Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health

Exam stress

Exam season can be stressful for students - they may be feeling extra pressure from themselves and others, struggle with daily self-care like sleep and eating, or have more anxiety. Education staff can support students by making time to discuss exam stress in lessons or tutor time, giving them resources to take home, or signposting them to further support using assemblies and posters around the school. Here are some resources to use:

Childline webpage on Exam Stress and Pressure

Anna Freud Centre tips on Revision as self-care for exam stress

Hampshire CAMHS webpage on School, College and Exams which has a downloadable self-help booklet

Young Minds guide for young people on coping with Exam Stress

See below for more resources and signposting for when young people need extra help.

National guidance

Future in Mind report: promoting, protecting and improving our children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing by the Department of Health and NHS

Public Health England’s Promoting children and young people’s emotional health and wellbeing: a whole school and college approach

Transforming Children and Young People’s Mental Health Provision: a Green Paper  by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department of Education

Building Children and Young People’s Resilience in Schools by Public Health England and UCL Institute of Health Equity

Five Year Forward View for mental health, report from the NHS independent taskforce

Mental health and behaviour in schools guidance from the Department of Education

Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Strategy for Children and Young People in Hampshire 2019-2024

Promoting and supporting mental health and wellbeing in schools and colleges guidance by DfE

Advice and Resources

Back to Basics is a local campaign that empowers parents and carers to support their child’s emotional wellbeing within the home by making small changes. The website has videos, posters, goal-setting cards, and assembly packs that can be shared with your children and families.

Universal and specialist support

ChatHealth confidential text messaging service with a school nurse to support young people aged 11-19 in Hampshire on 07507 332160. Available Monday to Friday from 9am to 4.30pm (excluding bank holidays)

Hampshire Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (Camhs)

Hampshire Youth Access (HYA) provides advice, support and counselling for children and young people aged 5 to 17 across Hampshire. It is a partnership that offers one to one, group and online support to children and young people, and advice and information to anyone concerned about a child or young person’s emotional wellbeing

Kooth is a free, anonymous online counselling and emotional wellbeing support service for young people aged 11-25 years (up to 26th birthday) in Hampshire. It offers a safe way to access support for emotional health and wellbeing needs from a team of professional qualified counsellors. Counsellors are available 12noon - 10pm on weekdays and 6pm - 10 pm at weekends, every day of the year. No referral needed.

The Self Harm Hub provides training and resources for professionals in Hampshire and Isle of Wight who might come across self-harming behaviour. They also provide peer support for parents/carers of children who self-harm.

Amparo offers support for anyone affected by suicide in Southampton, Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Portsmouth.

SHOUT provides 24/7 mental health support by text for all ages in Hampshire and Isle of Wight. Text HANTS to 85258.

The Little Blue Book of Sunshine is a mental health resource for children and young people in Hampshire. It aims to help by sharing tips on how to deal with problems such as anxiety, body image, relationships and anger. It includes information about national and local resources. The booklet is available on Apple Books and Google Play Books.

iTalk is a service for people registered with their GP in the following areas of Hampshire: Alton, Andover, Basingstoke, Bordon, Eastleigh, Fareham, Gosport, Havant, the New Forest, Petersfield, Romsey and Winchester

TalkPlus is a service available to people who are registered with a GP in the following areas of Hampshire: Yateley, Fleet, Farnborough, Blackwater, Aldershot or Farnham

Services to support children and young people experiencing bereavement and loss in Hampshire

Every Mind Matters offers tips and resources for adults and young people to maintain good mental wellbeing

Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families Support for Schools and Colleges, including a set of five free mental health resources specifically for staff in further education colleges, developed in collaborations with the AoC

The Mix provides support for under 25s

Student Space by Student Minds offers support and advice during coronavirus

Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) preventing male suicide

Papyrus charity for the prevention of young suicide

Resources

MindEd is a free education resource for supporting children and young people’s mental health, aimed at professionals, volunteers, parents and carers

Good Practice Guide by the Carers Trust: Supporting Further Education Students with Caring Responsibilities

Young Minds resources for schools, which can be filtered by age group

Charlie Waller Memorial Trust provides resources and information for schools and parents on depression, emotional wellbeing and self-harm with downloadable leaflets

Hampshire Safeguarding Children Partnership: Managing Self-Harm Toolkit

Truth about self-harm booklet is downloadable from the Mental Health Foundation

Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton (HIPS) safeguarding children self-harm pathway

Anna Freud Self Care for good mental health list for young people

Free e-learning

• Connect 5 training, available on Zoom, equips learners with the skills to offer ‘guided self-help’ support to improve a person’s mental health and wellbeing, improve their resilience and ability to self-manage with three 3-hour sessions
• The Zero Suicide Alliance provides a range of awareness training options which offer a better understanding of the signs to look out for and the skills required to approach someone who is struggling. Course lengths varies but is approximately 10-20 minutes for each module
• Solihull Approach - free online courses offering advice and practical tips to boost confidence as a parent, help navigate family life and strengthen relationships. Courses are available for parents and caregivers, as well as teachers and professionals working with children and young people