Health and Well-being
Well-being is about feeling good and functioning well.
Looking after our mental health and well-being is very important, especially in this current situation we find ourselves in.
Below are some resources and links to websites to help you look after your child's/children's and your own mental health and well-being.
What is Mental Health?
The Be Happy Hub and organisation create mental health and wellbeing resources for children. Their aim is to help children understand and learn about mental health. They have produced some really useful guides to read with children. Click here to read a book which explains what Mental Health is in a child friendly way.
Nottinghamshire Mental Health Support
Click here to access the NottAlone website
The CAMHS Nottinghamshire Mental Health Support Team
The CAMHS Mental Health Support Team is a new collaborative service across health and education, available in project schools across Nottinghamshire.
They are an early intervention mental health and wellbeing service in schools aimed at providing support for children, young people and families around low-level emotional wellbeing needs, such as anxiety, low mood, managing emotions, and sleep. They link in directly with Nottinghamshire CAMHS teams and provide in school sessions to promote positive mental health. Click here for further information.
Be U Notts
Click here to access Be U Notts which is a free mental health and emotional well-being service for people between 0-25 years of age and their parent and carers living in Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County Council. They provide early interventions for children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health and emotional well-being needs.
Courses and other online resources on offer from Nottinghamshire County Council
Mental Health and Well-being Resources and links
Anna Freud Centre activities for helping children's mental health and self-care
Anna Freud Centre #SelfcareSummer activity pack for primary aged children
Place2Be: Improving Children's Mental Health
Partnership for Children: Resources to boost your child's well-being during the Coronavirus pandemic
NSPCC Children's Mental Health
You can also download the Calm app onto phones and tablets for more activities.
"Calming Down" activities for children
Click here for a guide about talking to your child about mental health
Click here for the Salvesen Mindroom Centre well-being wheel
Click here to download some useful apps for children, young people and adults from Kooth (an effective and personalised digital mental health care website)
ThinkNinja is another app which is designed for children and young people (10-18 years old) to help educate about mental health and emotional wellbeing. It also helps children and young people learn and develop a range of skills for when they are experiencing daily life stresses or who maybe feeling anxious or their mood feeling low
Click here for the android version of ThinkNinja
Click here for the Apple version of ThinkNinja
Be Happy online books
Click on the following links to access different books on different mental health and well-being topics suitable to read with children.Why do I Worry?
Useful resources to help your child with the return to school in September
Click here for a 'Return to School Countdown' put together by the Mental Health Support Team. This resource offers ideas of activities to complete together as well as advice for you as parents/carers.
Click here for a link which takes you to Parachute Books - a website of a collection of picture books to help children with worries, health issues or new experiences
Click here for a guide about separation anxiety: tips for parents
Click here for a guide on supporting children with anxiety: tools for parents
Click here for the Salvesen Mindroom Centre Back to School Parents' toolkit page
Talking to Your Child about Coronavirus
Perhaps your child is still feeling anxious about Coronavirus or they have questions you find difficult to answer? If so, there may be something of use here in these stories and resources.
Children's Commissioner's Guide to Coronavirus
Playmobil video about The Coronavirus
Video about Coronavirus for children
Click here for the British Psychological Society guide to talking to your child about Coronavirus
Click here for a story about a tortoise and a hedgehog on how they can still be friends without hugging each other
Click here for a non-verbal story explaining Coronavirus and how it is spread
Click here for a video which uses images and Makaton symbols to explain Coronavirus
Nottinghamshire County Council educational psychologists have written a story called 'The Little Elf and the Flowers of Hope and Bravery' which may help some children with their return to school. There are also some follow up activities that might help explore the story further.
Click here to read the story 'The Little Elf and the Flowers of Hope and Bravery'
Click here to have the story read to you and your child
Click here for the follow up activities after reading the story
Mental Health and Well-being Resources Specific to Coronavirus and Lockdown
A guide to looking after children's (and your own!) well-being during the lockdown
Anna Freud Centre guidance on children's mental health during the lockdown
'Every Mind Matters' advice on mental health
Advice on children's reactions, behaviours and anxiety as a result of Coronavirus
BBC Bitesize Parents' Toolkit on well-being
Mindfulness activities provided by Head Space
NSPCC guidance on children's mental health during the Coronavirus pandemic
Mind: Coronavirus and Your Mental Health
Click here to read a social story "What is a bubble?" to help children understand the term and how it is going to keep us safer in school
Click here for a social story about returning to school that might help children understand some of the changes that will be in place.
Click here for wordless stories about returning to school after school closure and lockdown
Click here for a list of additional resources that might help you prepare your child for the return to school following school closures - some are activities you can do together
Click here for an activity booklet about identifying and talking about worries and how to cope or manage them.
Resources for Loss, Bereavement and Change
Nottinghamshire County Council Winter Support 2024