumping and minds engaged. These include easy-to-follow exercises like jogging, squats and burpees, wrapped up in a playful, gamified format that can keep kids active over the summer holidays and beyond.

But Activate isn't just for the summer holidays. It will also be available to schools during term time, to help build confidence, support mental wellbeing and help children develop healthy habits for life.

Joe added:

Being turned into an animated character has been a surreal and wonderful experience, and my dream is that it connects with millions of kids and families across the UK and beyond.

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Joe Wicks and government join forces to get children moving

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New animated series for kids, known as Activate, will get more children across the country moving more and encouraging a healthier lifestyle.

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Encounter is a therapeutic offer based on the principles of Non-Violent Resistance (NVR), which explores ‘connection before correction’ and has proven to be effective even where a child has anxiety, ADHD, or Autism.  https://oasis-gm.org/pacs

Thursday evening:    February 5th 2026.

Friday morning:        February 13th, 2026

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Are you a parent or carer of a child with SEND? This group offers a welcoming space to connect with others navigating similar challenges, from communication difficulties to sleeping and eating concerns- or any other SEND-related topics.

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A welcoming space for parents and carers to share experiences, ask questions, and connect with others navigating the SEND journey. Whether you’re looking for advice, resources, or simply want to listen, you’re very welcome.

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This a space for fathers to come together to explore creativity, share experiences and connect with one another. Using a bit of creativity (nothing fancy, we promise) we'll spark honest chats about fatherhood, life and everything in between.

( Thursday 12pm-1pm, runs every 4 weeks)

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We are excited to share that as part of our Family Hub offer, Trafford has partnered with Greater Manchester Family Hubs and Essential Parent to offer a free app for parents, parents-to-be and carers.

The app includes more than 2,000 expert-written videos and articles to support you from pregnancy through to your child’s teenage years.

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Young minds: self-harm - a guide for young people 

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Young minds: self-harm - a guide for young people 

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Self-harm can be difficult to talk about but it’s a common problem and you can beat it. Find out what self-harm means and what to do if you think you’re affected by it.

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If you need help right now

If you feel like you are about to self-harm now, there are things you can do to help keep your mind off it. Watch the video about the TIPP technique - a simple technique you can use to help you in the moment.
If you are in an emergency or worried for your life you should call 999.

Self-harm is when you intentionally cause harm to yourself as a way of dealing with difficult feelings, traumatic experiences or memories, neglect, or situations that you find overwhelming. People sometimes self-harm when life feels hard to cope with.

Self-harm can look different for different people. You might find yourself doing things which are harmful, but not think of them as 'self-harm'. But that doesn't make your experience any less valid.

Self-harm can look like:

cutting yourself

using drugs or alcohol to cope with your problems

not eating, over-eating, or forcing yourself to throw up

spending all your time on addictive behaviours like gaming, social media or gambling

over-exercising and/or exercising when you are injured

biting, hitting or burning yourself

hitting walls

getting into situations on purpose where you risk getting hurt, including fights or risky sexual behaviour

Often self-harming only brings temporary relief. You might also have negative feelings after self-harming, such as guilt, shame or fear. When difficult feelings start to build up again, you might feel like you have to harm again. It can be really hard to break out of this cycle. Self-harming can become a habit and it can be upsetting to think that this is your only way to cope. But there are things you can do to stop self-harming and get better. And with support, you can learn other ways of coping when things feel too much.

People self-harm for many different reasons. Some people find it hard to explain why they do it, but often it's a way for people to let out feelings that are hard to explain or control.

There are many reasons why you might self-harm and these reasons will be different for everyone. You might be dealing with lots of intense thoughts and feelings and hurting yourself might feel like the only way to let those feelings out. Or you might feel numb and want to hurt yourself so that you can feel something.

For some people, self-harm feels like a way to show the feelings they have inside on the outside. It can be a way of:

People often start self-harming due to something stressful or upsetting that is going on in their life that is difficult to deal with . This could be something like:

suffering abuse

experiencing a traumatic incident

family problems like a divorce

money worries

bullying

a sudden change in your life, like a death, a relationship ending or moving school

exam stress or extreme pressure or criticism from family, friends, teachers or at work

low self-esteem or issues with body image

difficult feelings like loneliness, anxiety, depression or anger

an illness or health problem

feelings of guilt, failure, or being unloved

experiencing discrimination against your race, religion, sexuality, gender or disability

These are just examples. Whatever the reason you started self-harming, your feelings matter and you can get through this.

You may not always know the reason why you are self-harming. If you're unsure why, or don't understand the reasons, you are not alone and you can still get help.

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Artwork credit: @the_mini_ADHD_coach

An illustration of a face with eyes closed. Text reads: 'It's ok to feel overwhelmed.'

Things can happen in life that can leave us feeling overwhelmed, angry and hurt. Instead of finding ways to express those feelings to the world, we might start to take this pain and anger out on ourselves.

We might self-harm because we have learnt that in order to be accepted or loved we have to be 'perfect'. When we don't live up to this 'perfect' image we can feel like a 'failure'. The constant guilt, or worry about disappointing people, can make us feel like we need to punish ourselves for not being 'good enough'. If this resonates with you, you're not alone. With the right support, you can stop feeling this way, and learn to love yourself for who you are.

Sometimes people make comments about self-harm being attention-seeking. Comments like this can be hurtful and make you feel judged, alone or misunderstood. Those who self-harm actually often keep this private. However, if you do self-harm as a way of bringing attention to yourself, remember that there is nothing wrong with wanting people to notice you more and wanting to have your feelings taken seriously. You deserve to feel loved by those around you and you deserve support.

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Artwork credit: @ohhappydani

An illustration of six arms all of different skin tones. On each arm reads the word 'worthy'.

Overall, the most important thing which I hope everyone knows is you don't have to go through this alone.

I was only 14 when I started to self-harm. I was never intending to hurt myself. I was doing it for the sense of relief it provided. I felt like the only way I could function and leave my room was if I had that release.

Ways to keep yourself safe now

It's really important to keep yourself as safe as possible and reduce your risk of serious self-injury. Even though you want to stop self-harming, you might not feel able to stop straight away. Sometimes it can take time to find new ways to cope, and that's normal.

If you are unable to stop self-harming right now, make sure you are at least doing it as safely as possible. This means using sterile equipment, keeping your wounds clean, and avoiding mixing drugs and alcohol with other forms of self-harm. You can also call Samaritans at any time - whether you're thinking about self-harm or have already harmed yourself.
If you are in an emergency or worried for your life you should call 999 or go to A&E.

Things you can do to help

There are also lots of things you can do in the moment to help you not self-harm.

When you feel the urge to self-harm building, you could try to:

go for a walk or do some gentle exercise

distract yourself by focusing on your breathing

text a friend and let them know you need them to help you take your mind off things

play music and sing or dance along

hold an ice cube

write down your thoughts

hit a cushion or pillow

tear up a magazine or newspaper

make a self-soothe box

go to a public place like a park or a cafe

You might find the TIPP technique helps to stop your urge to self-harm.

This video explains how to use the TIPP technique to help you feel calmer.

Ways to keep yourself safe in the long term

There are also a number of ways to help yourself in the long term and support your recovery journey.

Talking about self-harm can feel difficult. It is understandable that you might feel nervous to talk to someone, feel like you'll be judged or feel you won't be understood. But talking about how you're feeling with someone you trust can help you to get the right support.

Try talking to someone you feel comfortable and safe with, like a friend or family member. If you don't feel like you can talk to friends or family, you could talk to someone in your wider community, such as a teacher, a school counsellor/nurse, a faith leader or a youth worker. Think about who you would feel most comfortable communicating with and how, whether it's face to face, over the phone, by text or email.

In some communities it can feel more difficult to reach out for help because of certain stigmas around mental health. If you reach out for help and the person you talk to does not react the way you hoped, remember that this reaction is about them, not you. Don't let their reaction discourage you from reaching out again. If you don't feel like you can reach out to someone you know, remember that there are still lots of people who can help. You may prefer to get support from a professional, a helpline or through a charity. Take a look at our list of organisations that can help, and don't struggle on your own.

Speaking to a professional about self-harm can feel scary, but it's often an important step to recovery. You may be worried that you'll be misunderstood or judged, but there are lots of trained people that you can talk to who understand and really care. That's because they speak to lots of young people who are going through this too. They are there to listen and support you.

It is helpful to tell the GP exactly what you are doing and what your worries are. If you need medical treatment for injuries, do make sure you get it. Don't be afraid or embarrassed to go to your GP or hospital for this - they are there to help you get better and it is not their job to judge you.

Your GP will listen and discuss the best options to support you. They might offer you an assessment with a local community mental health team, or if you are under 18, they can refer you to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) for an assessment. These assessments are so they can help you to find the right treatment, such as counselling or talking therapy, where you can talk with a trained mental health professional about what you are feeling and ways you can cope.

The types of talking therapy you might be offered include:

cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) - a type of therapy that focuses on how your thoughts, beliefs and attitudes affect your feelings and actions

dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) - a type of CBT adapted specifically for people who experience emotions very intensely

mentalisation-based therapy (MBT) - a type of therapy that focuses on helping you to make sense of your own and other people's thoughts, feelings and actions

Find out more about counselling and therapy in our guide.

Sometimes the first person you speak to won't help, but that doesn't make your feelings invalid. If you are finding it hard to get the right support from your GP, you may find it helpful to turn to other support, such as your school nurse or a specialist organisation such as Samaritans. For more tips and advice getting the right support from your GP, including information about your rights as a patient, visit our guide on how to speak to your GP about mental health.

Journaling can be a helpful way to let out your emotions. It can also help you to recognise what is bothering you and any patterns in what triggers you or causes you to feel bad.

Take a few minutes every day to write down how you are feeling. If you don't like writing, try doodling, drawing or recording a voice note. Remember this is just a way to express yourself - there's no right or wrong way to do this and nobody has to see it but you.

If you want to, you could show your journal to any mental health professionals who are supporting you, to help them understand what you are going through.

Sometimes just making small changes to your daily routine can help improve your mood. Consider trying some of these changes:

Make sure you get enough sleep and stay hydrated - staying physically healthy can help you to feel happier.

Take time out when you need to - this could be going for a walk, doing some drawing or relaxing however you like to.

Think of three things you are proud of each day - you could do this when you first wake up or just before you go to sleep.

Be as kind to yourself as you would be to your best friend - think about the advice and support you would give someone else if you heard they were struggling.

The internet can be a helpful space for those who self-harm. It offers a lot of information, advice and support. You may also find that it's easier to speak openly about your feelings through social media, rather than face-to-face. However, there is also a lot of content about self-harm on the internet that can be distressing or make you feel worse. We also know that those who have peers that self-harm are more likely to self-harm themselves. Think about how your use of social media is affecting your mood and what content is best for you. Make sure to only follow accounts that make you feel positive and safe.

Some people find it really helpful to create a 'safety plan' that they can use when the urge to self-harm is really strong. This can include whatever you think would be helpful, but generally it includes ideas of what you can do to distract yourself, who you can speak to, and what else you can do to keep yourself safe. Papyrus have a useful guide to creating a safety plan, which might help if you'd like to create your own. Although the focus of their guide is for suicidal feelings, you can use it for self-harm as well.

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Artwork credit: @crazyheadcomics

An image of a bendy road titled 'the road to recovery'. Text along the road reads: 'start', 'progress', 'hope', 'relapse', 'second attempt', 'setback', 'growth', 'change', 'calm'.

If you have self-harmed by cutting or wounding yourself in some way, you are likely to have scars on your body from this. You may find that you have a number of emotions and feelings associated with these scars, such as guilt, regret or difficulties accepting your body image. This can be particularly difficult if you are experiencing stigma around your self-harm.

For advice on how to manage stigma around self-harm within your community, take a look at Louisa's blog.

If you're really struggling with the scars left on your body, you may be able to find treatment that can help. You can find information about scar treatments on the NHS website. Scars will look different for everyone depending on skin tone, where the scar is and the type of wound that caused the scar, and this will lead to different treatment options. Not everyone will want to do this and that is completely okay - it is your body and you should only do what feels comfortable for you.

It can be really difficult if you know a friend or loved one is self-harming. It's hard to see someone you love hurting themself in that way, and it can be difficult to know how best to support them.

Just being there and letting them know they're not alone can be very helpful, but it's also important to remember that you may not be able to help them on your own.

Remember there is always support available.

Recognising the signs and symptoms of self-harm

There are lots of different ways that someone might self-harm and this can make it difficult to spot the signs. Your loved one is likely to be in both physical and emotional pain during this time. Here are some signs to look out for.

If your loved one is self-harming by cutting or wounding themself, you may be able to notice some physical signs. This could include:

keeping their body fully covered all the time, even when it is hot, like wearing long sleeves to conceal scars (this is only a sign of self-harm if they do not normally wear long sleeves or clothes that cover the whole body)

having cuts, bruises or burn marks on their body that are unexplained

unexplained scarring on their skin

unexplained blood stains on clothing or tissues

any signs that they are pulling out their hair, for example hair loss or large clumps of hair lying around

Self-harm takes lots of different forms, not just physically hurting yourself. So it's important to also be aware of the emotional signs. These might include:

becoming very withdrawn and talking less than usual to others

unusual changes in mood, such as feeling low, teary or demotivated

making suicidal comments e.g. talking about not wanting to go on

expressing feelings of self-blame, hopelessness or failure

Supporting a loved one with self-harm now
If a friend or family member has self-harmed and has injuries that need medical attention, you should take them to A&E to seek medical help.
The most important thing you can do to support someone is be there to listen. Talking about self-harm is difficult, but having that conversation can help your loved one take the first step to recovery.

Take a look at our tips below for having a sensitive conversation.

Supporting a loved one with self-harm in the long term

Here are some tips on how you can give ongoing support to someone in your life who is self-harming.

Recovery can only happen when your loved one takes steps towards this for themself. You can't force someone to get better. It can be very difficult to see someone you love struggle with self-harm, but letting them be in control of their decisions will support their recovery in the long term. But remember you should always get them medical attention if needed.

You may find it helpful to develop a 'safety plan' with your loved one. This is a tool you can use to help communicate with each other and keep your loved one safe. Samaritans have advice on this as well as a safety plan template you can use.

Speaking to a GP about self-harm may be a scary thought for your loved one, but encouraging them to do this is important so they get the right support. If they really don't want to talk to a GP, there are also lots of charity services and helplines that can help.

This page was reviewed in June 2023. It was co-created by young people with lived experience of self-harm. 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 you are in crisis right now and 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-harm | Advice for young people | Get help

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Self-harm is when you intentionally harm yourself as a way of dealing with difficult feelings or experiences. Find out about self-harm and how to get help.

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Disney summer shake up games pack for families

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Disney summer shake up games pack for families

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This Disney, Pixar and Marvel inspired pack is filled with new and exciting 10 Minute Shake Up games for families to enjoy together at home. From Elsa’s blizzard blitz to Izzy’s super space race, each game is designed by experts to help pupils master skills such as teamwork or coordination, but most importantly have fun and keep active over the summer.

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Exciting Disney, Pixar and Marvel inspired games for families to enjoy together at home

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Fearless is a site where you can access non-judgemental information and advice about crime and criminality.

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Give information about crime 100% anonymously | Fearless | Crimestoppers

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Fearless has launched a new campaign to keep teenagers across Scotland safe this autumn. Focusing on Halloween and Bonfire Night, the charity's pro-social behaviour messaging provides teens with information on how to stay safe and look out for their local community.

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Give crime information anonymously.

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As the experts in speaking up about crime and wrongdoing, we can support your organisation's crime prevention and detection objectives as well as help protect your target communities and facilitate shared learning in the ever-evolving crime landscape.
Keeping communities safer together.

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Independent UK charity taking crime information anonymously | Crimestoppers

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We're an independent charity that gives people the power to speak up to stop crime 100% anonymously.

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Dedicated to supporting parents and carers in Greater Manchester who are concerned about their child or worried they may be at risk of violence.

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The Parent and Carer (PACS) project, established in October 2023, is dedicated to supporting parents and carers in Greater Manchester who are concerned about their child or worried they may be at risk of violence.
As parents and caregivers, we all worry about our children from time to time, but when a concern is troubling you it can be difficult to know where to turn. We have listened to parents and our research shows that caregivers are looking for one-to-one support, peer support, advice and guidance when their child's behaviour is becoming a concern.

Request a call back or make a referral and a member of the team will arrange a face-to-face appointment to get you started.

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Oasis PACS is a support service for Parents and Carers that are concerned about their child or worried that they may be a risk.

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Notification of Trafford Sunrise closure

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Men & boy’s Mental Health #youarenotalone 

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Men & boy’s Mental Health #youarenotalone 

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Trafford Thrive have created a newsletter for Men’s Health Awareness Month which is November 2023 with a focus on men and boy’s mental health

5 ways to get moving & feel better https://youtu.be/M4p6TddpHSg

Tackle Difficult Conversations | Movember Conversations

https://youtu.be/tX8TgVR33KM

Boots presents Taboo Talk: The unspoken truth about male mental health, featuring Roman and Martin Kemp on Apple Podcasts

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A free 1 hour eLearning course to help you better understand:

the difference between mental health and poor mental health.

the things we can do to help us cope with our negative thoughts and feelings like using Five Ways to Wellbeing and breathing more slowly.

the benefit of talking and sharing our thoughts and feelings with someone we trust

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Healthy Minds Greater Manchester e-learning

Healthy Minds Greater Manchester E-Learning course
#timetotalkGM
Many people experience a mental health problem at some point in their life. It is the single largest cause of disability in the UK. It is therefore important that there is both an understanding of mental health and wellbeing and that there are resources for the public to develop their skills and awareness.

Developed in partnership with Greater Manchester Care Partnership, the Royal Society for Public Health is excited to offer a new eLearning course for anyone living or working in Greater Manchester.

At the end of this 1-hour course you will better understand:

the difference between mental health and poor mental health.

the things we can do to help us cope with our negative thoughts and feelings like using Five Ways to Wellbeing and breathing more slowly.

the benefit of talking and sharing our thoughts and feelings with someone we trust.

At the end of the course, you would be emailed a completion certificate to celebrate your learning.

To access the eLearning course please register below. Please note free places are available only to those living or working in Greater Manchester. RSPH will send you an email with instructions for accessing the course. We will do this as soon as your registration is received.
Privacy notice By submitting this form, you consent to RSPH contacting you regarding your eLearning enquiry. RSPH will use the information you entered above to process and manage your enquiry. RSPH will retain your personal information during the course of dealing with your enquiry and will delete it once the information is no longer required. Please note, if you take part in the eLearning course pilot, RSPH may share your aggregated feedback responses and email address with Greater Manchester Care Partnership for the purpose of reporting and evaluation. You may be contacted to share your further thoughts on the course after completing it. You will be contacted no more than once a month and can opt out at any time. RSPH will not share your personal information with any organisation other than Greater Manchester Care Partnership without your prior consent unless it is required to do so by law. For further information on how your information is used, how RSPH maintains the security of your information, and your rights to access the information we hold on you, please see our privacy policy

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Healthy Minds Greater Manchester e-learning

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A mental health-focused eLearning course for people living and working in Greater Manchester to help get people thinking and talking about how they are feeling

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Eating disorder services and support available in Greater Manchester

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Eating disorder services and support available in Greater Manchester

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If you’re worried someone you care about is showing any signs of an eating disorder there’s support available

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How to talk to your child about mental health 

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How to talk to your child about mental health 

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Giving our children and young people opportunities to open up is one of the biggest things we can do as parents and carers to support their wellbeing. It can be easy to forget the simple power of sharing what we're going through and feeling heard. But even though you can't fix everything when your child is struggling, you can make them feel seen and understood - and this in itself can make them feel more able to cope.

Talking about how they are, how their day has been and what's on their mind as part of everyday family life shows your child that you're interested in them and want to listen. It also supports them to practise thinking and talking about their feelings, helping them to get to know themselves and what they need.

But talking isn't always easy. You might feel like you don't know where to start, when a 'good time' is, or how your young person will react. Or, you might be worried about making things worse or saying the wrong thing. If this is the case, try to remember that your child doesn't need you to always get it right - they just need to know you're there.

Here, you can find lots of ideas, conversation starters and advice for making talking easier.

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How to Talk to Your Child about Mental Health

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Read our advice on how you can talk to your child about mental health and encourage them to talk about their feelings.

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HealthWatch Trafford: Youthwatch - Mental Health support

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HealthWatch Trafford: Youthwatch - Mental Health support

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https://twitter.com/YouthWatchTraff
What is Mental Health?
What Does Good Mental Health Look Like?How Can You Look After Your Mental Health? Where Can You Get Help?

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What is Mental Health?

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects our every day life and how we think, feel, and act, making a difference to our capability to cope with situations.

What Does Good Mental Health Look Like?

You might have heard of mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety, however a healthy mental state is not just the lack of conditions like these. In fact, a good mental health includes skills we might not often think about such as the ability to learn, manage your feelings, maintain relationships and cope with change. We use these skills every day: in school, with your friends and family - so it is important to take care of your mental health. Even if we don't have mental health problems we all have a mental health - it is just like out physical health. Just like we need to keep our eye on a cough in case it's a chest infection, we should support ourselves in terms of mental health. We should be wary of unhealthy lifestyles, they could turn into disorders.

The symptoms listed below are warning signs of mental illness*:

Withdrawal - recently not joining in with things, losing interest in
people

Drop in functioning - not working well; this could be at school, or in
your social life, e.g. quitting sports, failing in school or difficulty
performing familiar tasks

Problems thinking - you have problems with concentration, memory
logical thought and speech that are hard to explain

Increased sensitivity - Heightened sensitivity to sights, sounds,
smells or touch; avoidance of over-stimulating situations

Apathy - a loss of enthusiasm for participation

Feeling disconnected - A vague feeling of being disconnected from
yourself or your surroundings; a sense of unreality

Illogical thinking - Unusual or exaggerated beliefs about personal
powers to understand meanings or influence events; illogical or
"magical" thinking

Nervousness - Fear or suspiciousness of others or a strong nervous feeling

Unusual behaviour - Odd, uncharacteristic, peculiar behaviour

Sleep or appetite changes - Dramatic sleep and appetite changes or
decline in personal care

Mood changes - Rapid or dramatic shifts in feelings

*according to the American Psychiatric Association

Understanding young people's mental health #HandsUp4HealthyMinds

How Can You Look After Your Mental Health?

Not everybody has a mental illness, but regardless we should take care of ourselves mentally as we do physically. Here are some tips from the Mental Health Foundation to do so:

Self care and support for young people #HandsUp4HealthyMinds

Now that you know a little more about mental health, take this quiz by MHFA (Mental Health First Aid) on your understanding - and make sure to check out the rest of their website for lots more useful information!

Where Can You Get Help?

Your School Nurse - You can access your school nurse to talk about any issues, mental as well as physical. They can link you to other services. Find out where your school's nurse office is and see if you need to make an appointment.

Your GP can assess you and refer you further. Contact your GP directly and make an appointment. You can find GP contact details on the Healthwatch Trafford website (www.healthwatchtrafford.co.uk)

Trafford Talkshop - Talkshop is a specialist advice and information service for young people aged between 11 and 19 years old (up to 25 depending on circumstances). Based at Sale Waterside (postcode M33 7ZF), their aim is to support your needs through offering a variety of services in a friendly environment. The Talkshop staff team consists of qualified youth workers who offer a non-judgemental, confidential service to young people across the borough.
The Talkshop operates a drop-in service Monday to Thursday afternoons where you can pop in to speak to a youth worker. They offer help for mental health, sexual health, young parents, LGBT young people and many more!
Drop-in times (as at Oct 2018):
MONDAYS: 1:00-3:00pm (all) 3:00-5:30pm (sexual health)
TUESDAYS & WEDNESDAYS: 1:00-5:00pm (all)
THURSDAYS: 1:00-3:00pm (all) 3:00-5:30pm (sexual health)
For help from the Talkshop, call 0161 912 2453, or email talkshop@trafford.gov.uk.

CAMHS - Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service.
This is the local specialist service - in our area it's run by Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust. Sometimes problems are more serious or don't get better with support from schools or self-help, so you may need more specialist help. Ask your teacher or GP to refer you to CAMHS.
Their office is based at Waterside House, Sale Waterside, M33 7ZF.
Call 0161 549 6456 or visit their website where you can meet their whole team and get a virtual tour! See https://mft.nhs.uk/rmch/trafford-camhs-formerly-healthy-young-minds-trafford/

Young minds - "We're the UK's leading charity fighting for children and young people's mental health.We want to see a world where no young person feels alone with their mental health, and all young people get the mental health support they need, when they need it, no matter what." Find their website here: https://www.youngminds.org.uk

The Counselling and Family Centre - This organisation helps 5 to 17 year olds face the challenges of growing up. They have lots of locations in our borough. For help from them, call 0161 941 7754, email appointments@thecfc.org.uk or visit their website at http://www.thecfc.org.uk/children-young-people for further info and to find your nearest centre:
> The Family and Counselling Centre, Altrincham
> Broomwood Community Wellbeing Centre, Timperley > Also provide services at Trafford Domestic Abuse Service on Talbot Road, Old Trafford Wellbeing Centre on Seymour Grove, and the Kath Locke centre in Moss Side.

Trafford Sunrise - Trafford Sunrise provides support for children aged 5-12 years in coping with stress, learning how to relax and promoting emotional wellbeing. Trafford Sunrise also supports parents in learning about their child's emotional wellbeing. Groups are available across the Trafford borough. To use Trafford Sunrise you need to get a professional (e.g. your GP) to refer you. For more information and help, visit their website at https://www.justpsychology.co.uk/pages/28-trafford-sunrise

Kooth - Kooth provides free, safe and anonymous online support for young people. Monday to Friday 12pm - 10pm, Saturday to Sunday 6pm - 10pm. For help from this organisation, visit their website http://www.kooth.com.

The Mix - Nationwide support for under-25s, including advice around housing, sex and relationships, drink and drugs, and more. Visit their website here: https://www.themix.org.uk/

42nd Street - A Greater Manchester young people's mental health charity. Based in Manchester, they help 13-25 year olds in Trafford. They offer one to one or group interventions by self-referral or referral by GP, useful as an alternative to Healthy Young Minds if you have slightly different needs. For help from them, call 0161 228 7321 or visit their website http://42ndstreet.org.uk/

Beat - Supports people with eating disorders and holds many online groups. You can talk to people going through similar experiences with one of their targeted groups or talk to a trained advisor. Call their Youthline on 0808 801 0711 or sign up for a one-to-one web chat: https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/support-services/helplines/one-to-one

Papyrus - This is a national suicide prevention charity, which provides confidential help and advice to young people and anyone worried about a young person as well as helping others to prevent young suicide by working with and training professionals. For help from them, call 0800 068 41 41 or visit their website https://papyrus-uk.org.

Samaritans - f you need to speak to someone you can call the Samaritans day or night. They're always open and here to listen. Call them on 116 123 for free, or get in touch another way: https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/

Childline - Online support available 24/7, helpful for a range of problems. Tel 0800 1111 or visit their website at https://www.childline.org.uk/

Greater Manchester Youth Network - Their mission is to enable young people to have a positive impact on their own lives and the wider community and our values are

The Trafford Directory - You can find specific local mental health services by using the Trafford Directory. It has a section specifically for services for young people. Click here to go to the young person's mental health pages.

Used any of these services? Tell Healthwatch Trafford about it here.
If you think that you might cause harm to yourself or others, or are going to commit suicide, then you should call 999 or get to a hospital as soon as possible.

You can also get in touch with the Samaritans free of charge by calling 116 123 - they're ready to listen to you and help you talk through your concerns, worries and troubles. 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Their number won't appear on your phone bill. https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help-you/contact-us/what-happens-when-you-contact-us

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What is Mental Health? Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects our every day life and how we think, feel, and act, making a difference to our capability to cope with situations. What Does Good Mental Health Look Like?

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HealthWatch: Where to find mental health support in Greater Manchester 

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HealthWatch: Where to find mental health support in Greater Manchester 

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Looking for advice, information, or help with your mental health? HealthWatch have compiled a list of resources for you in Greater Manchester

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A report investigating the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Trafford residents due to changes in accessing Occupational Therapy (OT) services, adaptations, and equipment

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Looking for advice, information, or help with your mental health? We've compiled a list of resources for you.

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HealthWatch: Mental health and wellbeing in Trafford

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HealthWatch: Mental health and wellbeing in Trafford

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HealthWatch Trafford have created this guide to help people find the information and support they need to get the assistance or treatment for their mental health

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Silvercloud - Supporting An Anxious Child (aged 4-11 years)

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Silvercloud - Supporting An Anxious Child (aged 4-11 years)

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Free online programme will guide you in supporting a child (aged 5 - 11) who is dealing with worry and anxiety.

Understand how anxiety is affecting the child and how your response may be having an impact.

Learn how to facilitate and maintain positive communication channels with the child.

Help the child to recognise the importance of facing their fears, rather then avoiding them.

Learn strategies for building self-esteem and resilience

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SilverCloud Sign-up Start

Welcome to SilverCloud

Before we begin, please note:

Everything you do on SilverCloud will remain completely confidential. Read the

To give you the best experience there are elements of your information that we need to store and process, in line with our

SilverCloud is not an emergency service. If you need urgent help please

I understand and agree

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Welcome to SilverCloud Everything you do on SilverCloud will remain completely confidential. Read the To give you the best experience there are elements of your information that we need to store and process, in line with our SilverCloud is not an emergency service.

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Information and support (helplines, chatrooms, and others) on eating disorders

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Struggling with an eating disorder? Caring for someone who is? Beat is here to support you.

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Mental Health & Wellbeing - Every Mind Matters

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Mental Health & Wellbeing - Every Mind Matters

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Find out how you can help a child to have good mental health, including knowing how to talk to a child about their mental health, and when to spot signs they might be struggling. Plus get self-care tips for you, to help you look after your mental health while caring for others.

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Children’s mental health - Every Mind Matters

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See tips and advice for parents and carers on how to support children and young people’s mental wellbeing, and give them the best chance to stay healthy.

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Mindfulness resources for young children to help them feel calmer.

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Welcome to the Mindfulness Hub

With the pandemic still creating lots of anxiety and stress, it's more important than ever to look after your children's wellbeing. This year we've got Dr Ranj an NHS doctor, and Cbeebies presenter onboard to help us all to wind down and relax with a special exercise, and resources from Twinkl below.

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Welcome to the Mindfulness Hub With the pandemic still creating lots of anxiety and stress, it's more important than ever to look after your children's wellbeing. This year we've got Dr Ranj an NHS doctor, and Cbeebies presenter onboard to help us all to wind down and relax with a special exercise, and resources from Twinkl below.

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Support for parents and young people themselves on a range of topics. The website has advice and toolkits, there's also a helpline for young people to call

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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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A young persons guide to anxiety - includes information on:
What is anxiety and the symptoms
Why does this happen?
What should I do to feel better?
Top tips for managing anxiety

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Trafford's top rated Websites & apps to support your mental health

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Trafford's top rated Websites & apps to support your mental health

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These are the top 10 rated websites and apps designed to support young people, adults and families with their mental health and wellbeing. This leaflet has been co-produced by Wellacre Academy Pupils in Trafford

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Supporting bereaved siblings - a guide to support your child with the loss of a sibling

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Supporting bereaved siblings - a guide to support your child with the loss of a sibling

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We are so sorry that your baby has died. At Sands, we understand how devastating it is when a baby dies as many of us have been through the experience ourselves.

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Sands - Saving babies' lives. Supporting bereaved families.

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When a child is bereaved we cannot and should not take away their grief. By helping them to explore it and share it, we can help them live through it and beyond.

In the UK 4,500 babies die every year. This means many families need to explain to siblings of all ages that their baby brother or sister will not come home. Young children may not understand the concept of death yet, but the grief experienced by parents and other relatives as they adjust to a baby's death will affect their practical and emotional lives.

This page aims to offer parents some helpful resources to begin conversations with siblings of all ages, as well a suggest activities for children to remember their baby brother or sister and express how they feel.

Resources for teachers and schools are included to help support siblings of babies who have died in school and other settings.

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Support for siblings | Sands - Saving babies' lives. Supporting bereaved families.

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Support, advice and information on where to go for help on a range of issues for both parents and young people, as well as a helpline for young people.

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On Thursday 30 November from 2:30am - 7:30am, you won't be able to contact Childline whilst we do some important maintenance to our systems. This means that 1-2-1 chats, calling and messages to Childline will be unavailable. You'll still be able to use the Childline website for advice and information.

If you're in danger or it's an emergency, you should always call 999

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Get help and advice about a wide range of issues, call us on 0800 1111, talk to a counsellor online, send Childline an email or post on the message boards.

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Programmes for children and young people who have been bereaved of a parent, guardian or sibling and their families. The support is tailored depending on age and circumstance but include monthly support groups, one to one support, residentials and family activities.

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Once Upon a Smile can provide you with emotional and practical support at your time of need to enable you to adjust to a new life without your loved one. We support children and families when a parent/guardian or sibling has died. We pride ourselves in tailoring our support to the needs of each individual family.

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The Eatwell Guide - general overview of food groups and proportions for healthy diet

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The Eatwell Guide shows how much of what we eat overall should come from each food group to achieve a healthy, balanced diet.
You do not need to achieve this balance with every meal, but try to get the balance right over a day or even a week.

Most of us still are not eating enough fruit and vegetables. They should make up just over a third of the food we eat each day.

Aim to eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and veg each day. Choose from fresh, frozen, tinned, dried or juiced.

Remember that fruit juice and smoothies should be limited to no more than a combined total of 150ml a day.

Fruit and vegetables are a good source of vitamins, minerals and fibre.
Find out more about how to get your 5 A Day

Starchy food should make up just over a third of the food we eat. Choose higher fibre or wholegrain varieties, such as wholewheat pasta and brown rice, or simply leave the skins on potatoes.

There are also higher fibre versions of white bread and pasta.

Starchy foods are a good source of energy and the main source of a range of nutrients in our diet.
Find out more about starchy foods

These foods are good sources of protein, vitamins and minerals. Pulses, such as beans, peas and lentils, are good alternatives to meat because they're low in fat and they're a good source of fibre and protein, too.

Choose lean cuts of meat and mince, and eat less red and processed meat like bacon, ham and sausages.

Aim for at least 2 portions (2 x 140g) of fish every week, 1 of which should be oily, such as salmon, sardines or mackerel.

Find out about fish and meat.

Milk, cheese, yoghurt and fromage frais are good sources of protein and some vitamins, and they're also an important source of calcium, which helps keep our bones healthy.

Try to go for lower-fat and lower-sugar products where possible, like semi-skimmed, skimmed or 1% fat milk, reduced-fat cheese or plain low-fat yoghurt.
Find out more about milk and dairy foods

Unsaturated fats are healthier fats and include vegetable, rapeseed, olive and sunflower oils.

Remember all types of fat are high in energy and should be eaten in small amounts.
Find out more about the different types of fat in our diet

These foods include chocolate, cakes, biscuits, sugary soft drinks, butter, ghee and ice cream.

They're not needed in our diet, so should be eaten less often and in smaller amounts.
Get tips on cutting down on sugar

Water, lower-fat milks, lower-sugar or sugar-free drinks and tea and coffee all count.

Fruit juice and smoothies also count towards your fluid consumption, but they contain free sugars that can damage teeth, so limit these drinks to a combined total of 150ml a day.
Find out more about water, drinks and your health

How does the Eatwell Guide work?

The Eatwell Guide divides the foods and drinks we consume into 5 main food groups.

Try to choose a variety of different foods from each of the groups to help you get the wide range of nutrients your body needs to stay healthy.

It's important to get some fat in your diet, but foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar have been placed outside of the main Eatwell Guide as they're not necessary as part of a healthy, balanced diet and most of us need to cut down on these.

Unsaturated fats from plant sources (for example, vegetable oil or olive oil) are healthier types of fat.

But all types of fat are high in energy (calories), so they should only be eaten in small amounts.

On average, women should have around 2,000 calories a day (8,400 kilojoules) and men should have around 2,500 calories a day (10,500 kilojoules). We all need different amounts of energy (or calories) from food to be a healthy weight. How much you need depends on lots of things, including how active you are.

Find out how food labels can help you choose between foods and pick those lower in fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt.

Combination foods

Many foods, such as pizzas, casseroles, pasta dishes and sandwiches, are combinations of the food groups in the Eatwell Guide.

With these meals, check the ingredients and think about how these fit with the sections on the guide to help you achieve a balanced diet.

Does the Eatwell Guide apply to everyone?

The Eatwell Guide applies to most of us, whether we're a healthy weight or overweight, whether we eat meat or are vegetarian, and no matter what our ethnic origin.

Anyone with special dietary requirements or medical needs might want to check with a registered dietitian on how to adapt the Eatwell Guide to meet their individual needs.

Children under the age of 2

The Eatwell Guide does not apply to children under the age of 2 because they have different nutritional needs.

Between the ages of 2 and 5, children should gradually move to eating the same foods as the rest of the family in the proportions shown in the Eatwell Guide.

Read more about babies, toddlers and young children's nutritional needs in Your baby's first solid foods.

Download the Eatwell Guide booklet

For more information, including details of which foods are included in the food groups, download GOV.UK's The Eatwell Guide.

Healthy eating support

Food and diet advice on the NHS website includes:

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Read about the interactive Eatwell Guide, which shows how much of what we eat overall should come from each food group to achieve a healthy, balanced diet.

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CFC - Children and Young People Counselling

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CFC - Children and Young People Counselling

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Counselling helps support young people who may be struggling, offering a safe space for the young person to understand what's happening and how to move forward. It can help with a range of concerns including anxiety, bullying, loneliness and depression

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Feeling angry? Alone? Sometimes life can feel too much

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Greater Manchester Bereavement Service can help to find support for anyone in Greater Manchester that has been bereaved or affected by a death. No one needs to feel alone as they deal with their grief.

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STEP are a support service within Trafford Parents Forum offering emotional and practical support for parent carers of children and young people with SEND (whether diagnosed or not), where additional 1:1 support is required which falls outside of the statutory services delivered by SENDIASS.

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STEP are a support service within Trafford Parents Forum. We provide peer to peer emotional and practical support and advice for parent/carers of children and young people with SEND in Trafford. We have a team of Co-ordinators as well as a number of trained volunteers who can offer their knowledge and lived experience through peer to peer support.

At STEP we provide low-level support such as;

Emotional support

Practical support for day-to-day challenges

Signposting to Trafford services

Help navigating the Local Offer

Guidance for completing DLA/PIP Application forms

Support in low-level meetings in school

NOTE: We cannot support with issues around EHCP's.

Who to contact

Contact Name

Emily Heywood and Clair Domville

Contact Position

Senior Co-ordinators

E-mail

Website

https://www.traffordparentsforum.com/.../step

Scan to visit this website

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/STEPtraffordparentsforum

Twitter

https://twitter.com/StrongerStep

Parent Organisation

Trafford Parents Forum

Where to go

Name

STEP at Trafford Parents Forum

Address

Postcode

Notes

Our offices are a 5 minute walk from Altrincham Interchange with bus, tram and train links. We are a 5 minute walk from a large pay and display car park at Altrincham leisure centre/ice rink. Our office is accessible on one level.

Time / Date Details

When is it on

Monday-Friday 9.30am-2.30pm Term time only

Who is it for?

Ages

Eligibility Details

Any parent/carer with a child or young person with suspected or diagnosed Special Educational Need or Disability who lives in Trafford can request support from STEP.

Accessibility

Details

We will make every effort to meet the needs of any parent/carer looking for support from STEP. Please include in the referral form if there is anything we can do to make contact more accessible for you. We can offer, telephone, virtual or face to face support depending on what is most accessible for you.

Referral Required?

No

Referral Details

To refer to STEP please click and complete the 'Self Referral' tab at the bottom of our website STEP | Trafford Parents Forum

Anyone can contact STEP to ask for support or guidance. We endeavour to respond to new referrals within 3 working days but as a small team, during periods of high demand, it could occasionally take a little bit longer.

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send support help advice mentor volunteer guidance parent carer child young person emotional autism adhd ebsna self harm behaviour school sen support

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Trafford Directory | Stronger Together Empowering Parents (STEP)

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STEP are a support service within Trafford Parents Forum. We provide peer to peer emotional and practical support and advice for parent/carers of children and young people with SEND in Trafford. We have a team of Co-ordinators as well as a number of trained volunteers who can offer their knowledge and lived experience through peer to peer support.

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Health Watch Trafford have resources for people looking to access LGBTQ+ support groups, information, and helplines, as well as some resources specifically for young people and parents.

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Advice and Information - 22 February 2023

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We have compiled a list of resources for people looking to access LGBTQ+ support groups, information, and helplines, as well as some resources specifically for young people and parents. Not all of these are Trafford-specific.

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Is my child too ill for school? NHS guidance

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Is my child too ill for school? NHS guidance

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Holding Families+ programme (family support)

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Holding Families+ programme (family support)

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Holding families+ project works with children (under 18years) & their families with alcohol and substance using parents who are involved in the criminal justice system, and also work with families with parents who are on a community order with probation. The programme aims to empower families to make positive decisions and help improve family life

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The award winning Holding Families programme provides whole family support for children and family members affected by parental substance misuse. We work with parents and carers at any stage of their recovery from drugs and alcohol use.
We work with each family member separately and also as a family unit. We will work with families where there is at least one young person under the age of 18 living in the family home or where the substance using parent is pregnant. At least one of the parents should have problematic drug or alcohol use. Families can be referred by themselves or by any professional working with them.

The aim of the programme is to give the whole family the opportunity to talk about any problems caused by drugs and alcohol and to allow the children's voices to be heard by the family. Ultimately, the programme aims to empower families to make positive decisions on the changes they would like to make to help improve family life.

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Trafford Directory | * Early Break Holding Families Programme

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The award winning Holding Families programme provides whole family support for children and family members affected by parental substance misuse. We work with parents and carers at any stage of their recovery from drugs and alcohol use. We work with each family member separately and also as a family unit.

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Family Help in Trafford aims to make sure that services to support children, young people and their families are there when they need them. To find out more about Family Help and the services available, follow this link.

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Social Media, technology & self-esteem top tips and advice 

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Social Media, technology & self-esteem top tips and advice 

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General guide for parents and caregivers - how to talk about weight in a compassionate, positive way.

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Kooth - online digital support & advice 

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Kooth - online digital support & advice 

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Free online support and advice for young people aged 10-25 years, accessible 24/7, 365 days a year. Young people can track their mood with a goals tracker and note their thoughts in an online journal. Kooth also provides peer support via fully moderated forums and the opportunity to contribute to self-help articles/content.

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Losing a loved one is hard. Bereavement support for young people over the phone or they can chat via confidential web-chat service.

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A world where no child is left to grieve alone

We care passionately about helping bereaved children, young people and their families find hope and healing after the death of someone close.

Crises in the news

If you have been affected by the recent devastating events in the news, please read our useful guides or don't hesitate to reach out and call our helpline on 0808 802 0111 from 9am - 9pm weekdays.

This year, our theme is 'The Shape of Your Support'. We are focusing on the people around a bereaved child or young person, beyond their friends or family, that can be there to support them through their grief. At Grief Encounter, we help build compassionate communities that can provide the right support from the right people, at the right time. Find out more about how this special week supports bereaved children.

We use some necessary cookies which are essential for certain basic functionalities on our website. We would also like to set Google analytics cookies to help us improve our website by collecting and reporting information on how you use it. These cookies collect information in a way that does not directly identify anyone. For more information please see our Cookies Policy.

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Home SUPPORTING BEREAVED CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE

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One child in every UK classroom will experience the death of someone close by the time they reach 16 years old. Grief Encounter is here to help with the confusion, fear, loneliness and pain, providing a lifeline to children and young people to cope with free, immediate, one-to-one support.

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Trafford Parents Forum have been supporting the voices of parent carers of SEND children and young people in Trafford since 2013.

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Trafford Directory | Trafford SEND Together - Parent Carer Forum

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Welcome to Trafford SEND Together! This group is all about bringing parents and carers together - to connect, share, and support one another. It's a safe, friendly space for peer-to-peer support, sharing experiences, and signposting to helpful services across Trafford.

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Trafford Team Together - family support 

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Trafford Team Together - family support 

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Trafford Team Together (TTT) finds support for children (5-18 years) and their families living in Trafford or attending a Trafford school, preventing small worries turning into bigger problems. They also find support for children and families recovering from crisis. Currently available in Trafford North, West and South areas.

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Please note that this is currently being rolled out gradually so may not be available in your school/setting at the moment. See eligibility details for more information.
TTT - providing the right support at the right time in the right way for your family.

Everyone needs help and support at times and that's what we are here for.

TTT is a fresh approach to ensuring that our children, young people and families are supported in the right way, as early as possible and help prevent small worries turning into future problems.

TTT is designed to address the needs of any child (and their family) living in Trafford and/or attending a Trafford educational setting. Though it is currently being piloted in certain Schools in Stretford and Partington only for now.

What can I get help with?

These are some of the issues that TTT could help you with but there may be other things you would like help with so please make contact:

Dealing with times of change

Your child's self-esteem and confidence

Your child's school attendance

Challenging behaviour

Family relationships

Financial difficulties

Parenting strategies

Understanding your child's development

Who is on the TTT and who is it for?

Everyone involved in TTT is committed to working in partnership for you and your family including schools, health, social care, community safety, housing, and a wealth of voluntary organisations.

Partners involved in TTT will always include someone who knows you well, such as a member of school staff.

Meetings are arranged by the TTT Co-ordinator who will ensure that the right service providers will attend depending on what you say you feel you need.

You and your child will each get time with the person you feel most comfortable with to talk about how you are feeling and what you think you may need help with.

This person is your Advocate and they will make sure that your views and needs are put to the team.

You will not have to go to the TTT meeting as it is just for service providers.

You will always be contacted after the meeting to talk about the suggestions that have been made so you can decide what you would like to do.

What can families expect?

We are people you know & trust- who respect & understand you and your family

We take an holistic approach to helping you and your family

We recognise and build on family & community strengths

We find the right activities, support & services in your local area

We help to make a real difference to families now and for the future

We provide early help to prevent small worries becoming future problems

We will always ask for your permission to talk to others about how we can help you.

Where can I find out more?

For more information please email traffordteamtogether@trafford.gov.uk

If you would like support, and if your child attends an eligible school (see eligibility criteria below) please speak to the pastoral worker at school about TTT.

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Trafford Directory | Trafford Team Together Approach - helping families

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Please note that this is currently being rolled out gradually so may not be available in your school/setting at the moment. See eligibility details for more information. TTT - providing the right support at the right time in the right way for your family. Everyone needs help and support at times a…

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Provides whole family support for children and family members affected by parental substance use.

Watch a short video about the program here: https://youtu.be/uRhufAwa10Y

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If you are a family that would benefit from taking part in the Holding Families programme, or you are a professional wishing to refer a family, please download and fill out our and return to

Support

The award winning Holding Families programme provides whole family support for children and family members affected by parental substance use. We work with parents and carers at any stage of their recovery from drugs and alcohol use.

We work with each family member separately and also as a family unit. We will work with families where there is at least one young person under the age of 18 living in the family home or where the substance using parent is pregnant. At least one of the parents should have problematic drug or alcohol use. Families can be referred by themselves or by any professional working with them.

The aim of the programme is to give the whole family the opportunity to talk about any problems caused by drugs and alcohol and to allow the children's voices to be heard by the family. Ultimately, the programme aims to empower families to make positive decisions on the changes they would like to make to help improve family life.

For more more information about Holding Families, please click on the image below that best suits you:

For all Family Services, please click image below:

If you would like to learn more about the programme please click on the links below. If you are a family that would benefit from taking part in the Holding Families programme, or you are a professional wishing to refer a family, please download and return the or call 0161 723 3880/ Referral Form info@earlybreak.co.uk

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Holding Families Programme - Early Break

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Our award winning Holding Families Programme is a whole family support for parents/carers affected by drug and alcohol use in Bury, Rochdale, Bolton, Salford and Trafford.

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Calm Connections provide support to families going through tough times. They work with the whole family on calm, positive relationships and maintaining good mental health. Topics covered include anxiety, school, behaviour, additional needs and friendships.

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Talking to your child about weight: a guide for parents and caregivers of children aged 4-11 years

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Talking to your child about weight: a guide for parents and caregivers of children aged 4-11 years

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Talking to your child about weight: a guide for parents and caregivers of children aged 4-11 years

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Download a copy of our 'talking to your child about weight: a guide for parents and caregivers of children aged 4-11 years' guidance document.

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Young Minds: Self-harm - a guide for parents

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Young Minds: Self-harm - a guide for parents

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Read our guide to self-harm to learn more about what self-harm is, what the signs of self-harm are in a young person, and where to get support.

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#NoHarmDone | A Parent's Journey | My Child Self-Harms | YoungMinds

If you're worried that your child is self-harming but they aren't talking to you about it or showing visible injuries, it can be difficult to know what's going on.

Ways that young people self-harm

Some ways that young people self-harm include:

cutting themselves

scratching skin with fingernails

burning skin

biting skin

hitting themselves, or banging their head or another part of their body on a wall

pulling hair out from their head, eyebrows or eyelashes

inserting objects into their body

Things to look out for

If you are worried your child may be self-harming, here are some things to look out for:

unexplained cuts, burns, bite marks, bruises or bald patches

keeping themselves covered, for example wearing long sleeves or trousers even during hot weather, not wanting to change clothes around others or avoiding activities like swimming

bloody tissues in waste bins

seeming low or depressed, for example withdrawing from friends and family

blaming themselves for problems or expressing feelings of failure, uselessness or hopelessness

outbursts of anger or argumentativeness

Self-harm is usually a way of trying to manage very difficult feelings. People often self-harm when life feels hard to cope with - when lots of distressing feelings have built up and it's become overwhelming. In the moment, the sensation of self-harming and experiencing some physical pain can feel easier than feeling out of control emotionally.

If a young person is self-harming, it's often a sign that something in their life isn't quite right or has become too much to deal with. It can be understood as an important message about how a young person is feeling - one that needs to be noticed with care by the adults around them.

Some myths you might hear about self-harm can make it harder to talk about as a parent - including that it's a 'phase' young people go through, or that it's an attention-seeking behaviour.

While it might feel hard to understand sometimes from the outside, self-harm can be a way for a young person to:

manage, reduce or express very strong and upsetting emotions - such as hurt, sadness, anger, fear or feeling bad about themselves

relieve tension and pressure, or reduce feelings of panic and anxiety and temporarily feel calmer

experience a feeling of physical pain to distract from emotional pain

gain a sense of control over feelings or problems - for example, by feeling there's something they can do when things feel too much

stop feeling numb or 'zoned-out' - which can be a protection mechanism our bodies use when we're experiencing overwhelming feelings

However, while it often feels like self-harm brings some relief in the moment, this is only temporary. As feelings build up again, so does the urge to self-harm. As this cycle continues over time, a young person may start to feel ashamed, confused or frightened about the fact that they're self-harming - increasing the load they're carrying on top of what they're already going through. This can become a cycle that's really hard to break, and a habit that's hard to stop.

Helping your child in the short term

When the urge to self-harm does build in the moment, having a list of other things they can do straight away can also help your child to 'ride the wave of' their intense feelings without self-harming.

Remember that different things will work for different people, and that what helps will usually depend on the feelings your child is trying to manage. Some young people will want to do something soothing like wrapping themselves up in a comfy space, while others might want to do something very active to burn off the energy in their body.

Talk to your child about different strategies they could try, while also giving them space to find their own ways of coping and figure out what works for them. Strategies could include:

Making and using a self soothe box

Writing down how they're feeling in a journal

Writing down difficult feelings on pieces of paper and then ripping them up

Ripping up a magazine or newspaper

Hitting a soft cushion, pillow or bean bag

Listening to loud music

Having a shower

Doing some exercise

Going for a walk outside, or taking the dog for a walk

Focusing on their breathing - how it feels in their body to breathe in and out

Wrapping up in a blanket or duvet

Talking to someone - a friend, family member or calling a helpline

Tidying or organising something

Doing a hobby they enjoy that helps them feel calm, such as painting, drawing, colouring-in, watching a favourite TV programme, playing video games, cooking or baking

Your child might want to use an app like Calm Harm so they have something on their phone that suggests different techniques they can try when they feel the urge to self-harm.

Helping your child over the longer term

Over the longer-term, becoming more aware of how they feel when they self-harm, what's making them feel this way and what kinds of things help, will empower your child to feel more in control. This will hopefully reduce the sense of being overwhelmed and the feeling that they need to self-harm. You can find more tips about this below.

It might help to start a conversation while walking outside or doing an activity, which can help your child to feel more relaxed and make it feel less like a 'big chat'. It can also help both of you to be in a neutral space, for example not in their bedroom. You can find our activity ideas for starting a conversation in our guide to talking to your child about mental health.

While you may understandably have lots of questions, it's important to remember your child is going through a tough time and may find this overwhelming. Focus on finding out how they're doing, without bombarding them for information.

Remember that your child may feel ashamed about self-harming and find it difficult to talk about. Let them come to you when they feel ready to talk, and reassure them that they can talk to you as often and for as long as they need to.

If your child is struggling to talk, they might find it easier to text you or write you a letter. This also gives you time to process what they've told you and think about how you'd like to respond.

When your child does open up, try to focus on listening, showing empathy and being curious about what it's like for them, rather than trying to 'fix' things straightaway. Sometimes they will just want you to listen and understand how they are feeling.

What kinds of thoughts are they having, and how do they feel in their bodies? For example, they might start to feel more zoned-out, or like they're full of panic. This can help them to recognise what feelings they're trying to cope with, and what they can do instead to express and manage these.

Keeping a mood diary might help them to understand this overtime - this could be as simple as a word, phrase or emoji that they note down each day.

Responding to self-harm - Roundup | YoungMinds Parents Lounge

There are different places where you can find help for your child. Speaking to your GP is often a good place to start, as they can discuss your concerns, speak to your child to find out how they're doing and let you know what support options are available. Depending on your child's situation, they can also refer them for an assessment by a mental health specialist or to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). You can speak to the GP yourself to explain the situation and ask for advice, even if your child doesn't want to talk to them.

Young people who are self-harming may find it particularly helpful to speak to a counsellor or therapist, who can help them to make sense of how they're feeling and work with them to find new ways of coping. Our guide to counselling services takes you through the process of finding a counsellor or therapist for your child.

You can find out more about speaking to GPs, finding a counsellor or therapist, accessing CAMHS, getting help from your child's school and finding local services on our guide to getting help.

Trying to find the right help for your child and finding your way around different services can be really tiring at times - so keep reminding yourself that you're doing your best and that it's not easy.

Some young people who are self-harming will find it very difficult to speak to a professional, go to appointments or even acknowledge what's going on. If things are feeling stuck, you can call our Parents Helpline for information, advice and support.

Parents have found the following things helpful to keep in mind when seeking professional help:

If you're feeling under a lot of strain yourself, or that the situation is too much to manage as a parent, it's often a sign that more professional help is needed.

Try to speak to professionals early on, before things have escalated to a crisis situation.

Encourage your child to give themselves some time to get to know a professional and build trust, remembering that they might be starting from a very withdrawn place.

Ask if you can see the same professional each time, so that you and your child don't have to keep re-explaining the situation.

Be open minded about different types of treatment - remembering that what works for your child might not be the same as what would work for you.

It's important to take your child to hospital or to your GP if they have any injuries or wounds that require medical attention.

It can be helpful to understand as a parent that self-harm is often a coping mechanism to help someone manage, and isn't necessarily an expression of suicidal feelings or an attempt to take their own life. However, people who experience suicidal thoughts can be more likely to have self-harmed in the past. If you're worried that your child may be experiencing suicidal thoughts, read our guide to find out how you can access help.

Finding out that your child is self-harming can be an incredibly distressing, or even traumatic, experience as a parent. It's completely normal to struggle with feelings of anxiety, confusion, sadness, anger, frustration, guilt or shame.

Try to take time when you can to check in with yourself, and to think about ways you can take care of yourself as well as your child. Remember that it's okay to ask for help when you need it, and to share your worries with someone you trust.

Many parents who have been in this situation find it helpful to reach out to other parents so they can talk through how they have handled difficult situations and found support. You may also be able to find a local parent support group using the Charlie Waller Trust directory.

If you need more help, speaking to your GP is a good place to start, and they may be able to refer you to a local support service. Sometimes it helps just having someone there who can listen to what you're going through - and if you need someone to talk to, you can call the Samaritans anytime on 116 123.

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 July 2021. It was created with parents and carers with lived experience of supporting their child or young person with self-harm. We will next review the page in 2024. 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-Harm & Mental Health | Guide For Parents

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Read our guide to self-harm to learn more about what self-harm is, what the signs of self-harm are in a young person, and where to get support.

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Please follow this link to visit a Padlet with Advice Leaflets

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Please follow this link to visit a Padlet with Advice Leaflets

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Universal Sleep Support and 1:1 Sleep Clinics for Trafford Families.

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Sleep and Therapy Services - Working together to transform children's lives through Sleep and Therapy Services

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Working together to transform children's lives through Sleep and Therapy Services

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UK internet safety top tips, guidance and quizzes for young people 

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UK internet safety top tips, guidance and quizzes for young people 

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Resources for 11-19s - UK Safer Internet Centre

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Experiencing cyberbullying? Confused about sexting? Worried about a friend online? Take a look at our resources for 11 -19 year olds

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Information and support (helplines, chatrooms, and others) on eating disorders

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Struggling with an eating disorder? Caring for someone who is? Beat is here to support you.

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NHS guide to taking care of your children's teeth

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NHS guide to taking care of your children's teeth

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From brushing their first tooth to their first trip to the dentist, here's how to take care of your children's teeth.
A regular teeth-cleaning routine is essential for good dental health. Follow these tips and you can help keep your kids' teeth decay-free.

Toothbrushing tips

It's important to use a fluoride toothpaste, as this helps prevent and control tooth decay.
Children aged up to 3 years

Start brushing your baby's teeth as soon as the first milk tooth breaks through (usually at around 6 months, but it can be earlier or later).

Parents or carers should brush the teeth.

Brush teeth twice daily for about 2 minutes with fluoride toothpaste.

Brush last thing at night before bed and on 1 other occasion.

Use children's fluoride toothpaste containing no less than 1,000ppm of fluoride (check label) unless a dentist advises family toothpaste containing between 1,350ppm and 1,500ppm fluoride.

Use only a smear of toothpaste.

Make sure children don't eat or lick toothpaste from the tube.

Children aged 3 to 6 years

Brush at least twice daily for about 2 minutes with fluoride toothpaste.

Brush last thing at night before bed and at least on 1 other occasion.

Parents or carers should brush the teeth.

Use children's fluoride toothpaste containing no less than 1,000ppm of fluoride (check label) unless a dentist advises family toothpaste containing between 1,350ppm and 1,500ppm fluoride.

Use only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.

Spit out after brushing and don't rinse - if you rinse, the fluoride won't work as well.

Children aged 7 and over

Brush at least twice daily for about 2 minutes with fluoride toothpaste.

Brush last thing at night before bed and at least on 1 other occasion.

Use fluoride toothpaste containing between 1,350ppm and 1,500ppm of fluoride (check label).

Spit out after brushing and don't rinse - if you rinse, the fluoride won't work as well.

Children aged 7 and over should be able to brush their own teeth, but it's still a good idea to watch them to make sure they brush properly and for about 2 minutes.

How to help children brush their teeth properly

Guide your child's hand so they can feel the correct movement.

Use a mirror to help your child see exactly where the brush is cleaning their teeth.

Make tooth brushing as fun as possible by using an egg timer to time it for about 2 minutes.

Don't let children run around with a toothbrush in their mouth, as they may have an accident and hurt themselves.

Taking your child to the dentist

NHS dental care for children is free.

Take your child to the dentist when their first milk teeth appear. This is so they become familiar with the environment and get to know the dentist. The dentist can advise you on how to prevent decay and identify any oral health problems at an early stage. Just opening up the child's mouth for the dentist to take a look at is useful practice for the future.

When you visit the dentist, be positive about it and make the trip fun. This will stop your child worrying about future visits.

Take your child for regular dental check-ups as advised by the dentist.

Find a dentist near you

Fluoride varnish and fissure sealants

Fissure sealants can be done once your child's permanent back teeth have started to come through (usually at the age of about 6 or 7) to protect them against decay. This is where the chewing surfaces of the back teeth are covered with a special thin plastic coating to keep germs and food particles out of the grooves. The sealant can last for as long as 5 to 10 years.

Fluoride varnish can be applied to both baby teeth and adult teeth. It involves painting a varnish that contains high levels of fluoride onto the surface of the tooth every 6 months to prevent decay. Some children may need this more often. It works by strengthening tooth enamel, making it more resistant to decay.

From the age of 3, children should be offered fluoride varnish application at least twice a year. Younger children may also be offered this treatment if your dentist thinks they need it.

Ask your dentist about fluoride varnish or fissure sealing.

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Find out how to look after children's teeth, including advice on brushing, toothpaste, establishing a routine and taking a child to the dentist for the first time.

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Offers support to children and young people to develop healthy relationships. If you/your young person would like help with this please follow this link.

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"It's helped me to challenge and manage my negative thoughts and feeling. I have learnt to be much more positive and present, and now I think more logically and rationally about things I would normally get very worried about.

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GADDUM - Guiding children and young people through grief

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GADDUM - Guiding children and young people through grief

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Therapy for children and young people who’ve experienced a bereavement, including a specialist project for those that have experienced a traumatic bereavement.

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Gaddum's bereavement services provide therapeutic support to children and young people who have suffered a bereavement. Our qualified bereavement trained therapists will work with anyone who's lost someone close to them and they're finding it difficult to cope with the upsetting emotions that come up when we experience a death of a family member or friend.

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A resource to help you understand what services and support you can expect from local agencies

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With a focus on emotional health and wellbeing, the Q42 Project is a safe and social space for LGBTQ+ young people aged 13 to 18.

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Queer culture meets wellbeing peer support in a weekly group for LGBTQ+ people aged 13-18.

With a focus on emotional health and wellbeing, the Q42 Project is a safe and social space for LGBTQ+ young people to: explore and express their LGBTQ+ identities; work on creative projects and activities; create awareness and advocacy outreach campaigns; go on trips and film screenings; and collaborate with other Manchester based organisations (including BBC, Gaydio and Royal Exchange Theatre).

We've created a full LGBTQ+ hub you can check out too

What people say about the Q42 group
"This has given me the opportunity to meet more people and socialise!"
"I've made loads of new friends"
"I felt I was hiding my sexuality but now I'm happy with who I am"

If you'd like to get involved you can email connect@42ndstreet.org.uk and we'll give you all the info you need!

To join use the SIGN UP button or CLICK HERE

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Queer culture meets wellbeing peer support in a weekly group for LGBTQ+ people aged 13-18. With a focus on emotional health and wellbeing, the Q42 Project is a safe and social space for LGBTQ+ young people to: explore and express their LGBTQ+ identities; work on creative projects and activities; create awareness and advocacy outreach campaigns; go on trips and film screenings; and collaborate with other Manchester based organisations (including BBC, Gaydio and Royal Exchange Theatre).

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Trafford School Health Primary School Parent newsletter 

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Trafford School Health Primary School Parent newsletter 

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Trafford schools and services have developed a pilot Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA) Early Identification Tool (EIT) which aims to be a user-friendly but comprehensive progress document.

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Trafford's guidance has been developed to provide further information and support for children and young people who are experiencing school attendance difficulties and/or Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA), and to support their families, school staff and other professionals across our Local Authority.

What is EBSNA?

Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA) is a term adopted by Trafford Council and a number of authorities to describe children and young people who have significant difficulties in attending school due to a range of factors.

EBSNA can start early on in a child's school life with minor to severe indicators but is often not identified until secondary school.

What can EBSNA look like?

Crying or pleading

Avoidance of getting up, get ready for school or leave the house

Preoccupied with worries about school related issues

Sleep difficulties

Frequent complaints of minor illness e.g., feeling sick, headache

Distressed and aggressive behaviours (usually at home)

Some children mask their anxiety and appear fine at school

At home, or at school, children or young people may display their emotional distress in a variety of different ways. It is also important to acknowledge that children and young people may present as being 'ok' whilst in school yet display a high level of distress at home. This can happen when a child or young person 'masks' how they feel in an attempt to 'fit in'. It is therefore important to listen to parental/carer concerns and what they communicate about their child's behaviours.

In line with the Working Together to Improve Attendance guidance, school staff should proactively use data to identify pupils at risk of poor attendance, this includes identifying those children and young people who may be at risk of school-related anxiety, and paying attention to any parental concerns.

Causes of EBSNA:

Research suggests there is no single cause of EBSNA. Instead it is thought to be an interaction of risk factors unique to your child or young person that can include:

special educational needs

social and communication difficulties

stressors from school

bullying or perceived threats of bullying

family and friendship difficulties

negative thoughts

This can lead to pushing children and young people away from school and pulling them towards home.

EBSNA is more likely to happen when "stress exceeds support". (Thambirajah et al 2008)

Early Identification and working together towards action is essential

Many of our children and young people who live and go to school in the Trafford area are struggling with high levels of anxiety related to attending school.

The need for parent carers, school staff and specialist services to work together has become even more important as children, young people and families try to adapt to the short and long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic situation.

How can we support children and young people?

The Trafford EBSNA guidance document details the process of support that should be followed when a child or young person is identified as experiencing difficulties attending school (or as at risk of becoming persistently absent). This follows the Assess, Plan, Do, Review process, including:

1. Early identification of indicators of attendance difficulties.

2. Collaborative meeting between home and school to discuss and understand the child's needs. This should include the pupil's views and may also use the Early Identification of Needs Tool.

3. Create an individual action plan and implement. This may include reference to the Ideas Bank within the guidance.

4. Review and update regularly (e.g. every 3 - 4 weeks).

5. Refer to specialist services if required.

It is important that this cycle of support is completed promptly, and that the support and progress is agreed and regularly reviewed with the young person and their family. Further information around each area can be found within Trafford's guidance document.

Trafford's EBSNA Guidance Document

Trafford's guidance document has been developed to provide further information and support for children and young people who are experiencing school attendance difficulties and/or Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA), and to support their families, school staff and other professionals across our Local Authority.

The guidance is based on EBSNA research evidence and similar tools that have been shown to be successful in other local authorities. It includes:

An understanding of EBSNA and how to recognise those at risk

Children and young people's views and experiences of EBSNA

ADPR guidance for school settings, including action plan templates and tools to gain pupil views

Whole school approaches to promoting regular attendance

Ideas bank for support strategies

Who can help?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Example case studies of support

It can be downloaded here.

Trafford's Early Identification of Need Tool (EINT)

Trafford schools and services have also developed a Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA) Early Identification of Need Tool (EINT) which aims to be a user-friendly but comprehensive progress document.

It is hoped that the EINT will help prevent families, children and young people reaching crisis point and before EBSNA becomes extremely difficult to change. It can be very effective in helping families and schools to quickly identify what risk factors and triggers might be contributing to a child or young person's anxiety and feeling unable to attend school.

The EINT can be the first but very important step in gaining a shared understanding of what emotional and practical challenges a child or young person faces.

This awareness could then lead to possible adjustments and available support being offered to the child, young person and families. This can go on to change the quality of your child or young person's school experience.

Information about writing and reviewing an action plan to improve attendance can be found in the guidance document, including ideas for support and reasonable adjustments.

What works?

Recent research from the University of Manchester has highlighted the successful use of these approaches in supporting children and young people to return to school following a period of anxiety (Corcoran, Bond and Knox, 2022):

Key areas identified as supportive included:

Effective home-school communications ¸ to ensure parent/carer concerns are heard and support approaches are consistent.

Positive relationships with school staff, were noted as key for students who successfully returned to school.

Awareness of triggers, understanding the push and pull factors to better support the young person before, throughout and after the school day.

Providing an individualised approach, tailoring the intervention to the specific push and pull factors identified by the young person and those around them.

Engagement with other professionals, when needed, seeking further specialist support to inform the assess, plan, do, review process.

Where to get help?

If you feel that your child or young person is struggling with anxiety and difficulties with attending school, then it might be helpful to complete the Trafford EINT with the support of Special Education Needs and Disability Co-ordinator (SENDCo).

The Trafford pilot EINT and Trafford Guidance Document can be viewed right here on the Trafford's SEND Local Offer.

Our guidance document contains a 'Who Can Help' page, with details of other services in Trafford who may be able to support you.

Trafford's Educational Psychology Service offer whole school training on EBSNA and school attendance, please contact either your link EP or email shannon.corcoran@trafford.gov.uk for further information.

What you can do to raise awareness of EBSNA

Be aware of the early signs of EBSNA (even in early years children)

Share your concerns with the class teacher, SENCO, relevant staff or service

Have a whole school approach to promoting regular attendance

Use the Trafford guidance and toolkit within your cycles of support

We all want our children and young people to enjoy the opportunities of being part of the school community.

There is a huge amount of research that suggests that children and young people who attend school regularly benefit from the experience of greater well-being and stronger social relationships. Also, in the long term they have an increased chance of achieving the qualifications and careers that can lead to job, financial security and better health.

Your Feedback

We are currently gathering your feedback on EBSNA support across Trafford. If you have a spare 10 minutes, please consider completing our form below to help us improve and develop our support in the future.
https://forms.gle/MT7HdkiNbhPSr1t46
- Article by Dr Rhonda Boaler and Shannon Corcoran, Educational Psychology Service

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Trafford Directory | School Attendance Difficulties and Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA)

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Trafford's guidance has been developed to provide further information and support for children and young people who are experiencing school attendance difficulties and/or Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA), and to support their families, school staff and other professionals across our Local Authority. What is EBSNA?...

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Support for alcohol and substance misuse

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Support for alcohol and substance misuse

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If you or your young person need support with alcohol, smoking, or other substances, Early Break can support you.

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Working together towards positive change.

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Vaping facts sheet

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Home-Start offers family support delivered in the home and in community venues.  Support is provided via family support workers and volunteers.

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Parents supporting parents - a simple idea that really works!

Get help

In light of the recent Government announcements on minimising the spread of Covid- 19, Home-Start Trafford, Salford & Wigan have made the difficult decision to suspend home- visiting support to families.
We understand this is a worrying time for the families we help, and as such we want to make sure that we can assist them as best we can, so we are currently offering telephone support to our parents, where possible.

We can assure you, whilst working differently, our staff team and volunteer army are still helping families as best we can.

Home-Start Trafford, Salford, Wigan

We provide support and friendship for families who are struggling to cope with a wide of range of situations such as loneliness, mental ill health, disabilities, multiple children, and increasing poverty and debt, support is provided to help prevent crisis and family breakdown.

We recruit, train and support volunteers who are parents from the local community, to visit families in their own homes for 2-3 hours per week in order to provide practical help and emotional support to families. More here
Parents supporting parents - a simple idea that really works!

Told through the eyes of a little boy George, 'Mum, Jenny and Me' , this animation film, explains the impact a Home-Start volunteer has on his and his mum's future.

Like most websites we use cookies to deliver a personalised service. To use the website as intended please accept cookies.
ACCEPT Read Our Privacy Notice

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Home-Start Trafford, Salford, Wigan We provide support and friendship for families who are struggling to cope with a wide of range of situations such as loneliness, mental ill health, disabilities, multiple children, and increasing poverty and debt, support is provided to help prevent crisis and family breakdown.

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Eating disorder services and support available in Greater Manchester

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Eating disorder services and support available in Greater Manchester

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If you’re worried someone you care about is showing any signs of an eating disorder there’s support available

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An introduction to the Community Eating Disorder Service in Manchester  

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An introduction to the Community Eating Disorder Service in Manchester  

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Dr Meenaka Williams, CAMHS Consultant Psychiatrist, talks about how the service is organised, how to make referrals, waiting times etc

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Children and young people with suspected eating disorders: Guidelines for primary care professionals
An Introduction to the Community Eating disorder Service for Children and Young People in Greater Manchester
Dr Meenaka Williams, CAMHS Consultant Psychiatrist, talks about how the service is organised, how to make referrals, waiting times, supporting diagnosis using MEED guidance, and when to consider a hospital admission.
Community Eating disorder Service for Children and Young People in Greater Manchester case study
Lois suffered from an eating disorder for several years. She is now fully recovered following treatment by the Manchester University Foundation Trust Community Eating Disorder Service. Lois is currently studying medicine in Edinburgh.

Download these guidelines: Children and Young People with Suspected Eating Disorders Guidelines for Primary Care Professionals June 2023

These guidelines aim to share information about spotting the signs of eating disorders to inform when and how to refer children and young people to the community eating disorders service (CEDS) for specialist outpatient support.

Key signs and symptoms

History of weight loss or failure to gain weight. Have clothes size changed?

Have parents or carers noticed any weight loss or other physical changes?

How long have they been trying to lose weight & what have they tried?

How much are they currently eating & drinking?

Are they over-exercising, vomiting, or using any other methods lose weight or to limit calorie intake? How often?

If they report they are binging, what do they mean by this? How often?

Any physical health concerns: fainting, dehydration, constipation, chest pain, shortness of breath? If appropriate, when did they last have a menstrual cycle?

Any mental health changes: confusion, distress? Any risk of self-harm, suicide or harm from or to others?

How to refer

Refer by letter or email: see contact details below

Refer as soon as a young person presents to you with any combination of the symptoms outlined.

Consent is needed for a referral. Ensure the child or young person and parents/carers are aware of the referral.

The physical exam
DO NOT DELAY REFERRAL WAITING FOR RESULTS!
Red flags

Weight loss > 1kg a week for a minimum of 2 consecutive weeks AND not eating and/or fluid refusal for more than 24 hours

Cardiovascular compromise and fainting

Percentage Median BMI <70%

BP <0.4th centile sitting and a postural drop

Pulse <40 bpm

Temperature <35 ˚C

IF YOU COME ACROSS THESE SYMPTOMS PLEASE PHONE YOUR LOCAL CYP-CEDS FOR ADVICE
Other considerations

Low weight' is now defined as a loss of 10% of a young person's expected body weight.

Make a referral based on signs and symptoms irrespective of weight.

Consider impact of other external life events and stressors.

THINK: STATE NOT WEIGHT - WHAT IS THEIR FUNCTIONING LIKE?
Timescales

All referrals will be screened within 24 hours of receipt except on weekends or Bank Holidays.

All accepted referrals will be screened for urgency and will be offered either an emergency appointment within 24 hours, an urgent within one week appointment or a routine appointment within 28 days.

DO NOT WATCH & WAIT. REFER ALL CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE SUSPECTED OF HAVING AN EATING DISORDER TO YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY EATING DISORDER SERVICE
How to contact your local Eating Disorder Service
Wigan and Bolton Community Eating Disorder Service Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust Community Eating Disorder Service (North) Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust Community Eating Disorder Service (South) Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust Community Eating Disorder Service
With thanks to the Healthy London Partnership for allowing us to re-use their content to make it relevant for colleagues in Greater Manchester

Beat are the UK's eating disorder charity. Visit www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/ for more information about eating disorders, to access online support groups and one to one chat.

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Children and young people with suspected eating disorders: Guidelines for primary care professionals - Mental Health

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These guidelines share advice about spotting the signs of eating disorders and when to refer children and young people to the community eating disorders service (CEDS) for specialist outpatient support.

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Spectrum Gaming is an online community for autistic young people which has three main intended outcomes:

1) Building Friendships
2)Increasing Self-Acceptance
3)Advocacy

Spectrum Gaming also have their own Padlet where they share information and links!

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Spectrum Gaming is an online community for autistic young people. The aims of Spectrum Gaming are to enable autistic young people to develop meaningful friendships; to help them understand and develop a positive perspective of their differences; and to advocate for the needs of autistic young people

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Please follow this link to find out more about Trafford's Speech and Lnaguage Service.

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Welcome to the Trafford Speech and Language Therapy page.

We are a team of Speech and Language Therapists and Speech and Language Therapy assistants who assess, diagnose and treat people who have speech, language and communications needs and feeding difficulties.

We do this in a variety of places, including nurseries, clinics, and mainstream and special schools.

The team works in partnership with parents, carers, professionals and voluntary groups to make sure our clients get the support that is right for them.

For more information please see: Trafford Speech and Language Therapy

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Trafford Directory | * Trafford Speech and Language Therapy

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Welcome to the Trafford Speech and Language Therapy page. We are a team of Speech and Language Therapists and Speech and Language Therapy assistants who assess, diagnose and treat people who have speech, language and communications needs and feeding difficulties. We do this in a variety of places, including nurseries, clinics, and mainstream and special schools.

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Tips and resources for Trafford parents and carers of children aged 2-18 years

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How gadgets impact sleep - Together Trust

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Mobile phones and other handheld gadgets are a big part of our lives. In fact, most children (and adults) have mobile devices within reach day and night. But does this allow us to get the best night’s sleep? Research shows that, in some cases, gadgets are having a harmful effect on children by disrupting or […]

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Nude selfies: what parents and carers need to know

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Nude selfies: what parents and carers need to know

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If you've found out your child has shared a revealing pic or video, don't panic. There are plenty of ways to stop things getting out of hand.

Watch these short films for advice on what to do next:

Understanding why

It's important to keep things in perspective and plan how to talk to your child. Remember, however stressed and anxious you are feeling, they are probably feeling more so. Watch this film to find out how one parent coped.

Talking to your child

It's a good idea to have ongoing conversations with your child about sex and relationships including nude selfies. It might be a bit embarrassing at first but this film suggests some ways to start it off.

When should I be worried?

Young people share nude selfies for different reasons and in different ways, and some situations are more risky than others. This film will help you to understand the different contexts in which images are shared and how to respond.

Where to get help

Find out about organisations which can help you and your child.

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If you've found out your child has shared a revealing pic or video, don't panic. There are plenty of ways to stop things getting out of hand. Watch these short films for advice on what to do next: It's important to keep things in perspective and plan how to talk to your child.

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A guide to good teeth for parents & carers of children

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A guide to good teeth for parents & carers of children

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We provide a free, confidential and non-judgemental specialist support service run by women for women and girls who have experienced any form of rape, sexual abuse or sexual violence no matter where or when it happened. We provide emotional and practical support and information by helpline, email and counselling.

We believe you. We will listen to you and support you. You are not alone.

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If a young person is grieving after the death of someone important to them, this charity supports those under 25 and their families. Anyone aged 13 or over can refer themselves. If you’re 12 or under, please speak with a trusted adult (parent, guardian, teacher etc) and let them know you’re interested in referring to Winston’s Wish.

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Bereavement support

If you feel like chatting with someone isn't enough, and you'd like more focused support with your grief, we offer a series of one-to-one sessions with a Winston's Wish Bereavement Support Worker. Here, you'll be able to talk openly and safely about your feelings and together you'll find the coping mechanisms that will work for you.

In some cases, and at the discretion of Winston's Wish, group sessions with family members can be arranged to help you all move forward together.

We also make it possible for you to connect with other young grieving people who get what you're going through. Our grief support groups offer the opportunity to share your experiences, reduce feelings of isolation and build connections.

Please note that one-to-one and group support is by referral only. If you're aged 13 or over, you can submit your own referral. Someone from Winston's Wish will then assess your individual circumstances to ensure the service is the right fit for you. If it's decided this isn't the right service for you, a member of our team will guide you towards the right support.

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If you're a grieving young person aged 25 or under, we're here to help with information, on-demand services, bereavement support and counselling.

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The SEND Padlet supports parents and carers of children and young people with SEND as well as practitioners. Splitting the padlet into sub-padlets makes it more accessible. These support specific SEND needs, including Autism, ADHD, and Sleep.

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42nd Street have pulled together resources direct from young people on a range of topics around being LGBTQ+ or supporting friends who are, click here to view these!

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We've pulled together resources direct from young people on a range of topics around being LGBTQ+ or supporting friends who are to create our new LGBTQ+ resource centre.

Explore the topics below to get started!

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We've pulled together resources direct from young people on a range of topics around being LGBTQ+ or supporting friends who are to create our new LGBTQ+ resource centre. Explore the topics below to get started!

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Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

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Renew Wellbeing Drop-in sessions The Hub, Altrincham

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Renew Wellbeing Drop-in sessions The Hub, Altrincham

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A welcome place to have a brew, chat and take part in mindful activities.

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School uniform can be a significant expense for families, especially when a child is starting at a new school. Find grants, and pre-loved (secondhand) uniform in Trafford

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Trafford Directory | Help with school uniform

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School uniform can be a significant expense for families, especially when a child is starting at a new school. Find grants, and pre-loved (secondhand) uniform in Trafford. Grants Bridging the Gap school uniform grant Bridging the Gap have small grants available to purchase...

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Drinking alcohol while pregnant - NHS guide

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Drinking alcohol while pregnant - NHS guide

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Info on: how to avoid alcohol in pregnancy and getting help to stop drinking alcohol

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It's recommended that if you're pregnant or planning to become pregnant you should not drink alcohol. This will keep any risk to your baby to a minimum.
Drinking in pregnancy can lead to long-term harm to the baby, with the more you drink, the greater the risk.

How does alcohol affect my unborn baby?

When you drink, alcohol passes from your blood through the placenta to your baby and can seriously affect its development.

Your baby does not have a fully developed liver and cannot process alcohol.

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, premature birth and your baby having a low birthweight. It can also affect your baby after they're born.

Drinking during pregnancy can cause your baby to develop a serious life-long condition called foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).

FASD can cause problems with:

learning and behaviour

joints, bones, muscles and some organs

managing emotions and developing social skills

hyperactivity and impulse control

communication, such as problems with speech

The risk is likely to be greater the more you drink.

How to avoid alcohol in pregnancy

It may not be as difficult as you think to avoid alcohol completely during pregnancy. Many women go off the taste of alcohol early in pregnancy.

Most women give up alcohol once they know they're pregnant or when they're planning to become pregnant.

Women who find out they're pregnant after already having drunk in early pregnancy should avoid further drinking for the rest of their pregnancy.

However, they should not worry unnecessarily, as the risks of their baby being affected are likely to be low. If you're concerned, talk to a midwife or doctor.
Find tips for avoiding alcohol in pregnancy on the Tommy's website

Getting help to stop drinking alcohol

If you have difficulty stopping drinking, talk to a midwife, doctor or pharmacist.

Confidential help and support is also available from a number of different organisations, including:

Drinkaware - run a national alcohol helpline; if you're worried about your own or someone else's drinking, call this free helpline on 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am to 8pm, weekends 11am to 4pm)

We Are With You - a UK-wide treatment agency that helps individuals, families and communities manage the effects of alcohol and drug misuse

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) - a free self-help group; its "12-step" programme involves getting sober with the help of regular support groups

Find your nearest alcohol support services Read more advice about cutting down your drinking

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The safest thing you can do if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or trying for a baby, is to avoid alcohol.

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Support to reduce or stop Smoking & Vaping

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Support to reduce or stop Smoking & Vaping

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If you are a young person who feels they would like some support to stop smoking or stop vaping, please get in touch on 0161 723 3880.

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Working together towards positive change.

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Parenting Groups for black, asian and minority ethnic communities

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Parenting Groups for black, asian and minority ethnic communities

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Free six week course for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups. Creche, interpreters, contribution towards travel costs. For more info call : 0161 262 1622 or Email: parenting@justpsychology.co.uk

Twitter: @Just_Psychology

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How to support someone experiencing suicidal thoughts or behaviours

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How to support someone experiencing suicidal thoughts or behaviours

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A poster providing information and advice on the ways to support someone experiencing suicidal thoughts or behaviours, including national helplines.

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We are a team of Speech and Language Therapists and Speech and Language Therapy assistants who assess, diagnose and treat children and young people (0-18) who have speech, language and communications needs and feeding difficulties.

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Welcome to the Trafford Speech and Language Therapy page.

We are a team of Speech and Language Therapists and Speech and Language Therapy assistants who assess, diagnose and treat people who have speech, language and communications needs and feeding difficulties.

We do this in a variety of places, including nurseries, clinics, and mainstream and special schools.

The team works in partnership with parents, carers, professionals and voluntary groups to make sure our clients get the support that is right for them.

For more information please see: Trafford Speech and Language Therapy

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Trafford Directory | * Trafford Speech and Language Therapy

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Welcome to the Trafford Speech and Language Therapy page. We are a team of Speech and Language Therapists and Speech and Language Therapy assistants who assess, diagnose and treat people who have speech, language and communications needs and feeding difficulties. We do this in a variety of places, including nurseries, clinics, and mainstream and special schools.

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Tips and resources for Trafford parents and carers of children aged 2 - 18 years

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Six steps to a good night’s sleep - Together Trust

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Be active during the day Exercise and an active daily life contribute to a restful sleep. Even an afternoon walk around the block can help. Get the room ready Start winding down for bedtime by putting toys away, gadgets on charge and switching off the TV. Have a healthy supper No one likes to go […]

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Trafford Children's First Response - Safeguarding

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Trafford Children's First Response - Safeguarding

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Trafford’s single point of contact for all professionals and members of the public to report concerns, request advice and share information about a child and/or family.

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Children's First Response (formerly MARAT) is Trafford's single point of contact for all professionals and members of the public to report concerns, request advice and share information about a child and/or family.
If the child is at immediate risk of harm call the Police on 999.

If you are a member of the public who has a concern about a child, and they are not at immediate risk of harm, you should call Trafford Children's First Response on 0161 912 5125 during office hours (Mon - Fri 8:30 - 4:30) or 0161 912 2020 out of hours (Emergency Duty Team).

Depending on the nature of your enquiry or request we will also:

Give advice and guidance

Provide information on available services

Put you in contact with other agencies or services which may be of help

Put you in contact with the relevant professional dealing with a family

Who to contact

Telephone

0161 912 5125 General Helpline 8.30am to 4.30pm 0161 912 5125 General Helpline 8.30am to 4.30pm 0161 912 2020 Emergency Duty Team - Out of Hours 0161 912 2020 Emergency Duty Team - Out of Hours Fax: 0161 912 5056 Fax: 0161 912 5056

E-mail

Website

Trafford First Response Website

Scan to visit this website

Accessibility

Details

Our general helpline is open 8.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday. Outside of these hours you can contact the Emergency Duty Team for urgent enquiries.

Where required Trafford Children's First Response will provide appropriate services to help people make contact with them, for example an interpreter.

Please note we are not located in a publicly accessible part of the building.

Referral Required?

No

Referral Details

If you are a professional you must decide on the child/family's Level of Need and use the online referral process. Levels of Need are used to determine the kind of support a child or family requires.

However, if it is your professional judgement that Trafford Children's First Response requires this information immediately you must call 0161 912 5125. After your discussion you will be advised to return to the Levels of Need page to complete the online form.

Related Services

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Trafford Directory | Trafford Children's First Response

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Children's First Response (formerly MARAT) is Trafford's single point of contact for all professionals and members of the public to report concerns, request advice and share information about a child and/or family. If the child is at immediate risk of harm call the Police on 999.

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Silvercloud - Supporting An Anxious Child (aged 4-11 years)

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Silvercloud - Supporting An Anxious Child (aged 4-11 years)

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Free online programme will guide you in supporting a child (aged 5 - 11) who is dealing with worry and anxiety.

Understand how anxiety is affecting the child and how your response may be having an impact.

Learn how to facilitate and maintain positive communication channels with the child.

Help the child to recognise the importance of facing their fears, rather then avoiding them.

Learn strategies for building self-esteem and resilience

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SilverCloud Sign-up Start

Welcome to SilverCloud

Before we begin, please note:

Everything you do on SilverCloud will remain completely confidential. Read the

To give you the best experience there are elements of your information that we need to store and process, in line with our

SilverCloud is not an emergency service. If you need urgent help please

I understand and agree

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Welcome to SilverCloud Everything you do on SilverCloud will remain completely confidential. Read the To give you the best experience there are elements of your information that we need to store and process, in line with our SilverCloud is not an emergency service.

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What might they encounter?

Chatting and meeting new people on the internet can be fun and appealing for children. There are lots of online apps and communities that can be educational and supportive for them, however there are opportunities online for adults to contact children.

No matter how young your child is, if they are using a device that has the internet- it is important to talk to them about people who contact them online.

We understand that you can't always be there with them, although if they are 11 and under we would always recommend that their device is used in a public space, making it all the more important that your child knows that they can come to you if someone online says or does something that makes them uncomfortable, worried or upset.

Sexualised chat and images

It is a criminal offence for an adult to send a sexual message to a child or incite them to perform sexual acts. This could include;

An adult exposing themselves on webcam

Engaging a child in chat about sexual acts and fantasies

Telling a child to watch pornographic images/videos

Telling a child to perform a sexual act or expose themselves

"Children have told us that they send out friend requests to increase their friend count, and are worried that if they have talked to people they don't know and something goes wrong or upsets them, their parent or carer will over react and take their technology away from them."

If your child is engaged in sexualised contact they might react in many different ways from excitement to distress, but they may also feel guilty. It can be helpful for your child to know who to talk to if something does go wrong, and it can help to suggest taking a break from an app for a period of time. This can help them learn from what happened, rather than banning them from the internet all together.

Why might a child engage in sexual chat or talk to adults online?

It is never a child's fault if they have been engaged in sexual chat by an adult, however it might seem difficult to understand how this could happen even if conversations about safety and not talking to strangers online have happened.

It is important not to blame your child if this does happen , but also to try and understand what sort of things could influence a child's behaviour.

Developmental stage: Children's brains are still developing so it is hard for them to distinguish between fantasy and reality. When they are online they feel invisible and more confident to engage in behaviour that they would not do in 'real life'.They need support from adults to make good decisions and use the internet safely.

Sexual exploration: It's natural for children to start exploring their sexual feelings, and talking to people online can feel exciting. Adults can exploit this natural curiosity by talking about sex and introducing new things that might be inappropriate. Direct your child to age appropriate information about sex and relationships at Childline or Brook.

Fear: Adults can pressure, intimidate and coerce children into doing things that they are not ready for. Therefore it is important that a child knows that they are not to blame and that reporting to CEOP or in the app can help protect them and others in the future.

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Chatting and meeting new people on the internet can be fun and appealing for children. There are lots of online apps and communities that can be educational and supportive for them, however there are opportunities online for adults to contact children.

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General guide looking after children's teeth

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When should I take my child to the dentist?

It is recommended that children should go to the dentist with their parents as soon as possible. You should then take them regularly, as often as your dental team recommend. This will let them get used to the noises, smells and surroundings and prepare them for future visits. The earlier these visits start, the more relaxed the children will be.

When will my child's teeth appear?

First (or 'baby' or 'milk') teeth usually start to appear when your child is around 6 months old. All 20 baby teeth should appear by the age of 30 months. For more information, visit ' Dental care for mother and baby'.

The first permanent 'adult' molars (back teeth) will appear at about 6 years, before the first baby teeth start to fall out at about 6 to 7. The permanent 'adult' teeth will then replace the 'baby' teeth. It is usually the lower front teeth that are lost first, followed by the upper front teeth shortly after. All permanent teeth should be in place by the age of 14, except the ' wisdom' teeth'. These may appear any time between 18 and 25 years of age.

All children are different and develop at different rates.

How should I clean my child's teeth?

Cleaning your child's teeth should be part of their daily hygiene routine. You may find it easier to stand or sit behind your child, cradling their chin in your hand so you can reach their top and bottom teeth more easily.

Should I use fluoride toothpaste?

Your teeth can get fluoride in a number of different ways, including from toothpaste, specific fluoride applications and perhaps the drinking water in your area. These can all help to prevent tooth decay.

If you are unsure about how much fluoride you need in your toothpaste ask your dental team.

All children up to three years old should use a smear of toothpaste with a fluoride level of at least 1000ppm (parts per million). After three years old, they should use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste that contains 1350ppm to 1500ppm.

You can check the level of fluoride on the packaging of the toothpaste. Children should be supervised when brushing up to the age of 7. You should make sure that they do not rinse but spit out the toothpaste, and that they don't swallow any if possible. This way the fluoride stays in the mouth for longer and will be more effective.

What sort of brush should children use?

There are many different types of children's toothbrushes, including brightly coloured brushes, some that change colour, some with favourite characters on the handle, and some with a timer. These all encourage children to brush their teeth. The most important thing is to use a small-headed toothbrush with soft, nylon bristles, suitable for the age of your child.

Using a power toothbrush, suitable for the age of your child, can help to make brushing fun and make sure your child brushes for the correct amount of time.

What could cause my child to have toothache?

Toothache is painful and upsetting, especially in children, and the main cause is tooth decay. This is due to too much sugar, too often, in the diet.

Teething is another problem. It starts at around 6 months, and it can continue when the adult teeth start to appear. If your child needs pain relief, make sure you choose a sugar-free medicine. If the pain continues then contact your dental team for an appointment. Remember to check with your doctor or pharmacist that you are being prescribed sugar-free medicines at all times.

How can I prevent tooth decay in my child?

The main cause of tooth decay is not the amount of sugar or acid in the diet, but how often it is eaten or drunk. The more often your child has sugary or acidic foods or drinks, the more likely they are to have decay. So it is important to have sugary and acidic foods just at mealtimes. If you want to give your child a snack, try to stick to cheese, vegetables and fruit. Try to limit how much dried fruit you give as it is high in sugar.

Don't give them drinks containing sugars, including fruit juices, between meals. Give them water or milk instead. For babies, don't add sugar to their drinks, or to foods when you introduce them to solids.

It is also worth remembering that some processed baby foods contain quite a lot of sugar. Try checking the list of ingredients: the higher up the list sugar is, the more there is in the product. Generally anything ending in 'ose' is a sugar, for example: fructose, glucose, lactose or sucrose. Thorough brushing with a fluoride toothpaste last thing at night, and at least one other time during the day, will help to prevent tooth decay.

What if my child is very nervous about going to the dentist?

Children can sense fear in their parents, so it is important not to let your child feel that a visit to the dental team is something to be worried about. Try to be supportive if your child needs to have any dental treatment. If you have any fears of your own about going to the dentist, don't let your child hear you talk about them.

Regular visits to the dental team are essential in helping your child get used to the surroundings and what happens there. A child can be much more anxious if it is their first visit to a dental practice. Pain and distress can happen at any time and it is important to prepare your child with regular visits.

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Tooth decay is one of the biggest causes of school absences. Your donation will help us to address this problem head-on by allowing us to give dental packs to children and provide better oral health education to those most at risk.

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oral health charity dental advice uk national smile month mouth cancer action month

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Getting the younger members of the family into good oral health habits early can make them much easier to maintain in the future.

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Trafford CAMHS offer specialist services to children and young people who are experiencing mental health difficulties.

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Trafford CAMHS (formerly Health Young Minds) we offer specialist services to children and young people who are experiencing mental health difficulties.

We help children and young people up to the age of 18 years and provide assessment and intervention and support to their families/carers. Some of the problems that we can help with include:

Anxiety

Depression

Eating disorders

Psychosis

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Self-harm

ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)

ASD (Autistic Spectrum Disorder)

More complex psychological difficulties

We deliver a range of specialist therapeutic and pharmacological interventions identified at initial assessment.

Opening hours

Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm Emergency on call psychiatry service After 5pm weekdays and weekends / bank holidays via local A&E departments only.

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Trafford CAMHS (formerly Healthy Young Minds Trafford) - Royal Manchester Children's Hospital

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Trafford CAMHS (formerly Health Young Minds) we offer specialist services to children and young people who are experiencing mental health difficulties. We help children and young people up to the age of 18 years and provide assessment and intervention and support to their families/carers.

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Visit site above to view the list of immunisations your child may receive.

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Trafford Directory | Trafford Immunisations

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Working with school nurses, immunisations are given to teenagers in senior school settings. These immunisations consist of: Human papillomavirus vaccination (HPV) given to both girls and boys from the age of 12 to 18 years old. School leavers boosters which are Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio (DTP) Meningitis ACWY vaccinations for girls and boys from 15 to 18 years of age. For full details of childhood vaccinations required in the UK please go to www.nhs.uk/vaccinations For futher information on immunisation please go to:- Trafford Directory | School Nursing in Trafford http://www.hpa.org.uk/ www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/pages/vaccination-schedule-age-checklist.aspx www.gov.uk/government/organisations/public-health-england/series/immunisation

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Saint Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC)

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Saint Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC)

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Saint Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) provides a comprehensive and co-ordinated forensic, counselling and aftercare service to men, women and children living in the Greater Manchester area who have experienced rape or sexual assault, whether this has happened recently or in the past.

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Welcome to Saint Mary's
Sexual Assault Referral Centre
Saint Mary's Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) provides a comprehensive and co-ordinated forensic, counselling and aftercare service to men, women and children living in the Greater Manchester area who have experienced rape or sexual assault, whether this has happened recently or in the past. We also offer immediate crisis support and a forensic service to Cheshire.
You can use our services without making a report to the police or we can support you if and when you want to speak to the police

If you want to make a referral just follow our step-by-step guide in the 'our services' section or call 0161 276 6515

COVID-19 Update

Saint Mary's SARC remains available to provide healthcare and support services to victims of rape and sexual assault.

You can report to the Police or contact our 24 hour helpline directly on 0161 276 6515.

If you wish to be seen, please call us first.

We are not able to see people if they don't have an appointment.

If you would like to be seen for an examination, without Police involvement, we can discuss this with you.

The safety of our staff and patients is very important to us and we take this very seriously.

Saint Mary's SARC can assure you that we are following current legislation and guidance.

If you've been sexually assaulted during this time of enforced lockdown, there's no need to suffer in silence.

We offer non-judgemental care & support regardless of the circumstances.

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Saint Mary's Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) provides a comprehensive and co-ordinated forensic, counselling and aftercare service to men, women and children living in the Greater Manchester area who have experienced rape or sexual assault, whether this has happened recently or in the past. We also offer immediate crisis support and a forensic service to Cheshire.

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Trafford Domestic Abuse Services (TDAS) (ages 5 -18)

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Trafford Domestic Abuse Services (TDAS) (ages 5 -18)

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TDAS offers support to individuals and families living or working in Trafford who are suffering or who have suffered domestic abuse. TDAS offers a range of services that support children and young people (5-18) who have been exposed to domestic abuse or who are in an unhealthy relationship. They also have 1:1 and group-based programmes that offer emotional support and education.

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TDAS offer both intervention support services and prevention and educational services to children and young people who have been subject to or who are at risk of domestic abuse.

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We offer a range of services that support children and young people who have been exposed to domestic abuse or who are in their own unhealthy relationship. We provide educational programmes to prevent children and young people entering into abusive relationships. We also provide tailored support for the children and young people living in our accommodation.

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TDAS have both one-to-one and group-based programmes that offer emotional support and education around domestic abuse and its impacts.

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RSpace © and Speak Out Speak Now © are TDAS programmes written by domestic abuse specialists in consultation with children and young people.

What is Domestic Abuse?

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TRAFFORD CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE | tdas | Trafford Domestic Abuse Services

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Children and young people are affected by domestic abuse. TDAS offer support services and prevention and education to children and young people in Trafford.

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Safe space for children & young people living after loss - how to cope with grief and feel less alone

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Hope Again - Young people coping with bereavement and living after loss. A website from Cruse Bereavement.

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Community paediatricians are specialist children’s doctors with training and expertise in developmental paediatrics and disability, palliative care, social paediatrics, educational paediatrics and public health for children. Children managed by community paediatricians often have long term conditions which require prolonged follow up in community settings.

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About our Service

Community paediatricians are specialist children's doctors with training and expertise in developmental paediatrics and disability, palliative care, social paediatrics (including child protection and children in care), educational paediatrics and public health for children. Children managed by community paediatricians often have long term conditions which require prolonged follow up in community settings.

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Trafford Directory | Community Paediatrics

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About our Service Community paediatricians are specialist children's doctors with training and expertise in developmental paediatrics and disability, palliative care, social paediatrics (including child protection and children in care), educational paediatrics and public health for children. Children managed by community paediatricians often have long term conditions which require prolonged follow up in community settings.

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Free, digital 1:1 support for LGBTQ+ young people and adults supporting them. The confidential online messaging service can be access 12pm-6pm every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

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Proud Connections Live Chat is here to provide online support for LGBT+ young people and the adults in their lives.
Are you LGBT+ or questioning your gender or sexuality and looking for someone to talk to? Are you supporting an LGBT+ young person and need information, advice or someone to chat to?
Chat to our youth workers on our Live Chat. Proud Connections Live Chat is available across the UK.

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Support for LGBT+ young people and the adults in their lives

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Proud Connections is The Proud Trust's bespoke one-to-one support for LGBT+ young people and the adults in their lives.

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The service offers information, advice, support and referral to specialist agencies to children, young people and families on a range of health related issues including; medical conditions, behavioural difficulties and lifestyle issues. Theses can include some additional support with public health issues such as weight management and sexual health amongst others. The service is delivered through health promotion activities, drop-in services in primary and secondary schools and one to one contacts.

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The teams consist of qualified nurses and support workers who deliver the core elements of the Healthy Child Programme 5-19 which includes delivering public health messages through classroom based teaching and individual support sessions. School Nurses offer support and advice for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. Support workers deliver the National Child Measurement Programme and offer important hearing for reception aged children.

Support and advice can be offered on a range of topics:

Relationships and Sex Education

Drug and Alcohol Education

Healthy Lifestyles

Mental Health and Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Health

Unintentional Injury Prevention

PSHE

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The teams consist of qualified nurses and support workers who deliver the core elements of the Healthy Child Programme 5-19 which includes delivering public health messages through classroom based teaching and individual support sessions. School Nurses offer support and advice for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.