Further information and resources
QWELL online wellbeing support for adults
FREE (NHS funded) Digital Support for your wellbeing FREE
Anxiety UK
Information and advice for supporting your child.
We Heart CBT anxiety resources for parents & children
Wellbeing resources based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) aimed at helping parents to support their child when struggling with anxiety.
Young Minds UK
If your child is struggling with worry or anxiety, here are some ways you can support them and places you can get help.
YoungMinds Parents Helpline
Call 0808 802 5544
(Monday to Friday 9.30am to 4pm, free for mobiles and landlines)
Anna Freud Centre
Information for parents and carers
Child in Mind: what do we know about childhood anxiety and what can parents do about it?
Feeling anxious and worried is a normal experience for children, but how do we know when it's becoming a serious problem and what can we do about it? Claudia Hammond discusses these issues and more with expert Professor Cathy Creswell from the University of Reading, and Beckie, whose whole family was affected by her son's anxiety.
Headstart Kernow
SPACE (Supporting Parents and Children Emotionally) courses
Contact space@cornwall.gov.uk for dates of public courses or to ask about SPACE training for school staff.
Kidscape Parents Helpline
If bullying is contributing to your child's worries Kidscape provides confidential, expert advice. Call 0300 102 4481. Mon/Tue 09.30 - 14.30
Books
There are many helpful books available for parents and for children. Including some wonderful picture books and story books for younger ones.
Here are a few of our favourites:
For parents & carers
Helping your Child with Fears and Worries by Catherine Cresswell and Lucy Willetts If your child is experiencing severe anxiety this offers a detailed guide for parents and carers about what is happening and how to support.
Reading together
Help! I’ve Got an Alarm Bell Going Off in My Head! How Panic, Anxiety and Stress Affect Your Body by K. L. Aspden
An excellent guide to the role of the amygdala in anxiety. For 9 - 12 year olds
Hey Warrior! by Karen Young
A truly brilliant book to explain anxiety. Beautifully illustrated and hugely encouraging. For everyone. Karen Young's website which has some excellent articles / other resources
The Huge Bag of Worries by Virgina Ironside, illustrated by Frank Rodgers
An absolute classic. Jenny carries a huge bag of worries around that she can’t get rid of... until the kind lady next door helps...
Ruby's Worry by Tom Percival
A story book for younger children. Ruby has a worry, it’s getting bigger... how can Ruby get rid of it?
Facing Mighty Fears about... a series of 10 mini books by psychologist Dr Dawn Huebner.
We like these because they are specific to a particular aspect of worry; short and to the point; with ideas to try (with a foundation in CBT) and lots of reassurance and encouragement with fun along the way too. Well worth a look. Dr Huebner also provides helpful advice in each book for parents / carers.
Activities for Children
The Unworry Book by Alice James
Things to doodle, draw, write, scribble and scrunch...
Creative Education Wellbeing platform for parents and carers
Join the Headstart Kernow membership and get full and free access to information and advice about children's wellbeing for parents and carers:
www.creativeeducation.co.uk/headstart-kernow-parents
Including free access to:
Help Anxious Children Feel Calm & in Control - webinar (30 mins)
When faced with a child who is worried or anxious, it can be hard to know how best to help Inthis short course, Dr Pooky Knightsmith helps you to understand the cycle of anxiety and thesimple steps you can take to help your child feel like together you are taking control of theiranxiety rather than letting their anxiety control them.
Smiling Mind App - Free
The Smiling Mind app is a FREE meditation and mindfulness app.There are some excellent activities for use with children, grouped by ages. Smiling Mind was developed by psychologists and educators inAustralia to help support wellbeing through simple mindfulness, breathing and meditation activities, accessible on any device. There are activities for you too.
Download for FREE on the AppStore or Google Play
For Children
CHILDLINE: how to cope with anxiety
We all feel anxious sometimes. But if your anxiety feels overwhelming, Childline's got ways to help you cope.
Did you know? CHILDLINE has a site for Under 12s
Compared to the main site the under 12s site:
- is easier to use as there are fewer pages
- has pages that are easier to understand as they're written for under 12s
- has illustrations, as primary school children told us they preferred these to photos.
Start Now Cornwall - Our Young People's Website
Created and run BY young people in Cornwall FOR young people in Cornwall