Articles & Resources
Children’s Activity: Positivity Flowers
How can we help children to identify the positives in their world? It can be an easy habit to fall into, when we get caught up in what we did not achieve today, or what went wrong, but helping children to develop a daily habit of gratitude and positivity can have a positive impact on
8 Ways to Support Child Mental Health
Whilst ‘mental health’ is the hashtag of the moment, recognising the signs of mental health (our introduction courses can be found here) and how to support children to put in place ongoing strategies to support themselves is imperative for long term well-being. Mental health is defined as: ‘a state of wellbeing in which the individual
Children’s Activity: Hand Breathing
Some days, our stress levels peak, our anxiety heightens and we can feel our hearts race…..so, how do we help children calm everything down? Shift the nervous system When we are stressed, we move into our sympathetic nervous system – this is our fight or flight system. When we are working in our sympathetic nervous
10 ways to increase your self-care
When we get caught on the hamster wheel, it can quickly feel that we are stuck. The emotional and psychological fatigue which follows consistently pushing ourselves to be everything and do everything can begin to take it’s toll. Whilst it can feel a bit fluffy to talk about self-care, it is incredibly important. When working
Children’s Activity: Sensory Playdough Recipe
When it comes to calming the mind and connecting with senses, playdough is a long term favourite. Playdough has many benefits for children: It calms the mind It supports the development of fine motor skills It develops hand-eye coordination It encourages creativity It inspires imagination It strengthens hand muscles It supports strength, dexterity and control
40 Regulatory Activities to Support Anxious Children
When anxiety affects a child they can find it challenging to know what to do. For some children they may have the ability to express their emotions and communicate their needs to you, however, for some, feelings can escalate quickly. There are some simple activities that we can keep in our tool kits to support
Children’s Activity: Nature Activities for Mental Health
As it’s Mental Health Awareness Week – and the theme is nature – we have put together some activities for you to enjoy at home, nursery or school to encourage everyone to get outside and enjoy some serotonin, reduce their stress and increase their well-being. Nature is a wonderful asset to mental health because: It
Supporting Teen Mental Health Post Exams
With assessments underway for this years GCSEs and A-Levels, are there additional considerations that we need to make for young people’s well-being and mental health after a year of disruptions? Whilst every year’s assessments can cause stress and anxiety to young people sitting exams, following the disruptions to education from the pandemic, taking into consideration
The Impact of Emotional Burnout
**The following article is not medical advice and does not replace medical guidance** The pandemic and subsequent lockdowns meant that our daily routines were changed continually. The distinctions between work and home became faded, weekends and weekdays blended into one, and for many the activities and hobbies which they utilised for their well-being and social
Recognising Trauma in Young People
When working or raising children and young people we can become attuned to looking for physical signs of things being ‘amiss’ or of concern. However, not all issues are equal, and like the first aid scenario, we can frequently find that there are not any physical signs observable by the naked eye. Consider…. Some children
Why Time Management Matters to Mental Health
How busy is too busy? How quiet is too quiet? Whilst we recognise that spending all our time at home, not interacting with others is not beneficial to children’s mental health. What happens when they over-schedule their time and have little time to do nothing? The issues that often arise are either: Teens whose diaries
10 Revision Tips for Children’s Exams
Exams and assessments frequently bring with them stress and anxiety. Whether it is about the exam itself, finding motivation or the fear of failure, many young people struggle with the impending timetable. Whilst some stress is motivational (it shows us that our exams matter to us) we can reduce the unnecessary stress by taking control
7 Safeguarding Scenarios for Schools and Youth Workers
Safeguarding children and young people is an ongoing responsibility for all staff working in education and care settings. Child welfare and well-being is a priority and fast responses and early intervention are critical to outcomes. Regardless of age, sex, religion, belief or sexual orientation, all children and young people have a right to protection from
Distraction Techniques for Panic and Anxiety
Distraction techniques are strategies used to take your mind away from your current emotions. They are a method of resetting your emotions rather than absorbing all your energy into challenging feelings. They help you to focus your mind and attention. Focussed breaths Focus your breath on the inhale and exhale. For instance, counting in
Keeping young people safe on social media
Whilst social media connects us to friends and family across the world, and has been a godsend in the pandemic to allow us to feel closer to loved ones, it brings with it risks and challenges. This is particularly evident in the lives of children and teenagers. As parents and professionals, teaching safe online use
Creating Motivation in Young People
Motivation is the word on everyone’s lips right now, at its fundamental core, as the world becomes a peculiar place and boredom and monotony sets in, removing us from the from the initial novelty factor how do we help our children and teenagers (as well as ourselves) to get motivated, and most importantly, is that
Growing Children’s Comfort Zones
Managing anxiety When children experience anxiety they can quickly start to avoid activities, not wanting to aggravate the uncomfortable feelings. This leads to a situation where their world becomes smaller and smaller, whilst their worries when they need to step out of it grow bigger and bigger. Whilst allowing them to avoid things can feel
Adult Mental Health – when does it need help?
Mental health, whilst a subject more frequently written and talked about, is still shrouded in its own elements of taboo and stigma. The reality is, all of us have mental health. In its simplest form, mental health is a pendulum, swinging back and forth throughout our lives between good mental health and ill mental health.
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