Resources

#DontDoItAlone campaign

New for 2021 - Kooth's #DontDoItAlone campaign including resources and a video with famous faces, to encourage young people to reach out when they are struggling

10 tips for parenting pre-teens.

10 tips for parenting pre-teens. How to stay close as children move into adolescence.

A Guide to sustaining attention and concentration

Some children may have trouble sustaining their attention to a given task. This may be due to underlying anxiety, frustration and/or sensory sensitivities. Trying some of the following strategies might help the child to focus in class and improve their learning experience.

Action for Children: Good mental health

Most lifelong mental health issues begin in childhood. But talking about wellbeing early on can help us all cope better with life's challenges

Action for children: Parent talk

Action for children offer a free and confidential live chat with a qualified parenting coach. They can talk about anything that supports family life, caring for children or managing your own wellbeing.

ADHD and behaviour: tips on how to support your child

Children act up: it’s what they do. They can drive you crazy at times but staying calm and consistent when it comes to discipline will give your child clear boundaries when it comes to behaviour. However, it’s not as simple if your child has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

ADHD and emotions. What you need to know

Understood.org have written this helpful article to assist in understanding the characteristics of ADHD, to recognise when a child with ADHD is experiencing difficulty with their emotions and how to respond appropriately in those moments. The article is from America and the language is reflective of this.

ADHD parenting tips

Does your child have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder? Learn what you can do to manage their behavior and deal with common ADHD challenges.

Advice and information for parents about self-harm

For some tips on how to support your child with their mental health and wellbeing specifically concerning self-harm, and where to get help take a look at Young Minds parents support guide.

Anxiety: A guide for parents and carers

Many autistic children and young people experience anxiety. This guide talks about the ways you can help your child to manage their anxiety, including keeping a diary to explore what makes them anxious, and how to seek medical advice.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

It is common for children to be highly active, especially at younger ages. In most cases, this is normal behaviour and they will gradually grow out of it. However, for some children, there could be an underlying difficulty, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Here NHS Great Ormond Street Hospital explain about ADHD and where to get help.

Back to school – top anxiety triggers for pupils

Back to school: Top anxiety triggers revealed by Barnardo's survey. BBC Newsround help to increase understanding of why young people might struggle when it's time to go back to school.

Barnardos: See, hear, respond support hub

Barnardos have created a support hub for you to explore, where you can find information, resources & tools - from practical advice on how to talk to your children about the pandemic, to tips on managing anxiety and much more.

Be Free Positive Relationships

The BeFree programme is for 10–18 year old girls and trans individuals, living in Kent, who are at risk of experiencing unhealthy or abusive relationships.

Beat: Eating Disorders

Around 1.25 million people in the UK suffer from eating disorders, many in secret. They are of all ages, genders and backgrounds – eating disorders do not discriminate. Beat's national helpline exists to encourage and empower people to get help quickly, because we know the sooner someone starts treatment, the greater their chance of recovery.

Brain in Hand

Brain in Hand gives easy access to personalised support from an app on your phone. It’s packed with features to help you remember activities, reduce anxiety and feel supported.

Centre for Mental Health: promoting resilience at home

Whether you are self-isolating or socially distancing, being at home all day can be stressful. It is important to stay physically and emotionally well during this time. Here are ten things you can do to promote your family's overall wellbeing.

Child Bereavement UK

We help children and young people (up to age 25), parents, and families, to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies.

Childhood epilepsy: a guide for parents

Being a parent, carer or guardian of a child with epilepsy can be distressing. The biggest challenge you will face is the fear of the unknown, so having some knowledge and information about the condition will help you to feel more confident. This guide has been written by experts from Young Epilepsy, Great Ormond Street Hospital and University College London Institute of Child Health.

Cruse – a child’s understanding of death

A childs understanding of death and loss varies at different stages of development. Cruse have advice and support to help.

Cruse – death of a pupil

The death of a student can be traumatic for both school staff and pupils. A student’s death can unnerve other pupils and challenge any feelings of security they might have felt prior to the death.

Cruse – coping with trauma and loss

Someone close to you may have died in sudden and/or traumatic circumstances. You may have witnessed the death, or the deaths and injury of others. This leaflet explains some common reactions and sources of help.

Cruse – restoring hope

This leaflet is about what you can do to help yourself, how others can help you, how you can help other people who may be struggling to cope after the death of someone close and where you can get more advice and support.

Dad info – Because Dads matter!

A website dedicated to supporting fathers parent their children

Depression: a guide for parents and carers

Depression is a mental health condition that results in persistent feelings of sadness and/or hopelessness. Anyone can be diagnosed with depression. The symptoms are the same for anyone regardless of whether they are autistic or not. Research however suggests that autistic people may be more likely to experience depression than the general population.

Down’s Syndrome Association: Emotional wellbeing resources

The Down's Syndrome Association have created an innovative set of resources to support the emotional wellbeing of children and adults with Down’s syndrome, and their parents and family-carers. There is also a wealth of information and advice on their website covering lots of aspects of family life.

Down’s Syndrome Association: How do you relax?

The Down's Syndrome Association have developed this video in partnership with people with Down's Syndrome talking about relaxation and all the things they do to relax.

Everyday Active Kent: Explore activities

Keeping active is more important now than ever. Being active in a way that is right for you can improve your physical health, help manage stress and anxiety and just generally make you feel better. Everyday Active is a campaign created and developed by the Kent and Medway Active Partnership, whose vision is ‘more people, more active,more often’.

Exam results stress: advice for parents

Yound Minds’ Parents Helpline team have written an article to share key tips for how parents or carers can support young people around results day.

Free mental health e-learning

With a continued rise in incidents of mental ill health and disorders in the UK, Mental Health Awareness has become an extremely important issue

From Tot to Teen: Great home education resources

Following the announcement earlier this year that schools would be closing for the foreseeable future, pupils and parents faced uncertain times ahead. Although schools have now returned, times are still uncertain. Happiful share tips and resources to help you keep your children and young people learning from home.

Getting support with school refusal

IPSEA’s volunteers regularly advise and support parents and carers whose school-aged children are unable to access education because of anxiety or similar difficulties – very often associated with the child’s SEN. When a child has been refusing to attend school and their behaviour and/or anxiety appears to be worsening, it is important to seek help as soon as possible.

Good Mental Health Matters

Developed by the NHS in Kent, Good Mental Health Matters is a free resource for Primary and Secondary school teachers, parents and young people.

Good Mental Health Matters resources

Good Mental Health Matters resources are now available to download at home by you and your children. The resources include videos, activities and information for primary and secondary school age children.

Gov.uk guidance: What parents and carers need to know about early years providers, schools and colleges during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

Information for parents and carers about going back to schools, nurseries and colleges in the autumn term.

Handwriting practice for teenagers

Has your child moved to secondary school and now their writing has got worse? Are you afraid no one can read your teenagers writing? This article by 'Help with Handwriting' looks at how you can help your teenagers have handwriting that can be easily read and easily marked by examiners.

Happiful: Take a moment 4 mind

Here is a website with various hacks, tips and advice all around mental wellbeing

Helping your child to emotionally regulate

This article from parents.com helps parents to understand the emotional capabilities of children and provides helpful advice on how to respond to children appropriately when they are feeling overwhelmed and frustrated.

Helping your child with anxiety

Young Minds have produced this helpful article for parents who are wanting to help a child that is experiencing anxiety.

How parents can help children who feel like they have no friends

What should you do when your child comes home from school and says, “Nobody likes me?" Children of any age can sometimes feel friendless. Here is an article about how parents can help their children who feel like they have no friends,

How to help children make friends: 12 evidence-based tips

How can we help children make friends? It might seem we can do very little. Making friends is a very personal business, after all. But building a friendship depends on a child's emotional skills, self-regulation skills, and social competence. Parents can play an important role in the development of these abilities.

How to help your teen choose their school subjects: A checklist for parents

If your child has been asked to choose the subjects they want to take for their GCSEs, you’ll know this can be a tricky time for them, especially if they haven't decided what areas they'd like to specialise in. BBC Bitesize have got you covered with some key advice.

How to inspire your child to deal with school anxiety

Hey Sigmund explains where school anxiety may be coming from, the potential pitfalls of managing this difficult situation and provides evidence based approaches for managing a child that is experiencing school anxiety.

How to support your child’s wellbeing during Covid

Guidance for parents and carers on supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

Information, Advice and Support Kent (IASK)

IASK support families of children and young people (0 – 25 years) with special educational needs or disabilities. They hope to empower children/young people and their parents to make informed choices about their children's education, other outcomes and communicate confidently.

Internet Matters

A one-stop shop resource featuring guides and apps about internet safety.

KCC support for young parents

Kent County Council can give support and advice to young women who are pregnant or have a child, young fathers (or fathers-to-be), and parents and families of young women who are pregnant, so that we can help young parents to stay in (or get back into) education, employment or training.

KCHFT: The Pod children’s therapies

The Pod has been developed by the Kent and East Sussex Integrated Children’s Therapies teams, provided by Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust. We support children and young people to develop their skills to their full potential, so they can participate in everyday activities. They work in partnership with you, your child and any other important people in their life.

Live Well Kent

We can help you improve your mental and physical health and wellbeing. It is a free service for anyone aged 17 and over.

Local advice and support directory

Search Kent's local advice and support directory here.

Mencap: Support for parents and carers of children and young people

Mencap offer information about support available for parents and carers of children and young people with disabilities and how to get it.

Mental Health Foundation: Fundamental facts about mental health (2016)

A comprehensive summary of mental health research, providing a unique handbook of key facts and figures, covering all key areas of mental health.

Mental health Foundation: Ten tips for parents with a child with a learning disability

Hayley Goleniowska, author of award-winning blog 'DownsSideUp.com' and mother of Natty, who has Down's Syndrome, offers tips to parents of a child with a learning disability.

Mental Health Matters

Resources and support to achieve good mental and physical wellbeing.

Mentally Healthy Schools: Parent/carer engagement

Parent/carer engagement is important because working together (with mothers, fathers and carers) has been shown to have a promising impact on the wellbeing, attendance, behaviour, sense of school belonging, intellectual development and attainment of children across a range of social and economic backgrounds.

Mermaids: Information and resources for parents

Mermaids offer lots of information, resources and support for parents of children and young people who may be struggling with their gender identity

Mind: Parenting with a mental health problem

Mind explains about some of the difficulties you may face parenting with a mental health problem, the support available and suggestions on how to help yourself and your children.

MindEd: Anxiety Disorders session

This PowerPoint session created by MindEd and ACAMH is aimed at more experienced/specialist users and aims to provide learners with a greater understanding of how common anxiety disorders present in children and young people, and how to assess and treat them.

My Kent Family

An essential guide to family life for those living in Kent and Medway

nasen: Helping everyone achieve

nasen (National Association for Special Educational Needs) is a charitable membership organisation that supports all education practitioners by providing relevant Continuing Professional Development and Learning (CPDL), resources, advice, information and much more to enable staff to meet the needs of all pupils including pupils with learning differences.

National Autistic Society

The National Autistic Society help the 700,000 Autistic people in the UK and their families. Since 1962, they have been providing support, guidance and advice, as well as campaigning for improved rights, services and opportunities to help create a society that works for Autistic people.

National Institute of Mental Health: Children and Mental Health

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is the lead federal agency for research on mental health disorders, transforming the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses. Here is some information about children's mental health.

NHS advice for single parents and carers

The NHS advice page for single parents and carers

NHS One You: Every Mind Matters

There are times when we all feel the strain. As parents and carers, there are ways we can support children and young people to give them the best chance to stay mentally healthy, because every mind matters.

NHS Talking Therapies

NHS Talking Therapies (IAPT Services) provide mental health support services for adults experiencing difficult emotions, such as low mood, anxiety and stress.  You can access a range of NHS therapies from the website

NHS: Coping with your teenager

Many parents find their teenager's behaviour challenging. It can be baffling, stressful, hurtful and often worrying. But in most cases it does not mean there is anything more serious going on than the natural process of becoming an adult. The NHS website has some really useful information and support for parents/carers about how to cope with their teenager's challenging behaviour.

NHS: Coping with your teenager

Teenagers' behaviour can be baffling, stressful, hurtful and often worrying. But in most cases it does not mean there is anything more serious going on than the natural process of becoming an adult. Many of the common behaviour issues that parents find hard are an essential part of puberty and growing up.

NHS: Living with ADHD

Although it can be difficult at times, it's important to remember that a child with ADHD cannot help their behaviour. People with ADHD find it difficult to suppress impulses, which means they do not stop to consider a situation, or the consequences, before they act.If you're looking after a child with ADHD, you may find the advice from NHS helpful.

NHS: Teenage pregnancy support

Finding out you're pregnant when you're a teenager can be daunting, especially if the pregnancy wasn't planned, but help and support is available.

Not Naughty: 10 ways children appear to be acting bad but aren’t

Here are 10 ways children may seem like they’re acting "naughty," but really aren’t. When we recognise children's unwelcome behaviors as reactions to environmental conditions, developmental phases, or our own actions, it lets us respond proactively, and with much more compassion.

NSPCC: Mental health and parenting

Help and advice for parents and families dealing with mental health problems in everyday life and during the coronavirus pandemic.

One You Kent

One You Kent provides information and guidance for healthy lifestyle choices with a selection of free apps and support offered via telephone.

Online safety – internet matters

Get tools and tips to support your child’s digital wellbeing on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp

Our Time: Helping young people affected by parental mental illness

Over 2.9 million young people in the UK live with or care for a parent with a mental illness. 'Our Time' helps young people dealing with parental mental illness. They make sure they get the support they need and have their voices heard.

Overactivity and poor concentration

All children may experience problems with concentration and hyperactivity but when these are persistent and/or severe, children may need additional support to maximise their chances of learning and developing effectively.

Parenting a teenager

Parenting a teenager can be challenge but they still need you. Sometimes it's easy to forget that while being an adult has all sorts of stresses and strains, being a teenager isn't always that great either. Family Lives give lots of advice on how to manage this challenge.

Parenting a teenager: Looking after yourself

Parenting a teenager can be exhausting so it's important to look after yourself too. A strong relationship is the bedrock of a functioning family, so being selfish occasionally and concentrating on the well-being of yourself and each other can often be essential.

Parenting a teenager: What your teenager needs

Young people going through adolescence need what they have always needed from their parents; love, support, encouragement, nurture, acceptance and attention. The difference for teenagers is that they need ‘helpful attention’ rather than protective attention. Family Lives offer lots of support on how to parent a teenager.

Parentkind free resources

Whether your child is in primary or secondary education, there are so many ways you can get involved and support their learning at home, whatever your circumstances, interests or skill-set. Parentkind have lots of free resources to support learning and lots of tips from experts in their blogs.

Parents guide on gaming

Information and advice from Young Minds to help you and your family create a healthy culture around gaming, and to help you support your child if they're struggling.

Place2Be: Mental health services

Place2Be is a national charity offering a range of mental health services children and young people in over 600 schools across the UK.

Refusing to go to School – how can you help your child?

It is very common for children to refuse to go to school, but when does this behaviour indicate a possible mental health problem or when is it a social problem?

relate: Coping with disruptive teenagers

Being a parent to teenagers can be a challenging, worrying and sometimes distressing time. While teenagers are pushing against the system in their search for independence, as parents you can feel rejected, criticised and confused. The home can become a battleground with constant power battles and high emotion. Here, our family counsellors share their top tips on how to cope with parenting difficult teens.

relate: help with family life and parenting

You might be a parent worried about your child's behaviour or how a divorce may impact on your family. You might be part of step-family and need help adjusting, or you may be arguing with parents or siblings and need support communicating with each other. If you're having problems in your family life, there are lots of ways relate can help you.

Rethink: about mental illness

Information and advice about mental illness.

Rise Above

Guidance on mental health and wellbeing for young people and the for adults supporting them.

Samaritans

Every seven seconds, Samaritans respond to a call for help. No judgement. No pressure. They're there for anyone who needs someone.

School Public Health: FAQs for parent

In response to COVID-19, the way the School Public Health service provides support has changed but don’t worry; they are still there if you need them. They have put together some useful information for parents in their frequently asked questions section.

Scope: Managing your stress when caring for your disabled child

Many parents of disabled children feel under pressure or stressed. Managing stress might help you to feel more in control.

Scope: Support groups for parents

Support groups are good places to get practical and emotional advice from other parents with disabled children.

Self-care top tips for young parents and carers

This Anna Freud booklet booklet offers some simple self-care advice for young parents and carers about the importance of self-care and looking after their own mental health and wellbeing whilst raising children.

Selfharm UK

A website dedicated to self-harm recovery, insight and support for young people.

SEND Information HUB – Kent’s Local Offer

A local offer gives children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities and their families information about what support services are available in their area.

Seven things parents should know about adolescent behaviour

The moods, the inability to get out of bed in the morning, the embarrassment of being around parents. We’ll all recognise these common teenage behaviours. But why do adolescents act in these ways?

Stress on the brain

'Stress on the Brain' is a video made by a group of students from New River College (Islington), working with SoapBox Youth Centre. They talk about stress, trauma, the effect on your brain and give tips to help stay calm in stressful situations.

Suicide Prevention and Awareness Training from Mid-Kent Mind

Mid-Kent Mind are offering free Suicide Prevention and Awareness training sessions to anyone in Kent and Medway that wants to learn how to support other people when they are in crisis. These sessions will be delivered online via ZOOM.

Supporting a child that is being trolled online

Find out more about how to tackle hate online and online trolls with Internet Matters useful advice guide, what online hate is and to how to support your child.

Surviving Adolescence: for parents and carers

The teenage years can be an emotional assault course for all concerned. A gulf can grow between parents and their children during adolescence. The Royal College of Psychiatrists website gives information about the process of adolescence and how the challenges which arise can be managed.

Teen Tips: resources for schools and parents

Teenagers haven’t fundamentally changed but the world in which they live has. With so much uncertainty, it is little wonder that many teens, and those supporting them, are struggling to cope. Teen Tips training and resources are largely delivered via their Wellbeing Hub, which schools and parents access online.

The Children’s Society: Five Ways to Wellbeing Postcards

The Children's Society have developed five cards with simple ways to wellbeing ideas, developed through research with children. They are free to download and can help pupils to take part in simple activities beneficial to their wellbeing.

The Family lives website gives advice on becoming a single parent, tips on parenting alone and financial support

The Family lives website gives advice on becoming a single parent and childcare information

The Mix: self-harm coping tips and distractions

For some information about self-harm coping tips and distraction techniques take a look at 'The Mix'

The psychology of play to regulate emotions and support wellbeing

The British Psychological Society has produced this video to provide advice for parents and carers on the psychology behind playtime and how it helps children and young people manage their emotions.

The restless and excitable child: advice for parents and carers

This webpage looks at the reasons behind why some children are more restless and excitable than others and suggests where to go to get extra help.

The Teenage Brain

BBC Bitesize tell us how recent discoveries in neuroscience have shown that our brains change rapidly during our teenage years and continue to develop until our mid-twenties.

The voice for epilepsy

This epilepsy charity supports epilepsy awareness and to help individuals with epilepsy to connect and fight; to ensure not another moment is lost to seizures. To offer educate about seizure recognition, seizure first aid and increase understanding about epilepsy in general.

UK Trauma Council: Childhood Trauma and the Brain

A general introduction to what happens in the brain after children face traumatic experiences in childhood, like abuse and neglect.

Understanding self esteem

Action for Children help us to understand self esteem. Learn how to recognise if a young person is experiencing low self-esteem and what responses can positively impact on a young person's self esteem.

Ways to calm an anxious child

Psychology today provide some helpful ways to calm an anxious child

What do young people worry about most

BBC Newsround tell us the top worries and stresses for young people today. This article also links to films and resources that will help to increase a parents understanding of young people's worries and how to best support them in difficult times.

What parents can do to support friendships

Friendships are important, but your guidance and monitoring of activities are needed for your child to be safe and successful.

When your child’s friends become enemies

Nothing sends a parent’s heart soaring like a child making a new friend, and nothing can send it crashing like a child’s friend becoming an enemy. There are ways parents can spot the kinds of friends who may turn into enemies, and there are ways that parents can help their children through fights with friends.

Why is it so important to address anxiety?

Many autistic children and adults experience anxiety. It can affect a person psychologically and physically. Constant anxiety can be extremely distressing for autistic people. It can lead to meltdowns, self-harm and depression. It is important to identify what is causing a person’s anxiety and then to take steps to reduce it. Our guides talks about the different ways to manage anxiety.

Young Minds: parents guide to supporting anger

If you're finding it difficult to deal with your child's angry behaviour, here is some advice on what to do and where to get help from Young Minds.

Young Minds: Parents survival guide

Parenting isn’t always easy. Although it’s often amazing and rewarding to watch your children grow, and to help them learn to be independent, it can also be really hard work. Young Minds have created a parents survival guide full of tips and advice for parenting skills.

Young Minds: Supporting your child with ADHD

If your child is struggling to manage their ADHD, here are some ways you can support them and places you can get help.

Young Minds: Supporting your child with low mood and depression

If you're worried that your child is feeling low or struggling with depression, here’s Young Mind's advice on what you can do and where you can find support.

Young Minds: Supporting your child with school anxiety and refusal

If your child is refusing to go to school, or is feeling anxious, here's Young Mind's information and advice to help you support your child and work with the school.

YoungMinds parent helpline

Worried about a child or young person? Contact the YoungMinds Parents Helpline for free, confidential advice via the phone, email or webchat.

Youth Sport Trust: Active parents, active children

Active parents have more active children, and those children are more likely to grow up to become active parents themselves, so by being active parents, not only are you helping your own health, you’re likely to be making your children more active too. Youth Sport Trust and Change4Life has released simple guidance for parents to help get families active.