Keira

If you open up to someone and they don't react in the way you hoped for, we want you to know it is not your fault. Their reaction is about *them*, not you. You are never ‘too much’. You are never a burden. You deserve to have someone who is there for you, just as much as the next person.

You never have to apologise for putting your mental health first.

You don't need to apologise for doing what's best for your mental health.

Imagine if there was a space in your local community where a young person could go, without a referral, and talk to a professional about what they are going through. That’s what we’re calling on the Government for. #FundTheHubs

Listening and validating their feelings is one of the most valuable ways to support a young person. #ChildrensMentalHealthWeek 💡 letstalk.mentalhealth

Parents, take some time over the next few days to sit down with your child and talk about mental health. You can start the conversation by asking these questions.

Our advice on how to support your child if they are being bullied. #AntiBullyingWeek 1/ Open up a conversation with them about it. It might help to explain what bullying is and how it can make people feel, which can normalise what they’re going through and make it easier for them to open up. 2/ Listen to what it’s like for them and offer emotional support. Reassure them that you love them and will work together to make things better. They may feel scared or embarrassed about what’s going on, so they will need you to be calm and to listen carefully. 3/ Let them know that they can also talk to teachers, other family members or friends. Especially if they’re not ready to open up to you about what’s going on. Try again another day and let them know they can talk to you whenever they are ready. 4/ Keep a detailed log of what happens and when, so that you have evidence of the bullying This can be a written list, photographs or screenshots of online messages. Encourage your child to share any evidence with you as soon as possible. 5/ Use the time you have with your child to help build their resilience and self-esteem. For example, you might try regularly doing activities that you know they enjoy together, which can give your child a sense of achievement and belonging. This could be things like exercising or playing sport, cooking and baking, or colouring, drawing or painting. Try to notice and affirm their efforts in these activities. 6/ Encourage them to spend time with peers who treat them well. Help them to think about who these people are, and support them to arrange times to hang out or do activities with them. 7/ Take action to stop the bullying. Providing emotional support is really important, but your child can only start to recover from what’s happened when the bullying has stopped and they feel safe again.