Page 10 - Testify 15 Oct 2020

10 15 - 30 October 2020
PHE launches new Mental Health Campaign to support

children, young people and their parents

Most families have experienced 4. Encourage their
upheaval in their daily lives during the interests: Being active,
pandemic. With children and young creative, learning things
people now back at school or college, and being a part of a team
PHE’s new mental health campaign are all good for mental
provides NHS-endorsed tips and health. Support children
advice to help children and young and young people to
people’s mental wellbeing, and equip explore their interests
parents and carers with the knowl-
edge to support them. 5. Take what they say
seriously: Help the chil-
Research reveals that the coronavirus dren and young people
outbreak has caused an increase in you look after feel valued
anxiety in young people. What’s more, in what they say and help
over two-fifths (41%) of children and them work through difficult
young people said they were more emotions.
lonely than before lockdown and
more than a third said they were more Singer, DJ and televi-
worried (38%). New PHE survey data sion presenter Marvin
found that when asked about their Humes said: “Many
top three worries around coronavirus, families have experi-
over half (52%) said the mental well- enced an upheaval in
being of their children topped the list. their daily lives in some
form over the last few
It’s a relief for most parents and carers months and, like many Singer, DJ and television presenter Marvin Humes
that their children are now back at parents, we know this will
school, but, as we adapt to a new have impacted our kids in
normal many anticipate their children some way. I’m backing this campaign
will experience new stresses. This in- because it’s so important that parents
cludes facing the challenges of catch- have the support they need to look
ing up with missed education, getting after their children and their mental
used to new schools or colleges and wellbeing as we navigate the months
re-building relationships with friends. to come.”

The new advice available on the Vanessa Boachie, Psychological
Every Mind Matters website is Therapist, Founder and Creative Di-
designed to help parents and carers rector of Inside Out, a not-for-profit
spot the signs that children may be social enterprise committed to
struggling with their mental health and helping young peole improve their
support them. In addition to the advice mental health and wellbeing said:
for parents and carers the site also ‘Through my work with Inside Out,
provides tools to help young people I’ve seen firsthand how young people
build resilience and equips them to have been challenged and affected
look after their own mental wellbeing. in recent months. For many black peo-
ple, this has been more pronounced
NHS’s Top 5 Tips for supporting due to the fact that these communities
children and young people’s mental have been disproportionately affected
wellbeing as they go back out into by negative health outcomes when it
the world comes to COVID-19.”

1. Be there to listen: Ask the children “It’s not always clear for parents how
and young people you look after how they can address these concerns, a
they are doing regularly so they get factor which can be more apparent for
used to speaking about their feelings some black communities for reasons
such as cultural barriers. I would urge
2. Stay involved in their life: Show all parents who are concerned for their
interest in their life and the things that children to access the new advice
are important to them available on the Every Mind Matters
website.”
3. Support positive routines: Be
a positive role model and support Search Every Mind Matters for expert
positive behaviours including regular tips and advice to support children
bedtime routines, healthy eating and and young people with their mental
getting active wellbeing, or for more information,
visit https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-
mind-matters/