We want every child to feel happy in Medway.
There will be times in their life which challenge their mental wellbeing, including:
- school
- friends
- family situations
- other relationships.
We’re committed to providing children with social activities that contribute towards positive mental health, along with ensuring support services are both in place and accessible for families when extra help is needed.
Top tips to support children's mental health
- Have a break from your mobile: It can be easy for a child to spend too much time on their mobile. Making time to have a break from their screen time (particular during mealtimes and before they go to bed) can help them to focus and communicate at home. Looking at their mobile excessively before bed can affect your child’s sleep, which can also affect concentration levels at school.
- Make time to exercise: Getting out with your child at least once a week can be a great bonding exercise, from going for a run to taking up an exercise class. Getting regular fresh air can really help to improve mood.
- Bedtime: Having a set bedtime routine during the school week is important to help support a child’s development. Make sure they understand the benefits of going to bed at a set time (feeling re-energized and not feeling tired the next day).
- Family night: Setting a regular family night once a week is a great way to create togetherness and feel-good experiences. Whether it’s a board game night, quiz or movie night, set a date in the diary and reap the benefits.
- Relaxing the mind: Mindfulness is a great way to escape from the stresses of the day. There are sessions available for children to help look after their mental health. Visit the App Store or Google Play to download a mindfulness app to your phone.
- Listen: Make time to check how your child is feeling. Asking them how they are will show them that you care about how they feel and can help them to open up if they’re feeling low.
- Praise them: A child’s self-esteem can be damaged when they do not feel they’re being recognised for good behavior or school achievements. Giving your child praise can help boost the way they feel.
Opportunities for children
There are a range of activities and initiatives available for children across Medway that can help contribute towards good mental health.
Here’s just some of what’s available to help your child be active and feel happy.
Youth clubs provide lots of indoor and outdoor activities throughout the year for children aged 8 years and over.
There are 7 youth clubs available across Medway.
Not drinking enough water can make you feel tired and stressed.
Medway Council has partnered with Refill and local businesses to provide free access to water refill.
A Better Medway's Healthy Weight Team run FitFix, a free healthy lifestyle course for young people aged 13 years and over.
During the 10 weeks, their friendly instructors will help you to make better food choices and cook healthier versions of everyday meals, from breakfast to fast food.
Youth gyms are aimed at 8 to 16 year olds and cost £12.50 a month.
There's a range of benefits to help introduce children and young people into youth gyms.
Half-term sports camps offer high quality multi-sport coaching for children aged 7 to 12 years.
The camps take place during the school holidays at Medway's sports centres.
The following sports camps are running:
-
Strood Sports Centre: Monday 14 February to Thursday 17 February 2022
-
Medway Park Sports Centre: Tuesday 15 February to Friday 18 February 2022.
Find out more about sports camps in Medway and how you can book a place.
Little Chefs is a fun filled cookery group for families with children aged 2 to 4 years old.
The sessions help introduce young children into cooking through easy-to-make, nutritious recipes.
They also help to improve your knowledge of food, including where it comes from and the health benefits.
Tri Cookery is a course that helps school children to learn new cookery skills.
This free 6-week course runs during term time across Medway and is suitable for families with children aged 5 to 17 years old.
There are a range of face-to-face and virtual book clubs available across Medway to help you begin reading.
Support for children
It’s normal for children to feel anxious or stressed about school, particularly following the difficulties we’ve all faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Whether it’s exams pressure, issues with friends, bullying or worries about life after school, there’s lots of challenges for children that can impact how they feel.
Below are the support services available for children in Medway.
An online mental health community giving free and confidential advice for young people aged 10 to 25 years old.
They are available from 12pm to 10pm weekdays and 6pm to 10pm at the weekends.
If your child is feeling anxious, our Release the Pressure service can help.
Text the word ‘Medway’ to 85258 for confidential, expert support.
Alternatively, phone 0800 107 0160 (open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week).
YPWS works with children and young people in Medway aged 18 years and under with complex mental health difficulties.
Support is tailored to the needs of the child, the young person and their family.
Visit the Medway Young Persons' Wellbeing Service page for more information.
Togetherall is for young people aged 16 to 18 in need of mental health support.
It offers an online community that can be accessed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
There are also self-assessments and recommended resources, as well as a wide range of self-guided courses young people can do at their own pace.
Shout is the UK’s first and only free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope.
Whether you want to understand more about how you’re feeling and find ways to feel better, or you want to support someone who’s struggling, Young Minds can help.
Support for parents
There is also support available for parents to help with their child's mental health.
The NHS offers a range of dedicated support and resources to help parents look after the mental wellbeing of their children.
They also offer support for young people to care for their own mental health.
A Better Medway’s Child Health Team offer training to parents and carers through 3 sessions:
-
managing emotional health and wellbeing for parents and carers
-
supporting your children with their mental health and wellbeing
-
supporting a child or young person who is at risk of self-harm.
For more details on registering for one of these sessions, email childhealth@medway.gov.uk.
Parenting advice from Place2Be’s child mental health experts.
It includes practical tips to support children’s wellbeing and behaviour.
Our free resources for families, parents and carers can help you get involved with Place2Be's Children's Mental Health Week at home.
Support for professionals
There is also support available for professionals to help with children's mental health.
The NHS Kent and Medway Children’s and Maternity Commissioning Team have developed a number of videos offering an introduction to various topics, including:
Learning events focussing on particular emerging or identified needs, presented by subject experts.
The sessions also give opportunities to share practice and problem solve.
To join, email cypt@medway.gov.uk.
Previous sessions have included:
The updated guidance supports a change in practice to ensure that children, young people, and their families are supported.
Visit the Kent and Medway Integrated Care System website to find out more.
Supporting mental health and wellbeing is a key part of the government’s mission to break down the barriers to opportunity and provide better life chances for all children and young people. It's also key to improving attendance and engagement in learning.
Department for Education (DfE) funded mental health lead training will help you improve your school or college approach to promoting and supporting mental health and wellbeing.
A grant to access this training for your mental health leads is available for all state schools and colleges in England.
This training helps schools to plan or improve their whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing.
Find out more about DfE funded mental health lead training.
Resources
A resource hub is available to support you to embed and sustain your whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing.
It has been updated with new, evidence-based resources for this academic year.
See the mental health lead resource hub.
Support toolkits
You can use the targeted mental wellbeing support toolkit to help you develop and provide effective in-school or in-college targeted support.
See the targeted mental wellbeing support toolkit.
You can also use the Whole School and College Approach (WSCA) Measurement Toolkit for educational settings.
View the WSCA Measurement Toolkit.
Resources for teachers, parents and carers
Visit the resource page for teachers, parents and carers to support children and young people experiencing difficulties with mental wellbeing and regular school or college attendance.
The framework has been developed to support inclusion of lived experience in our commissioning, delivery and review of services.
View more information about the Lived Experience Engagement and Employment Framework.
Further support
You can find a full list of the services that Medway Council and health partners provide on the children's services page.