Well-Being

Mental and physical health are always important, but especially at this very challenging time. Please find below some links and guidance to help support you and your family.

Looking after yourself throughout the school closure:

Here is some information that may be useful during a time where looking after yourself and other people is more important than ever. Below are some tips as well as some information on some great services to have a look through.

Being proactive throughout the changes and school closures:

Useful contacts and sites:

Kooth:

Kooth has online support and there are staff available to talk to Mon-Fri 12pm-10m and Sat-Sun 6pm-10pm. Kooth also have lots of useful articles written by young people and a journal section. https://www.kooth.com/

Chathealth:

Chathealth is a confidential texting service run by the School Nursing Team (NHS). Their number is 07480635443

Childline:

You can contact Childline about anything and everything and they have lots of useful tips and advice online, including on keeping calm. Their website ishttps://www.childline.org.uk/get-support/ and their number is  0800 1111. There is also an email section on their website.

Young Minds:

https://youngminds.org.uk/ Young Minds also have an urgent care text service and you text YM to 85258

Other Websites and Apps

www.keep-your-head.com/cyp

www.nspcc.org.uk

https://www.actionforhappiness.org/

https://www.headspace.com/

https://www.calm.com/

Mental Health

Young Minds:

https://youngminds.org.uk/blog/what-to-do-if-you-re-anxious-about-coronavirus/

https://youngminds.org.uk/blog/looking-after-your-mental-health-while-self-isolating/

https://youngminds.org.uk/blog/talking-to-your-child-about-coronavirus/

Anna Freud:

https://www.annafreud.org/what-we-do/anna-freud-learning-network/coronavirus/

Mind:

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing/

What does Mindfulness mean?

Mindfulness means being present and aware of your actions in the moment whilst calmly acknowledging thoughts, feelings and senses.

Why might Mindfulness be useful to try?

Mindfulness focuses on activities you can do to help promote calmness. Mindfulness also looks at ways we can think and be aware of everyday activities. During a challenging time, some of these exercises may be useful to try, whether they are part of your daily routine or a conscious effort to complete a mindful activity.

Mind UK have created some ideas and examples of mindful exercises such as:

• Mindful eating. This involves paying attention to the taste, sight and textures of what you eat. For example, when drinking a cup of tea or coffee you could focus on how hot and liquid it feels on your tongue, how sweet it tastes or watch the steam that it gives off.
• Mindful moving, walking or running. Notice the feeling of your body moving. You might notice the breeze against your skin, the feeling of your feet or hands against different textures on the ground or nearby surfaces, and the different smells that are around you.
• The mindful body scan. This is where you move your attention slowly through different parts of the body, starting from the top of your head moving all the way down to the end of your toes. You could focus on feelings of warmth, tension, tingling or relaxation of different parts of your body.
• Mindful colouring and drawing. Focus on the colours and the sensation of your pencil against the paper, rather than trying to draw something in particular. You could use a mindfulness colouring book or download mindfulness colouring images.
• Mindful meditation. This involves sitting quietly and focusing on your breathing, your thoughts, sensations in your body and the things you can hear around you. Try to bring you focus back to the present if your mind starts to wander. Many people also find that yoga helps them to concentrate on their breathing and focus on the present moment.

Mindfulness can feel like an abstract concept and there are some really helpful YouTube videos to help you understand and explore Mindfulness further such as:

• Everyday Mindfulness - AboutKidsHealth
• Five Minute Mindful Breathing - Epworth Health Centre

Physical Health

PE with Joe

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAxW1XT0iEJo0TYlRfn6rYQ