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Services and Trusted Resources

Below we have sign-posted information and guidance about the issue most commonly seen in school-aged children.

The links will take you through to the most relevant page of the listed website

Support on all of these can be accessed via

Bullying

Bullying is usually defined as behaviour that is:

Repeated
Intended to hurt someone either physically or emotionally
Often aimed at certain groups, for example because of race, religion gender or sexual orientation

It takes many forms and can include:

Physical assault
Teasing
Making threats
Name calling
Cyberbullying- bullying via mobile or online (for example email, social networks and instant messenger)

Online support:

Kidscape www.kidscape.org.uk

NSPCC www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/child-abuse-and-neglect/bullying-and-cyberbullying

Self-harm

Self-harm describes any behaviour where a young person causes harm to themselves in order to cope with thoughts, feelings or experiences they are not able to manage in any other way. It most frequently takes the form of cutting, burning or non-lethal overdoses in adolescents, while younger children and young people with special needs are more likely to pick or scratch at wounds, pull out their hair or bang or bruise themselves.

Online support: www.selfharm.co.uk

National Self-Harm network: www.nshn.co.uk

Depression

Ups and downs are a normal part of life for all of us, but for someone who is suffering from depression these ups and downs may be more extreme. Feelings of failure, hopelessness, numbness or sadness may invade their day-to-day life over an extended period of weeks or months, and have a significant impact on their behaviour, ability and motivation to engage in day-to-day activities.

Online support

Depression Alliance:

www.depressionalliance.org/information/what-depression

Anxiety, panic attacks and phobias

Anxiety can take many forms in children and young people, and it is something that each of us experiences at low levels as part of normal life. When thoughts of anxiety, fear or panic are repeatedly present over several weeks or months and/or they are beginning to impact on a young person's ability to access or enjoy day-to-day life, intervention is needed.

Online support

Anxiety UK: www.anxiety.org.uk

Obsessions and compulsions

Obsessions describe intrusive thoughts or feelings that enter our minds which are disturbing or upsetting; compulsions are the behaviours we carry out in order to manage those thoughts or feelings. For example, a young person may be constantly worried that their house will burn down if they don't turn off all switches before leaving the house. They may respond to these thought by repeatedly checking switches, perhaps returning home several times to do so. Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) can take many forms- it is not just about cleaning and checking.

Online support

OCD UK: www.ocduk.org/ocd

Eating problems

Food, weight and shape may be used as a way of coping with, or communicating about, difficult thoughts, feelings and behaviours that a young person experiences day to day. Some young people develop eating disorders such as anorexia (where food intake is restricted), binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa ( a cycle of bingeing and purging). Other young people, particularly those of primary or preschool age, may develop problematic behaviours around food including refusing to eat in certain situations or with certain people. This can be a way of communicating messages the child does not have words to convey.

Online support:

Beat-the eating disorder charity: www.b-eat.co.uk/about-eating-disordersEating difficulties in younger children and when to worry: www.inourhands.com/eatingdifficulties-in-younger-children