HF Mental Health & Wellbeing Parent Guide 2025 by Schudio

and Carer

Welcome to the Parent / Carer Guide

Inside, you ’ll find:

Practical wellbeing

strategies, including the Five Ways to Wellbeing

Advice on supporting anxiety and school refusal

Mindfulness tips

Signposts to local services and crisis support

Supportingyoungpeople’swellbeingisasharedresponsibility.

Weareheretoworkinpartnershipwithyou—nofamilyshould facethesechallengesalone.

Ifyouhaveanyconcernsaboutyourchild’swellbeing,please donothesitatetocontacttheirProgressLeader.

MentalHealthandWellbeingLead

Understanding Adolescent Mental Health

Theteenageyearsareatimeofrapidemotional,social,andphysicalchange.It’snormalforyoungpeopletohaveupsanddowns—but understandingthedifferencebetweentypicalteenagebehaviourandearlysignsofmentalhealthconcernsiskeytoofferingtheright supportattherighttime.

Anxiety

Persistentworry,fear,or nervousnessaboutsituationslike school,friendshipsorperformance.

Signstolookoutfor:

Avoidingcertainsituations(e.g. schoolorsocialevents)

Physicalsymptoms(e.g. headaches,stomachaches)

Panicattacksorconstant reassuranceseeking Troubleconcentratingor sleeping

Lowmoodordepression

Ongoingfeelingsofsadness, hopelessness,orlackofinterestin life.

Signstolookfor:

Withdrawalfromfriendsor activitiestheyusedtoenjoy

Lowenergyormotivation

Changesinappetiteorsleep

Negativeself-talkorfeelingsof worthlessness

Impactofsocialmedia

Signstolookoutfor:

Lowself-esteemorbodyimage concerns

Obsessivecheckingofphonesor socialplatforms

Upsetafterbeingonline(e.g. fromonlinedramaorbullying)

Difficultyswitchingoffortaking breaksfromscreens

PeerPressure

Thepressuretofitin,change behaviour,ortakepartinactivitiesto beacceptedbyothers.

Signstolookoutfor:

Suddenchangesinbehaviouror friendgroups

Risk-takingorout-ofcharacteractions

Seeminganxiousaboutsocial approvaloracceptance

Talkingaboutwantingto"fitin" ornotbeing“goodenough”

Schoolrefusal

Signstolookoutfor:

Frequentcomplaintsofillness onschooldays

Distressorpanicinthemorning

Fallingattendanceorlateness

Isolationorfearof failure/socialsituationsat school

Understanding Adolescent Mental Health

NormalTeenageBehaviour

Wantingmoreprivacyorindependence

Moodswingsorfrustration

Sleepinginonweekends

Worryingaboutexamsorfriendships

Testingboundaries

Beinggluedtoaphone/socialmedia

PossibleConcern

Withdrawingcompletelyfromfamilyandfriends

Ongoingsadness,hopelessness,orfrequentoutbursts

Difficultysleepingorsleepingexcessively

Constantanxietyaffectingdailylife

Risk-takingthatendangerssafetyorwellbeing

Obsession,comparison,ordistressafteruse

Immediate Actions for Parental Immediate Actions for Parental Concerns about Mental Health Concerns about Mental Health

1. Listen calmly 1. Listen calmly without without judgement judgement

2. Check 2. Check immediate immediate

Safety Safety

‘Is your child currently ‘Is your child currently safe?’ ‘Are they with you?’ safe?’ ‘Are they with you?’ 3. Advise 3. Advise immediate immediate support support services services

4. If in immediate 4. If in immediate danger: Call 999 or danger: Call 999 or take the child to take the child to A&E at Alder Hey A&E at Alder Hey or Ormskirk or Ormskirk Hospital Hospital

5. Log all 5. Log all information on information on CPOMS and notify CPOMS and notify designated DSL designated DSL

6. Follow up: offer 6. Follow up: offer same day or next same day or next day call back and day call back and ensure relevant ensure relevant staff are informed staff are informed

Whole School Approach to MH

At Holy Family, we are committed to supporting every young person ’ s mental health and emotional wellbeing. Our Whole School Approach is our universal offer—a foundation of care, awareness, and support available to all students, every day.

This includes a wide range of strategies and activities such as:

Communications

and social media updates

Our Wellbeing Challenge

If concerns arise about a young person ’ s wellbeing, their Progress Leader may suggest starting the 30-Day Wellbeing Challenge. This is a first-response approach, offering simple, seasonal activities to help young people build resilience, manage stress, and look after their mental health. The challenge also helps open up conversations between young people, families, and staff, making it easier to check in and offer support.

Parents/carers and Progress Leaders should:

Encourage the young person to take part

Look out for whether they are engaging

Use the activities as check-in points for discussion

Once completed, the young person receive merits and a certificate, to praise their engagement. If concerns remain, a referral to the Inclusion Team may be made, and families may be signposted to further support or advised to contact their GP. This challenge is an important first step in supporting wellbeing and identifying when more help may be needed.

5 Ways to Wellbeing

The NHS Five Ways to Wellbeing are simple, evidence-based actions—Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning, and Give—designed to improve mental health and help people feel more positive.

These small daily actions can make a big difference, especially when practiced together as a family. You don’t have to do them all every day. Even one small positive action each day can help build a more connected, resilient family.

Have a screen-free family dinner, play a board game, or check in with each other at the end of the day.

Go for a walk, bike ride, or try a dance video or yoga session together at home.

Try mindfulness as a family (e.g., 5 senses exercise), go for a walk and notice what you see, hear and feel, or start a gratitude jar.

Learn a new recipe, do a DIY project, or try a new skill together (e.g., sign language, origami, or trivia night).

Mindful activities for young people

Mindful activities are important because they reduce stress, enhance focus, improve emotional wellbeing, and promote self-awareness, helping individuals live more balanced, present, and fulfilling lives.

Mindful Breathing

Traceafingeraroundyourhand whileinhalinganddownwhile exhaling,itcombinessensory stimulationwithdeepbreaths, helpingtocentreandcalmthe mind.

Mindful Walking

Mindfulwalkingisawayofnoticing what’sgoingonaroundyouwhile youtakeawalk.Insteadofracing towhereyou’regoing,youtake yourtimeandreallynoticewhat yousee,hearandfeel.

The Body Scan

Thisisallaboutheightening yourawarenessofyourselfand yourbody.Through regular practice,youwillbecomemore attunedtoyouremotionaland physicalstates.

Mindful Journalling

Havinga notebookwhereyou canjotdownyourfeelings, observations,orthingsyou’re gratefulfor.Physicallywriting downfeelingsandfearshelps youreflectandstaypresent.

Grounding Techniques

Groundingtechniquesareexercises thatmayhelpyourefocusonthe presentmomenttodistract yourselffromanxiousfeelings. Workingbackwardfrom5,useyour sensestolistthingsyounotice aroundyou.

Mindful Colouring

Colouringincanbevery meditative. Focusonthe sensationofthecrayonor colouredpencilsonpaper,the coloursyou’reusing,andthejoy ofcreating!

Ways to support your anxious child

Talk to your Child: understand their specific fears

Identify triggers: common triggers include separation, academic pressure, social issues or rout ne changes.

Create a stable morning routine

Use a visual schedule: checklists wi l help them anticipate their day

Reward Systems: reward attendance and participat on.

Praise their efforts, not just their successes

Step by Step: start with short school visits and gradually increase time

Visit the Schoo and meet the teachers before the year starts..

Organise: Prepare uniform lunch and school bag the night before.

Re axing bedtime routine: ensure a calming bedtime routine for a good s eep

Model ca mness: stay positive and calm

Positive anguage: emphas se the aspects of school that interest the young person /

Communicate with staff: regularly talk to AP Lead and Inc usion Staff

Help develop an individualised plan alongside the school.

Breathing exercises: teach simp e breathing techniques to calm them and get ready for learning

Prob em solving skills: help them to role play or discuss scenarios, so they fee in control and prepared

A i T ls and

TheCircleofControl

ThoughtChallenging

Anxiety Tools and Techniques

TheWorryTree

TheAnxietyLadder

Self Harm

❝TheUKhasoneofthehighestratesofselfharm inEuropeat400per100’000population❞

NationalSelfHarmForum

(https://www.nshn.co.uk/index.html)aimstosupport

individualswhoselfharmtoreduceemotionaldistressand improvetheirqualityoflife.Itprovidessupportand information forfamilyandcarers.

Commonmisconceptions: Selfharmisattemptedsuicide

Allpeoplewhoselfharmaresuicidal

Selfharmisoftenseenasacryforhelp,aploytogain attentionorasmanipulation

Themoreserioustheinjury,themoreserioustheproblem

Theymustlikethepain

Advice for Family, Friends and Teachers

Distraction techniques for young people

Suicidal Ideation

Suicideisthemaincauseofdeathinyoungpeopleundertheageof35intheUK.Over200 teenagersarelosttosuicideeveryyear.

Howdowecreatehope throughaction?

Researchshowsthatwithappropriate earlyinterventionandsupport,suicide byyoungpeoplecanbeprevented.

By usingthe MYASERIOUSmodel,we can reducethestigmaaroundsuicide andrespondintherightway.

“Areyouthinkingabouttakingyourownlife?”

“Areyouthinkingaboutsuicide?” “Areyouhavingsuicidalthoughts?”

“Areyouwantingtodie?”

Iftheysayyes...

P=DotheyhaveaPLAN?

A=DotheyhaveACCESStolethalmeans?

I=HowINTENSEaretheirsuicidalfeelings?

N=NOpreviousattemptsorexposure?

Usingthelink,signupforfree,anonymous1-2-1supportusinglivechatormessenger.Setupanaccountin only8steps:https://www.kooth.com/signup/available-in-many-areas

Realpeople,notbots: theprofessionalsyouspeakwithinour chatservicearerealpeoplewhowant tolistentoyou.

Asafespacetotalk: theKoothchatserviceisasafespace forsupportaccreditedbytheBritish AssociationforCounsellingand Psychology(BACP).

SUPPORT OFFERED

Venusoperatesitsfrontlinesupportworkacrosstwodifferentcentres.Alloftheirworksupportsevidence-based,traumainformedpracticestoprovideasafeandtrustingenvironment.Servicesaretailoredtothespecificneedsofthoseindividualsthey support.TheyworkwithSefton’sACESTeam,recognisingandworkingwithACESandPACESso traumacanbeacknowledgeand workedthrough.

THE VENUS CENTRE

Young people can drop in Mondays and Wednesdays from 3.007.00pm for information, support and advice.

Parent's support drop is on Mondays from 1pm - 3pm LGBTQ drop-in support group is on Tuesdays from 5.15pm6.45pm.

STAR CENTRE

TheSeftonCarersCentreYoungCarerssupportserviceisasmalland ambitiousteamthatisdedicatedtoempoweringourborough’syoungcarers andyoungadultcarersandsupportingtheirfutureaspirations.Weworkwith youngcarersdirectlyandforyoungcarerschampioningtheircause.

BEING A YOUNG CARER

YoungCarersare childrenandyoungpeople whohelptolookaftersomeonelivingwitha healthinequalitywhoneedstheirsupport. Theymightbethesolecarerorthemain carer,ortheycouldbepartofateamthat helpstosupportsomeone.

Thepersontheyprovidecareforisafriendor familymemberwho,duetoillness,disability, amentalhealthproblemorasubstance misuseissue,finditdifficulttocopewithout theyoungcarer’ssupport.

HOW CAN WE HELP?

YoungCarerswhoareregisteredare supported accordingtotheirwishesand needs.Someofthesupportavalibleis: Checkinviamessages totheyoung people

Shareregularupdatesaboutthe services

Supportwith1-2-1sessionsinschoolto helpthemdealwithchallengesthatmay arise

Accesstoweeklydropingroupsin CrosbyandSouthport

Accesstoamixtureofempowerment supportandfunbreaksfromcaring Respiteactivitiesintheschoolholidays

BEFORE MAKING A REFERRAL

Istheyoungpersonagedbetween5and 17?

Doestheyoungpersonand/ortheperson theycareforliveinSefton?

Doestheyoungpersonhavecaring responsibilities?

Hastheyoungpersonbeenspokenwith aboutbeingreferredasayoungcarer?

Hasparentalconsentbeengivenforthe referraltobemade?

Doesthepersoninneedofcarehavean illness, adisability,amentalhealth problemorasubstancemisuseissue?

Thereferralformcanbefoundontheirwebsite:https://sefton-carers.org.uk/young-carers/

youcan'tpour from anemptycup Supporting parents navigate tough

times

Weknowthatparentingateenagerisnevereasy—anditcanfeelevenharderwhenyou'refacingyourownmentalhealthchallengesor financialpressures.Pleaseknowthatyouarenotalone.Wearehereforbothyouandyourchild.

Yourwellbeingmatters.Itis notselfishtoprioritiseyour mentalhealth.UsetheNHS’s5 waystowellbeingtohelp.Even smallactsliketakingawalk, talkingtosomeoneyoutrust, orsimplypausingtorefillyour cup.

NHSMerseyCareoffer urgent24/7mentalhealth supportforfree.

Call08001456570ifyou areage16andoverandlive inLiverpoolorSefton.

If you need someone to talk to, they listen

ChangeGrowLiveSefton, providesadultsand tfamiliessupportthrough Cheirjourneytorecovery. all01512039755for advice.

TheSamaritanswon’t udgeortellyouwhattodo. Available24/7,365daysa year.Call116123,email jo@samaritans.orgorvisit theirwebsite.

CitizensAdviceSefton,provides knowledgeforthoseindifficult circumstances.Theyoffer tconfidentialadviceonline,over hephoneandinpersonforfree. Adviceline08082787841MonFri9.30am-4.30pm.

Trynottocompare yourselftoothers.Every family’sjourneyis different.Giveyourself compassionyouwouldoffer afriend.