User login

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
14 + 3 =
Solve this simple math problem and enter the result. E.g. for 1+3, enter 4.

How to look after your mental health and emotional wellbeing during the Covid-19 outbreak

*PLEASE NOTE THIS PAGE IS CURRENTLY BEING UPDATED
 
Thank you to Retune who have created and shared this song dedicated to every Key Worker out there.
 
The information in this page has been gathered throughout the continuously changing and developing situation of COVID-19. In light of this we wanted to provide schools with useful information, guidance and easy, ready to use resources and strategies on how to support children, young people’s and parents mental health and emotional wellbeing as well as ensuring you are looking after yourself.  We have created a 'resources directory' to enable an easier way of looking for information which can be accessed here. All of the resources included in this document and below are quality assured so you know they are from a good source!
 

Firstly we would like to thank all school based professionals for all the hard work that you are currently doing to support the children and young people who attend your schools, and the wider school community. In addition we want to thank Hertfordshire schools for sharing with us a variety of good practice that have been used during and after lockdown. We are pleased to be sharing this information and we are fully aware that there are many more great examples out there that are not published on our website. You can see the examples of sharing good practice here along with seeing a regular sharing good practice page featured in our termly newsletter.

Local CAMHS Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team (C-CATT) contact details- Covid-19 A&E Diversion Guidance 

Message from C-CATT Team (CAMHS Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team) for schools.

Please encourage parents, children and young people in a mental health crisis to contact the number rather than attend A&E unless there is a physical need to– i.e for urgent treatment)

The NHS and our local hospitals are really busy at the moment, so if you’re experiencing a mental health crisis, the quickest way to get help at any time of the day or night is to call the freephone number: 0800 6444 101, or call NHS 111 and select option 2 for mental health services. 

In the case of serious illness or injury, dial 999 for emergency services

If you are already receiving support and need help please contact: your care co-ordinator on the number provided to you or if you need help in the evening, weekend or bank holiday call 0800 6444 101 Email: for non-urgent enquiries  

Live webchat service- If you'd prefer to speak online, click on the SPA red button here. This service is available Monday-Friday, 7am-7pm.

Staff Emotional Wellbeing and Resilience
 
  • Education Support website is dedicated to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of education staff in schools, colleges and universities. It contains free information including  a free 24/7 helpline – 08000 562 561: Supply Teachers can also access financial advice information here.
  • Young minds: Wellbeing tips for school staff, and what keeps us going 
  • Mentally Healthy schools- this document contains mental health and wellbeing resources for school staff.
  • The Teacher Wellbeing Index 2020, this publication, uses a series of indicators to benchmark education professionals’ mental health and wellbeing, which also affords the ability to analyse trends over time. Teacher Wellbeing Index Report 2020.
  • Herts for Learning Wellbeing Team– Support for Head Teachers mental health. Email at  
  • Mental Health at Work page provides numerous national agencies that support different professionals in their roles: Click here to access link to the webpage
  • Free Education Support helpline and counselling (national)
  • Hertfordshire Wellbeing Service offers free, confidential talking therapy and practical support for people 16+ experiencing a wide range of common emotional difficulties such as, anxiety, worry, low mood, depression and stress.
  • Every Mind Matters – Information from the NHS about  looking after your mental health and emotional wellbeing during coronavirus including guidance, advice and tips on how to maintain your mental wellbeing if you need to stay at home.
  • Anna Freud- A free guide Looking after each other and ourselves to support the mental health and wellbeing of staff at schools colleges during periods of disruption. Supporting Staff Wellbeing in schools- this booklet offers practical guidance about what school staff and senior leaders can do to support their own and their colleagues wellbeing. Ten ways to support school staff wellbeing. 
  • The Anna Freud Centre 'Schools in Mind' have worked closely with settings to help promote whole-school and college approaches to wellbeing. They have developed a helpful video for schools staff. 
 
Support information for Children and Young People 
 
  • Young Minds- You can also text the 24/7 Young Minds Crisis Messenger which provides free, 24/7 crisis support across the UK if you are experiencing a mental health crisis. If you need urgent help text YM to 85258. Young Minds have a mental health advice line available for parents operating between 09:30am-4pm, Monday- Friday: 0808 802 5544
  • Chat Health- is a confidential text messaging service for all secondary school aged pupils (11-19) in Hertfordshire, available Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. Young people can message for advice on all kinds of health issues such as sexual health, emotional health and wellbeing, bullying, healthy eating and any general health concerns. The text number is: 07480 635050. More information can be found on the Public Health Nursing page
  • Public Health Nursing also has two websites which provides excellent, age appropriate advice for children, young people and their families. These can be accessed here: Health for kids and Health for Teens
  • Services for Young People provides youth work, information, advice, guidance, work related learning and support for young people. You can call 0300 123 7538, email: or visit https://www.servicesforyoungpeople.org/ 
  • Just Talk Herts – Mental Health support and advice for young people. www.justtalkherts.org . Just Talk is a Hertfordshire multi-agency campaign for promoting and maintaining good mental health. 
  • Herts Mind Network- have a helpline for children and young people aged 10-17. The helpline provides a safe, non-judgemental space to talk to a Young People Advisor or Mentor who will provide emotional support, advice and information and discuss coping strategies. The helpline number is 01923 256391. Herts Mind Network also have a Young People’s online group for those aged 15+. 
  • STSEW Mind in Mid Herts- Signposting guide 
  • Coping with exam pressure: A guide for students. This resource has been shared by Liverpool John Moores University and provides useul information about how stress can affect our body and tips on how to manage this in a helpful way.
  • The Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families had created Early Years in Mind resource page. Early Years in Mind is a free online network for early years practitioners. The network provides easy to read and easy to use guidance on supporting the mental health of babies, young children and their families. The network was developed by mental health experts and shares practical and clinical expertise, and advice on using attachment-informed practice.
  • The NHS Cadets/ YC Herts - NHS England along with NHS Innovation and St John Ambulance will launch their new national programme for 14-16 years old (flyer). This innovative programme aims to support young people aged 14-16 to access meaningful volunteer experiences within a healthcare environment while enjoying relevant training and development opportunities. RECRUITING NOW FOR SEPT 2021
  • YoungMinds advice/resources and real stories for young people and parents/carers.
  • The Anna Freud Centre 'Schools in Mind' have worked closely with settings to help promote whole-school and college approaches to wellbeing. They have developed a helpful video for children and young people.

 

​COVID Specific Resources:​

 

Parents/ Carers Information
 
  • Educational Psychologists -  'Quick Queries' contact line for parents, carers, professionals and young people (16-25) to speak directly to an Educational Psychologist is available every Wednesday from 2pm- 4.30pm on 01992 588 574. School professionals can also contact their school link Educational Psychologist directly. Cut
  • Families First Hertfordshire for services that work together to support families who need extra help. https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/microsites/families-first/families-first.aspx 
  • Hertfordshire Wellbeing Service offers free, confidential talking therapy and practical support for people 16+ experiencing a wide range of common emotional difficulties such as, anxiety, worry, low mood, depression and stress. 
  • Spot the signs new signposting guide this is a fully-funded programme offering training and workshops to children and young people (CYP), parents/carers and professional's working with CYP click here.
  • The Anna Freud Centre 'Schools in Mind' have worked closely with settings to help promote whole-school and college approaches to wellbeing. They have developed a helpful videos one for parents .
 
COVID Specific Resources:
 
  • Co-SPACE team have put together a 1-page document, attached here, summarising some ideas on how parents/carers can support children and young people as they settle back into school and other forms of education. This document is based on the information reported by parents across the UK who have taken part in our Co-SPACE survey about how children are feeling about going back to school. 
  • Transition Back to School After Lockdown Workshop for parents of primary school children where there have been some worries about returning to school after lockdown. Provided by CWP team in SWLSTG Mental Health NHS Trust (South West London St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust). They are happy for this material to be used or adapted as needed with a request to acknowledge the source i.e. SWLSTG Mental Health NHS Trust.
  • Free 70 day lockdown wellbeing programme for families: https://www.zumos.co.uk/
  • Coronavirus Bereavement - Helping a child when someone they care about has a serious coronavirus illness or has died: a guide for parents, carers and professionals -  This guide has been created to help parents and carers support a child after the death of someone special to them. It includes information about bereavement after Coronavirus and how the restrictions in place because of it can affect bereaved children generally. It can also be used by professionals to help them know how they can support bereaved children and families they come into contact with. Many of the organisations linked here have advice for professionals too.
  • Public Health England Guidance for parents and carers on supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing during the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak: Click here
 
SEND
 
  • ADD-vance. Provides support to parents and professionals to help increase understanding, provide support to improve the wellbeing and reduce the social isolation of CYP with complex neurological conditions. ADD-vance also offer a helpdesk from 9am to 1pm every weekday via 01727 833963 or email to   Website - www.add-vance.org  Facebook – www.add-vance.org/parents/
  • Hertfordshire Local Offer-The Local offer lets parents and young people know what special education needs and disabilities services are available in Hertfordshire and who can access them. 
  • Hertfordshire SENDIASS is an impartial Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS). Contact SENDIASS on:  or 01992 555847.
  • Families in Focus courses and workshops for parents. Free SEND support services are designed for parents living in Hertfordshire with children with special educational needs and disabilities, autism, ADHD and all neuro-diverse conditions. 
  • The Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health have published this podcast: Coronavirus, and helping children with autism – ‘Autism, a parents guide’​

 

Further Training for school professionals 
 
 
Apps/Tools
 
  • Catch it: Uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to help users learn how to manage feelings like anxiety and depression. Users can record and rate their mood, helping them to keep track of progress and identify triggers to their symptoms.
  • Stress & Anxiety companion: helps users handle stress and anxiety on-the-go. It provides tools like breathing exercises, relaxing music and games. Goals is to help users change negative thoughts to help them better cope with life's ups and downs.
  • Think Ninja - Great downloadable app for 10+ now with Coronavirus support content.
  • Calm Harm- provides a range of techniques to relieve emotional distress. 
  • MindShift- can help with advice in managing anxiety and using relaxation methods.
  • Smiling Mind- Mindfulness meditations aimed at reducing stress, anxiety and concentration levels. 
  • Meetwo- Safe forum for teens including advice from experts on any topic that is dificult to talk about. Signposting to services is built into the app. 
  • BlueIce- Evidenced-based app to help young people manage their emotions and reduce urges to self-harm.  
 
    Additional Resources
     
    • The Recorvery Curriculum is expained in more detail by Professor Carpenter (Oxford University Hospital NHT Trust) in this very informative yet simple youtube video
    • DfE Rise Above for schools (free download): Helping you teach PSHE curriculum topics to Upper KS2, KS3 and KS4 pupils, with flexible lesson plans and ready-to-use PowerPoints co-created with teachers, and video content developed with 10 to 16-year-olds. Content includes: What to do about worry, Social media, Sleep, Delaing with change, Transition to secondary school, Puberty, Bullying and cyberbullying, Smoking. Online stress and FOMO, Alcohol, Exm stress, Body image in a digital world, Forming positive relationships.
    • Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Young People have published a Sharing Good Practice booklet which includes examples of good practice that schools have shared about how they’ve responded to the challenges of lockdown. The booklet also look at how this period of lockdown can help us think about whole-school approaches to mental health and include some suggestions about how to start this process. There are only 3 pages worth of content here, mainly straight-forward examples from schools with pictures. For the Hertfordshire local Whole School & Colleges Approaches information, please visit our Healthy Young Mind In Herts kitemark information page here (log in is required to view this page).
    • Hertfordshire Virtual Schools have provided really useful resources around virtual education ideas: 
    • Survivors of Bereavement: A national charity working towards meeting the needs and overcome the isolation experienced by people over 18 who have been bereaved by suicide. They have a National Helpline Monday to Friday: 0300 111 5065 9am – 9pm
    • Mind website provides useful information about how to cope if people feel anxious about coronavirus, how to manage staying well at home if being asked to self-isolate and taking care of your mental health and wellbeing among other tips and advice.

    ​COVID Specific Resources:

    • Bereavement resource for schools – Created by members of Herts EP service with contribution from colleagues across the system. This resource has a number of sections within it including support for staff, support for families and support for children and young people. It includes activities and information to support schools in planning for the anticipated need of psychological wellbeing during Covid-19.
    • Coronavirus Bereavement - a guide for adults - Helping you manage bereavement and grief during the COVID-19 outbreak. This guide has been created in response to the extraordinary events and circumstances that are happening in the UK and around the world because of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) that are affecting howpeople grieve. It has been created to help support you if a loved one has died because of coronavirus, or they have died during the resulting lockdown because of other reasons that also affect the ways that you can mourn and grieve.
    • A document for support during isolation created and developed by members of Herts Educational Psychology service (ISL). It is a School planning document to support psychological wellbeing during Covid-19 and has 3 documents within it including information for school staff, guidance and resources for schools to share with parents and families and a directory of organisations offering wellbeing support, is here.
    • A recording of a webinar on bereavement and grief following Covid-19: responding to the challenges of COVID-19. You can view the recording here: RECORDING The webinar provides an overview of:
      - How everyone has a role to play in supporting grieving people
      - Models of grief that can help people understand their own reactions, and know how to support family and friends, and when to seek extra support
      - Examples of how local areas have developed pathways of support
      - How schools are preparing to support bereaved pupils as they return.
    • DfE - Supporting pupil and student mental wellbeing recorded seminar. The Department for Education, in collaboration with NHS England and Public Health England, hosted this free webinar for school and college staff on 9 July on how to support returning pupils and students mental wellbeing. You will hear from experts on the impacts of the pandemic on children and young people's mental wellbeing and recovery techniques, and from education leaders about the actions they have been taking. Supporting pupil and student mental wellbeing - YouTube
    • The Mental Health Foundation provides useful and sound infromation about how to look after your mental health during the Coronavirus outbreak with responds to a range of issues including: how to look after your mental health if you are working from home, talking to your children about the coronavirus pandemic, random acts of kindness during the pandemic, resources for those living in difficult circumstances during the coronavirus outbreak among other useful information. 
    • Mind website provides useful information about how to cope if people feel anxious about coronavirus, how to manage staying well at home if being asked to self-isolate and taking care of your mental health and wellbeing among other tips and advice.
    • Kooth have provided an indepth anaylsis into how Covid-19 is affecting the mental health of young people in the BAME community. 

     

    Support Contacts
    • Hertfordshire CAMHS SPA 24/7 Helpline- 0800 6444 ​101
    • Safer Places:  Today, Safer Places launched a new live chat service to support those experiencing, or at risk of abuse. The new service enables anyone experiencing abuse to chat directly with a member of the Safer Places team
    • Family Lives – Parenting and Family support Helpline 0808 800 2222
    • Hertfordshire County Council Children’s Services - 0300 123 4043
    • Samaritans - 116 123 For more information visit the Samaritans webpage here.
    • ChildLine - 0800 1111
      ​

      Breda O’Neill – Strategic Leads for Mental Health in Schools - East & North Herts CCG

      Yael Leinman – Strategic Leads for Mental Health in Schools - Herts Valleys CCG

      Jen Beer - Health Improvement Lead. Children and Young People - Public Health

      Melanie Flay - Principal Educational Psychologist (West)/Strategic Lead – ISL – Children's Services