Children's Mental Health Support
Mental Health and Wellbeing Support
As a school we are passionate about your mental health and wellbing. It is important that you know how to look after your own wellbeing and know how to support people around you. At Tonacliffe, we think a lot about your mental health and well-being and how we can teach you to keep your mind happy and healthy. Please explore this page, there are some links at the bottom of the page to different activities and webpages that you can access.
Take a few minutes to think about these things:
- Have you ‘Noticed’ something recently?
- Have you been ‘Active’ after school?
- Have you been ‘Learning’?
- Have you shown an ‘Act of Kindness’ or ‘Connected’ with people around you?
If so, you’ve been helping to keep your mind healthy and happy!
Five Ways to Wellbeing
This is an excellent resource! 5 ways to wellbeing offer some simple steps which you can do every single day! Watch this short animation summarising five ways to wellbeing!
Step 1 – Connect
Connecting with others can help you feel close to people, and valued for who you are. Being social means different things for different people – you might prefer being in quieter situations with one other person, or you might like being in big groups. You might like to connect with people online, or you might enjoy phone calls or sending letters.
Here are some ways you could make a connection today:
- If you feel comfortable, you could try speaking to someone new in your class or even in a different class
- Ask how someone’s weekend was, and really listen when they tell you
- Put 5 minutes aside to find out how a friend is doing
Step 2 – Get active
Many people find that physical activity helps them maintain positive mental health. This doesn't have to mean running marathons or training every day. There are lots of different things you can do to be a bit more active. Studies have shown that getting active can help you sleep better, have happier moods, and reduce feelings of stress, anxiety and racing thoughts.
Here are a few ideas for how you can get active today:
- Take the stairs rather than the lift
- Run laps around the playground at lunchtime
- Walk to school – maybe you could go with a friend
- Organise an activity at lunchtime (aerobics)
- Have a kick-about in a local park
- Do some stretches before you leave for school in the morning
Step 3 – Take notice
Reminding yourself to take notice can help you to be aware of how you're feeling. It can help you understand what triggers your feelings of stress or anxiety. Some studies have shown that savouring ‘the moment’ can also help you to feel more positive about life.
Take some time to enjoy the moment and the environment around you. Here are a few ideas:
- Get a plant for your bedroom/house
- Have a ‘clear the clutter’ day in your room/playroom
- Take a different route on your journey to or from school
- Visit a new place
Step 4 – Learn
We're always learning new things – often without realising it. Feeling like you're learning and developing can boost your self-esteem. And sometimes, setting goals can help you to feel more productive and more in control of your life.
What can you learn today? Here are a few ideas:
- Find out something new about your friends
- Sign up for a club
- Read the news or a book
- Set up a book club
- Do a crossword or Sudoku
- Research something you’ve always wondered about
- Learn a new word
Step 5 – Give
There's been lots of research about the effects of taking part in social and community life. Some studies have shown that people who help others are more likely to rate themselves as happy.
Is there anything you can do today, to be kind or helpful to someone else? You could try:
- Helping around the house (washing up/changing your bedding)
- Offering to help a friend with something they're stuck on
- Introducing yourself to a new-starter, to help them feel more at ease
- Seeing if there are any volunteering initiatives open in the local community
Links to useful webpages
Cosmic Kids Yoga
A fun way to exercise and support mindfulness.
https://www.youtube.com/user/CosmicKidsYoga
Go Noodle
A website where parents/carers can use videos and other activities to get their childen moving.
Childline
Childline is there for children with any issue they're going through. You can talk about anything. Whether it's something big or small. Childline is free, confidential and available any time, day or night.
Kooth
Kooth is a free online mental health and emotional wellbeing support service for children and young people.
Please see the poster to the right for more useful links to websites.
Always remember...
