Mental Health and Well-being
Mental illness can affect anyone, of any age, of any background, at any time. Similar to physical illness, people do not choose to have a mental health difficulty. They also need the appropriate care to get better. We have an important role to play in supporting mental health in young children and adults and this is a developing area of focus for us all.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), mental health is “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community”. (4 Jun 2015)
Anxiety in Children
Just like adults, children and young people feel worried and anxious at times. However, if a child's anxiety is starting to affect their well-being, they may need some help to overcome it.
When young children feel anxious, they cannot always understand or express what they are feeling. You may notice that they:
In older children you may notice that they:
At this time, the pressure on everyone is even bigger and we are living in uncertain times. On this page, we have tried to put together some resources and links that you may find helpful if you need to try to talk to your children about what is going on. There are also some simple activities that are designed to help children to talk about their feelings or to calm down if they feel anxious.
We have also put together some links and resources that may help if you suffer a bereavement in your family or within your close circle of friends. We have many more resources in school so if you need any support please contact the office.
The following webpages provide children and young people with age-appropriate information to explain the coronavirus and the things they can do to help stop the spread of the virus and look after themselves physically and emotionally during this unsettling time