There is a lot of uncertainty around the current COVID-19 outbreak, particularly given that the situation is constantly developing and the information about the virus remains incomplete.

Understandably, this is causing a lot of worry and anxiety for people.  Having children and young people at home, often when people are trying to work themselves, adds another layer of stress.  It is therefore important to not only consider our physical health during such challenging times, but also to pay attention to our mental health.  It is normal to feel worried, stressed and anxious when we are faced with uncertain situations, but the sooner we acknowledge and learn to take care of our mental health, the healthier and better equipped we’ll be to cope with the situation we’re having to face.

Below are three resources which parents and carers may find useful.

At St Catherine’s, we use My Family Coach to help our parents and carers understand their children’s behaviour.

My Family Coach is a free website written by behaviour experts with 20 years’ experience working with over 5,000 schools. My Family Coach will support you through the tough times, inspire you with new ideas, and share practical tips to make parenting that little bit easier.

Video from My Family Coach

Mentally Healthy Schools

Mentally Healthy Schools brings together quality-assured mental health resources, information & advice.

https://www.mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk/

CAMHS Resources

This site was created for young people, carers and professionals to pool together lots of helpful resources from across the internet that are available to help support mental health and well-being.

https://www.camhs-resources.co.uk/

COVID-19 – Managing Children’s Mental Health

The Prince of Wales School have shared this video on YouTube. They’ve asked Dr Clare Shave, an NHS Consultant Psychologist, for some advice on managing children’s mental health during the COVID-19 closures.