Please find below some places where parents, carers and students can find guidance and advice around emotional wellbeing.
ESSEX CHILD AND FAMILY WELLBEING SERVICE
The Essex Child and Family Wellbeing Service COVID-19 Pandemic Resource Hub includes guidance and information on talking with your children about COVID-19, relationships at home, safeguarding yourself and others, dealing with a very young baby and financial welfare.
https://essexfamilywellbeing.co.uk/covid-19-pandemic-resource-hub/
KOOTH
Free safe and anonymous online support for young people, with the facility to chat to a friendly counsellor and write in a daily journal.
YOUNG MINDS
Tips, advice and where to get support for your child's mental health during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
https://youngminds.org.uk/blog/looking-after-your-mental-health-while-self-isolating/
If you're a parent visit the coronavirus advice page, full of tips for supporting your child if they are anxious or worried:
CHILDLINE
Support and advice online and via a helpline, as well as message boards, real life stories and a calm zone featuring breathing exercises and videos to help you let go of stress.
PAPYRUS
Papyrus provide confidential support and practical advice to young people struggling with thoughts of suicide, and anyone worried about a young person through their helpline, HOPELINEUK
ESSEX SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN BOARD
Numerous resources and advice for parents and young people to help with understanding emotional wellbeing.
https://www.escb.co.uk/young-people/emotional-wellbeing-and-mental-health/
GOV.UK
Guidance for parents and carers on supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic:
This is an online video by Jo Morton Brown about strategies to promote positive mental wellbeing:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUFB1XwKcbymlIJCzyeo6eg
ESSEX WELFARE SERVICE
In response to the Coronavirus crisis, Essex Welfare Service has been set up to support the most vulnerable in our community. Designed for people who are without the support of family, friends or neighbours we are co-ordinating requests and referrals for support and connecting them to volunteers who want to do their bit at this exceptional time of need. Click below to fill out a form to request support:
https://www.essexwelfareservice.org.uk/support-request
THE CHILDREN'S SOCIETY
8 Tips for dealing with conflict at home:
https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/news-and-blogs/our-blog/dealing-with-conflict-at-home
ANNA FREUD
We love this animation that explains 'we all have mental health'. It aims to give young people accessible language to talk about mental health, a better understanding of mental health self-care and advice on who to ask for support when it is needed.
NHS
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/talking-to-your-teenager/
ACTION FOR HAPPINESS
https://www.actionforhappiness.org/
Thinkuknow
Thinkuknow is the education programme from NCA-CEOP, a UK organisation which protects children both online and offline.
For Parents and Carers of SEN students:
Please find below a link to the National Autistic Society website where you will find information and resources about COVID-19.
https://www.autism.org.uk/services/helplines/coronavirus.aspx
If you are looking for a social story to help explain Coronavirus to your relative or the person you support, Carol Gray has created one:
https://carolgraysocialstories.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Pandemics-and-the-Coronavirus.pdf
A series of workshops for families with children with additional needs, run by Contact. There are sessions for families with younger and older children:
https://www.contact.org.uk/about-us/family-workshops/
MENCAP easy read information about COVID-19 https://www.mencap.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-03/Information%20about%20Coronavirus%20ER%20UPDATED%20130320%20SD%20editsAH.pdf
NIP IN THE BUD
Nip in the Bud works with mental health professionals to produce short films and fact sheets to help parents, primary school teachers and others caring for and working with children to recognise potential mental health conditions. The goal is to increase the prospects of early intervention and to reduce the risks of those conditions becoming more serious in later years.
The films cover Anxiety Disorders, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Conduct Disorder, Depression, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC).
Their most recent film is Tips for Parents and Teachers – Children returning to school
https://nipinthebud.org/information-films/tips-for-returning-to-school/
The film also comes with a downloadable Fact Sheet - https://nipinthebud.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Supporting-Children-Returning-to-School-After-the-Lockdown.pdf
