Try Mind's quick Mind Plan quiz to get personalised suggestions now, or find other tips, advice and support to help boost your mental wellbeing.

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https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/

By taking 20 minutes to do an activity you both enjoy, you can create a relaxed space for getting the conversation started. Here, we’ve got lots of activity ideas, conversation starters and advice for making talking easier.

https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/how-to-talk-to-your-child-about-mental-health/

They provide support to those who have, or still are, suffering from domestic abuse or with their mental health and wellbeing, or need some extra help with SEND, parenting or supporting targeted young people, including those who are at risk of crime.

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But sometimes feelings of anxiety can be constant, overwhelming or out of proportion to the situation and this can affect your daily life.

The good news is there are plenty of things you can try to help cope with anxiety. There's lots of tips and guidance on this page, as well as the NHS anxiety-easing email programme for practical advice straight to your inbox.

https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-health-issues/anxiety/?WT.mc_id=Anxiety&gclid=Cj0KCQjwnP-ZBhDiARIsAH3FSRczBewzR4cd-g37vUhWly2xdFFlBWiqxbjCzVhwdHi9XeKYqTEZ7w4aAskCEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

FOCUS on the go is a free app. The app aims to teach resilience – a key part of mental wellbeing – to every member of the family. It helps your child develop five essential skills: problem-solving, goal-setting, communication, emotional regulation, and managing trauma and stress.

 

Breathe, think, do with Sesame Street is a free app for children aged two to five it helps them to become more aware of their own emotions. Breathe, Think, Do features your child’s favourite Sesame Street characters to help teach them skills such as problem-solving, self-control, planning and perseverance.

 

Powerme is a free app which aims to teach children coping mechanisms that they can put into practise in everyday life, through a series of bitesize videos.

Each day, your child can choose how they’re feeling by selecting the most relevant rabbit emoji, from a range including angry, bored, stressed, tired, silly and weird. Powerme will then present them with a series of videos that aim to address their current state of mind.

 

The Worrinots app is £1.29 a month or £9.99 for the year. 

The Worrinots are four friendly monsters who help your child deal with their worries. If there’s something on their mind, they tap the ‘what’s up?’ bubble, and are invited to choose one of the monsters to help them.They can then type or speak their problem, click on how it makes them feel – sad, worried, scared or angry – and tap to make the fear disappear.

 

Smiling Minds - Short audio sessions to help with mindfulness

 

You Tube - Cosmic Kids Yoga - This helps mindfulness and relaxation

 

You Tube - Go Noodle - Hundreds of "brainercise" dancing, strength and mindfulness videos, as well as videos just for fun.

 

Newsround - Keeping children up to date with the world around them creating opportunities ti talk about the news with children

 

 

Kooth offers advice to families and individuals.

 

Youngminds - offering support and advice to young people.

 

Minded is an online tool that helps people plan their life journey, choose the right career and prepare for the workplace.

https://minded.org

 

Childline - offers a number of free online games and resources

·       Have a talking time to hear thoughts and feelings your child wants to share. Understand your child’s perspective to correct false beliefs. Don’t force. Follow your child’s cues.

·       Explain in a direct, age-appropriate way what happened and answer questions honestly. Avoid unnecessary or disturbing details. Assure reasonably that you will be there to care for your child.

·       Be prepared to discuss difficult subjects raised by your child. Look for cues indicating their need to be reassured, to better understand, or to talk about some details and feelings repeatedly. It’s OK to say there are things we don’t know.

·       Be aware that you and your child may be in different places in the way you are each dealing with the traumatic event. For example, you may reach a stage of anger or acceptance, while your child remains in a state of grief and sorrow.

·       Correct clearly and directly any false assumptions your child may have about a death, such as guilt or magical thinking that his/her thoughts or actions caused it.

·       Be prepared to deal with the topic of death whenever your child brings it up, reassuring your child over a long period of time.

·       Do not let your child watch disturbing pictures on television or the Internet. Minimize trauma exposure. Spend time with your child away from television and media.

·       Reestablish your child’s daily routines—especially bedtime.

·       Family religious or spiritual beliefs can be integrated into thoughts, discussions, and ways of finding meaning and coping with trauma.

·       Let your child write a letter, draw, or in some way express sympathy for those grieving. Older children may find comfort in writing their thoughts and feelings. Teenagers often benefit from guided peer support, or engaging in life-affirming activities.

·       Expect your child to show an increased need for physical contact and an increased fear that something will happen to you or other loved ones. Expect more ‘childish’ behavior, sadness, clinging, anger, or playfulness.

·       Grief reactions are normal, but if your child continues to experience severe distress or has difficulty with normal functioning, seek help from professional resources in your school or community. Source: Adapted from Raundalen & Dyregrov (2004).