It’s World Mental Health Day on Sunday, 10 October with a world focus on mental health in an unequal world. We all have a role to play in championing the equal treatment for people with mental health problems and helping to destigmatise talking about mental health across all age groups.
Over the course of the pandemic, we have seen an increase in children and young people struggling with their mental health, including a rise in eating disorders.
It has been an extremely anxious and uncertain time for children and young people who have been isolated from their peers, unable to do activities which bring them joy and experienced significant changes to the format of their education during the lockdown periods.
It is important that children and young people have access to the right services - our No Wrong Door Strategy 2020-2025 ensures that anyone who is referred to a service, will be seen by the right services, irrespective of which service they first approach. We often signpost children and families to services where they can access support.
This means that whichever route a child or young person is referred in for mental health support, they will be able to access the appropriate support they need at the right time.
On the Island, it is not only CAMHS that provide support for children and young people, but also the Youth Trust, Barnardo’s, IOW NHS Trust Mental Health Support Teams, Break Out Youth, Kissy Puppy, Youth Crime Prevention, the Isle of Wight Council Inclusion team and many more.
it is important for parents/carers to be able to seek guidance to help support their children’s mental health too, specifically for young children. If a young person is awaiting a diagnosis or has been diagnosed with ADHD or ASC, we suggest that parents seek support via the wellbeing service, Barnardo’s and Hampshire Autism service.
We offer young people the choice of how they would like to engage with us and at CAMHS we want to ensure we support young people to develop their confidence and self-esteem. We have run several positive activity sessions with young people including Skateboarding, Surfing and Paddle Boarding.
This has allowed us to support children and young people develop their skills, self-esteem and overcome fears they may have.
These sessions were seen in a positive light by both parents and children and young people.
“I wanted to thank you so much, my child has not stopped smiling from ear to ear’ after a surfing session.”
One young person at one of the skateboarding sessions stated:
“I was really worried to come, but I am glad I overcame my worries and had a go, I really enjoyed it and be willing to try new things in the future.”
Mental health and wellbeing information, resources, signposting support for children and young people:
- The NHS111 service has trained mental health professionals available 24 hours a day to provide support and onward referrals to the right Mental Health services (free to call).
- Papyrus (Prevention of Young Suicide) – HOPEline 0800 0684141 or text 07786 209687 (9am till midnight).
- SHOUT : Support via text, contact SHOUT by texting 85258. This is a free 24/7 confidential text service.
- Mind non-urgent support line 0300 123 3393, available Monday to Friday 9.00am to 6.00pm (excluding Bank holidays)
- Young Minds Crisis Messenger Text YM to 85258 to talk to trained volunteers.
- iwmentalhealth.co.uk : mental health wellbeing resources/tools/info and signposting support.
- If you're under 19, you can also call 0800 1111 to talk to Childline.(Free to call, the number will not appear on a phone bill.) Children and young people can chat confidentially about any problem, big or small. They also have a free counsellor chat service and they host online message boards where young people can share their experiences with peers.
- For any life-threatening medical emergencies, call 999 (free to call).
Anxiety and Low Mood Resources
- Little Blue Book of Sunshine – Hampshire, Southampton and Isle of Wight CCG developed this easy reference to local resources to support children and young people's mental health.
- Kooth – Free online counselling service to support young people across Hampshire, Southampton and Isle of Wight - (11 - 25 years).
- Calm:Calm is a meditation and sleep app.
- Catch it:Catch It is for anyone who struggles with feelings like anxiety, depression, anger and confusion.
- Chill Panda:It’s designed to help children manage stress and worry to help them feel better. The app has lots of games and activities including breathing exercises.
- eQuoo:Emotional Fitness Game. Suitable for anyone over the age of 12 who wants to improve their emotional wellbeing.
- MeeToo:Suitable for teenagers facing issues they would like to discuss with experts or other teenagers.
- Stress and Anxiety Companion:The app helps you to manage stress and anxiety wherever you are, with breathing exercises, relaxing music, or games.
- Think Ninja:Suitable for children and young people aged 10 to 18 years. Using a variety of content and tools, it allows young people to learn about mental health and emotional wellbeing and develop skills they can use to build resilience and stay well.
- ThriveApproach:Suitable for anyone wanting help and support to take better control of their emotions.
Managing poor sleep - resources / videos:
- 10 tips on how to get to sleep
- 5 mins Yoga for Bedtime
- 4-7-8 breathing exercise
- The Sleep Council– sleep advice and sleep tools
- The Sleep Charity- Providing information and support about sleep and different workshops around sleep
Apps to support sleep/breathing and meditation:
- Sleep Whispers: Is a podcast of whispered readings and rambling for relaxation and sleeping. It reads interesting stories, tranquil poems, educational Wikipedia articles and listener feedback.
- Headspace: Headspace is a guide to mindfulness for your everyday life and makes meditation accessible to everyone
- Sleepio: Sleepio is sleep improvement programme that is fully automated and highly personalised, to help improve poor sleep.
- SleepwithMe: Inspired by late-night comedy radio. Combines the pain of insomnia with the relief of laughing and turns it into a unique storytelling podcast.
- Breathe- 1 minute meditation:4-7-8 method that combats stress/ anxiety and deep- breathing that can help with poor sleep.
- Isle of Wight Family Centres : they provide information about courses on offer for parents and practitioners.
Other support:
- The Mix: Phone: 0808 808 4994
- In support of World Mental Health Day on 10th October, Public Health England have also launched new self-care resources for teachers on the School Zone, including Studio You, an online resource created by Sport England video-based PE lessons and aims to reconnect young people with physical education, improve their confidence and make being active fun.
- NHS Better Health - Every Minds Matters - range of resources/tools/info for adults to check in on their own wellbeing with personalised, practical tips so they can find what works for them.
- Mind website: mind.org.uk – mental health and wellbeing resources, info and tools, including ways to help yourself cope during a crisis.
