Managing your family's mental health and well-being

It is vital to look after your mental health and wellbeing during this time.

Milton Keynes CAMHS logo

MK CAMHS

MK CAMHS have produced a lovely leaflet packed with tips and information for young people to manage their mental health. Click on the link below to take you to the leaflet

What to do to support your mental health during Coronavirus (PDF, 226KB) (Young Person's factsheet)

Service Six

Service Six helpline

Service Six has been granted some additional funding from Milton Keynes Community Foundation, to provide online support to children, young people and parents during this crisis period. Times are hard for everyone currently, and Service Six are a listening ear to support children and young people across Milton Keynes and guidance for parents on supporting their children with anxiety and worries using solution focussed early interventions, providing advice on techniques and signposting to resources. The support can be by telephone, WhatsApp or Zoom calls. The following link will take you to the referral form to complete.

Service Six referral form (PDF, 758KB)

How to look after your mental wellbeing during coronavirus (COVID-19)

As we have to stay at home it is important to take care of our mind as well as our body. It is common to feel worried, scared or helpless about the current situation. It is OK to feel this way, share your concerns with others you trust or you could try a charity helpline or webchat.

Here are some tips and advice on how we can keep on top of our mental wellbeing and cope during times of uncertainty. Share these with friends and family to look after yourself and those you care about.

Top Tips for your mental wellbeing:

1. Connect with others- Maintaining healthy relationships with people we trust is important. Stay connected via email, social media, FaceTime and telephone. Adjust your social media intake if it is making you anxious. If you haven’t got anyone to talk to you can call emotional support lines like SANEline & the Samaritans

2. Be active -Our physical health affects how we feel. It is important to eat healthily, drink enough water and exercise regularly. Build physical activity into your daily routine for example cleaning your home, dancing to music, seated exercise, online workouts.

3. Take notice & focus on the present - Engage with nature. Open the windows to get fresh air, watch the birds, make the most of any private outdoor space, tend to houseplants, listen to natural sounds apps. If you have a private garden spend time outside.

4. Stick to the facts & limit your news intake - Do not stay glued to the news. A constant stream of news can cause anyone to feel anxious or distressed. You could set yourself a specific time to read updates or limit to checking a couple of times a day – use trustworthy sources such as GOV.UK or NHS website.

5. Have a routine - Maintain a sense of routine and try to follow your ordinary routine as much as possible. Wake up and go to bed at healthy times, get enough sleep. Include time to relax.

6. Keep your mind active - Do something you enjoy. Find something of value in your day and do something for yourself (download a podcast, watch a box set, art and crafts, cooking, gardening, reading a book, DIY). Take a free online course.

7. Offer support and help others - Helping others makes you feel good. If you are able to try to think of things you can do to help those around you safely and in line with official guidance. You can volunteer to help on this page. Check in with friends, neighbours or colleagues who may be self-isolating or vulnerable.

8. Keep your children informed by explaining the facts but try to avoid scare stories and over-exposure to the news. Be as truthful as possible. See talking with your children about world news.

9. Take care of your immediate environment. - As you are spending a lot of time at home, you may find it helpful to keep things clean and tidy. If you live with other people, it could help to decide together how you’ll use different spaces for example spaces for work.

10. Working from home - Working from home can be challenging and isolating. Try to keep a structured day, with a routine for work and to keep both formal and social connections flowing with colleagues. Find tips for working at home here

Below is information on support and guidance that is available nationally

Helping children cope with stress, WHO https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/helping-children-cope-with-stress-print.pdf?sfvrsn=f3a063ff_2

Covid 19 guidance on supporting children and young peoples mental health and wellbeing (updated 30 March 2020) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-supporting-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-and-wellbeing

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/looking-after-your-mental-health-during-coronavirus-outbreak

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing/

Sleepio is an online sleep improvement programme, proven to help you fall asleep faster, stay asleep through the night, and give you more energy during the day. You can learn more about who Sleepio is suitable for here.

BACP guidance around managing anxiety - https://www.bacp.co.uk/news/news-from-bacp/2020/28-february-coronavirus-anxiety-how-to-cope-if-you-re-feeling-anxious-about-the-outbreak/

Anna Freud links - Supporting schools & colleges: A guide to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of pupils and students during periods of disruption There are also three videos, one for school staff, one for parents and one for children and young people which may be useful.

5 Ways to Wellbeing are a great way to think about steps you can take to maintain and improve your health and wellbeing. More information is available here : https://www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/social-care-and-health/public-health/5-ways-to-wellbeing-mk.

Good days in unusual times’ is a small gift for all children during these days when we can’t do many of the things we usually enjoy. It a small book of tips for how to take care of yourself and have good days. It has been kindly produced by Anne-Mette Lange a clinical psychologist and illustrator Marie Geert Jensen. https://www.annafreud.org/early-years/early-years-in-mind/resources/good-days-in-unusual-times/
Working with babies, young children and families on digital platforms https://www.annafreud.org/early-years/early-years-in-mind/resources/working-with-babies-young-children-and-families-on-digital-platforms/
Top tips to help families work together and support one another during the coronavirus outbreak https://www.annafreud.org/media/11260/option-3-covid-advice-families2.pdf
Helping babies and young children under 5 through the Coronavirus crisis https://www.annafreud.org/media/11732/eyim_covidsupport_v1d2.pdf
Why attachments matters more than ever – Managing anxieties - https://www.saia.org.uk/why-attachment-matters-more-than-ever.html

Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)

01908 253169 / 01908 253170
Email

children@milton-keynes.gov.uk