Keeping your child safe. Advice for parents.

At Thornleigh Sixth Form we recognise that being a parent can be difficult at times and when our children may be struggling it can be hard to know what the right thing to do is.

Recognising the signs that a child may be struggling with their mental health can be really hard.

Many children or young people will feel stressed or anxious about things like exams or moving to a new school. But while these experiences can be challenging, they’re different from longer-term depression or anxiety, which affect how a child or young person feels every day.

Sometimes, parents feel like their child’s mental health problem is their fault. Or they want to know exactly why their child is struggling. This is understandable, but the most important thing is to reassure your child and not judge them for how they’re feeling.

You can help a child who’s struggling by:

• Being patient and staying calm and approachable, even if their behaviour upsets you

• Recognising that their feelings are valid and letting them know it’s OK for them to be honest about what they're feeling

• Thinking of healthy ways to cope. You could try things like yoga, breathing exercises or mindfulness together

• Encouraging them to talk to their GP.