Mental Health and Wellbeing

The main thing to remember is that you are not alone. In school you can talk to anyone that you feel comfortable with; we are all here for you. If we can be of any help, please get in touch. If we don’t know the answer, hopefully we can point you in the right direction!

Anna Freud’s mission is to transform the experience of children, young people and their families with mental health. They do this by carrying out research, developing new approaches, teaching and training, and collaborating with other charities and professionals. This is a great resource for advice and support on all things mental health. Click here to learn more.

Place2Be is a children’s mental health charity with over 25 years’ experience working with pupils, families and staff in UK schools. Place2Be provides mental health support in Beckfoot School through one-to-one and group counselling using tried and tested methods backed by research. We have a Place2Be Manager based in school three days a week, every week, with a team of counsellors. We made this investment for our whole community – students, parents, carers, and staff. If you have a specific enquiry, please email our Place2Be Manager, Rachel Bradbury, at [email protected].

Kooth provides free online support for young people delivered by qualified counsellors via chat-based services. We’ve attached what we think are some useful documents below.

Mental health is an everyday part of life. Children and teens have a lot to their shoulders and life can become overwhelming for them at times. At Beckfoot School, we care for your child and want them to be happy and ready for life in the world.

There may be times when you would like a little support with your child. Being a parent/carer comes with many challenges, and sometimes it is difficult to know what to do. The good news is that there is plenty of help and guidance around how do deal with life’s ups and downs – both for you and your child.

We care for your child, as do you, and working together with you is important to us. If you notice anything different about your child, or feel worried – you are not alone. We are always here to help in any way we can. You might just need some reassurance, input, or maybe you need to be pointed in the right direction for further support.

On this page, you can find a range of hand-picked resources that will help you support both your child’s and your own mental health.

Qwell is a safe and confidential support space for the emotional wellbeing and mental health of adults. We’ve attached some documents that we think could be of use below.

General

• Action for Happiness: Resources and evidence-based ideas to help improve your happiness.
• The Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health: A charity aimed to raise the standards of mental health.
• Anna Freud: A children’s mental health charity providing specialist help and training.
• Childline: A counselling service for parents, children and young people.
• First Response: NHS Service, urgent mental health support.
• Healios: Mental health, autism and ADHD service.
• Hub of Hope: Free national mental health database.
• Kooth: Free online support for young people delivered by qualified counsellors via chat-based services.
• The Mix: The UK’s leading support service for young people, there to help you take on any challenge you’re facing.
• NHS Choices: Information and support for your mental health.
• Samaritans: Confidential emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair.
• Shout: Free, 24/7 mental health text support.
• Time to Change: A campaign to end the stigma and discrimination surrounding mental health.
• Wellness Recovery Action Plan: A tool that anyone can use to maintain their wellness.
• Young Minds: A charity committed to improving the emotional health and wellbeing of young people.
• Place2Be: Mental health support in school.

Useful Apps

• Better Sleep App: A personalised sleep experience for more restful nights and wakeful days.
• Calm: App for sleep, meditation and relaxation.
• Calm Harm: App which helps young people resist the urge to self-harm by using four task categories.
• Elevate: Personalised brain training.
• Headspace: Teaches mindfulness meditation principles to improve wellbeing.
• Rise Up: Eating disorder recovery tools including meal logging, behaviour tracking, emotions and thought tracking, plus information around body image, mindfulness and relationships.
• Stay Alive: Help and support for people with thoughts of suicide and people concerned about someone else.
• WhatsUp: App providing daily tools that promote positive mental health and wellbeing.

Anxiety

• Anxiety UK: Helps all those suffering with anxiety disorders. Includes self-help leaflets and contacts lists, self-help groups, counselling and email support.
• NHS Mood Self-Assessment: This quiz might help you better understand how you’ve been feeling and what your options are.
• No Panic: A registered charity which helps people with panic attacks, phobias, obsessive compulsive disorder, and other related anxiety disorders.

Bipolar Disorder

• Bipolar UK: A user-led charity working to enable people affected by bipolar disorder to take control of their lives. This organisation provides support and advice for people with manic depression, their families, and carers.
• NHS: Information and support for people suffering with bipolar disorder.

Depression

• Charlie Waller Memorial Trust: Awareness, information and resources for those who are depressed.
• NHS Mood Self-Assessment: A quiz to help you better understand how you’ve been feeling and what your options are.
• Students against depression: Information and resources validated by health professionals alongside tips and advice from students who have experienced it all themselves.

Domestic Violence

• Staying Put: A domestic abuse and sexual violence charity which provides support services to victims and survivors across Bradford.
• Refuge: Support for women and children who are victims of domestic abuse.

Drug Misuse

• Adfam: Information and support for families affected by drugs and alcohol. Runs helplines and local support groups across England, as well as training for drug and alcohol professions.
• Talk to Frank: A national drug education service providing advice and support for young people who use substances, and their friends and family.

Eating Disorders

• Anorexia and Bulimia Care: ABC provides personal advice and support to anyone affected by anorexia, bulimia, binge eating and all kinds of eating distress.
• Beat: This website provides information on all aspects of eating disorders.
• Boy Anorexia: Informative website about anorexia in boys.

LGBTQ+ Support

• LGBTQ+ Switchboard: National service for people who identify as lesbian or gay, and anyone needing support regarding their sexuality.
• Mermaids: A range of helpline services supporting transgender youth, up to and including age 25, and their families.

OCD

• OCD UK: Information and support relating to OCDs in children and young people.
• OCD Action: Providing support and information to anyone affected by OCD.

Self Harm

• Harmless: A range of services about self-harm including support, information, training, and consultancy to people who self-harm, their friends and their families.
• LifeSigns: Guiding people who hurt themselves towards new ways of coping when they’re ready for the journey.
• SelfHarmUK: Support for young people impacted by self-harm, providing a safe space to talk and ask any questions about what’s going on in your life.

Suicide

• CALM: The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is dedicated to preventing male suicide.
• NHS Choices: Support and advice for those suffering with suicidal thoughts.
• Samaritans: 24/7 free calls for anyone who is experiencing suicidal thoughts.

Resources for Families

• Action for Happiness: Advice on positive parenting techniques and monthly action calendars.
• Camhs: Advice and support for parents/carers.
• Cruse Bereavement Support: Support for brief and bereavement.
• First Response: NHS Service, urgent mental health support.
• Guide-Line: Speak to someone about your mental health.
• Mental Health Foundation: Mental health and learning disabilities support.
• Mind: A mental health charity.
• NHS: Advice for parents/carers regarding your child’s mental health.
• NHS Mood Assessment: A mental health self-help tool.
• NSPCC: Child protection charity.
• Papyrus: Youth suicide prevention charity.
• PACE: Parents Against Child Exploitation
• Refuge: Advice on dealing with domestic violence.
• Samaritans: Confidential support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair.
• SANE: Emotional support, information and guidance for people affected by mental illness, their families and carers.
• Staying Put: Support for women, men and children who are survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence.
• Place2Be: Parenting Smart – parenting advice from child mental health experts.
• Stronger Families: Programme to help and support families across Leeds and Bradford: Employability & Skills Building, Health and Well-being and Financial Inclusion Support.     
• Young Minds: A charity dedicated to children’s mental health.