# data[].attributes.body
A set of creative activities for churches to share with bereaved children.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Looking for ways to support bereaved children and their families in your community? This 'Remembering' Pack features a variety of engaging activities that offer children a creative way to remember loved ones who have died.

Grief isn't always the most comfortable subject to talk about, but for bereaved children and their families, it's essential that there are people within their community to listen, offer support, and walk with them on their grief journey. Often, within our churches, there is support available for grieving adults, but perhaps, as in society, children are the hidden mourners.

The Childhood Bereavement Network estimates that 26,900 parents die each year in the UK. With the death of grandparents, other family members, and friends, the number of children experiencing bereavement rises significantly.

This pack enables churches and schools to reach out to those families with a variety of simple, age-appropriate resources that can be used to host a 'Remembering' event, where families in your local area, whether they have a connection to church or not, can come and remember loved ones who have died.

Inside the pack you'll find:

- 20 activity ideas for a range of ages

These resources can be used any time of the year, but November feels like a particularly fitting time to host a 'Remembering' event, with All Souls Day, Remembrance Sunday, and also Children's Grief Awareness Week.

While this pack has been designed from a Christian perspective, it can easily be used in other settings. In Schools for example, it could be shared in a PSE lesson or as a pop-up event during or after school, where families could be invited to attend. It would be particularly helpful for a school community that has experienced the death of a staff member or pupil, or for Hospital Chaplains or Prison Chaplains who have contact with families.

Download your copy of the pack here:
'Remembering' A Set of Creative Resources for Churches to Share with Bereaved Children

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
'Remembering' A Set of Creative Resources for Churches to Share with Bereaved Children

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Crafts and outdoor activities for kids and families

# data[].attributes.body
Our goal is to provide educators, students, and the general public with free access to clear, concise, information on the history and scientific study of human happiness, positive psychology and mental well-being in general.

# data[].attributes.headline
The First Steps out Of Anxiety - Dr Kate Middleton

# data[].attributes.subject
The First Steps out Of Anxiety - Dr Kate Middleton

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
'First Steps' is a new series of short, affordable self-help on a range of key topics. In First Steps out of Anxiety, Kate Middleton draws on years of experience as a psychologist to explain what anxiety is, how it works, and what you can do about it. Full of real-life stories and tips, it is a useful guide for sufferers and carers alike.

First Steps Out of Anxiety by Kate Middleton was published by Lion Hudson in July 2010 and is our 8654th best seller.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
First Steps Out of Anxiety: Free Delivery when you spend £10 at Eden.co.uk

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
'First Steps' is a new series of short, affordable self-help on a range of key topics. In First Steps out of Anxiety, Kate Middleton draws on years of experience as a psychologist to explain what anxiety is, how it works, and what you can do about it.

# data[].attributes.body
Kintsugi Hope is a charity based in the UK striving to make a difference to peoples mental wellbeing.
'Kintsugi' (金継ぎ) is a Japanese technique for repairing pottery with seams of gold. The word means 'golden joinery' in Japanese. This repairs the brokenness in a way that makes the object more beautiful, and even more unique than it was prior to being broken. Instead of hiding the scars it makes a feature of them.

We want to see a world where mental and emotional health is understood and accepted, with safe and supportive communities for everyone to grow and flourish.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Who are we

Kintsugi Hope is a charity based in the UK striving to make a difference to peoples mental wellbeing.
"Kintsugi" (金継ぎ)is a Japanese technique for repairing pottery with seams of gold. The word means'golden joinery' in Japanese. This repairs the brokenness in a way that makes the object more beautiful, and even more unique than it was prior to being broken. Instead of hiding the scars it makes a feature of them.

We want to see a world where mental and emotional health is understood and accepted, with safe and supportive communities for everyone to grow and flourish.

Kintsugi Hope Wellbeing Groups

A Kintsugi Hope Group is a safe and supportive space for people who feel or have felt overwhelmed, providing tools for self-management in a facilitated peer mentoring style setting.

It consists of a structured yet flexible series of 12 weeks of content, which includes group and individual activities designed to help participants to accept themselves, to understand their value and worth, and grow towards a more resilient and hopeful future.

The role of the Group Leader is to facilitate the sessions using the material available, signposting people if necessary to further help and support. It can feel vulnerable and scary starting a group, but the benefit of a Kintsugi Hope Group is that Group Leaders are not on their own.

Issues covered include; disappointment, loss, anxiety, anger perfectionism, shame and resilience. Feedback so far has been amazing.

Find out more

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Kintsugi Hope is a charity based in the UK striving to make a difference to peoples mental wellbeing of varying age groups and different backgrounds.

# data[].attributes.body
Stress Bucket

# data[].attributes.body
Taking your Thoughts to Court

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
#YouveBeenMissed - Take Your Thoughts To Court

# data[].attributes.body
Supporting students

This page is for parents, carers, families and significant adults who want to support young people they know who are heading off to university.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This page is for parents, carers, families and significant adults who want to support young people they know who are heading off to university. Advice for youth leaders who have young people heading off to university is available here. Advice for young people who are about to start as students at university is available here. The following advice can also be downloaded as a handy PDF here. You can also download a prayer for those going to university here.
Top Tips for parents, carers and supportive adults of students going to university!

Keep talking By making sure the lines of communication are kept open, having honest and open conversations beforehand will help your child to know they can talk to you when they're struggling or finding student life a challenge.

Stay in touch Try to have regular times of catching up and hearing how your child is doing. This could be a phone call or 'FaceTime' on a particular day that both of you know works well. Of course it's well worth messaging in between times too just to keep that sense of connection.

Check self-care Sleep, diet and exercise all help to keep us fit and well so learning how to do this alongside studying and socialising are important! It's not just about asking if your child is getting their 5-a-day but finding out how these essentials of wellbeing make a difference to them on a daily basis.

Finding support Take a look at what services and support your child's university offers. Doing this together before they go can help them to feel prepared and informed. If issues arise you both know who you can get in touch with for help or advice.

Take an interest In the whole of your child's university life: their new roommates, lectures, seminars and social time. Find ways to encourage them to share both the highlights and the challenges so they know it's ok to be open and not have to pretend everything is 'fine'.

Grow their independence If your child is finding aspects of university life difficult, it can be easy to feel the need to offer solutions. But for them to make the transition into adulthood it can be more helpful to problem solve with them, supporting them to reach their own conclusions. This builds independence and resilience, learning along the way how to manage issues when they arise and having confidence in themselves to deal with new situations. It could be useful to consider the 'what ifs' and chat through some possible scenarios before they go.

Send care packages Receiving a surprise in the post can give your child a real boost, so whether it's their favourite snack, a voucher for a pizza restaurant, a funny card, it's a way to keep them, their uni life and home connected. It's a reminder that friends and family haven't forgotten them!

Be prayerful Take time to pause and pray for your child in all the new situations and things they find themselves in. See if there are ways to pray together over the phone or during video calls too, it doesn't have to be long but it recognises that God is with you in that moment despite physically being in different locations.

Share this

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This page is for parents, carers, families and significant adults who want to support young people they know who are heading off to university. Advice for youth leaders who have young people heading off to university is available here. Advice for young people who are about to start as students at university is available here.

# data[].attributes.body
Here’s 3 ways you can support young people’s mental wellbeing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As Mental Health Awareness Month comes to a close, here's three practical, accessible ideas for helping young people in their mental and emotional wellbeing.

Rollercoasters: some people love them, others hate them. Every up and down, every twist and turn can fill some with exhilaration and others terror. You just never know what's coming next! This last year has been an emotional rollercoaster and while some might have coped better than others, everyone is ready to get off now.

It's been a difficult year to process mentally. There's been so much loss, so much pain but also excitement and joy when restrictions have eased, and life has seemed to be getting back to normal. Young people have been thrown about in this rollercoaster just as much as the rest of us and as we move out of lockdown and normal activities resume, we (as youth leaders) need to know how best to help young people process everything that just happened and support them through this transition period.

There's a lot of really great and necessary conversations happening right now around supporting young people's mental health, with particular reference to mental illness. While mental illness is definitely the reality for some young people, for many others they just need support in dealing with very normal emotions and reactions to a very abnormal year. Mental wellbeing is about coping with the ups and downs of everyday life and the emotions and feelings you experience day-to-day.

So here are three top tips for how to support young people's mental wellbeing:

1. Create space for conversation

Whatever your youth ministry context, be intentional in giving young people the opportunity to talk about how they are feeling. Create spaces where they feel safe and comfortable. Young people will often shy away from conversations where they feel in the spotlight so make the atmosphere much more relaxed. Maybe try dimmer lighting, non-verbal activities, background music, making the area more of a hangout space, etc. Don't rush conversation - create moments of peace and calm where young people can connect with themselves and what they are feeling before being asked to share or offered the opportunity to chat.

When having conversations, talk 1-on-1 with young people or in smalls groups of two or three. Make sure the young people are in groups with people they feel comfortable sharing with. It could be a good idea to plan some conversation content or questions but still make sure to leave lots of space to chat. Ask them what's going on in their lives and how they feel about the events of the past year. Be open with them and share some of the things you've found difficult to deal with as a result of the pandemic and what you have done / do to get through tough times.

"Dealing with this transition - from complete lockdown to minimal restrictions - can be pretty overwhelming for young people. There's a lot of contradicting emotions at work."

If you're looking for ways to engage young people through challenges and games or tell them positive stories of people dealing with difficult emotions, checkout some ideas on beheadstrong.uk. Headstrong is a site full of fun activities and helpful advice designed to support young people's mental wellbeing. While it's a useful platform to go for pointers as a youth leader, it's an even better platform to encourage young people to visit and explore themselves. Headstrong is aimed at young people and full of great content from a team of Christian youth work and mental health professionals.

2. Give practical advice

Dealing with this transition - moving from complete lockdown to minimal restrictions - can be pretty overwhelming for young people. There's a lot of contradicting emotions at work. Excitement at seeing friends again; nervousness over reconnecting with people; happiness at being able to do the things they love; sadness over everything that's been lost this year; hopefulness at having more freedom and not having to stay home; anxiety at the possibility of catching the virus and causing friends/family to get sick too. These are all totally normal emotions, and its important young people know that! However, they might need a little help understanding what they're feeling and knowing how best to manage those emotions.

Dr Kate Middleton, from the Mind and Soul Foundation and Youthscape's Headstrong programme, has three key practical pointers for youth leaders to share with their young people when life gets overwhelming, and our emotions feel out of control.

Take control! Humans need to feel in control, that's part of our DNA, and lockdown and pandemic have really messed with it. And so much of life is about situations where we might not have control. As teens you have to go to school but as adults we have to work or get on with things we often don't want to do. So, managing moments where we CAN'T change things is a key skill! If life feels chaotic and crazy use your need for control to lift your mood. Try restoring order somewhere - maybe you could tidy a drawer or pair socks or sort Lego into colours. Or try and complete something - do a puzzle or a craft, or get something done you've been putting off for ages. Or go for an achievement - do a good walk or run or finish a piece of homework - something that makes you feel that sense of having GOT SOMEWHERE! It will lift your mood - and might mean you then feel more able to do something else you HAVE to do - like school, exams etc.

Endorphins are your friend! When life is tough and we need a lift, or to relax and balance stress and stuff, endorphins are your brains happy hormones which do just that. Trigger them by:

Exercising - 30 mins or more of working hard enough to build up a bit of a sweat (tip: if you can hold a coffee without spilling it you probably aren't working hard enough to release endorphins!).

Connecting with friends - chat is good, or if it is safe to do so, and with just the people you're closest to HAVE A HUG now you can!!!

Pursue joy! Nehemiah says joy is your strength and the Hebrew there means it is your tower, place of protection, somewhere to retreat to in tough or stormy times. And learning what makes YOU feel good, what triggers smiles and laughs and good feelings for you is really important. But in stressful times it may be harder, or things that used to work might not feel possible. So, we need to hunt joy down sometimes. What works for you? Here are suggestions that might work for you:

People are such an important source of joy - laughs, hang out space or someone who just really gets you and loves you anyway

Nature is always there and always brilliant - that sense of awe we get from looking at the stars or a beautiful sunset or view reminds us of the bigger picture and has been shown to help people manage stress

Exercise is great but not the kind you have to force yourself to do because you hate it so maybe not the gym or that exercise class you loathe - what do you find fun? A long walk with a mate? Going out on your bike and finding a hill to go down? Skateboarding or skating, swimming in a water park or bowling?

Most of all though practice PLAYING! We all do it as a kid but as we get older, we forget - everyone needs to play sometime! So, what do you do? From gaming to kicking a ball around to card games to board games to chucking a frisbee with someone... what works for you?

3. Offer further support

After having these conversations and hearing back from the young people you work with, you might find there's one or two people in your youth group you feel would benefit from some further support. That could look like some 1-1 mentoring sessions (following your church / organisation's safeguarding protocols) or encouraging the young people to independently work through resources designed to support mental wellbeing and build resilience. Youthscape has a couple of resources created for just this purpose! The Headstrong journal is a creative journal for looking after your mental and emotional health. It's full of quotes, games, activities, reflections and different creative ideas that relate to day-to-day life and helps provide a holistic look at what caring for our wellbeing means and how we can do that in simple ways.

Shuffle: Mindset is another great resource to point young people to! Shuffle: Mindset is a pack of cards with 42 cards featuring 42 challenges. The idea is to complete a card / challenge a day, every day for six weeks to help reinforce mental health and increase emotional wellbeing.

Checkout the Youthscape Store to find both the Headstrong journal and Shuffle: Mindset cards along with loads of other exciting and relevant resources made to help young people with their wellbeing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Here's 3 ways you can support young people's mental wellbeing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As Mental Health Awareness Month comes to a close, here's three practical, accessible ideas for helping young people in their mental and emotional wellbeing. Rollercoasters: some people love them, others hate them. Every up and down, every twist and turn can fill some with exhilaration and others terror.

# data[].attributes.body
"We know we can’t solve all your troubles, but we can give you tools to help.

Whether it is everyday tips, sounds to relax your mind, strategies to cope with parenting right now or films to get you talking, we are here to help you look after yourself and your loved ones." - BBC

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We know we can't solve all your troubles, but we can give you tools to help.

Whether you're after everyday tips, sounds to relax your mind, strategies to cope with parenting right now or films to get you talking, we're here for you.

And if you think you could benefit from extra advice, visit BBC Action Line for mental health organisations offering information and support.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
BBC - Headroom - Your Mental Health Toolkit

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We know we can't solve all your troubles, but we can give you tools to help.

# data[].attributes.body
Self-harm:

How can churches help families who are facing self-harm?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Over the last few years, I've slowly become more aware of self-harming and the issues surrounding it. The kids who pull their hair out. Parents in the playground anxiously telling me their daughters have starting cutting themselves. Is this normal? Will she be okay? What should I do? Teenagers, girls, boys, adults. Those who cut out of despair; those who try it because a friend told them it would make them feel good. And even so, the statistics, such as these from Headstrong, shock me. Nearly one-quarter of all 14-year-old girls have self-harmed - that's one in four of the girls I meet every week.Almost a quarter of all 16-24 year old young men have self-harmed ... then there are all the others: boys, teens, younger kids, mums, dads... I have become adept at spotting small scars and hearing confidential whispers: 'he's cutting himself, but he doesn't want anyone to know'.

I imagine that for a parent, discovering that your child is self-harming must be devastating. But God's design is that parents shouldn't parent alone, but within the supportive community of the church. So how can we as churches help?

Respond with a generous heart

Listen and really hear. Love, don't judge. Don't minimise, don't overreact. Be there for the long haul. There are still such stigmas around mental health that many parents may feel ashamed, guilty or a failure if their child is self-harming. In a church community parents might feel especially isolated, believing that everyone else has brought up their kids okay or that they have failed as Christian parents. Articles such as this one from Lucy Dimbylow can be helpful for parents.

Encourage people to seek professional help, such as the school counsellor or the GP

There is a lot of good guidance online about where to get help, as well as help to understand what self-harm is and why it affects young people - for example, from The Mind and Soul Foundation, The Mix, and Young Minds - advice for young people and their parents. The NHS has a comprehensive list of mental health helplines here.

Start talking about mental health

Many young people's experience of self-harm is that they are ashamed, scared and fearful of being rejected if anyone finds out, and don't know how to change. Christian children may feel extra pressure - thinking God may not love them, or they have failed him or the church. But what about if we started talking about mental health as if it was - as it really is - a normal part of life, like any other illness?

Sharing and telling stories of our own struggles and journeys with mental health would give young people new insights into their own experiences as well as hope that things can change - and maybe the courage to start a conversation. There are a lot of resources out there, from the excellent Koko website from the Girls' Brigade, to comprehensive guides for churches actively seeking to become places of hope and inspiration for those struggling with their mental health: for example the Mental Health Access Pack from the Mind and Soul Foundation, or advice and resources from Livability. Many churches offer safe spaces for people with mental health conditions to meet; this could include groups for young people, as this blog describes. SelfharmUK also offers an online course for young people called Alumina to offer support and ideas to help, which includes resources for youth leaders supporting young people who self harm. Youthscape and The Mind and Soul Foundation have recently launched a project called Headstrong which they describe as 'an online space aimed exclusively at young people with a focus on promoting positive mental wellbeing'.

Be communities that support the whole person

There is a substantial body of research that shows that if you have a real and practising faith, your health - and specifically your mental health - will benefit ( here's one example). Part of the reason for that is that being part of a community is - well, how God designed us to live. The Children's Society has produced a leaflet for parents called 'How to support your child's well-being' which lists five key things that make a difference for children's well-being - connection, being active, being creative and playing, learning out of school, and widening our environment and experiences. It would be worth looking at what you offer to see how you might be able to support families in these areas. How can your church become a community that families want to belong to? When you get together, what helps people laugh, talk and make connections?

Speak out God's truth

A few years ago I listened to a man called John Mark Comer speak about spiritual formation. One of the things he described was that there are three things that form us: our relationships, the habits we form, and the stories we believe. We know that God has a great story for us: one where we are unconditionally loved, where forgiveness and a fresh start is freely available, where brokenness can be healed, where we have a purpose that is far greater and far more exciting than anything we can imagine. But we can lose sight of that, and begin to believes lies - that we are unworthy, unloved, hopeless, condemned. We need to speak out that message in ways that children and young people can understand, and equip parents and carers to build these truths into their children's hearts and minds. Rachel Turner's book Parenting Children for a Life of Confidence is a great starting place for parents, and It Takes a Church to Raise a Parent explores ways in which churches can create a culture that engages and supports parents on this journey.

Get ourselves trained

Churches need to ensure that those on the frontline of working with families, children and young people are properly equipped to spot and respond to self-harm and other mental health issues they will invariably come across. A great first step would be to get mental health first aid training such as that offered by MFHA England.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Over the last few years, I've slowly become more aware of self-harming and the issues surrounding it. The kids who pull their hair out. Parents in the playground anxiously telling me their daughters have starting cutting themselves. Is this normal? Will she be okay? What should I do? Teenagers, girls, boys, adults.

# data[].attributes.body
We explore how to figure out what we're feeling and how to share that with your family and with God. Anna also explores the ancient concept of acedia and asks if it's a helpful way of describing our emotions during lockdown.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
#85 Figuring out our feelings, nightmares and the Book of Wonders by Parenting for Faith

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We explore how to figure out what we're feeling and how to share that with your family and with God. Anna also explores the ancient concept of acedia and asks if it's a helpful way of describing our emotions during lockdown. For more on that see theconversation.com/acedia-the-lost-name-for-the-emotion-were-all-feeling-right-now-144058

Rachel answers a question about how to help a three year old with nightmares. She refers to the bedtime section of our website at parentingforfaith.org/topics/bedtime.

Anna interviews Alex Taylor about The Book of Wonders, which explores the great mysteries of the universe. You can find out more about it at content.scriptureunion.org.uk/resource/book-wonders.

# data[].attributes.body
Supporting families under stress: Facebook live

17 MAR 2021

"Part of our job is to support families under stress, but it can feel hard to know where to start.

In a 'Lunch with Rachel' webinar for children's, youth and families leaders, Rachel shared some really practical ideas for how to do this well. You can listen to what she said below, and we've added short notes to help you as you listen."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In a 'Lunch with Rachel' webinar for children's, youth and families leaders, Rachel shared some really practical ideas for how to do this well. You can listen to what she said below, and we've added short notes to help you as you listen.

It's tempting to feel that you need to be an expert in whatever a family is experiencing in order to help, but it's really significant for us to say I'm not expert in what you're struggling with but I can wade in and support you.

Two questions that will help you position yourself well to help them:

1. What's being squeezed out of their life that I can help give back to them? For example, not being able to afford little treats for the kids, not having time to be alone to talk, not being able to give all the kids attention at once.

2. What can I specifically offer that will help? Often there's a lot of different things contributing to the pressure, and people find it hard to identify things that will help. So offer, for example, to pick up the kids from school once a week, or introduce them to someone who would love a playdate, or baby sit, or cook for them. And if you can, put no time limit on the offer - you are free to say no now and yes at any point in the future.

Questions Rachel answered

How to help during lockdown - we have some families who have had ASD diagnoses for kids over the last year who are really struggling. I am desperate to whisk their kids away for an afternoon to give them space to talk with partners/just breath but that's technically still a no. And it's still meant to be 2 more months before I can have another family in my house. It makes me feel really powerless. How can we help now?

I go to a large church. I often hear of pastoral needs but they are not people I know well or have existing relationship with. I'm also very aware I can't physically support them all of them myself. How do you safely involve other people in doing some of the support?

I think most of our church families go through this sort of stress a lot of the time because we live in a very deprived area and I'm only part time and have a young family myself. Got any tips on how to juggle it all - financial, mental health, physical ill health - everything!

I'm not in a deprived area and often find the challenge of people not talking about it at all or until well after the event.

Can you give any more suggestions for emergency foster care and parents not getting any support by social services?

Any suggestions for a family that moved to the UK during lockdown and had a new baby, now feeling very isolated as they've been here 10 months but still never met other new mums etc?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Supporting families under stress: Facebook live

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In a 'Lunch with Rachel' webinar for children's, youth and families leaders, Rachel shared some really practical ideas for how to do this well. You can listen to what she said below, and we've added short notes to help you as you listen.

# data[].attributes.body
SAMH operates a number grant funded school based projects including our Connect projects

# data[].attributes.body
SAMH is Scotland’s national mental health charity.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Many of us are feeling worried or stressed about how coronavirus could affect our lives, as well as our loved ones.

We may now be having to spend more time at home, perhaps isolated from the friends, family and other relationships that we know are vital to keeping ourselves mentally healthy. It may also be harder for us to do the things that normally help keep us well.

There are things we can do to look after our mental wellbeing during this time. On this page, we are gathering the information, links and resources that we can, to help keep you informed and protect your mental health.

For general coronavirus guidance, check with the NHS and Government.

SAMH is the Scottish Association for Mental Health
Scottish Charity: No. SC-008897
Registered Office: Brunswick House, 51 Wilson Street, Glasgow, G1 1UZ

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Coronavirus and your mental wellbeing | SAMH

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Many of us are feeling worried or stressed about how coronavirus could affect our lives, as well as our loved ones. We may now be having to spend more time at home, perhaps isolated from the friends, family and other relationships that we know are vital to keeping ourselves mentally healthy.