Wellbeing – Information for Parents

Useful Numbers

Children and Young People’s Health Services: 0300 300 0123

Parentline: 07520 631590

Talking Mental Health with Young People at Secondary School

Sometimes it’s difficult to talk, and sometimes teenagers don’t want to talk to us!

Mental Health and Wellbeing – Top Tips

Top Tips to support children and young people:

• Be there to listen. Regularly ask how they’re doing so they get used to talking about their feelings and know there is always someone to listen to if they want it. Find out how to create a space where they will open up. How to start a conversation with your child

• Support them through difficulties. Pay attention to their emotions and behaviour, and try to help them work through difficulties. It’s not always easy when faces with challenging behaviour, but try and help them understand what they’re feeling and why. Help with difficult behaviour and emotions

• Stay involved in their life. Show interest in their life and the things important to them. It not only helps them value who they are but also makes it easier for you to spot problems and support them.

• Encourage their interests. Being active or creative, learning new things and being a part of a team helps connect us with others and are important ways we can all help our mental health. Support and encourage them to explore their interests, whatever they are.

• Take what they say seriously. Listening to and valuing what they say, without judging their feelings, in turn makes them feel valued. Consider how to help them process and work through their emotions in a more constructive way.

• Build positive routines. We know it still may not be easy, but try to reintroduce structure around regular routines, healthy eating and exercise. A good night’s sleep is also really important – try to get them back into routines that fit with school or college. Sleep tips for children

The leaflet below is from the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, a children’s mental health charity.

You can find more information about them here: 

Anna Freud  – Children’s mental health charity.

Other Websites

Beat Eating Disorders
Advice and support for people with, or affected by, eating disorders.

Carers Matter Norfolk
Supporting young carers and their families in Norfolk.

Charlie Waller Memorial Trust
Depression – Let’s get talking!

Fresh Start New Beginnings
Helping children overcome the effects of child sexual abuse.

Harmless
Support for self-harm including information and training.

Mancroft Advice Project
Free and confidential support and advice for 11-25 year old’s for mental health and well-being.

Mind Mental Health
Advice and support for anyone experiencing a mental health problem.

Nelson’s Journey
Support for children and young people who have experienced the death of a significant person in their life.

Norfolk LGBT Project
Providing support that is relevant to the health and wellbeing needs of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender+ Community in Norfolk.

Reach Out

A well being service for adults and parents who are looking for support with their well being.

Reading Well 

Supporting you to understand and manage health and wellbeing using helpful reading.

Solihull Online Learning

The Solihull parenting course which includes a section on the teenage brain.

Young Minds
Supporting children and young people with their mental health.

Apps

Calm Harm
Developed for teenage mental health by doctors and psychologists providing tasks to help resist or manage the urge to self harm.

Life360
A family networking app.

MindShift
A free app designed to help teens and young adults cope with anxiety.

Smiling Mind 
A mindfulness app developed web and app-based meditation program developed by psychologists and educators to help bring mindfulness into your life.

what3words
An app that has divided the world into three word addresses and can effectively communicate a precise location – anywhere on the planet and support response teams in coordinating their operations.