Monday 6th- Sunday 12th February 2023
Place2Be leads on Children's Mental Health Week and the theme for this year is
Let's Connect
Get your school talking about mental health by taking part in Place2Be’s Children’s Mental Health Week.
Visit their website to download free assembly guides, activities and top tips for primary and secondary schools: Schools - Children's Mental Health Week (childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk)
Place2Be's free resources will help you take part in the week. All of the ideas can be adapted for use in school, for home-schooling, online lessons or independent learning and available through their website - Schools - Children's Mental Health Week (childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk)
Messages from Somerset Youth Parliament Members
Children's Mental Health Week: Somerset young people's messages
Our thanks to Joel and Jasmine for their messages of connection and support
The Somerset Wellbeing Framework
Our Somerset Wellbeing Framework: Developing a whole school or college approach to emotional, mental health & wellbeing, helps us to consider connections through the 3 Pillars of Wellbeing - Belonging, Relationships & Lifestyles: Food, Activity & Sleep.
Find out more here - Somerset children & young people : Health & Wellbeing : New Home (cypsomersethealth.org)
Connecting can mean different things to different people, we can all connect in different ways and at different levels.
In what way's do you experience healthy and meaningful connections?
Throughout this bulletin we offer ideas for ways to connect, including information, resources and signposting for help & support
Connect - One of the five ways to Wellbeing
Connect
Connecting is about building relationships, both old and new. Strong relationships with other people help you feel good and provide a sense of belonging. Being part of a strong social network helps to keep you healthy.
Connect…with the people around you, with family, friends, colleagues and neighbours.
Connect with people at home, work, school or in your local community. Think of the relationships you have with these people as the foundations of your life. Invest time in developing them. Building these connections will help support and enrich you every day.
Find out more about this Public Health evidence based model to supporting wellbeing here - Somerset children & young people : Health & Wellbeing - 5 ways
CONNECTING WITH LOCAL SUPPORT
Young Somerset - Wellbeing Support
Wellbeing is about how we feel and how we cope with everyday difficulties. We do not have to feel happy all of the time to have positive wellbeing.
However, if you are finding it difficult to cope with everyday life, this is where it might be helpful to work with one of our wellbeing practitioners. Find out more here - What is Wellbeing Support? | Young Somerset
GIMME £IVE for Children's Mental Health Week
When you can’t tell anyone else. Tellmi
Tellmi is a safe, anonymous app where you can talk about absolutely anything. From anxiety to autism, dating to depression, or self-harm to self-esteem, sharing your experiences with our awesome community helps you to feel better.
Our moderators check everything to keep you safe and our in-house counsellors are always on hand if you need extra support.
Download this poster here - Gimme £ive Poster pdf
Download the free Tellmi app from Tellmi: Google Play and Tellmi: apple.com
Your online mental wellbeing community Home - Kooth
Mental Health Toolkit
This area of the Somerset Children and Young People's Health & Wellbeing website provides information and support about mental health and emotional health & wellbeing including -
- Body Image, Eating Problems and Disorders (cypsomersethealth.org)
- Somerset Emotional And Mental Health Support (cypsomersethealth.org)
- Self Injury (cypsomersethealth.org)
- Suicide Prevention (cypsomersethealth.org)
- Lifehacks (cypsomersethealth.org) For looking after your mental health
- And more - Mental Health Toolkit
Somerset Activity & Sports Partnership
We all know that our body and mind is connected. Getting active not only helps our physical body, it also helps our mental health keep in shape too.
SASP provide a range of activities for all ages and all levels of fitness across the County. Their offer also includes the Happy, Healthy, Holidays programmes.
Somerset Activity & Sports Partnership - Active Children & Young People (sasp.co.uk)
Are you a young adult aged 16-25 living in Somerset who feels you could benefit from some support with your mental health?
We've Got This is here to support you to feel more positive about yourself, through providing you with fun, safe and purposeful environments to feel more empowered about your mental health and your life in general.
Our peer mentor have been where you are now and use their own experiences to offer you support to help you feel better about yourself, recognise your self-worth, as well as help you build positive social networks through community groups.
Each peer mentor has their own areas of interest and we aim to match you up with a mentor who shares a similar interest to you. Somerset Activity & Sports Partnership - We've Got This (sasp.co.uk)
Somerset Children’s and Young People’s Counselling Alliance is a partnership of six leading organisations that provide counselling, information, advice, and support to children and young people aged 5 to 17 across Somerset.
For further information on this service please visit www.scya.org.uk
We're here to give you advice and support
If you're a young person living in Somerset, you may find that being Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Transgender, or questioning your sexuality or gender identity can be difficult.
This site is for you, have a wee look around. Welcome for LGBTQ+ young people (2bu-somerset.co.uk)
2BU Somerset - Our Stories
This document helps you gain a better understanding of what life is like for LGBT+ young people living in Somerset today - SCC training (canva.com)
Somerset Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) webpages. We offer a variety of teams and services for young people aged 0–18 years old who are struggling with their mental health.
Somerset CAMHS - CAMHS - Somerset NHS Foundation Trust (somersetft.nhs.uk)
CONNECTING WITH NATIONAL SUPPORT
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Time to Talk day might be over but the need to reach out and connect goes on.
Make space in your day for a conversation about mental health and visit the Time to Talk website for Resource, Tips and Ideas.
We know the more conversations we have, the better life is for everyone.
Talking about mental health isn’t always easy, but a conversation has the power to change lives.
Time To Talk Day - Time To Talk Day
Share the Friendly February Action for Happiness calendar with your connections
Action for Happiness brings people together and provides practical resources. We help each other learn evidence-based skills for happier living, feel a sense of belonging and commit to personal action to create more happiness, for ourselves and others Happier Kinder Together | Action for Happiness
CONNECTING WITH NATURE
Get Outside in Somerset is helping our community to get outdoors and move in more ways that suit you.
From spending time with family and having fun with friends in the garden, to enjoying the scenery and embracing the weather on our rolling hills, we’re all about simple ways to get outside in Somerset.
Take a look for tips, advice and guidance on how to keep or get active outdoors. Home Page - Get outside in Somerset
Somerset Nature Connections
Using the beautiful Somerset natural environments, helping people connect with others, nature and our natural world
Somerset Nature Connections | Somerset Wildlife Trust
TRAINING & CPD
Public Health offer a range of free training programmes for Somerset Schools, Colleges and Children & Young People Practitioners.
Our training supports settings developing their whole school or college approach through the 8 key principles.
Looking after ourselves is essential for looking after others. Engaging with training and CPD can support our own and staff wellbeing as well as those we care for.
Training includes:
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Mental Health First Aid (Youth)
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Self Harm training for schools, children & young people's workforce & Parents & Carers
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Compassionate Mindful Resilience (CMR)
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Introduction to Tuning into Kids: Developing a Relational Approach
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Somerset Senior Mental Health Leads Training 2023 - NEW DATES COMING SOON
Take a look at our training menu for registration and further details: Somerset children & young people : Health & Wellbeing Training Menu
Young People and Their Mental Health course has been created for young people aged over 14 wanting to know more about mental health.
This course is free to access and might also be of interest to parents, caregivers, teachers and medical professionals - www.futurelearn.com/courses/young-people-mental-health
Are you a parent or carer who is concerned about the mental health of your child or teenager?
Do you just want some hints and tips on parenting?
MindEd for Families has advice and information from trusted experts and will help you to understand what problems occur, what you can do to best support your family, and how to take care of yourself. MindEd for Families is written by a team of specialists and parents, working together. You do not need to register to use these resources.
