TOP TIPS FOR GOOD MENTAL HEALTH
CONNECT – Connect with the people around you: your family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. Spend time developing these relationships.
BE ACTIVE – Take a walk, go cycling or play a game of football. Find the activity that you enjoy and make it a part of your life. Join in with extracurricular activities at school.
KEEP LEARNING – Learning new skills can give you a sense of achievement and confidence.
GIVE TO OTHERS – Even the smallest act can count, whether it’s a smile, a thank you or a kind word. Larger acts such as volunteering at your local community centre, can improve your mental wellbeing and help you build new social networks.
BE MINDFUL – Be more aware of the present moment, including your feelings and thoughts, your body and the world around you. Some people call this awareness “mindfulness”, and it can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.
We are very aware how much of a challenging time this is for parents and carers as well as students. BBC bitesize have put together some useful information and top tips for staying on top of your mental well-being during lock down, these can be accessed via their website by clicking here.
USEFUL WEBSITES TO SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH
If your children need support for their mental health, there are a number of providers that can offer help:
- Kooth Your online wellbeing community for free, safe and anonymous support and counselling.
- Childline (0800 11 11) to speak to a counsellor.
- Young Minds Provides free, 24/7 text support for young people across the UK experiencing a mental health crisis. Texts can be anonymous, but if the volunteer believes you are at immediate risk of harm, they may share your details with people who can provide support.
- The Mental Health Foundation – The MHF has some great resources to help give you more information about mental health and to help you to look after your mental health. There are podcasts, videos, inspiring stories and information about getting help if you’re struggling.
- Health for Teens A website full of information and activities on mental, physical and sexual health, growing up, feelings and more.
- ChatHealth Did you know if you’re aged 11 – 19 in Rutland you have a dedicated confidential, secure text messaging service which enables you to get confidential, professional health advice and support. Text: 07520615387
- Turning Point Free drug and alcohol advice and support, call 0300 303 6000 if you want to speak to someone or email.
- Shout Text SHOUT to 85258 if you are unable to cope and need support from a crisis volunteer.
- LGBT Switch Board – and LGBT + Listening service via phone, email and instant messaging. Call 0300 330 0630 or info@leicesterlgbtcentre.org
- THE MIX Under 25 and need help call our helpline for FREE on 0800 808 4994. You can also speak to our trained helpline supporters on 0808 808 4994.
- Young People’s Services – If you need to talk to a Youth Engagement Worker, trained Mentor or Advocate, or any of the team we can support you. So please don’t feel alone. To get in touch, call 01572 758301 or email jules@rutland.gov.uk.
Adults may find the following useful:
- Mind
- Headspace – You can also access their information on YouTube for free and there are a lot of short, and longer, meditation videos which are really useful to help you feel calm and more in control.
- Anxiety UK
- Samaritans
- Barnardo’s ‘See Hear Respond’ service
See Hear Respond is a service that has been created in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The programme has been created to help children and young people in England who are experiencing harm and increased adversity during this period by providing support to those who are not being seen by social care or other key agencies.
- online digital support, including advice and information, online counselling and a telephone helpline
- face to face interventions, such as support for groups at risk outside the home and one to one support
- reintegration into education, including assessments and the delivery of support pathways back to education
See Hear Respond accept referrals from any source either through the Freephone number 0800 151 7015 and via the online referral hub.
USEFUL APPS TO SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH
WORRY TIME
Setting aside your worries for later means you won’t get caught up in them, so you can get on with your day. Decide on a time and place to deal with your worries each day. (preferably a time at home with a parent/carer)
When you notice yourself worrying about something, add it to Worry Time and get on with your day. Use your Worry Time to review the worries you’ve added and ditch the ones that no longer matter to you.
CALM HARM
Calm Harm provides tasks to help you resist or manage the urge to self-harm. You can make it private by setting a password, and personalise the app if you so wish. You will be able to track your progress and notice change.
3 GOOD THINGS
It’s been shown that if you write down three good things that happen to you everyday, your happiness and positivity increase. Three Good Things, a happiness journal, enables you to do exactly that with a simple user-interface and gamification to encourage engagement.
SMILING MIND
Smiling Mind “aims to build happier, healthier and more compassionate people. Our mindfulness meditation programs are designed to assist people in dealing with the pressure, stress and challenges of daily life.” The app includes the most extensive library of meditations to use with children aged 7-12 years, teens and adults.
SLEEP MEDITATION FOR KIDS
This is a superb high quality children’s meditation app by leading yoga teacher and Montessori teacher Christiane Kerr. Created for children of all ages, Christiane skilfully guides children to the creative part of their mind through a number of carefully scripted story meditations. These deeply relaxing recordings can help your child with sleep issues, insomnia, stress, anxiety and with feelings of confidence and well-being. Each meditation story has an underlay of subtle sound effects and gentle music which combined with Christiane’s calming voice make them irresistible and a deeply relaxing. The recordings will help children to relax and will enhance feelings of contentment.
LOCAL SUPPORT AVAILABLE
Resilient Rutland
There is also some great resources from Resilient Rutland to support young people and their families with mental health and wellbeing which can be accessed via their website here.
Joules House
Young Peoples Services Virtual Offer – Their team of youth workers and staff are still here to support you through this challenging time.
If you need to talk to a youth engagement worker, trained mentor or talk about your next steps with one of their careers advisers, they can support you.
They are offering:
- Welfare calls to young people
- Virtual youth groups
- Mentoring
- Wellbeing IAPT service
- Careers advice for year 11’s
- Regularly updated trips, advice and activities
They can be contacted via phone 01572 758 301 or email jules@rutland.gov.uk
Healthy Together and your Public Health (School) Nursing Service
Healthy Together
Healthy Together is a universal service from Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust for Children and their families from 0-11 in Leicestershire and Rutland. Click here for more information.
Health for Kids
Health for Kids enables primary school aged children to learn about health in a fun and interactive way. Click here for more information.
Health for Kids: Grownups
Health for kids: Grownups is an extension of the Health for Kids platform, providing health related advice and information specifically for parents and carers of children aged 5-11. Click here for more information.