Enhancing parent and carer’s knowledge and confidence to support their child’s mental health and emotional wellbeing

Schools are often the first point of contact when a parent or carer needs help with concerns for their child’s mental health or emotional wellbeing

The resources below are recommended for parents who would like to increase their knowledge and confidence of children and young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing.  

Thriving

Most children and families in the UK are considered to be 'thriving' and feel able to manage difficulties themselves. They know where they can go for advice and do not need help to do so, with good support networks around them and strategies to support their wellbeing. 

Even when children, young people and families are thriving, it can still be helpful to have access to resources which can ensure that they continue to thrive and so that parents and carers are informed, should they ever need more advice or support. Families who are thriving may find the following resources useful.  

Getting advice

Sometimes children and families experience mild or temporary difficulties that they can generally manage but sometimes may need advice. They may need help or a specialist service to give this advice or may choose to get advice about more severe difficulties without wanting to access more help at this time. 

    • The Charlie Waller Trust Resource Library is an online library of resources around children and young people's mental health.
    • Chat Health is a text service run by the school nursing service. Aimed at children and young people age 11-19 and also parents of primary-aged children.
    • The Child in Mind podcast series is from the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families about various aspects of mental health and emotional wellbeing for parents and carers.
    • The Educational Psychology Service Parent Consultations are bookable 30-minute consultations with an Educational Psychologist who can help parents to think about strategies they can use to support their child.  
    • The Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust Parent Webinars are a library of pre-recorded webinars for parents from CAMHS colleagues in Norfolk and Suffolk. 
    • 'Raising Good Humans' is a book that provides powerful and practical strategies to break free from "reactive parenting" habits and raise kind, cooperative, and confident kids. 
    • 'Raising Teens' is a BBC Radio Sussex Podcast aimed at parents and carers who are raising teenagers. 

    • Referrals can be made to the school nurse service for a range of health issues, include mental health and emotional wellbeing. 

    • SPOA is the single point of access for all children and young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing concerns. It is the access point for Youth Emotional Support, CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) and YMCA Dialogue counselling services. Parents can refer to SPOA themselves or a professional can make the referral.  

    • Stormbreak has a variety of different challenges, videos, and advice to support children and young people’s mental health. Interactive website that allows children and families to choose what they want to work on. Parents and carers can register for free.

    • Sussex CAMHS have pre-recorded webinars for parents and carers and bookable links to live webinars on a range of mental health difficulties.

    • In the pioneering, practical book for parents 'The Whole Brain Child', neuroscientist Daniel J. Siegel and parenting expert Tina Payne Bryson explain the new science of how a child's brain is wired and how it matures. 

    • The Thought-Full YouTube channel features pre-recorded webinars for parents and carers on Teenage Mental Health, Supporting Anxiety for Parents of Primary Children, and Confident Parents. These are free to access for all parents. 
    • West Sussex Mind offer a range of training for parents and carers, both pre-recorded and live. Topics include: Emotionally-based school avoidance; aggressive behaviours; anxiety; attachment; and self-soothing.  

    • School nurses can offer advice on a range of health issues via the West Sussex School Nurse advice line (including emotional wellbeing) for parents/carers of children aged 5 – 19.  

Getting help

Children or families may need help if they need more than a one-off contact from a professional and would benefit from targeted support. This kind of support usually involves the child of family working towards a goal. 

Everyone involved will know what they expect to achieve and how long the period of help will last. Clear communication will help the child or family to know what will happen if their goals are not met and they help they get will be 'evidence-based'. meaning that it is something that has been tested and is known to be effective.

    • Allsorts Youth Project provide support for children and young people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, non-binary or gender-questioning and their families.  
    • Aspens work locally with children who are autistic and their families. Their family support offer includes one-to-one clinics, family days out, and groups. They also offer webinars to support parents with understanding the emotional needs of autistic children and young people, including sessions on Anxiety and Demand Avoidance.  
    • Every school in West Sussex has a Dedicated Schools Team link worker who can meet with families to help them to navigate services when they need help. Please speak to your school to ask about the Dedicated Schools Team.  

    • Enabling Families is a service offered by West Sussex Early Help. It offers 1-5 sessions with a support worker who will help families to explore their strengths, worries, and work towards their goals. 

    • Your GP can make referrals and offer support for a child or young person experiencing mental health difficulties. 

    • Parent and Carers Support Organisation: PACSO is a West Sussex charity who support children with disabilities and their families. Their offer includes after-school clubs, trips, and family days out.  
    • Reaching Families provide support for parents and carers of children with SEND. This support includes parent groups, befriending service, fact sheets and training. Their online training for parents includes sessions on: Making Sense of Anxiety; Making Sense of Wellbeing; and Making Sense of Challenging Behaviour.  
    • Best known for their couples counselling, Relate also offers counselling for families to help them to navigate difficult time. Please note this is a paid service.  

    • Referrals can be made to the school nurse service for a range of health issues, include mental health and emotional wellbeing.  

    • Special Educational Needs and Disability Information and Advice Service: SENDIAS provide impartial information and advice to families of children with SEND.  
    • SPOA is the single point of access for all children and young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing concerns. It is the access point for Youth Emotional Support, CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) and YMCA Dialogue counselling services. Parents can refer to SPOA themselves or a professional can make the referral.  
    • West Sussex Mind offer a range of services to parents including: online peer support groups; one-to-one telephone support; talks by experts; a closed Facebook group; signposting; and casual check-ins.  

    • The West Sussex Parent Carer Forum is independent from the NHS, Local Authority and other education, health and care services, so parent carers can speak confidently and freely about their views and experiences.

     

Getting more help

Children or families may need more help if they need more specialist help and may need a longer period of help than those in the 'getting help' category. 

These children or families may need support from several different services who should communicate with one another. They help they get will still be evidence-based and clear communication will ensure that the child and family know what to expect by the end of the help, and what will happen if their goals are not met. 

Children may fall into this category if they need a lot or constant supervision and feel distressed on a daily basis. 

    • IFD: The integrated front door is the referral point for social services and Early Help. Parents and carers can self-refer to the IFD or a professional can make the referral.  
    • SPOA is the single point of access for all children and young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing concerns. It is the access point for Youth Emotional Support, CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) and YMCA Dialogue counselling services. Parents can refer to SPOA themselves or a professional can make the referral.  

Getting risk support

If you have immediate concerns that a child is at risk of harm due to their mental health please go directly to A&E or telephone 999.

There are times when children or families are not able or not yet able to access support in the 'getting help' or 'getting more help' categories. They may be on a waiting list for help or they may have had help that has not been effective, or alternatively sometimes the child or family simply are not ready or able to access the help available.

Sometimes when a child or family is unable to access help there are concerns about risk. When there are risk concerns services should work in a co-ordinated way to ensure that everyone is clear what the risks are and what plan is in place to support the child or family.

Children and families should be encouraged to work with the professionals that they have the most trusting relationships with, in order to make plans around managing risk.

If you are concerned about risk to your child concerning mental health and emotional wellbeing, you should inform your school’s designated safeguarding lead. Details of the correct person to contact at your school are on each school’s website or available from your school’s office.  

    • The CAMHS duty line is available weekdays from 9am – 5pm for parents of children who are on a CAMHS waiting list and who feel that their child’s mental health is posing a risk.  
    • Information about getting help in a crisis, including an interactive flowchart which highlights services to contact.
    • Integrated Front Door should be contacted if you are concerned about risk to your child, this might include concerns around child sexual exploitation, harm from adults, and domestic violence.  
    • Shout is the UK’s first 24/7 crisis text service, provides free, confidential, 24/7 text message support in the UK for anyone who is struggling to cope.
    • Papyrus suicide prevention charity has useful information about what to do if your child is struggling with thoughts of suicide or self-harm.  
    • There is a crisis support line which can also be used by parents and carers of children and young people who need urgent mental health support.