Healthy, Happy and Safe at Home

 

Please also visit our Healthy Somerset website for guidance and information on staying Healthy, Happy and Safe at home

 

These E-newsletters will help you to support children and young people during the Coronavirus period with opportunities to: 

• feel loved and cared for

• listened to

  

• supported in times of need

• experience enjoyment and fun

• keep active

• stay safe

 

 

 

Public Health have helped many schools to develop a ‘whole school approach’ to mental health using the Somerset Wellbeing Framework and the Pillars of Wellbeing. The pillars represent aspects of our lives that are important for our wellbeing and resilience 

  

The Pillars of Wellbeing

 

Belonging, Relationships and Lifestyle (Diet, Activity & Sleep)

 

Through this period of change and difference, when we are all asked to stay at home, children and young people may need ideas and support to help them safely stay in contact with their friends. To help support this, we will be sending out weekly bulletins linked to the pillars of wellbeing. Helping everyone to stay Healthy, Happy and Safe at home.

 

 Please click on the blue links below to access this bulletin's items

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Advice & Tips 

 

Keeping in contact with and maintaining friends and friendships is of huge importance for our mental and emotional health. We need to recognise the importance of connection for Children & Young People and acknowledge how difficult this time of dis-connection may be proving.

 

We all need to take some time to look after ourselves as well as being there for others. We may ask ourselves ‘What advice or support would I offer to a friend’ and show to ourselves, this same love, care and support, that we readily offer to others.

 

Looking after your feelings and body

An easy read guide to looking after yourself during Covid-19

 

Little book of Mental Health LifeHacks

There are 2 books available in this series. 1 to support your mental health and 1 to help you support your friends mental health. Each book is packed with ideas and links to support mental health and includes true stories from people who’ve tried them out.

 

 

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Activities 

 

We have put together a range of activity ideas to support children and young peoples friendships during this time 

 

Crayons poem.pdf

KS1/KS2 Friendship poem - Decorate this poem with drawings, symbols or words that remind you of your friends and your friendships. Each of you have unique qualities that you will bring to your box of crayons.

 

ingredients to make a good friend.pdf

Friendship recipe – What qualities are important for friendships? What ingredients will you add to your friendship recipe?

 

For more activities and ideas to support children and young people with friends and friendships click:

Here

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Weblinks and Apps

 

Helping you to look after and keep yourself and your friends happy, healthy & safe

 

During this time we are not able to have the physical connections we are all used to, but this doesn’t mean that we are not able to connect. Social media is necessary for us all to remain connected during this time, however, it is important that we continue to monitor how and what we do with our online time.

 

YoungMinds | Mental Health Charity For Children And Young People | YoungMinds 

Friends and family

Find out how friends and family can help you stay mentally healthy, and get tips on managing changes  

 

BBC Own it

The BBC Own It keyboard and app

The Own It app will help you to make smart choices, feel more confident and get advice when you need it.

 

Net-aware

Social networks, apps and games

Net Aware reviewed the most popular social networks, apps and games children are using. This link provides an

‘At a glance’ way to find out –

What children are using different apps for – Play, Create, Learn or connect

The experts views of the risks, considering if there is - High Medium or Low risk for -

Sexual, Violence & hatred, Bullying, Suicide & self-harm, Drink, drugs & crime content

 

  

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Mindful Practices of connection

 

Loving Kindness is a common meditation which is often practised to help hold feelings of connection with ourselves, loved ones and the wider world.   

 

Loving kindness meditation

This link offers one of many mindfulness practices which are available on line.

It is expected that children should attend a practice freely through being invited alongside joining a trusted adult. 

 

Sit together

Join a mindfulness or meditation group alongside your friends –

Mindfulness in Schools Project (MisP) offers a daily 11am Sit Together, using online Zoom. This session is suitable for children, young people and those new to mindfulness, although is open to all.

Sessions for adults and older children with some experience of mindfulness practice and slightly longer periods of silence will be held on the following evenings:

• Tuesday: 7.30pm
• Thursday: 7.30pm

Each session will last 20-30 minutes. Join every day, or when you can, or when you need to. 

A supportive adult needs to attend with children, video zoom is activated and a community meditation is guided by a trained MISP teacher. Guidance information is delivered around the meditation using props to support understanding of the practice.

  

Feeling connected to each other

This American based website offers a range of resources, ideas and practices to support social and emotional development, kindness and happiness in schools.