Mental Health & Emotional Wellbeing

It's okay not to be okay!

Mental health and emotional well-being is not simply the absence of mental illness. It is a state of well-being in which every individual achieves their potential, copes with the normal stresses of life, works productively, and is able to make a contribution to their community. It includes our emotional, physical and social wellbeing and affects how we think, feel and act.

NHS Digital mental health of children and young people survey 2017

50% of mental illness starts before the age of 14 and 75% before the age of 24.

1 in 8 children and young people 5 – 19 had a mental health condition

1 in 7 children and young people 11- 16 had a mental health condition

1 in 6 young people 17 – 19 had a mental health condition

Girls 17 – 19 were more than twice as likely as boys to have a condition

Let's Talk About Mental Health

You don’t have to be an expert to talk and to listen, and often it’s the little things that make a difference. Sometimes we stop talking because we don’t know what to say, but talking can be a helpful way for young people to manage their wellbeing as it helps them to make sense of and manage difficult experiences and feelings.

Coping with Self-harm

A guide for parents and carers

Anna Freud

You’re never to young to talk mental health – Tips for parents and carers

Kooth

Free, safe and anonymous online counselling and emotional wellbeing platform for children and young people, accessible through mobile, tablet and desktop

handy guide for parents and carers

Helping you to better understand and be aware of the warning signs of mental illness in young people as well as signposting you to organisations that can provide support

Service Directory

Mental health and emotional wellbeing services available for children and young people across East Berkshire

Reading Well

Recommending expert endorsed books about mental health for 13 to 18 year olds.

Little blue Book of Sunshine

Tips and ideas for coping when you feel a bit blue

Mental Health in Schools

Schools are the ideal environment for children to learn about mental health and wellbeing. Lessons can support students to understand and manage their thoughts, feelings and behaviour, and build skills that help them to thrive, such as working as a team, persistence and self-awareness. It also supports to normalise conversations about mental health and can help to identify pupils who might need additional support. Additionally, school programmes which promote social and emotional skills, can improve the mental health and academic attainment of their students.

in order to help their pupil’s success; schools have a role to play in supporting them to be resilient and mentally healthy”. There is good evidence to support this assertion and Ofsted has highlighted that children and young people themselves say that they want to learn more about how to keep themselves emotionally healthy. Moreover, schools have a duty to promote the wellbeing of students".

Department of Education

PPEP Care Training

PPEPCare has been designed to help staff in primary care, education and other professionals to recognise and understand mental health difficulties in children and young people and offer appropriate support and guidance to children, young people and their families.

Training is delivered FREE of charge by specially trained local CAMHS staff.

For more information, download an information leaflet here

Body Image

Young people are experiencing increasing pressures relating to their appearance. Through outlets such as television, film and social media, young people are repeatedly presented with images of their ‘ideal’ body. The ‘Somebody Like Me’ Report by Be Real found

0 %

say how they look is important to them

0 %

say what others think about the way they look is important to them

0 %

say they often worry about the way they look

0 %

said learning about body confidence in school made them feel more positive about themselves

Be Real

Supporting children and young people to have a body confident start to life. Free confidence campaign toolkit for schools.

Resources for Schools on Mental Health

Young Minds

Resources and lesson plans for teachers and school staff on mental health and well-being

PHE Rise ABove

Lesson plans covering a variety of health topics such as body image, exam stress and FOMO

Time to Change

Assemblies, activities and campaigns to start the conversation about mental health in schools

Mentally Healthy Schools

Free PSHE lesson plans for schools

Coping with Self Harm

A guide for school staff

Mental Health Stigma

Short videos by young people talking about mental health stigma

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