**Children's Mental Health Week**

Children's Mental Health Week (childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk) - Help give a voice to children and young people across the UK in Children's Mental Health Week, from 5-11 February 2024.

Reconnect: Kent Children and Young People Programme 

Kent County Council are launching Reconnect: Kent Children and Young People Programme. This exciting programme aims to support Kent’s children and young people to reconnect to: 

• Health and happiness  

• Learning missed  

• Friends, family and community  

• Sports, activities and the outdoors  

• Economic wellbeing  

By way of introduction, they are providing links to two film clips, both lasting about 3 minutes.  The first explains the ambition of the programme, the second, is by Kent children and young people setting out why this programme is important to them, and what they would like it to achieve.  The programme is still in development and is planned to run from April 2021 to August 2022. It will be available to all children and young people aged 2 – 19 years (or up to 24 years old if they have special educational needs or disabilities). Different levels of need will be available and we will send you further information when it is available to us.  

www.kent.gov.uk/reconnect 

https://vimeo.com/528391931/315166a6cf 

6 Ways to Wellbeing

1. Be Active… Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Cycle. Play a game. Garden. Dance. Exercising makes you feel good. Most importantly, discover a physical activity that you enjoy; one that suits your level of mobility and fitness.

2. Keep Learning … Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Take on a different responsibility at work. Fix a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving. Learning new things will make you more confident, as well as being fun to do.

3. Give … Do something nice for a friend, or a stranger. Thank someone. Smile. Volunteer your time. Join a community group. Look out, as well as in. Seeing yourself, and your happiness, linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and will create connections with the people around you.

4. Connect … With the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. At home, work, school or in your local community. Think of these as the cornerstones of your life and invest time in developing them. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day.

5. Take Notice … Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Notice the changing seasons. Savour the moment, whether you are on a train, eating lunch or talking to friends. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you.

6. Care for The Planet … look after your community and the world.  Make small changes to your life that will reduce your energy use, recycle more, leave the car at home, use low energy light bulbs, small steps to a greener life can make a difference.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Video

Please watch our short presentation on wellbeing (click the image below to start playback)

PowerPoint Presentations 

Please click the image below to view the presentation.

Mental Health and Wellbeing at Birchington CE Primary School

What is Mental Health and Wellbeing?

An Environment for Wellbeing

Useful Links

Express Yourself Toolkit

www.mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk - By talking openly about mental health from a young age, children can learn to better understand their emotions, break down stigma, and feel safe enough to reach out for help when it’s needed.

Mindfulness for Kids

www.mindful.org/mindfulness-for-kids - Teaching mindfulness to kids, we equip them with tools to build self-esteem, manage stress, and skillfully approach challenges.

Children's Mental Health Activity Pack

www.twinkl.co.uk - This resource pack is bursting with practical tools perfect for supporting young school children's mental health. 

Classroom Activities to Help Children express themselves

www.teacherboards.co.uk - Activities to help children to process their emotions.

Kent Resilience Hub

www.kentresiliencehub.org.uk - A resource that helps young people, parents and carers to understand emotional wellbeing and resilience.

Place2Be: Parenting Smart

www.parentingsmart.place2be.org.uk - Practical tips to support children's wellbeing and behaviour.